Have slowly been collecting some measuring gear so can see a use for a small surface plate.
Main problem is I rarely have any free bench space to put a surface plate on so I've decided to build a small movable bench that can be tucked under one end of my main bench. If I don't do this I am less likely to drag one out and use it. I am just going to get a small granite plate from Carbatech to start with and see how much I use it before looking for something a bit bigger.

The frame is made of 40 x 40 x 4 mm galv tube on adjustable feet.
Its 350 mm wide 850 mm long and 715 mm high.
With the hardwood top on it will bring it up to 747 mm walls heaving enough space for a ticker plate or any levelling mechanisms etc that might be needed in the future.
The reason its this width and length is because that is all the space I have under the workbench bench

To move the bench, 4 x 50 kg, 50 mm diameter PU wheels have been installed on separate short legs.
Each pair of legs can be raised/lowered by turning a 16 mm steel shaft which turns 25 mm diameter cam lobes above each wheeled leg.
In there photo below the handles are currently in the wheel down position, to raise the wheels or lower the frame the handles are rotated anticlockwise by 180º

frontside.jpg
I have a 32 mm piece of Tassie oak slab I will use for the top and some 19 mm jarrah boards for the middle shelf.
The shelf will be occupied by a set of steel drawers to hold measuring instruments.

Here is a shot of the back of the frame and the back wheels
Backside.jpg

The wheels are attached to a short 30 x 30mm SHS leg that slides up and down inside the 40 x 40 mm leg attached to the frame
Although each main leg is height adjustable to accomodate a non flat floor and the fact that the main legs are not identical in length, a bolt on the top of teh wheeled leg (cam contacts head of this bolt) can be utilise to adjust the amount of lift generated by each wheeled leg.
Wheel.jpg

The cams are held in place by a 6 mm grub screw that makes contact with a narrow section of the 16 mm rod that has been milled flat.
lifterhandle.jpg

The 25 mm cams are offset from the centre of the 16 mm shafts by only 3.5 mm give a max travel of 7 mm but this makes it easy to turn the handles and is more than enough to generate the floor clearance needed to move the bench.
Height.jpg

The main problem with the current design is when I lift one end of the bench to add the second wheeled leg the other wheeled leg falls out.
I will added a locking cap screw to each leg to hold the wheeled lens in place while the bench is lifted then when all wheels are in place the locking screws can be loosened.
Attached Images




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