Thread: Time to decide

[quote=masoth].
SO TO THE QUESTION: Is the multi-purpose table a mistake?/quote]

I very much hope not, I'm doing the same thing!

The steel frame has been welded up and is to be delivered tommorow, designed to fit the only remaining space in my way-too-small workshop. My multipurpose mobile bench will be home to a SCMS, the newly acquired thicknesser (yes the GMC) and hopefully soon a small benchtop jointer. All have mounting holes in the benchtop (salvaged kitchen benchtop). Room for two tools mounted on the top at once with room for storing all three underneath when the top is used to hold the router table (a "modified" triton MK3 bench).

Ideally I (like you I'm sure) would love the all the room needed for all the toys and plenty of work space but for one reason or another I also don't have the space.

So the multi use mobile bench option will work for me. Obviously not as convenient and certainly more time consuming to keep changing / moving machines. But the only other option I can see is to have less tools and seriously fellas, is that really an option?

My only concern was the safety aspect and I think this option can be safer than using temporary set ups. My tools are securely mounted and the bench is stable and can be moved to where the most room is at the time. The safety really comes down to me the operator in the end.

So Soth, I reckon it *can* be a viable option. As with everything else, careful planning and safety conscious operation will determine the success. It's not ideal but it can be functional.

Goodluck!

Glenn

Hard to say soth, but I reckon dedicated "workstations" on castors are the go, gives me the irrits when I have to move something to get to something that's under... you get the idea.

It's a bit of a motivation killer, I reckon.


Cheers.................Sean

I can see both sides of this argument, being in the process of moving from a small workspace to a much larger one. Guess what? the new one isnt big enough either. Masoth, do what you can with the space you have, youwill find a way to do what you need to do

You gotta do what you gotta do.

The only thing that I would do above anything else is keep the router table top as flat, smooth and unblemished as possible. Anything that may possibly hinder the workpiece travelling across it is simply asking for trouble, be it hassle, damaged work or possibly dangerous.

If you have put anything on there, make sure that when it's gone there is no chance that anything will catch on it anywhere.

Thanks all for the comments. This is, of course, the greatest value of the forum I know of.
My intention is (and I should have said so) is to use ferrules in the table for relatively easy and quick anchorage. From the safety and freeflow of work aspects I think it should be OK.

Glenn, perhaps I should live in the play-room and DO my woody stuff in the house.

soth

ps: Yesterday I missed out on making a bid on a house WITH a 40X20 workshop - how do you spell B U G G A !!!!!!

Shift over here then... seen a property a tad over 400K 5acres brand new 30+sq home(under 6mths old)basic land scaping... and a 40x100 industrial shed fully concreted with office and 3phase power plus its a little away from neighbors so you can make noise if you want.
Wish I was a little more financial(must finish my reno's 1st) I'd buy it myself and plant a retirement wood lot!

[quote=Harry72]Shift over here then... seen a property a tad over 400K 5acres brand new 30+sq home(under 6mths old)basic land scaping... and a 40x100 industrial shed fully concreted with office and 3phase power plus its a little away from neighbors so you can make noise if you want.
Wish I was a little more financial(must finish my reno's 1st) I'd buy it myself and plant a retirement wood lot![/quote

C'mon Mate................... It's no good you seeing it. Is it still available - that bit's for you, and for everyone else Harry an I DO NOT KNOW EACH OTHER.

try what i did, I made a 400mm by 800 by12 sheet of ply framed in the sides put a 6mm alloy plate in for the router and a T assemly underneath so I could mount it on a cheep version of a work mate . Its fence was sloted and i use unbreco bolts with washers on top with tnuts underneath too pullit down.

Just a thought - I built my router table top out of 3mm gal steel onto which I glued a piece of Laminex - hole in the middle for the bit and 4 countersunk bolts with a locknut to keep them in place. The router is mounted from underneath and held in place with 4 bits of angle iron which clip over the router base and are held with 4 large wing nuts. I have bolted my top to a steel frame but you could use the same idea to "drop" this sort of top onto/into your setup. One of the common problems with tops is the amount of adjustment re depth of cut that is lost - with this sort of top it is minimal. It is my intention to drop my top into a larger set up some time in the future even though it has not been a problem as yet.

Check out the link below which should give you a better idea as well as showing you what I use as a router lift.

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...482#post228482

Regards,
Bob

Holy somthing-or-other, Bob - that's some set-up. I am impressed. It is the one problem I still need to solve befor taking the next construction step for my table.
Over night I've decided, because the thicknesser will probably be used less than the scroll-saw, I'll mount it on the work bench but still put the scroll-saw on the router table.
I don't/can't do metal work, and really cannot justify hiring a bod to make a lifter, of any sort. I'd like your gear - put it "on the market" Mate. You could make a quid.

Originally Posted by masoth

I've messed about with ideas for building a router-table for a couple of months. I've taken note of old and newer commentary on this board, peeked at commercial items, and conclude I'll start at a hinged table measuring 1200 x 595mm; 2 x 16mm lamipanel and one x 12mm MDF, edged with 'something' mounted on a steel frame, and clamped (when needed) to an end of my workbench. Now I've bought a scroll-saw, and the GMC Planer/Thicknesser, which I am thinking of positioning on the "router-table" with temperory mounts.
My work is all done in the car-port, and my tools moved to better security in "My Play Room" when not in use, therefor the router-table is on lock-down castors.
Much of the stuff I do is educational and given to kids through any organization which does not, to me, appear as profit takers. That means the two newer tools are likely to have regular jobs, with the router for more "family' gift stuff. I tend to NOT alter too much any material I get, and allow IT to create whatever - jewellery display, a baseball mitt. a scented candle holder - each is smoothed, stained or polished, or painted.
SO TO THE QUESTION: Is the multi-purpose table a mistake? Will I be creating a potentially dangerous situation, or any other situation I have not considered?

soth

ps: I don't answer to anyone about noise, dust, etc.

Hi soth

I went down this track and it works really well.

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...hlight=dazzler

see - The top just lifts off and you could easily hang it flat against the wall and put another "functioning" top on.

i love the hammerlock shelves, strong and sturdee and packable.

Good luck

dazzler

Like you Bob my Rtable has a 3mm steel (someone here called it a BBQ plate) top with some aluminum 50 angle bolted under it to stop any flex. The only problem is rust... but like any other machine with cast steel maintenance keeps it nice(silverglide).

Im going to start my new Rtable soon, had about a grand$ worth of woodpeckers catalog sitting there for 6 months doing nothing!

Originally Posted by Harry72

Like you Bob my Rtable has a 3mm steel (someone here called it a BBQ plate) top with some aluminum 50 angle bolted under it to stop any flex. The only problem is rust... but like any other machine with cast steel maintenance keeps it nice(silverglide).

Im going to start my new Rtable soon, had about a grand$ worth of woodpeckers catalog sitting there for 6 months doing nothing!

Mine is galvanised - however, to perhaps "solve" your rust problem - thoroughly clean the surface, degrease it, then laminate it with a smooth laminex. No rust and the top is sealed by the contact glue, timber slides beautifully over the laminex. The underside of yours could be cleaned up and then coated with some rust preservative - however, the laminex is cheap [offcuts] and you could possibly cover the bottom as well - it only adds 1mm to the overall thickness.
Bob

You blokes are giving me a headache - a good one, so I thank you.

I've wondered about possible usage of the router (still connected to the table) in a verticle position and of course like most things, the simple answer is a fold down "tabletop" - a flap.
So guess what. That's been added to the plan. My concern, now, is the size of a gantry to move this developing monster.

The only problem left to solve IS THE LIFTING DEVICE. I like Bob38S, it looks to have sympathy for arthritic hands.

soth