Thread: Banjo’s Other Bench.

Same problem different approach.
This time I was looking to permanently mount a few machines that I use all the time, in a way that gets the most versatility out of them.

A DeWalt Compound Mitre Saw, a Bosch PBD 40 drill, Ryobi Belt & Disk Sander and a Detroit Grinder running a multi tool attachment all needed to find a home on this new bench.
Each came with their own set of problems and requirements that had to be incorporated into the design; this is what I did to overcome them.

To cut long lengths of timber the Mitre Saw needed to access the first 150mm or so of the bench’s entire 4 metre length which meant those other machines had to be mounted behind that line. I made the choice to not build a fence, but still wanted to use stop blocks for repeat cuts, so I embedded a full length T track for that. This has worked well and the track gets used elsewhere for other accessories and tools beside this purpose also.

Next the PBD 40. I had a bog standard pedestal type for years but it wasn’t going to work with this arrangement so I made a leap of faith and bought the Bosch through Amazon. I’ve not been disappointed either. It’s a very handy tool for light work but I didn’t like the chuck, so I bought an upgrade that works better with far less runout than the original. I’ll add that pic to those below.

The Bosch is mounted on two T tracks that allow the machine to slide forward and be locked close to the operator yet slid back out of the way when not needed.
It’s rather small platen got a upgraded top with a fence and a few T tracks to make it more precise and useable.

For the Ryobi Sander I went with a Lazy Suzan turntable mount to make it possible to rotate it to work on odd shapes and lengths should it be needed. This was probably overkill as it spends most of its time sitting in the one position.

To the 8” Detroit Grinder I added a Multitool unit and wire brush. I wasn’t happy with the belt spinning towards me as I ground metal down on the flat platen section. In particular working with sharp knives. To remedy this I unbolted the unit and remounted it facing the other way. Reattaching the Multitool and swung it vertical, the belts now rotate up and away from me, much safer.

All four machines created dust of one sort or another but the biggest offenders were the Mitre Saw, Drill and Sander.

A solution here was found by running first a piece of flexible hose, then a rigid 50mm PVC pipe from each machine underneath the benchtop and terminating them together near the shop vac location. By switching the vacuum input hose from one to the other as needed it saved me running a bigger and much more expensive setup.
I also made a vortex extractor unit to collect all the chips and dust before they got to the vacuum itself. The commercial version of this is called a dust deputy and I believe they work well too.

The clear Perspex boxes weren’t cheap but long after I’d forgotten their cost I delight in being able to find the right fixing where and when I need it, Very satisfying.

Sorry for the length of this description. There is a bit going on here that I wanted to share with you for the benefit of all and there just wasn’t a quick way of doing it.
I’m better now 🙄