Shopsmith Forums

Decided to work on a quicky project before starting the adjustable setup gage. The workbench I have from Harbor Freight is only 20" deep. In general, I've found it to be fine but ran into an assembly operation were it was be a bit too small. When I was assembling the pegboard storage rack, there were times where it was hanging awkwardly off the back of the bench. Figured it was a good time to get rid of some 'scrap' lumber by making a plywood folding extension. The plywood panel is held onto the back of the bench with three door hinges.
.
.
[ATTACH]9442[/ATTACH]
.
.
The legs are hinged with two hex cap screws and wing nuts that hold them in either the raised or lowered position. To lower the legs, you just remove the inside cap screw, drop the leg down and reinsert the screw into the lower hole.
.
.
[ATTACH]9443[/ATTACH].
.
.
[ATTACH]9447[/ATTACH]
.
.
Since the bench has the hinged casters under the legs, the legs for the extension table had to be adjustable depending on whether the bench was on the wheels or directly on the ground. To make them adjustable, I used 1/2-13 x 6" carriage bolts on the bottom of the extension table legs.
.
.
[ATTACH]9448[/ATTACH]
.
.
First drilled a 1/2" diameter hole 6" inches deep in the bottom of the legs. Then I installed a 1/2" T-nut to screw the carriage bolt into. (Ignore the wing nut in the picture. I didn't use it. I was going to use it as a jam nut but that was overkill. Oh, and it's upside down in the photo also..... )
.
.
.
[ATTACH]9446[/ATTACH]
.
.
Real quick and dirty way to get extra bench top square footage. Little paint (maybe) and it's a done deal.

mickyd wrote:Decided to work on a quicky project before starting the adjustable setup gage. The workbench I have from Harbor Freight is only 20" deep. In general, I've found it to be fine but ran into an assembly operation were it was be a bit too small. When I was assembling the pegboard storage rack, there were times where it was hanging awkwardly off the back of the bench. Figured it was a good time to get rid of some 'scrap' lumber by making a plywood folding extension. The plywood panel is held onto the back of the bench with three door hinges.
.
.
[ATTACH]9442[/ATTACH]
.
.
The legs are hinged with two hex cap screws and wing nuts that hold them in either the raised or lowered position. To lower the legs, you just remove the inside cap screw, drop the leg down and reinsert the screw into the lower hole.
.
.
[ATTACH]9443[/ATTACH].
.
.
[ATTACH]9447[/ATTACH]
.
.
Since the bench has the hinged casters under the legs, the legs for the extension table had to be adjustable depending on whether the bench was on the wheels or directly on the ground. To make them adjustable, I used 1/2-13 x 6" carriage bolts on the bottom of the extension table legs.
.
.
[ATTACH]9448[/ATTACH]
.
.
First drilled a 1/2" diameter hole 6" inches deep in the bottom of the legs. Then I installed a 1/2" T-nut to screw the carriage bolt into. (Ignore the wing nut in the picture. I didn't use it. I was going to use it as a jam nut but that was overkill. Oh, and it's upside down in the photo also..... )
.
.
.
[ATTACH]9446[/ATTACH]
.
.
Real quick and dirty way to get extra bench top square footage. Little paint (maybe) and it's a done deal.

Good job!!! I did not know such heavy duty tee-nuts existed!!!! An alternative would to bore a hole through the leg and use a cylinder nut(???). i.e. a cylindrical plug with a tapped hole through the side(not the end). The leg hole is sized to the od of the 'c nut'.

That has gotta be an improvement over lawn chairs!!!:D

=============================

Another great piece of work, Mike. About the paint....or not thing. What I use on all my benches and worktops is birch PW and my finish of choice is about three or four coats of water based Varathane clear gloss. I have abused this surface in every way you can imagine from scratching to paint and glue spots to stain spills and more. It is so hard you virtually can't scratch through it, Titebond type glues chip right off the glossy surface, and whenever it starts to look bad I just sand off the top coat or two and slap on another couple of coats. They look good as new and the protective surface is thicker than before. Best of all you can put three coats on in one day!!

Nice work Mike, and it does not go unnoticed that there were no "plans" for this.

Paul M

Nice work, Mike! Looks like you are going to fall off of the "beginner's" list pretty soon.

I would like to second Paul's suggestion to use water based Varathane. A couple of coats have worked for me for several years. (about 7).

Thank you much, gentlemen.....and you toO JPG. This was another fun project for sure. No stress, no pressure, no expense, no thinking......I LIKED IT!!

I was really leaning toward not painting or doing anything to the extension table but now that shipwright suggested and charlese seconded the motion, I'll have to reconsider.

JPG - Even larger tee nuts are available. At 1/2" and larger, they get away from the typical 3 or 4 prong and instead use screws for mounting. Cylinder nuts (aka barrel nuts) would work but not sure how big they make them. My world has only seen up to 3/8".

Another option to make the leg height adjustable is to epoxy in a regular hex nut into a counter-bored hole.

So did ya notice that one leg folds up to the outside and the other to the inside? You don't EVEN want to know how much I racked my brain before that obvious approach hit me. Since the legs are longer than 1/2 the width of the extension table, that was the way I decided to do it. I could have put both of them on the inside but one wouldn't have folded up all the way, failing my stringent quality standards...

Mike, I realize that when the legs are folded up the table is in the down position but the lever you have working against you on the two bolts in the corner hurts my brain. ... just isn't right. Just for my peace of mind could you bore a hole through the outer leg, framing piece, and inner leg and slip a bolt through? A wing nut would help with the lever working against you in the down position on the outer leg as well but that might make more work than you want when you swing the table up.

Capisce?

Paul M

shipwright wrote:Mike, I realize that when the legs are folded up the table is in the down position but the lever you have working against you on the two bolts in the corner hurts my brain. ... just isn't right. Just for my peace of mind could you bore a hole through the outer leg, framing piece, and inner leg and slip a bolt through? A wing nut would help with the lever working against you in the down position on the outer leg as well but that might make more work than you want when you swing the table up.

Capisce?

Paul M

I need the English translation for the sentence made maroon. You must have used a French to English translator....or maybe Italian to English......

mickyd wrote:I need the English translation for the sentence made maroon. You must have used a French to English translator....or maybe Italian to English......

Quando il tavolo... oops, When the table is down the weight of the outer leg is bearing on the small area between the two bolts in the corner. Not as bad as when the table is up because it's not shear it's compression / tension. Anyway I'm sure it works fine. I just hate to see levers like that.

Capisce adesso?

Paul M

shipwright wrote:Quando il tavolo... oops, When the table is down the weight of the outer leg is bearing on the small area between the two bolts in the corner. Not as bad as when the table is up because it's not shear it's compression / tension. Anyway I'm sure it works fine. I just hate to see levers like that.

Capisce adesso?

Paul M

Much more gooder!!!! Capise but......I'll tell you when I get home. It's quittin' time for me and I'm outta hear. Another day, another dollar.