Combination Assembly and Woodworking Bench

[Steve Mathews]

I've been doing a fair amount of research online for ideas on an assembly table and a woodworking bench but haven't been able to find anything incorporating both into one unit. Adding to that requirement I would also like to make it moveable. I have about 40 ft. of workbench in a U shape for a general working surface but want something more for just woodworking. Is this possible or even reasonable?

[Jim Becker]

I use my bench for both functions...mine isn't as large as it could be, but with a 30" x 60" surface and the Noden Adjust-A-Bench framework under it, it does the job nicely. For me, being able to vary the height based on the actual job being performed has been a very good thing.

[Randy Red Bemont]

I had the space in my past workshop where I built a work/assembly table using a 4x8 sheet of 1" MDF for the top. It was used for glueing up to final assembly of a project both small and very large. I will be building a new one when my new shop gets completed. You could have parked a tank on that table. It was extremely useful.

Red

[Marty Schlosser]

Steve,

Woah! 40' of bench space and you still don't have enough space for assembling?!

All joking aside, I believe in having a fixed bench for joinery and related tasks and one designated for assembly that's moveable.

Assambly Table. You may wish to look at the four-piece, rectangular box-styled assembly tables that mount atop substantial sawhorses (themselves box-shaped) for your assembly requirements. They offer multiple heights and the "top" boxes can be placed either against or apart from each other to allow you to readily clamp things down. I imagine someone here has already links to such tables.

[Jim Becker]

Yea, for portable/stowable, what Marty mentions is great. A torsion box construction for the "table" portion makes for strong, light-weight and FLAT. Four (or six if the surface is large) rectangular boxes provide three heights for adaptability with various project types. I don't have room for that in my shop, but if I did, that's probably something I'd have available.

[Paul F Franklin]

If you need the assembly table to be portable or collapsible, that collapsible centipede systems is pretty cool! I have a 4x8 table just built out of 2x4s with a plywood top and it is wonderful for assembly and staging area. I have two shelves underneath where I store lumber shorts and panel cutoffs. But if I didn't have room to leave it up all the time, I'd get the larger centipede system and a sheet of plywood or MDF.

[Matt Putnam]

Mobility would be very nice. Not only can it be moved to where you need it but it also allows for working from all sides (I can't work from the back of my workbench, for example, as it's against a wall).
Another key aspect to an assembly bench is it's level and flatness. While the floor plays a big part in that, it's best if the surface of an assembly surface be level. Especially with heavy items, a low corner on an assembly surface will transfer to a low corner on the piece you're assembling.

[Randy Red Bemont]

While the floor plays a big part in that, it's best if the surface of an assembly surface be level. Especially with heavy items, a low corner on an assembly surface will transfer to a low corner on the piece you're assembling.

Since my assembly table was 4x8, I always checked it with a level to make sure there was no twist in it. It was on a concrete floor!

Red

[Tim Bueler]

I use mine for both. Have built in air, electric and storage for the clamps I use most often. The lower drawers I keep routers and biscuit joiner where I can plug them in to the outlet just above, use and return without taking a step. Sanders mostly stay plugged in and stowed on the open shelf. The lower drawers are a drawer within a pullout "shelf". Basically a lower platform for working on taller things. Uprights are double thick 3/4" maple ply with cherry edge. The top is 1", 4'x8' apply ply (like baltic birch) with laminate on both sides, over a 3/4" plywood subtop. I've still to add hold downs and vise. The floor in my shop is wood over concrete. The sleepers are custom cut using a laser guide so the floor is dead flat and dead level which translates to the workbench. I put UHMD tape on the bottom of the bench so I can slide it around if needs be but it wouldn't take much to rig castors. I also have a separate plywood "frame" that slides together and I put a sheet of 3/4" on top for a low, around 16" I think, free standing assembly table. Great for assembly of cabinet boxes. It is stowed most of the time but I can set it up in about 3-4 minutes.

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[Ryan Jones]

Steve,

Woah! 40' of bench space and you still don't have enough space for assembling?!

You have no idea how much space one needs to assemble a death star.

- Former Sith

[Dave Cav]

I built a 4' x 8' assembly table/storage unit. The top is a torsion box using 1 x 4s for the ribs, with reinforcement on one end for mounting a vise. I made full length/width shelves under the top so I can slide full sheets of plywood, hardboard or laminate in from the end, and put six 4" casters under it. When it's got a few sheets of ply and a bunch of lumber in it, it does not move at all, until you really push on it and get it moving. It's been very handy and I do all of my assembly and a lot of my construction on it. I'll be building another one, with some minor mods, in my new shop.

[Mark Carlson]

My assembly table is a fmt on an adjust-a-bench legs. The cabinets make the bench very sturdy and it has casters so it can be moved but locks down and doesnt budge. No vise but I could probably add something like a record vise maybe. Ability to raise and lower the top for assembly is a great back saver. Laminated the top so glue wont stick. Pic shows the top at its lowest position.
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[Steve Mathews]

My assembly table is a fmt on an adjust-a-bench legs. The cabinets make the bench very sturdy and it has casters so it can be moved but locks down and doesnt budge. No vise but I could probably add something like a record vise maybe. Ability to raise and lower the top for assembly is a great back saver. Laminated the top so glue wont stick. Pic shows the top at its lowest position.
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Mark - Nice table. Do you find the angle iron for the Adjust-A-Bench casters to get in the way or trip over them? Also, excuse my ignorance but what is "fmt"?

[Mark Carlson]

Steve,

Whoops I meant Festool MFT (multi function table). It has its own legs which I dont use. The benefit of the MFT is all the clamping opportunities with the holes on the top and the rails along the side. Perfect for gluing and routing ops. The top sticks out enough that I've never tripped or hit the angle iron, yet. Its actually nice that the castors are easily locked and unlocked.

~mark

QUOTE=Steve Mathews;2655602]Mark - Nice table. Do you find the angle iron for the Adjust-A-Bench casters to get in the way or trip over them? Also, excuse my ignorance but what is "fmt"?[/QUOTE]

[Tom Hyde]

I do want a real workbench but I've started with an assembly table with clamp tracks at 90 degrees and a vice. It's a torsion box ("48 x 90") with extra blocking for the vice and a corresponding row of dog holes (I haven't put in the dog holes yet and might not ever). If I need a planing stop I clamp a board down on the table with the clamp track in front of the vise which has a dog. I also have a shooting board with a block underneath that I can clamp in the vise as well. If I'm doing chisel work, I clamp a scrap piece of walnut in the table to work on. The top is two sheets of 3/4" ply with formica microdot (same stuff Woodpeckers uses on their tops). Obviously you can't pound on it, and a hammer never comes close to it, but the glue pops off pretty well. So far it's worked well doing double duty. I plan to add drawers underneath in the future. With the six casters locked, it doesn't move. Unlocked, moves well and is a few inches higher than the bed of my pickup when it's backed up to the garage door. That's already come in handy.

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