Issue with adjusting feet on workbench

[stephen wood]

I'm ditching the casters on my Noden Adjust-A-Bench in favor of something more solid and more adjustable. I need to match the height of my table saw and i can't quite do it with the casters adjustments.

I'm using a threaded nut pushing against a wood block on the floor. I have a steel plate for the nut to push against. I haven't screwed down the plate yet as I'm working through it to make sure it will work as I envision. The issue is that when I turn the bolt it shifts the plate (and wood base) underneath it.

1) will this fix itself when I screw the plate down?
2) is this because of the raised markings on the head of the bolt? should I grind them off so the bolt head is smooth?

right side, which I adjusted first, didn't move, left side did.
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[johnny means]

The bolt to plate contact is always going to feel ice skatey. Being cantilevered on the angle is not going to help produce a solid feel either. I would run the bolt through the plate then lock it in place with a not on each side. Screw the plate to your foot. Then make adjustments via a nut under the angle.

[Paul F Franklin]

The bolt to plate contact is always going to feel ice skatey. Being cantilevered on the angle is not going to help produce a solid feel either. I would run the bolt through the plate then lock it in place with a not on each side. Screw the plate to your foot. Then make adjustments via a nut under the angle.

+1. You want the foot unable to slide on the steel plate or pushing sideways on the bench will slide the whole bench. I'd turn the bolt around, fasten it tight against the bench leg with a nut, thread on another nut and drill a hole in the plate and wood block. Drop the bolt through the metal plate and into the wood block. Then tighten the extra nut down against the metal plate to adjust the height.

[stephen wood]

Two good solutions. One thing I omitted is that there is a nut welded under the angle. In this case I needed to go the route Paul suggested. Here is the end solution that just needs to either drive the bold all the way down or add a lock nut to the base. Thank you Johnny and Paul!

[Tom Trees]

Two good solutions. One thing I omitted is that there is a nut welded under the angle. In this case I needed to go the route Paul suggested. Here is the end solution that just needs to either drive the bold all the way down or add a lock nut to the base. Thank you Johnny and Paul!

You could make retractable casters to raise your bench, something like Carl Holmgren's (youtube) but a bit more heavy duty..quite a bit more, bar my cheap casters.
Basically a block with a pair of swivel casters each, sitting inside the frame either end of the bench, stick a pair of hinges to the frame and the blocks.
A pipe welded onto some angle iron bolted to the blocks each end, foot pedal and a latch to hold the pedal down,
I made it so you can still sweep the floor and find that cap iron screw without something in the way.
Could be even more tidy if I had some more steel instead of the plywood blocks.


I've pretty much finished making one just now from some odd bits of steel,I had lying around, but won't be able to post pictures for a day or two.
I haven't designed it for height adjustability, but its probably the best way to lift the bench without the weight of screwing down on pads that I've seen.

Will make sure to post when a few wee fixings and paint is sorted.
Tom

[Jim Becker]

Use a lever t o slightly lift the area where you are adjusting so you can move the bolt freely and then let the weight back down. Also, with the Adjust-a-Bench, be sure that you're paying attention to level side to side for the end assemblies so that the benchtop doesn't wiggle...there is necessarily some play in the connection to the benchtop.

I actually put a mobility kit back on my main bench after having it on "Feet" for a long time. But I have it setup so no wheels are on the floor when it's stationary. My smaller auxiliary bench is on casters since it's used for purposes that are not affected by the casters. (That one was built with the new Craftsman Hardware kit version of the Adjust-a-Bench)

[Tom Trees]

Just enough time to post a picture, will make a thread later on.
I sandweged another sheet of the ply inbetween to raise the height further since.
Seems like you could raise it quite a bit with some bigger casters for a start.
Hopefully you can see pics.

Happy Christmas
Tom

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[Tom Trees]

Happy new year folks
Here is the completed project, it works very well, may need a small bit of tinkering if I feel the need.
, I made a thread about it at a ww site in which the workbench has its own specific section.
Could be taller if needed be, with the addition of sheets of ply or with shims under the casters,

Half way there to what you are looking for Stephen
All the best
Tom
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