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5 WORKBENCHPLANS

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adjustableworkbenchadjustableworkbench

48 American Woodworker SEPTEMBER 2007

American Woodworker SEPTEMBER 2007 49

My workbench has always been theheart of my small shop. When Imade it years ago, I outfitted it with

a good face vise, an innovative sliding tail-vise anda plain trestle base. But the bench’s height alwaysbugged me. It was too low for some jobs and toohigh for others.

I found a solution! I retrofitted my top withcommercially-made adjustable legs (about $480,see Adjust-A-Bench Legs, page 53). I also built anew cabinet-style base for added storage space.

Adjustability has saved a lot of strain on myback. When routing, I raise the bench; when sand-ing, I lower it. The bench has 12 different heights,from 28 to 44 in.

by Tom Caspar

The coolestbench ever:

It changessize beforeyour eyes!

Adjustable

metal legs

allow you

to raise or

lower the

bench to a

variety of

working

heights. Set

low, it’s an

excellent

assembly

table.

Raise the

top all the

way for

detail work.

A tall bench

is a wonder-

ful luxury.

It’s perfect

for drawing

sketches,

routing

inlay, saw-

ing dove-

tails and

many more

jobs.


ILLU

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: FR

AN

K R

OH

RB

AC

H

FIG. A EXPLODED VIEW

FIG. B DOOR

FIG. C DRAWER

#10 x 2” FH

#14 x 1” FH

1/2” x 1/2” GROOVE

1/4” x 3/4” DADO

14-5/8”

3-1/2”

15-5/8”

#8 x 1-1/4” FH

#8 x 1-1/4” FH

1-3/4” x 3/4” DADO

1/16” CHAMFER

ALL EDGES

3/8” DIA.

1/4” X 1/4” GROOVE

(TYP.)

1/16” CHAMFER ALL EDGES

1/4” x 3” LAG SCREW AND

WASHER (TYP.)

#5 x 5/8” FH1/4” x 3/8” RABBET

1/2” DIA. HOLE

A5

C4C7

C8

C9

C5

C3

C6

C2

D1

D2

E5

E1

E7

E2

E4

E3

E6

D3

F1

A3

A8 (NO GLUE HERE)A7

A6B4

F2

A2

B2

B3B1

A1

A4

C1

1”

FACE

FRONT

BOTTOM

SIDE

RUNNER

BACK

1/8”

5-3/4”


BUY THE HARDWAREEvery experienced woodworker knows this rule, but

it bears repeating: Buy the hardware before you build.With this bench, those critical parts are the adjustablelegs, the face vise and the tail vise. Check their dimen-sions and the placement of their mounting holes, thenfine-tune the plans if necessary.

BUILD THE TOPThe top is fairly straightforward, but there are a

few things to consider as you’re building. The maintop (A1) may be composed of as many boards as youwant. Cut them 1 in. extra-long and rout slots forsplines (A8). You could alternatively use biscuits tohelp with alignment. Glue the boards together, thentrim them all the same length (see Cutting List, page53). Cut the dog board (A2) an extra inch long, too,and drill the dog holes (Fig. H) before gluing thedog board to the top, again using a spline or biscuitsfor alignment. Trim the top and dog board to finallength using a router, straightedge and flush trim bit.

A solid wood top with a frame must be able toshrink and swell with changes in humidity, or it willcrack. Rout spline slots in both ends of the top toalign it with the ends (A3). Don’t glue these splines orthe ends when you assemble the top. Use two lag boltsto hold each end in place. Make an elongated holefor the rear bolt (Fig. E), so the bolt can move withthe top. Drill extra-large diameter holes for the screwsthat hold the tool tray (A6) to the top (Fig. D). Theyallow the tray to remain fixed to the back (A4) andthe top free to move. Don’t glue the spacing cleat(A7) under the top where it connects to the tray.

The tail vise is simplicity itself (Fig. F). Slide the dogblock (B1 and B2) along the guides (B3) beforeattaching the right end (A3) to the top. The screwmechanism for the vise comes with a loose plate thatfastens to the dog block and a threaded guide that fas-tens to the bench’s end (see photo, at right). Afterdrilling the hole for the threaded guide, rout theinside of the hole with a 1/2 in. roundover bit toaccommodate the threaded guide’s curved shape (Fig.E). Buy or make round bench dogs for the dog holes(see Source, page 53). Finish the top with oil to keepglue blobs from sticking.

BUILD THE CABINETThis cabinet is designed to be very rigid. Three

shelf dividers (C4) dadoed into the sides (Fig. J) pre-

FIG. D CROSS SECTION OF TOP

FIG. E END VIEW OF TOP

FIG. F CROSS SECTION OF END VISE

FIG. G FACE VISE MOUNTING HOLES

FIG. H BENCH DOG HOLE SPACING

The sliding tail vise

allows you to

clamp a work-

piece between

two bench

dogs.

GLUEHERE

NO GLUEHERE

1/4" (TYP.)

3/8" DIA.(5 REQ’D.)

#8 x 1-1/4"FH#10 x 1-1/2" PAN

HEAD AND WASHER

1-1/2"

2"

A4

A4A4

A3 A3

A2 A1

A6

A4

A8

A7

A7

3"6"

LEFTEND

1-5/8" DIA. HOLEFOR VISE SCREW

#10 x 2" FH#12 x 2"FH

#14 x1-1/4" FH

3/4" DIA.COUNTERBORE AND

1/4" DIA. HOLE

3/4" DIA.COUNTER-

BORE, 1/4"DEEP

1/4" DIA. SLOT,1/2" WIDE

3/4"

1/2"ROUND-

OVER

THREADEDGUIDE

2-1/4"

#8 x 1-1/4" FH

2-1/4"

3/4"

1/2"

2-3/8"

3-5/8"6-5/8"

2-1/2"

2-7/16"

#8 x1-1/2"

FH

3/4" DIA. 1-1/4" DIA.

3/4" DIA. HOLEFOR VISE ROD

1-1/4" DIA.

3/4" DIA.

5-1/8"

1" 8-1/4" 6-1/4" (TYP.)

2" 2"

4" 1-1/2"

3/4" DIA.

RIGHTEND

A4 A2

B4

B3

B1

B1

B2

A5

A4


vent the cabinet from twisting. A double-thick top and astout base keep the cabinet box from bending. The cab-inet’s back (C6) prevents racking.

Here’s a few tips on making the base: Be sure to cuttwo grooves in the top for the threaded rod before glu-ing the top pieces (C1) together. Make the two toppieces oversize before gluing. Place weights such asbricks or sandbags on top of them to apply clampingpressure. Glue on all the edging parts before you cut thecabinet pieces to size (see Frameless Cabinet Joinery,page 92), or cut and apply the parts one at a time afteryou assemble the cabinet box. Using the latter method,make the edging 1/16 in. extra wide and trim it flush tothe cabinet with a router.

BUILD THE DRAWERSThe drawers are simple boxes with applied faces (Fig.

C). Loaded with tools, these drawers can get quite heavy.Use half-blind or through dovetails for a strong jointbetween the front and sides. Make the back of the draw-er boxes 1/16-in. narrower than the front, as specified inthe cutting list. A tapered drawer box is easier to slide. Ifyou use drawer slides, build the drawer boxes with paral-lel sides.

To give each drawer maximum depth, glue the bot-tom directly to the underside of the drawer box. Glueplastic-laminate strips to the underside of the drawerbottom and to the shelf dividers to additionally help thedrawers slide.

FIT THE BASEThe base and cabinet should be exactly the same

length because the adjustable legs fasten to both parts.It’s best to build the cabinet first, then build the base andadjust its length to fit the cabinet. To start, make the baseabout 1/8 in. longer than the cabinet. After dry-fittingthe base, remove one of the short stretchers (D1, Fig. L)and joint it a few times to fine-tune the base’s length.

ASSEMBLE THE BENCHYou’ll need a helper to put the bench together. First,

attach the base to the cabinet. Next, slide the threadedrods through the holes in the base. Put on the adjustablelegs. One person must hold the nut on one end of eachthreaded rod while the other tightens the nut on theother end.

Raise the adjustable legs about halfway up to give youclearance when attaching the top. Clamp together thetwo telescoping parts of each end so the upper portionsare plumb. Place the top on the legs so the rear bracketsbutt against the tool tray cleat (A7). Shift the top side to

side so the bracket on the leftend sits midway between theface vise’s left rod and thevise’s screw. Mark all the holes,turn the top over, drill thepilot holes and attach the top.

FIG. J CABINET RABBET AND DADO LAYOUT

FIG. K PLYWOOD CUTTING DIAGRAM

FIG. L BASE STRETCHER

C2

C1 C1

C1

C2

C2

C4

C4

C6

D1

C4

C3

C3

3/8" DEEPRABBET

3/8" DEEP RABBET

DRAWERBOTTOMS

(x4)

3/4" PLYWOOD 3/4" PLYWOOD 1/4" PLYWOOD

CABINETBOTTOM

1/2" DIA.

2-1/2"3/8"

1/4" RAD.

3/4" WIDE, 1/4" DEEP

DADO (TYP.)

3/4"

7"

11-1/2"

15-1/4"

1-1/2"

5-3/16"

7-3/16"

3/4"15-5/8"

1-3/4"

FRONT2-1/2"RAD.

6-1/2"

11"

14-3/4"


ADJUST-A-BENCH LEGSCabinetmaker Geoffrey Noden firstdesigned these legs for his ownshop. Their operation is very sim-ple. Each end is composed of twoheavy-gauge metal panels. Theadjustable panel has a series ofnotches that engage a rod in thefixed panel. Depressing a pedalrotates the rod out of a notch,allowing you to lower the bench. Toraise the bench, you just lift its top.

The whole system is so robustthat it can take an enormousamount of weight. Its simplicityensures that it will work for manyyears, even in a dusty shop. You’llfind much more information, alter-native bench plans and castor setsat www.adjustabench.com or bycalling (609) 882-3300.

Source:Adjust-A-Bench, (609) 882-3300,www.adjustabench.com Adjust-A-Bench leg set,$430 plus $50 S&H. Lee Valley, (800) 871-8158, www.leevalley.comBench dog, #05G04.01, $12 ea. Shoulder-visescrew (for the tail vise), #70G01.51, $31.50. Frontvise, #70G08.01, $55. Handle for each vise,#05G12.03, $5.Horton Brasses, (800) 754-9127, www.horton-brasses.com Cherry cabinet knob – Shaker style,#WK-7, $2 ea.

C U T T I N G L I S TOverall Top: 3-3/4" Th X 60"L x 30"Ddimensions: Cabinet: 19-5/8"H x 46"L x 23-5/8"D

Base: 4"H x 46"L x 30"D

Section Part Name Qty. Material Th x W x L Notes

TopA1 Top 1 Maple 1-1/2" x 20-3/8" x 57" (A)A2 Dog board 1 Maple 1-1/2" x 4" x 42" (B)A3 End 2 Maple 1-1/2" x 3-3/4" x 28-1/2"A4 Front, back 2 Maple 3/4" x 3-3/4" x 60"A5 Vise face 1 Maple 2" x 3-3/4" x 13-1/4"A6 Tool tray 1 Maple 3/4" x 4-3/4" x 57"A7 Cleat 2 Maple 3/4" x 3/4" x 57"A8 Spline 30 ft. Maple 1/4" x 1/2" x length as needed

Dog BlockB1 Block 2 Maple 1-1/2" x 3-15/16" x 7"B2 Bottom 1 Maple 3/4" x 3-15/16" x 7"B3 Guide 2 Maple 1/2" x 23/32" x 15"B4 Support 1 Maple 1-1/2" x 2-1/4" x 15"

CabinetC1 Top and bottom 3 Birch plywood 3/4" x 23-3/8" x 45-1/4" (C)C2 Side 2 Birch plywood 3/4" x 23-3/8" x 19-5/8"C3 Door divider 1 Birch plywood 3/4" x 23-1/8" x 17-7/8"C4 Shelf divider 3 Birch plywood 3/4" x 23" x 30"C5 Stile 1 Birch plywood 3/4" x 1-3/4" x 17-3/8"C6 Back 1 Birch plywood 1/4" x 18-7/8" x 45-1/4"C7 Wide edging 6 ft. Birch 1/4" x 1-1/2" (D) C8 Narrow edging 14 ft. Birch 1/4" x 3/4" (E)C9 Wear strips 12 Plastic laminate 1/32" x 2" x 23"

BaseD1 Short stretcher 2 Maple 1-3/4" x 4" x 30"D2 Long stretcher 2 Maple 1-3/4" x 4" x 44"D3 Cleat 2 Maple 3/4" x 3/4" x 42-1/2"

DoorE1 Stile 2 Birch or maple 5/8" x 2" x 17-3/8" (F)E2 Upper rail 1 Birch or maple 5/8" x 2-1/2" x 9-1/2"E3 Lower rail 1 Birch or maple 5/8" x 3" x 9-1/2"E4 Panel 1 Birch or maple 1/2" x 9-7/8" x 12-1/4"E5 Upper spline 2 Birch or maple 1/4" x 1/2" x 2-1/4"E6 Lower spline 2 Birch or maple 1/4" x 1/2" x 2-3/4"E7 Knob 1

Drawers#1 Face 1 Birch or maple 5/8" x 2-1/16" x 29-1/2"

Front 1 Poplar 1/2" x 1-3/4" x 29-1/2" (G) Back 1 Poplar 1/2" x 1-1/2" x 29-3/8" (H) Side 2 Poplar 1/2" x 1-3/4" x 22-13/16" (J)

#2 Face 1 Birch or maple 5/8" x 2-15/16" x 29-1/2"Front 1 Poplar 1/2" x 2-5/8" x 29-1/2" (G) Back 1 Poplar 1/2" x 2-3/8" x 29-3/8" (H) Side 2 Poplar 1/2" x 2-5/8" x 22-13/16" (J)



All bottoms 4 Birch plywood 1/4" x 22-13/16" x 29-3/8"Runners 12 Plastic laminate 1/32" x 2" x 22-3/4"Knobs 8

Adjustable EndsF1 Upper rod 2 3/8" x 49-1/2"F2 Lower rod 2 3/8" x 47-1/2"

Notes(A) Make from 5 boards 1-1/2" x 4-1/8" x 58"(B) Trim board to 43" rough length, glue to top. (C) Make tops 24" wide and 46" long; trim to final size after gluing.(D) Make 1-5/8" wide and trim after gluing.(E) Make 7/8" wide and trim after gluing.(F) After gluing, trim door 1/8" less than height and width of opening.(G) Total height of drawer box is 1/8" less than opening’s height. Length of front is 1/32" less than opening’s width.(H) Length of back is 1/8" less than length of front. All backs are 1/4" lower than sides. (J) Sides are 9/16" shorter than opening’s depth. Drawer face is 1/16" proud of cabinet.

42 A m e r i c a n Wo o d w o r k e r JANUARY 2004

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A m e r i c a n Wo o d w o r k e r JANUARY 2004 43

ORKBENCH

A modern bench that featuresstorage, stability and mobility

by Dave Munkittrick


1Start thebase cabinet

by assemblingthree identicalboxes withbutt joints andscrews. Makesure all the partsare square and thejoints are flush.Use a flat area, likethe top of yourtablesaw, to helpkeep things in line.

Tired of working on a sheet ofplywood thrown over a pair ofsawhorses? Had it with rolling

benches that wiggle and wobble? Haterunning around your shop wheneveryou need a tool? Boy, do we have thebench for you.

Our dream bench starts withtraditional workbench features like athick top, a sturdy base, bench dogsand a pair of vises. Then we addedtons of storage, an extra-wide top, andmodern, cast-iron vises. Last but notleast, we devised a simple method tomake the bench mobile and stillprovide a rock-solid work platform.

Our bench is built to withstandgenerations of heavy use. Simple, stoutconstruction absorbs vibration andcan handle any woodworkingprocedure from chopping deep pocketmortises to routing an edge on a roundtabletop.

The thick, butcher-block-style top istruly a joy to work on. We’ll show youhow to surface this huge top withoutgoing insane trying to level 24 separatestrips of glued-up hardwood. Our topdoesn’t waste wood—even the offcutsare used.

Tons of easy-access storageFull extension drawers and shelves keep yourequipment organized and right at hand.There’s roomfor hand tools, power tools and all of their accessories.Plus no bending down and fishing through dark cabinetinteriors for the tool you need.

Extra-wide, heavy-duty topThis solid maple top can take a real beating. Plus it’swide enough to double as an assembly table. If you onlyhave room for one bench in your shop, this is it.

2 Screw thethree boxes

together tocreate the cabinetbase. Use clampsto hold the boxesflush and even.

BENEFITS

SQUARE


It’s rock-solid but mobileUnder the base cabinet are six heavy-duty casters thatmake the bench easy to move.When you’re ready to useit, lift the edge of the bench with a pry bar and slip four5/8-in.-thick, L-shaped support blocks underneath.Thisgives you a rock-solid feel and unlike locking casters,there’s no wobble or slippage.

You name it, this bench can clamp it downA traditional bench dog system secures your work formachining and sanding.The modern cast-iron vises arestrong yet easier to install than traditional vises.The generous overhanging top allows you to clampanything from round tabletops to benchtop machinesanywhere along the edge.

Glue and c l a m p

faceframes to

the cabinet.Start with the

side frames.Then add the

front face frameso it overhangsthe bottom ofthe cabinet toform a lip forthe 2x4 base

you’ll build later.

Trim the f a c e

frameflush to the

cabinet sides.Use a stop blockat the top of thecabinet openings

to prevent therouter from

cutting into theupper rail.

Tools and MaterialsIf you go all out like we did you canexpect to pay about $900 for materials.If you can’t swing that much dough allat once, don’t worry; you can build anequally functional version for about$450. How? Save $220 right off the batby substituting common 2x4s for themaple top. We made several tops thisway and they work great. Just be sureyou dry your 2x4s to around 8-percentmoisture content before you build. Youcan save $75 by skipping the expensivebirch plywood and hardwood. Juststick with construction lumber. Theinexpensive bench may not look asclassy, but hey, it’s still a greatworkbench.

You could build adjustable shelvesinside the cabinets instead of drawersand pullout trays. They’re lessconvenient, but it’ll save you another$110 in drawer slides.

The best thing is you can cut costsand still get a fully functional benchright away, even if you go with theleast expensive options. When you’vegot the extra cash, you can always buildthe maple top or add the full-extensionhardware.

BENCHDOG PRY BAR

SUPPORT BLOCK

FACE-FRAME LIP

CABINETBOTTOM

STOPBLOCK

CAST-IRONVISE

UPPERRAIL

CABINETSIDE

3

4

To build the bench you’ll need atablesaw, planer, belt or orbital sander,a router and a circular saw. You’ll alsowant a flush-trim bit and a dado bladefor your tablesaw.

Build the CabinetCut the plywood parts for the threeindividual boxes (Parts D and E) andassemble them (Photo 1). The threeboxes are joined to form the cabinet(Photo 2). Screw the two end pieces ofbirch plywood (H) to the cabinet,placing the screws where the face framewill cover them (Fig. A). Cut theplywood top (C) according to theactual measurements of yourassembled cabinet and attach withscrews. Do the same for the back (B).

Cut and assemble the three faceframes (parts U through AA). Use theactual measurements of your cabinet todetermine rail lengths. The face framesare built slightly oversize to give you alittle wiggle room when gluing them tothe carcase. The extra overhang willget trimmed off later. Clamp and gluethe side frames first. Tack the framesdown with a couple of brad nails sothey don’t scoot around underclamping pressure. Use a flush-trim


5 Attach thedrawer slides

to the cabinet.A simple T-square jigpositions the slidefor quick installation.Stop blocks hold theslides 1/2 in. backfrom the front edgefor the half-overlaydoors.The doubled-up box sidesautomatically flushup with the 1-1/2-in.-wide face frameso there’s no needto add blocks forthe drawer slides.

6 Cut piecesfor the

benchtop,making them 2-in.longer than thefinished top. Don’ttoss the offcutsinto the firewoodpile.We’ll buildthem into the topso nothing goes towaste.

8 Glue together the offcuts end to end. Clampthem between two full-length pieces to keep them

straight.This yields a few more strips for the top and uses upyour offcuts.Waxed paper around the joint keeps thesegmented strip from sticking to the full-length pieces.Weused the back of the cabinet for a flat glue-up table.

7 Cut dadoes for the bench dog holes in one ofyour benchtop pieces. Use a dado blade and a miter

gauge with a long auxiliary fence to support the stock.Theslots are marked on the top of the piece. It’s okay to eyeballeach cut. Exact spacing of the holes is not critical.

STOPBLOCK

T-SQUAREJIG

OFFCUT

CABINETBACK

ENDJOINT

WAXEDPAPER

FULL-LENGTHPIECE

AUXILIARYFENCE

MITERGAUGE

BENCH DOGDADOES


KK

MM

LLC

R

G

E

Y

J

CC

W Z

EBB

D

A

V

T

S

HH

GG

AA

X

U

H

B

FF EE

JJ

DD

6"

ELONGATED HOLE

2-1/2"

36"72"

3/4" X 3/4"DOG HOLES

LL

FACEVISE TAIL

VISE

A simple, stout workbench that will last for generations

5/8"3/4"

1/8"

3"3"

1/2"

JJ

We used simplejoinery andstraightforwardconstructiontechniques tobuild thisbench. Notethat the frontedge of the tailvise top support(DD) is cut flushwith the front ofthe cabinet andthe top corner isnipped back toallow clearancefor the vise.

Detail 1Bench Dog

Use straight-grainedhardwood stock for

your bench dog.

Fig. A OverallExploded View(See Cutting List,page 85.)

bit and a router to trim the side frameseven with the plywood. Attach and trimthe front face frame (Photos 3 and 4).

To mount the drawer and pull-outshelf slides, turn the cabinet on its backand use a square to mark centerlines.Use a simple T-square jig to align theslides so the screw holes are on the line(Photo 5).

The TopThis is the business end of your bench.You’ll want to take extra care in each stepto ensure a flat, solid top. Start by rough-cutting your top stock (EE) to length(Photo 6). Cut 3/4 in. x 3/4-in. dadoes forthe bench dog (JJ) into the edge of one ofthe top pieces (Photo 7).

Before you start to glue up the top,make use of the offcuts. Just end gluethem in a line to create a full-length piece(Photo 8). I know gluing end grain is ano-no, but all you want here is to hold thepieces together long enough to buildthem into the top. Each segmented piecewill get properly edge-glued to other full-length pieces. The result is a strong topthat doesn’t waste precious hardwood.

Here’s how to assemble the butcher-block top without facing a sentence ofhard labor sanding. Glue up three 12-in.sections of the top on a flat surface. Weflipped the cabinet face down and usedthe back for our glue-up (Photo 9). Each12-in. section should start and end witha full-length piece. The segmented piecescan alternate with full-length pieces. Oncethe glue is good and dry (overnight isbest), remove the top section from theclamps and scrape off any squeeze out.

Now you’re going to put your portableplaner to the test. Each section getsplaned down to 2-1/2-in. thickness(Photo 10). Take light cuts for the sake ofyour planer, and to minimize tear-out.Try wetting the top’s surface before thelast pass for the smoothest possible cut.Some minor tear-out is inevitable with abig glue-up like this. Remember it’s aworkbench, not a museum piece.

Once all three sections are surfaced,you can glue them together (Photo 11).Do one at a time. This allows you to


9 Glue eightstrips

together toform one 12-in. section ofthe top. Caulskeep the toppieces inalignment.Thebench dog piece isplaced secondfrom the edgewith the dadoesfacing toward thefront edge.

10 Planeeach 12-

in. section flat.Take light cuts andmake sure yourplaner knives aresharp, to minimizetear-out. Outfeedsupport is essentialwhen planing heavystock like this.

11Clamp the12-in.

sectionstogether one ata time.You onlyhave one joint toworry about somake it flush. Extraeffort here will payoff in the end.You’llonly have to lightlysand for a flat,smooth top.

CAUL

BENCH DOGPIECE

OUTFEEDSUPPORT

SECTIONONE

SECTIONTWO

GLUEJOINT

GLUED-UPTOP SECTION


concentrate on keeping each jointperfectly level. Before you use any glue,dry clamp your sections to make surethe clamps can draw the joint tight.Even a slightly bowed section will behard for clamps to pull straight. (SeeOops!, below, for a nifty fix.)

Once all the sections are gluedtogether you’ll need to trim the ends tofinal length. Mark the ends of the topwith a square. Continue the marksaround the underside of the top aswell. Set a circular saw for a 1-1/2-in.-deep cut and clamp a straightedge tothe top so the saw cuts on the line.Make the first cut. Then flip over thetop and set the straightedge for thesecond cut. Complete the cut andsmooth the ends with a power sander.

Install the VisesInstalling the vises is prettystraightforward. We added a pair ofnon-marring wooden cheeks to thevise jaws first. The large face viserequired a block (KK) to shim it down1/8 in. below the top (Fig. A, page 81).We had to saw notches in the block andthe bottom edge of the top toaccommodate a pair of support ribs onthe back of the vise.

Install the face vise on the top. Thenglue a couple of strips to the front edgeof the top so the edge is flush with thewooden cheek (Photo 12).

The smaller tail vise only needs acouple of washers to shim it down.

Build the BaseBuild the base flush with the bottom ofthe cabinet. Pick the straightest 2x4syou can find for the frame. If possible,we recommend starting out with 2x6sthat have been dried to about 8-percentmoisture content. Then joint and planethem to make straight and true 2x4s.Assemble the 2x4 frame with screws. Aplywood base top (A) is fastened tothe frame to finish the base.

If your bench is going to bestationary, go ahead and shim the baselevel before adding the cabinet. If youwant to make a mobile bench, attach

12Mount theface vise,

then glue twostrips on either

side. This willmake the frontedge of the top

flush with thewooden cheek of

the vise.

Step 1Cut a straight, shallow rabbet onthe bowed edge of the 12-in. topsection. Chuck a 1/2-in. straightcutter with a 1-1/2-in. cuttinglength into your router and set itfor maximum depth. Clamp astraightedge to the top section sothe router shaves off just enoughmaterial to leave a continuousstraight edge.

Step 2A second pass with a flush-trimbit removes the ledge created bythe first pass. Just flip over thetop and rout.The result is aclean, straight edge that’s readyfor glue-up.

It’s possible for the edges of thelaminated top sections to end up witha slight bow. With 12 in. of width,you’re not likely to straighten them

out with clamp pressure. So what should you do?A jointer is out of the question; the 12-in. section of top is just too

big and heavy, even for two people.We used a simple two-step process with a router and a

straightedge to joint our bowed top section.

WOODENCHEEK

ADDEDSTRIP

CAUL

12" TOPSECTION

STRAIGHT-EDGE

RABBET

FLUSH-TRIM BIT

the six casters to the underside of theplywood base’s top (Fig. A). Leave justenough room for the casters to rotatefreely inside the 2x4 frame. Six castersallow the bench to glide smoothly, even ifyour floor is uneven. Add the basemolding to finish the bench (Photo 13).

Doors, Drawersand Pull-Out ShelvesStart by cutting three door blanks (J).Add the 1/2-in.-birch edging on all fouredges. Put a 3/8-in. round-over all theway around the outside edge of all threeblanks. On the tablesaw or router table,cut a 3/8 in. x 3/8-in. rabbet on all fourinside edges. Crosscut the drawer fronts(K, L and M) out of one of the blanks anduse the other two for doors.

Build and mount the drawers andpullout shelves according to Fig. C,page 85.

Now all that’s left is to secure the top tothe cabinet (Photo 14). Accommodatethe expansion and contraction of thesolid-wood top by elongating the twooutside holes on the angle-iron cleatsunder the top (Fig. A). A simple oil finishcompletes the job. There, now you’ve gotall the support you’ll ever need for yourwoodworking.


14Placethe

benchtop onthe cabinet.This top isheavy, so get afriend to helpwith the lifting.Check for aneven overhangon all fouredges.Thensecure with lag bolts.

13Screwthe

cabinet ontothe base andnail on thebasemolding. Ifyour bench isgoing to bemobile, use glueas well as nailsto prevent themolding frombeinginadvertentlypried off whenthe bench is lifted.

FACE-FRAMEOVERHANG

Why do I always get the heavy end?

Fig. B Plywood Cutting Diagram

3/4" AC Fir Ply 3/4" Birch Ply

A

D

E

E

E

E

B

F

E

E

G

G

C

D

D

D

D

D

F

F

G

G

G

G

H

H

Q

Q

J

J

M

L

K

N N

P P

Q

R

Q

R

R

R

J


Q

F

RL

G

BB

Fig. C Drawers and Pullout ShelvesThe plywood drawer bottoms are screwed directly to the drawer boxes. Hardwood edges on the pullout shelves create a lip so tools won’t slide off.

Sources

Home CenterFour sheets 3/4" AC fir plywood,

$27 ea. ($108 total)One sheet 3/4" birch plywood, $37Three 8' 2x4s, $3.50 ea. ($10.50 total)9 ft.1-1/2" x 1-1/2" angle iron,$1.50 ea.

($14 total).

Wall Lumber Co., (800) 633-406290 bd. ft. 8/4 soft maple, $3 ea.

(total $270)25 bd. ft. 3/4" birch, $3 (total $75).

Woodworker's Hardware,(800) 383-0130 Ten 24" full-extension drawer slides

with 1-in. overtravel,KV8405 B24 ANO, $11 ea.($110 total)

Two 3/8" inset, self-closing hinges,A07128 3, $1.50 ea. ($3 total)

Six 3" swivel-plate industrial casters,rubber, $10 ea. ($60 total)

Five 2" birch knobs, SBKR 200, 75¢ ea.($3.75 total)

1/2" x 1-1/2" straight cutter,CMT812.627.11, $17

1/2" x 1-1/2" flush-trim bit,CMT806.629.11, $21.

Highland Hardware, (800) 241-67489" quick-release vise,

199152, $1007" quick-release vise,

199151, $70.

Grand total: $899.25.

Material Part Name Qty. Dimensions NotesA Base 1 24-1/2" x 66" Measure assembled B Back 1 24-1/2" x 64-1/2" cabinet for final C Top 1 23-3/4" x 64-1/2" cutting dimensions.D Box Sides 6 23-3/4" x 23-3/4"E Box Top/Bottom 6 19-1/2" x 23-3/4"F Drawer Bottoms 3 18-1/2" x 23-3/4"G Pull-Out Shelves 7 17-1/2" x 22-3/4"H Birch Sides 2 23-3/4" x 23-3/4"J Doors 2 19" x 20-1/4" Add 1/2" birch strip to all four edges.K Bottom Drawer 1 10-1/2" x 20" Start with a plywood door blank (J). L Middle Drawer 1 5-1/4" x 20" Add 1/2" strip to all four edges, then M Top Drawer 1 5-1/4" x 20" crosscut two at 5-1/4" and one at 10-1/2."N Drawer Sides 2 9" x 23-1/4"P Drawer Fronts/Backs 2 9" x 18-1/2"Q Drawer Sides 4 4-1/4" x 23-1/4"R Drawer Fronts/Backs 4 4-1/4" x 18-1/2"S Base Mold 2 4-1/4" x 67-1/2" Cut to fit finished base.T Side Base Mold 2 4-1/4" x 27"U Side Stiles (Back) 2 4" x 24-1/2" Measure assembled V Side Stiles 2 3-1/4" x 24-1/2" cabinet and make W Front Rails 2 3" x 61-1/2" appropriate adjustments X Side Rails 4 3" x 17-1/2" to rail lengths.

AA Side Mullions 2 3" x 18-1/2"Y Front Stiles 2 2-3/8" x 27"Z Mullions 2 1-5/8" x 21"

BB Pull-Out Trim 28' 1/2" x 1-1/2"CC Door/Drawer Trim 24' 1/2" x 3/4"DD Top Supports 2 5" x 30"EE Top 24 2-3/4" x 74" Some of these can be made from offcuts.FF Front Edge 1 1" x 2-1/2" x 72" Measure vise to determine thickness.GG Base Frame 2 3-1/2" x 66" Cut to fit Part A. Dry stock HH Base Frame 4 3-1/2" x 21-1/2" to 8% MC before using.JJ Bench Dogs 2 3/4"x3/4" x8"KK Face Vise Block 1 1' x 5-1/4" x 9"LL Top Hold-Down 3 24-1/2"

MM Top Hold-Down 1 30"

3/4"Fir Ply

3/4"BirchPly

3/4"BirchHard-wood

1-1/2"Birch

2x4LumberScraphardwoodAngle Iron1-1/2"x1-1/2"

CUTTING LISTOverall Dimensions: 37" D x 36-1/2" T x 72" L

HEAVY-DUTY

AR

T D

IRE

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By Tom Caspar

HEAVY-DUTYFOLDING

74 A m e r i c a n Wo o d w o r k e r APRIL 2002

Need more bench space? Who doesn’t? Here’s a terrificsolution: a folding worktable that’s both big and

strong. And we mean strong.You can set it up in only a minute and be ready

for routing, sanding, planing—you name it. Whenyou’re done, fold up the table into a super-compact unit

only five-inches thick and stow it away. Heretoday, tucked away tomorrow.

StrStrong = Heaong = HeavyvyThis table weighs in at about 70 lbs., abit more than the full sheet of plywoodit’s made from. A lighter table made ofsmaller plywood parts would be moreportable, but not stiff enough to use asa real workbench (Photo 1). Forheavy-duty use, extra weight is actuallya plus. This table stays put!

The keys to this table’s strength areits wide rails, rigid continuous hingesand hardwood legs. The oversize railsand long hinges prevent the table fromracking. The solid-wood legs preventthe plywood end panels from bendingor shaking.

Go ahead and shove this tablearound the shop. The hardwood legscan take the punishment. Folded up, itstands on a durable hardwood rail, soyou can slide the table across the floorinto a small cubbyhole (Photo 2).

11 This worktable is built forstrength. It won’t wobble, sag

or walk across the floor.Weighing 70pounds or so, it’s not going anywhereuntil you stow it away.

SHOP TABLE SHOP TABLE

A m e r i c a n Wo o d w o r k e r APRIL 2002 75

TTools and Maools and MaterterialsialsThis is a low-cost, easily built plywoodproject.Total cost is about $75, half forthe wood and half for the hardware.You can build it in a day, no sweat, usinglittle more than a tablesaw, jigsaw,hacksaw and a drill. All you have to dois cut a few plywood pieces to size, ripand cut some narrow 3/4-in.-hardwoodboards to length and accurately drive ina whole mess of hinge screws. To makesetting the hinges a lot easier, werecommend using a self-centering bit(see Sources, page 108).

Build your table from one sheet of aninexpensive grade of birch plywood(about $40). Fir plywood and MDF areeven less expensive, but both are inferiorsubstitutes. Fir plywood is usually quitetwisted and MDF is way too heavy.

You’ll need some 3/4-in. solid wood formounting the hinges. Plywood won’t do,because the hinge screws run into the edgeof these boards. This would place thescrews between the plies and chances arethey wouldn’t hold. Pine isn’t a greatchoice, either, because it’s too soft to holdsmall screws well. Go with a hardwoodthat’s milled flat so you can glue its facestogether. Birch or red oak are good choices.

Pick up most of the hardware at ahardware store or home center (see theShopping List on page 79). It’ll add up toabout $35. A good chunk of that is for thecontinuous hinges, but they’re worth it.Standard butt hinges allow too much

22 This table is built like a rock but knocks down in only a minute.Youdon’t need any tools and you don’t have to keep track of any loose pieces. Simply

unscrew four knobs, fold the rails and legs on top of each other and tuck the worktableaway.

A

F

B

G1

G2

F

D

E

C

K1

K2

JH

N

F

M

16"

4-1/2"

2-1/4"

4-3/8"14-3/4"

3/4" DEEPCLEARANCEHOLE

3/16" HOLE

1-1/4" #8 FHSCREW (TYP.)

1/4" T-NUT (TYP.)

1/4" X 1" HEX HEADBOLT (TYP.)

DETAIL 3

L

CONTINUOUSHINGE

4-1/2"CLEARANCE HOLENOTE: A second clearance holeand T-nut block are located in thesame position on the right side ofthis panel (see Fig. C, page 78). T-NUT

BLOCK

OFFSETHOLES

play and the table would wobble.The only hard-to-find items are the

large knobs on the rails. We used T-style knobs because they offer a lot ofleverage and have a low profile (about$2 each, see Sources, page 108). (Roundknobs won’t allow the table to foldcompletely flat.)

Making the Making the PlywPlywood Pood Parartsts

Begin by cutting up the entire sheet ofplywood (see Fig. B, page 77). Note inthe Cutting List, page 79, that EndPanels B and C differ in length by 3/4-in. because they fold underneathstacked blocks of different thicknesses.

Rails D and E require a bit more

tablesaw work. Cut grooves in bothrails for the threaded rod (Photo 3,page 78). You can use a dado set ormake multiple cuts with a standardblade. Then create a flat surface forthe T-style knobs to bear against(Detail 1, page 77) with a crosscut onthe tablesaw. Attach a tall backer boardto your miter gauge and stand the rails


Fig. AFolding Shop Table Exploded ViewLong, continuous hinges are the backbones of this table. Each of thefour folding parts, two rails and two end panels, are connected to thetop with a hinge. The hinges are mounted at four different levels,enabling all four parts to fold down on top of each other.

Folding Shop TableFolding Shop Table

H

1/2"

7/8" DIA.HOLE,1/8" DEEP

3/16" PILOTHOLE

CL

CL

3/8" DIA.HOLE

5/16"T-NUT

INSIDEFACE

ROUNDOVER ALLOUTSIDEEDGES

BOLT EXTENDS5/8" BEYOND RAIL

J

D & E

RADIUS OFGALLONPAINT CAN

WASHERT-KNOB

GROOVE5/16"W3/4"D6-5/8"

1-3/4"

BEARINGSURFACE1/8" STEP

B, C, OR EPOSITIONOF FOLDEDHINGE

F

FLUSH WITHTOP EDGE

D

on edge to make these cuts perfectlystraight and square. Cut the arches inthe rails with a jigsaw.

Keep the jigsaw handy. Cut threeclearance holes, one in the edge of Rail Eand two in End Panel B (Fig. A). The holesallow all the parts of this table to fold flat.

Making the Making the Locking BoltsLocking Bolts

Four stout bolts with T-handles lock thistable together. Cut the bolts to length fromthreaded rod. Sitting in the groove, with thehandle attached, the bolts must stick outabout 5/8-in. beyond the end of the rail(Detail 1, at right).

Glue a T-handle onto each threadedrod with epoxy or a special permanentglue made for nuts and bolts, such asLoctite or Thread Locker (available athardware and auto stores for about $2.50a tube). Heavily round the other end ofthe bolt with a file or grinder so it easilyengages the T-nut.

Place the bolts and washers in the rail’sgrooves. The bolts are held in place bysmall strips of hardwood cut to fit thegroove (Fillers J, Detail 1, above right).Glue in the fillers. With a clamp or two,squeeze down on the fillers so they biteinto the screw’s threads a bit. When theglue is dry, the bolts shouldn’t slide freely(or they’ll fall out when you fold up thetable!). Dab a little grease onto the boltsto make them turn easier.

Cut and drill four plywood blocks toreceive T-nuts (Parts H, Detail 2, at right).Pound in the T-nuts and clear the deck forassembling the table. All the parts are nowcut to size and ready to go.

Attach three of the hinges to three ofthe six hardwood Riser Blocks F (Photo4, page 78 and Detail 3, above right).Attach a hinge to Rail D as well (Detail 4,above right). Toss the screws that comewith the continuous hinges. They’re tooshort and fragile. Use the larger screwsincluded in the Shopping List, page 79.Don’t bother to countersink deeper holesin the hinges for these screws. The headsdon’t show, so it’s not worth the trouble.


Detail 1End of Rails D and E

Detail 3Location of Hinge on Rail E and End Panels B and C

Detail 4Location of Hinge on Rail D

Fig. B Plywood Cutting DiagramWe’ve maxed out one sheet of birch plywoodto make this shop table as large as possible.Making the largest pieces (A,B and C)requires only three cuts. Rip the full sheetfirst, then crosscut twice to exact length.

CBA

ED G2

G1 H

A B C

G2G1

ED

Detail 2T-Nut Block H


B

3 RISERBLOCKS

C

H

A

D

E

F

G2

G1

NO RISERBLOCK

1 RISERBLOCK

1-3/4"

1-3/4"

HINGE2-1/2"

2-1/2"

B

H

2 RISERBLOCKS


44 Mount the hinges before assembling the table.Positioning the hinges is critically important, but easy to

do. Simply fold a hinge over one of the hardwood riser blocksand clamp it in place. Drill pilot holes with a self-centering bit.Drive in the screws, unfold the hinge and you’re good to go.

Fig. C Three Assembly StepsPutting this table together doesn’t requireany complicated measuring or joinery.However, you need to put the piecestogether in the right order. All of thepieces line up with the edge of the top.

Upside down, the table has four levels that fold down on eachother. Start assembly with the lowest level (Rail D) and work your way up.

Step 1Install rails D and E.

Step 2Add the long panel Band two blocks H forthe locking bolts.

Step 3Add the shortpanel C and thetwo remainingblocks H.

33 Cut one long groove in each rail to receive thefour pieces of threaded rod that hold the table together.

Use a tall fence and a featherboard to steady the workpiece.Then, cut out an arch in the rail so your hands have room toturn the knobs on the threaded rods.

SELF-CENTERING

BIT

RISER BLOCK F

TALLFENCE

RAIL

FEATHER-BOARD

STA

FF

STA

FF



AssembAssemblylyPut the table together in three stages (Fig. C), upsidedown, level by level. Test the parts as you go to makesure they fold flat.

Screws alone do a surprisingly good job of aligningthe parts and holding this table together. Glue theparts to make the table even stronger.

Step 1. Attach Spacer G1 to the underside of Top A.Butt Rail D to the spacer and screw the hinge to Top A.

Screw Spacer G2 to the top. Butt one Riser Block Fwith an attached hinge to the spacer and screw the riserblock to the top. Clamp Rail E to the hinge and screwthe hinge to the rail.

Step 2. Attach a Riser Block F (with no hingeattached) flush with the left side of the table. Screwanother Riser Block F (with a hinge attached) on topof it. Attach End Panel B to the hinge.

Thread two T-Nut Blocks H onto the bolts in Rail Dand Rail E. Be sure the T-nut faces out (Fig. A, page 76).Screw the T-nut blocks onto the end panel (Photo 5).

Step 3. Attach the remaining two Riser Blocks F(without hinges) flush with the right side of the table.Stack the third riser block (with a hinge attached) ontop. Attach End Panel C to the hinge. Attach the T-nutblocks the same as before. Glue on the Legs K1 and K2.(Note that they go on the inside of Panel B and theoutside of Panel C; see Fig. A page 76.) Glue on the FeetL and attach the handle.

Once the table is assembled, round over all theedges with sandpaper, a file, or better yet, a 3/16-in.round-over bit in a router. To keep the table fromrocking on an uneven floor, insert 1/4-in. T-nuts andbolts into the ends of the plywood panels as verysimple and easy-to-adjust levelers.

55 Lock the table together with bolts and T-nuts. TheT-nuts are buried in wood blocks that are screwed to the

table’s end panels. Locating the blocks in exactly the right spot is easy.Step1.Thread the blocks onto the threaded rod buried in the rail.Step 2. Swing the rail upright.Then drive a screw through the T-nutblock and into the end panel.Step 3. Unthread the bolt from the T-nut block. Fold the rail down andout of the way.Then drive in the bottom screw through the T-nut block.

Shopping List

1 4' x 8' sheet birch plywood16 Lineal feet 3/4" x 1-3/4" hardwood12 Lineal feet 3/4" x 3" hardwood

4 T-knobs, 5/16" thread1 5/16" threaded rod, 36" long4 5/16" T-nuts 4 1/4" T-nuts4 1/4" x 1" hex-head bolts4 5/16" I.D., 3/4" O.D. washers4 Continuous hinges, 1-1/2"W, 30"L

100 1/2" #6 FH sheet metal screws25 1-1/4" #8 FH screws

1 Handle (large)Thread-locking glue for rods

THREADEDROD ANDT-KNOB

BLOCK WITHT-NUT

END PANEL

RAIL

Part Name Qty. Material Width LengthA Top 1 3/4" plywood 30" 35"B Long End Panel 1 " 30" 30-3/4"C Short End Panel 1 " 30" 30"D Rail 1 " 16" 30"E Rail 1 " 15-1/4" 30"F Riser Blocks 6 3/4" solid wood 1-3/4" 30"G1 Wide Spacer 1 3/4" plywood 5-1/4" 31-1/2"G2 Narrow Spacer 1 3/4" plywood 4-1/4" 31-1/2"H T-Nut Blocks 4 3/4" plywood 1-1/2" 4"J Fillers 4 5/16" solid wood 1/2" 6-5/8"K1 Legs 2 3/4" solid wood 3" 30-5/16"K2 Legs 2 3/4" solid wood 3" 30-3/8"L Feet 4 3/4" solid wood 3/8" 2"M Rods 4 5/16" threaded rod 8"N Handle 1

CUTTING LISTOverall Dimensions: 34"H x 35"W x 30"D

You can build this workhorse in a day,

using little more than a tablesaw, jigsaw, hacksaw and a drill.

STA

FF


44 A m e r i c a n Wo o d w o r k e r OCTOBER 1999

ART

DIRE

CTIO

N:D

AVID

FARR

•PH

OTOG

RAPH

Y:KR

IVIT

PHOT

OGRA

PHY

his workbench has a top ready forhard use. But it’s the base that catchesyour eye. The interlocking joinery,

with its dovetails and wedges, is rocksolid, yet it knocks down quickly formoving.

Although it looks complicated, the baseis surprisingly easy to build. It’s made

Tablesaw joinery locks it together.

Wedged-BaseWorkbench

Wedged-BaseWorkbench

from multiples of only five parts that fittogether like the pieces of a puzzle. Thefancy joinery that locks the pieces inplace is nothing more than strategicallylocated rabbets and dadoes, and they’reall made on the tablesaw.

by Tim Johnson

tt

SLOT

DADOES

2-3/8"

1/2"

1/2"

2-1/8"

3-1/4"

ASTEP

BSTEP

BRACKET

LEG

3-1/4"

A m e r i c a n Wo o d w o r k e r OCTOBER 1999 45

Make the Top BracketThe top is screwed to brackets held in place on top ofthe legs with a shouldered slip joint. Make this joint bycutting a slot in the leg (Photo 1) and two dadoes inthe bracket (Photo 2). After dadoing, drill holes forscrews—oversized to allow wood movement—and cuttapers on the bottom of each bracket.

CUT DADOES on both sides of each top bracket so theycan slip into the dadoes in the leg tops (Step B). Stop blocks ateach end of the miter fence control the width of the cut.

2

Unlock the JoineryThe key to successfully building this base is knowing thesequence of the saw cuts, shown here as lettered steps. If youapproach building it one cut at a time, following the steps,you’ll have it assembled before you know it.

First, fit the brackets to the tops of the legs with slots anddadoes (Steps A and B). Set the brackets aside.

Next, fit the end rails to the legs with half-lap, dado andbevel cuts (Steps C - F). Before gluing them together, makedadoes in the end rails to house the side rails (Step G).

After the end assemblies are glued, cut the tenons on theside rails so they fit between the end rails (Step H). Then cutdadoes in the end assemblies (Step J) for the wedges.

CUT SLOTS centered in the top of each leg for the bracketsthat hold the top (Step A).To keep the leg steady, attach a tallauxiliary fence to your saw’s rip fence and clamp the leg to agood-sized rectangular block. Use a featherboard and make thecut in several shallow passes until you reach the maximumdepth your dado set allows (21⁄8-in., in this case).

1

BLADE GUARD GHOSTED

FOR CLARITY. USE YOURS!

DADOES

3-1/2"

5-1/16"

1-1/8"

10-3/4"TO TOPOF LEG

ANGLEDTAILS

HALF-LAP

3/8"

1-1/2"

9-DEGREEBEVEL CUT

1-1/8"

DSTEP

FSTEP

CSTEP

ESTEP

END RAILS

LEG

3-1/4"

REFERENCEPOINTS

1/4" FLAT SURFACE

BIG PIN

BIG TAIL

Make the End AssembliesThe end rails lock to the legs with dovetailed half-lap joints. When assembled, the faces of the endrails and legs are flush and the dovetail pin ends ofthe end rails protrude 1⁄4-in. beyond the legs.

First, cut half-lap joints on the backs of the endrails (Step C). The tongues remaining on each endbecome large dovetail pins. Next, lay out the loca-tions of the tails on each pair of legs and cutdadoes in them as deep as the pin blanks are thick(Step D). Don’t make these dadoes too large—theirpurpose is to establish a flat bottom and removemost of the waste. These preliminary cuts allow theangled cuts for the dovetail pins (Photo 3) and tails(Photo 4) to be made at once.

BEVEL THE EDGES of each end rail at a 9-degree angle(Step E).These cuts turn the tongues into big dovetail pins.Leave a 1⁄4-in. wide flat on the back edge of the rail to rideagainst the fence.

MAKE ANGLED CUTS at thereference points, turning the legdadoes into tails (Step F).Then nibbleaway the remaining waste. After cuttingthe angle on one side of each dado, flipthe leg over and stand the end rail on theleg. Align the pin with the unfinished tail, andmark the leg for the remaining angled cut.(Inset) SET THE HEIGHT of the blade for cutting thedovetail corners by raising it so that its teeth barely nick thetop of the dado.

PARE THE WASTE from the angled saw cuts with a sharp,wide chisel to finish the corner.


3

4

5

W E D G E D - B A S E W O R K B E N C H

TENON

7-1/2"

7"

1-1/4"

DADO

3-1/2"

1-1/4"

5"

HSTEP

GSTEP

SIDE RAIL

END RAIL


HALF-LAPSHOULDER

House the Side RailThe side rail ends in a long tenon thatslides through the end assembly. Shal-low dadoes in the end rails, above andbelow, guide it and hold it in positionagainst the leg (Step G). Cut thesedadoes first (Photo 6), and thenglue the end rails and legstogether into the endassemblies. Make thetenons on the side railslast, so they fit prop-erly (Step H).

CUT A DADO (Step G) in each end rail, starting from theshoulder of the half-lap. Make it wide enough to house theside rail.

Manufactured workbench tops are hard to find, come in limited sizes and are expensive to ship. Butcherblock coun-tertops are widely available, but are always only 11⁄2-in.thick and often include short butt-joined pieces.

Making your own top is a lot of work and you won’t saveyourself much money. Satisfaction, quality control andchoosing specific dimensions, especially the thickness, aregood reasons to do it.

I made this one from plainsawn 8/4 boards, all 8-ft. longand about 6-in. wide (72 board ft.; $450) I milled them to 13⁄4-in. thickness and ripped them in half. After jointing the edges,I ripped the boards to a consistent width, as wide as the nar-rowest piece. Then I glued them together face to face, quar-tersawn edges up, in three sections, each about 101⁄2-in.wide. I ran these sections through the planer to make themsmooth and of uniform thickness. Then I jointed the edges

Make the wedges (Step K) and then lay out and cut theangled dadoes on the side rails that hold them (Steps L andM). Assemble the base, lock it together by tapping thewedge home (Step N) and slide the top brackets in place.

In hard maple, the base costs about $250. You’ll need 25board feet of 8/4 and 15 board feet of 6/4 stock. Additional6/4 and 8/4 scrap stock in any wood is helpful for test cuts.Your shop needs to be equipped with a well-adjusted jointer,planer and tablesaw. You’ll also need an accurate, adjustabletry square. For layout work you’ll need a stack dado set thatcuts flat bottoms, a tapering jig for the wedges and brackets,a sharp chisel and a router and chamfering bit.

Make or Buy the TopWhen it comes to the top, you have two choices. You canbuy one ready-made (see Sources, p. 49), or make your own.

6

5/8"

STRAIGHTDADOANGLED

DADO

DADO

1/8"CLEARANCE

13/16"

1/4"

LSTEP

JSTEP

MSTEP

END ASSEMBLY

SIDE RAIL

WEDGE

Final AssemblyA wedge draws the side rail tight against the endassembly. Dadoes in the end assembly hold thewedge and a tapered dado in the side rail makes itwork.

First cut dadoes in the end assemblies (Step J). Nextmake the wedges (Step K, p. 49). Then cut the dado inthe side rail (Steps L and M), using the end assemblydado you’ve just cut, to locate it (Photos 7 - 9). 5/8"

5/8"

END ASSEMBLY

SIDE RAIL

2-9/16"

1/8"CLEARANCE

STRAIGHTDADOCUTS

ANGLEDDADOCUTS

"L"

MARK THE LOCATION of the angled dado in the siderail that will hold the wedge. Slide the side rail into positionand use the end assembly dado for reference.

LAY OUT the side rail wedge dado from the L-shaped markyou’ve just made (Photo 7). Its leg gives you the depth and itsstem marks the back of the wedge. Extend the dado a bit behindthis line for clearance. Draw the angled front using one of yourwedges held tight against a try square.You can remove most ofthe waste from this dado with straight, 90-degree cuts (Step L).

MAKE THE FINAL angled cuts in the side rail (Step M).Use one of the wedges clamped between the rail and the mitergauge to guarantee that the angle of the dado and the wedgematch perfectly.


8

9

W E D G E D - B A S E W O R K B E N C H

7

The WedgeThese wedges taper1⁄2-in. over 7-in.—flatenough so they’ll workthemselves tight asyou use the bench.Make the wedges longand trim them to finallength after all thejoinery is done.

NSTEP

INTERLOCK

SLIDE THE WEDGE home (Step N). Once it hasengaged the dado in the lower end rail, tap it securely intoplace.

and carefully glued these sections together to make thetop. I cut the ends square with a straightedge-guided saw.

Other PossibilitiesUpon seeing it, one of my friends said, “That’s not aworkbench, it’s a table.” He’s right—half right, anyway.The bench could also be used as a kitchen or gardeningwork table. And with minor modification it would makea great dining or coffee table. Just imagine the base undera glass top. But be prepared to keep the glass clean of noseprints from guests seeking a closer look at your exquis-ite joinery!

Bench Dimensions

This bench sits 341⁄2-in. tall, so it matches othershop tool table heights. The top is 84-in. L x 30-in. W x 21⁄2-in. T. The base, measured from theoutsides of the legs, is 48-in. L x 24-in. W. Allsharp edges are chamfered.

Cutting List for Base

Legs (4) Side Rails (2)313⁄4" x 31⁄4" x 31⁄4" 60" x 7" x 11⁄4"Top Brackets (4) Wedges (4)12" x 23⁄8" x 11⁄4" 123⁄4" x 27⁄8" x 13⁄16" End Rails (4)241⁄2" x 31⁄2" x 11⁄2"


10

SOURCES

Workbench TopsWoodcraft Supply(800) 225-1153www.woodcraft.com

Kitchen Countertops Your local home center or lumberyard

2-7/8"

13/16"

WEDGE

12-3/4"

KSTEP

50 American Woodworker JANUARY 2006

Double your work space without doubling your shop space.

WorkbenchAssembly TableWorkbenchAssembly Table

& Expandable& Expandable

Torsion-boxTorsion-box

American Woodworker JANUARY 2006 51

by Randy Johnson and Luke Hartle

Expandable!This assembly table opens

like an accordion. The top comes off the

two cabinets and doubles as a table leaf,

giving you a huge mobile work surface.


Rigid Top.This bench’s top is amazingly

strong, although it’s only plywood. The

secret is easy-to-build torsion-box con-

struction.

Sturdy Vise. The front vise has a large

4-in.-tall by 15-in.-wide by 10-1/2-in.-deep

clamping capacity. The hardware comes

as a kit and you make the jaw to fit.

Replaceable Top. The bench’s top is

removable and reversible. If you ever

wear it out, drill out the screw plugs,

remove the screws and lift off the top by

pushing a stick through access holes in

the torsion box.

The Workbench

Lots of Storage. The base cabinets

provide loads of storage space. Sliding

doors won’t get in your way when they

are opened.

Perfect Height.The large work surface

is at a comfortable height, perfect for

assembling furniture and cabinetry

projects.

In our shop, we used to pile tools, parts and hardwareon top of a wobbly workbench made from 2x4s.When we had to glue a project together, we shoved

everything aside. Finally, we got tired of searching for toolsand space and set out to make a new style of workbench.

Our new workstation is two benches in one. The bestpart is a rolling storage unit that opens into a huge assem-bly table. Closed, it tucks right under the bench. We builtthe bench’s top as a torsion box, so it can span the dis-tance over the assembly table without sagging. Both partsare made from home-center materials using simple join-ery. Two work surfaces, lots of drawers and shelves—whata great excuse to buy more tools!

A dynamic duo for the shop

The Assembly Table

A dynamic duo for the shop

AR

T D

IRE

CTI

ON

: VE

RN

JO

HN

SO

N •

PH

OTO

GR

AP

HY:

MIK

E K

RIV

IT •

ILLU

STR

ATIO

N: F

RA

NK

RO

HR

BA

CH


BUILD THE TORSION BOX1. Cut out the parts according to the Workbench

Cutting List, page 57, and the plywood cutting dia-grams (Fig. E, page 57). Cut the top and bottomskins (A) to width on your tablesaw. Because thisskins are so long, we found it easier to rough-cutthem to length with a circular saw and then trimthem to final length with a router and straightedge,rather than wrestling with them on our tablesaw.

2. In the skins, drill the screw holes that will beused to attach them to frame boards (Fig. A, page54).

3. Lay the bottom skin on a pair of plywood I-beams (Photo 1) and glue and clamp on the outertorsion-frame parts (B, C). The I-beams guaranteethat the parts clamp up flat (see “Working with I-beams,” page 55). It’s OK to glue and clamp oneouter frame part to the skin at a time; just keep atleast one clamp at each corner of the skin to keep itflat on the I-beams.

4. Cut the inner torsion-frame parts (D, E) to sizeand use a dado blade to cut the bridle joints on yourtablesaw (Photo 2). Make sure to cut test joints first.You want these joints to interlock perfectly, so theparts line up flush on the top and bottom. You alsowant them to go together smoothly. It’s better to havejoints that are a little loose rather than tight.

5. Screw the short inner torsion-frame parts (E)to the long center one (D) with a screw at each bri-dle joint.

6. Test-fit this grid assembly in the outer frame that’sglued to the bottom skin (Photo 3). When you are sat-isfied with the fit, predrill holes through the outer tor-sion frame, glue the inner torsion-frame assembly tothe bottom skin and drive screws through the outerframes into the ends of the inner frame parts.

7. Flip the assembly and add screws through thebottom skin into the inner grid frame parts (Photo 4).

8. Now flip the torsion-box assembly back and gluethe vise screw blocks (F) in the front left corner ofthe top (Fig. A).

9. Next, add the top skin with glue and screws. 10. Drill the access holes through the torsion box

(Fig A). Should you ever need to remove the top, youcan push a stick through these holes to lift it.

11. Cut the side trim boards (G, H) to final size.Double-check the size of your torsion box and thencut the trim boards to fit. Attach them with glue andclamps (Photo 5). Use a biscuit at each corner tohelp them line up. Note that the trim’s top edge

2Cut the bridle joints on the inner torsion-frame parts with a

dado blade. You can cut them as a group by clamping them

against an auxiliary fence on your miter gauge.

1A torsion box is composed of two sheets of plywood, or

skins, separated by a frame. The first step is to glue the outer

frames to the bottom skin. Clamping the parts to a flat surface,

such as these wooden I-beams, guarantees that the top will turn

out flat.

3Test-fit the inner torsion-frame assembly. It should slip into

place using hand pressure only. Then remove it, add glue

and reinstall it. Hold it in place by adding screws through the

outer frame parts.

The BenchBOTTOM SKIN

OUTERFRAME

I-BEAM

Caution:The blade guard must be removed for this operation.


4Flip the assembly and screw the bottom skin to the

inner torsion frame. Then flip it back and add the top

skin. Keep the torsion box clamped to the I-beams during

each step to ensure that it stays flat.

5Glue the trim boards to the torsion box. Install them

flush with the torsion box’s bottom. This will create a

recess on the top side for the removable work top to fit into.

Make long clamps by joining short clamps with couplers.

PROJECT REQUIREMENTS AT A GLANCE

FIGURE A WORKBENCH EXPLODED VIEW

SIDETRIM

PIPECOUPLER

3" x 3" L-BRACKET

#20 BISCUIT

CABINETLEVELER

1"-DIA. ACCESS HOLE

1/4" x 1/4"DADO

F

K

J

G

AH

C

DE

BA

V

R

S

S

T

AA

AA

BB

CC

N

PM

Y

Y

S Q

S

T

L

U

Materials:

20 bd. ft. of 4/4 oakOne sheet of 3/4-in. oak

fibercore plywood Two sheets of 3/4-in. oak

plywood

Two sheets of 1/2-in. birchplywood

One sheet of 1/4-in. oakfibercore plywood

One sheet of 3/4-in. birchplywood

Hardware:

Front-mount bench vise,seven pairs of drawerslides, seven drawer pulls,eight cabinet levelers

Tools: Tablesaw, planer,jointer, biscuit plate joiner,circular saw, router

Cost: Approximately $700


7Use spacers to position the drawer slides for mounting to

the sides of the base cabinets. It’s best to mount the

slides before the cabinets are assembled, because it’s hard to

fit a cordless drill inside cabinets after they are put together.

6 Install the work top. Screw it to the torsion box and use

wooden plugs to hide the screws. The top should fit

loosely into the recess, so it’s easy to remove if you wish to

replace it.

stands 3/4 in. above the torsion box. This space providesa recess for the work top (J).

12. Screw the work top into place (Photo 6). For a nicefinished look, counterbore the screw holes and add woodplugs. Trim the plugs flush using a router, chisel or beltsander. When the top gets worn and you want to flip it orreplace it, simply drill out the plugs and remove thescrews.

13. Now is good time to glue together the three parts(L) for the vise jaw. When the glue has dried, drill theholes through which the vise will fit (Fig. B, page 56).

BUILD THE BASE CABINETS14. Cut out the sides, top and bottom, and back (M,

N, P) for the base cabinets. Add iron-on edge banding tothe front edge of Parts M and N (see the WorkbenchCutting List, page 57, and “Iron-on Edge Banding,” AW#113, March 2005, page 26).

15. Cut slots for biscuits in the cabinet parts (Fig. A).16. Because these cabinets are only 10-1/2 in. inside

when complete, it’s easier to install the drawer slides(see Sources, page 61) before the cabinets are assem-bled. Spacers (DD, EE, FF) simplify the job of position-ing the slides (Photo 7).

17. Assemble the cabinets with biscuits, glue the cabi-nets and install levelers (Photo 8).

Working withI-beams

I-beams provide a flat, strong surface to work on.They are great to have around the shop and are veryeasy to build. It only takes one sheet of plywood tomake a pair of them. Mill eight 3/4 x 5-3/4 x 96-in. piecesout of birch plywood. Glue and screw the middle boardstogether first. After the glue is dry, trim a little off theedges to make sure the two parts are perfectly flushwith each other. Complete the I-beams by gluing andscrewing the top and bottom parts to the middle parts.

Sight down a pair of winding sticks to level the I-beams and use a shim to raise on the low corner.Then clamp the I-beams to sawhorses to keep them inplace. As long as you don’t move the horses, the I-beams provide a flat and sturdy place to work. The I-beam lip is particularly useful as a clamping edge.

WORK TOP

WOODPLUGS

SPACERS

5-1/8"5-1/8"

11"

4-1/2"

A strong and practical

alternativeto a solid-wood workbench


FIGURE B WORKBENCH VISE JAW DETAIL

8Add levelers to the base cabinets if your shop floor is

uneven. These heavy-duty levelers are easily adjusted

from inside the cabinet through an access hole in the bottom.

FIGURE C WORKBENCH VISE FILLER DRAWER FRONT DETAIL

FIGURE D WORKBENCH VISE MOUNTING BOARD DETAIL

ASSEMBLE, INSTALL THE DRAWERS

18. Cut out the drawer boxes’ parts (V through CC)and assemble them with biscuits and glue. Screw on theremaining drawer-slide components and slide the drawerboxes into the cabinets.

19. Cut out the filler front (Q, Fig. C, right), which fitsaround the vise mechanism. Cut out the drawer frontsand toe kicks (R, S, T, U). Apply iron-on edge banding tothese parts.

20. Install the toe kicks first. Then add the drawerfronts, starting at the bottom. Place a 1/8-in. spacer ontop of the toe kick. Set the bottom drawer front (T) ontop of the spacer. Attach the drawer front with a coupledrops of hot-melt glue and then add screws from insidethe drawer. You can scrape off the hot-melt glue when youremove the drawer front for finishing. Reuse the spacerand repeat this step for the rest of the drawer fronts.

ASSEMBLE THE BENCH, ADD THE VISE

21. Place the torsion box on top of the base cabinets.The cabinets should be flush with the back of the torsionbox and set in 3/4 in. from the ends.

22. Remove the drawers and screw the cabinets to thetorsion box.

23. Install the vise mounting board (K) to the torsionbox’s bottom with screws and glue (Fig. D, page 57).

24. Mount the jaw to the vise mechanism and screw thevise to the vise mounting board.

25. With the building complete, you can disassemblethe workbench, do a final sanding and then stain and var-nish it.

26. When the finish has dried, reassemble the entireworkbench, level it and attach it to your shop wall by acouple of L-brackets screwed to wall studs.

ACCESSHOLE

3/4"1" RAD.

1" RAD.

1-5/8"

6"

CL

3/4" OVERHANG

VISE MOUNTINGBOARD

QK

2-1/2"

1-1/2"

7/8" DIA.

1-1/8" DIA.

7/8" DIA.

1"

1-1/2"

4-1/4"

2-3/8"

3/4"

1"


FIGURE E WORKBENCH PLYWOOD DIAGRAMS

W O R K B E N C HC U T T I N G L I S T

Part Name Qty. Material Dimensions (TH x W x L)

Torsion-box workbench top

A Top and bottom skins 2 Birch plywood 1/2" x 28-1/2" x 94-1/2"B Long outer torsion frames 2 Oak 3/4" x 2-1/4" x 94-1/2"C Short outer torsion frames 2 Oak 3/4" x 2-1/4" x 27"D Long inner torsion frame 1 Oak 3/4" x 2-1/4" x 93"E Short inner torsion frames 5 Oak 3/4" x 2-1/4" x 27"F Vise screw blocks 4 Birch plywood 1/2" x 6-1/2" x 14-5/8"G Long trim boards 2 Oak 3/4" x 4" x 96"H Short trim boards 2 Oak 3/4" x 4" x 28-1/2"J Work top 1 Oak fibercore plywood 3/4" x 28-7/16" x 94-7/16"K Vise mounting board 1 Oak 5/8" x 5" x 10-1/2"L Vise jaws 3 Oak 3/4" x 7" x 15"

Base cabinets

M Sides 4 Oak plywood 3/4" x 25" x 32" *N Top and bottom 4 Oak plywood 3/4" x 10-1/2" x 24-1/4" *P Back 2 Oak plywood 3/4" x 10-1/2" x 32"Q Vise filler front 1 Oak plywood 3/4" x 12" x 4" *R Top drawer front 1 Oak plywood 3/4" x 12" x 3-3/4" *S Middle drawer fronts 4 Oak plywood 3/4" x 12" x 5-7/8" *T Bottom drawer fronts 2 Oak plywood 3/4" x 12" x 11-3/4" *U Toe kick 2 Oak plywood 3/4" x 12" x 4" *V Top drawer sides 2 Oak plywood 3/4" x 2-1/4" x 22" *X Top drawer front and back 2 Oak plywood 3/4" x 2-1/4" x 8" *Y Middle drawer sides 8 Oak plywood 3/4" x 4-3/4" x 22" *Z Middle drawer ends 8 Oak plywood 3/4" x 4-3/4" x 8" *AA Bottom drawer sides 4 Oak plywood 3/4" x 10-3/4" x 22" *BB Bottom drawer ends 4 Oak plywood 3/4" x 10-3/4" x 8" *CC Drawer bottoms 7 Oak plywood 1/4" x 8-1/2" x 21"DD Top drawer slides spacer 2 Oak fibercore plywood 3/4" x 5-1/8" x 18"EE Middle drawer slides spacer 1 Oak fibercore plywood 3/4" x 11" x 18"FF Bottom drawer slides spacer 1 Oak fibercore plywood 3/4" x 4-1/2" x 18"

* Dimensions include the iron-on edge banding.

Overall Dimensions: 36"H x 96"L x 34"D with vise, 30" without vise

Torsion-box construction allowsthe workbench to span a distance

while maintaining itsstrength and stability.

A A J

F

F F

FF

Z Z Z Z X Z Z Z Z

V Y Y Y YY Y Y Y

DD

BB BB

AA AA

BB BB

AA AA

F

EE

N

Q

P P

SS

TU

RSS

T

U

NM

M M

N NM

CC CC CC CC CC

CC CC

1/2-in. birch plywood 1/2-in. birch plywood3/4-in.

oak fibercore plywood 3/4-in. oak plywood 3/4-in. oak plywood

1/4-in. oak fibercore plywood

the cabinets (Fig. A). Center the middle panel and thenspace the two end panels 28-1/2 in. away from the centerpanel (Fig. A). When the end panels are installed, youshould have a small gap between them and the cabinet end(B). This small gap helps accommodate any slight out-of-squareness that exists in the cabinets. It’s very important thatthe hinged panels be installed at a 90-degree angle to thebottom (or top) of the cabinet. Use a framing square to drawthese lines, using only the top or bottom for reference, butnot both. If you do and they are not perfectly square to eachother, it will throw off the accuracy of your hinge installation.Getting the hinges to operate smoothly is not difficult, butyou do have to pay careful attention to the installation.

10. Attach the pairs of panels to one cabinet first(Photo 3). Use a 1/16-in. spacer to center the hinged pan-els between the subtop and subbottom (A).

11. Next, attach the panels to the back of the other cabi-net (Photo 4).

12. With the hinged panels installed, fold the cabinetstogether and add the sash lock to the ends.

13. With the cabinets locked together, roll them overonto their tops and add the wheels (Photo 5). Install thecorner wheels so the foot lock is easily accessible from theends and sides.

1The assembly table is composed of two identical cabinets. Join-

ery is simple; it’s all held together with dadoes and biscuits.

BUILD THE BASE CABINETS1. Cut out the parts for the base cabinets according to the

Assembly Table Cutting List, page 61, and the plywood dia-grams (Fig. C, page 61)

2. The cabinet subtops and subbottoms, ends, partitions,and backs (A through D) are assembled using dado and bis-cuit joinery (Photo 1; Fig. A, page 59).

3. Apply iron-on edge banding to the front edges of theend panels (B) and the partitions (C).

4. Assemble the partitions, subtop, subbottom and backfirst. Then add the end panel (Photo 1). Make sure the cab-inets are clamped squarely.

5. Attach the bottom (F) and top (G) with screws and glue.6. Add the top and bottom door guides (H, J, Fig. B, page

59; Photo 2).

ADD THE HINGED PANELS7. Make three sets of hinged panels by attaching the

center hinge to pairs of panels (E). It’s important that thehinges be perfectly centered on the joint between the twopanels. Any variation will cause the hinges to bind and pre-vent the two cabinets from closing evenly when foldedtogether. The best way to accurately install the hinges is todraw a line 1 in. inside the edge of each panel. Clamp thehinge to the panels, aligning it with the line. Use a self-cen-tering bit (see Sources) to drill pilot holes for the screws.Don’t remove the clamps until you’ve installed the screws.

8. Add hinges to the outer edges of the panels. They go onthe opposite side from the center hinges (Fig. A). Installthese outer hinges the same way as you did the center hinges.

9. Mark the locations for the hinged panels on the back of


The Expandable Assembly Table

DADO

BISCUITS

The assembly table keeps everything handy

when you need it and tucks neatly out of the way

when you don’t.


3 Install the hinged panels to the back of one cabinet,

using spacers to center the panel between the top and

bottom. The hinged panels must be installed perpendicular

to the bottom so they open and close square to the cabinets.

FIGURE A ASSEMBLY TABLE EXPLODED VIEW

FIGURE B DOOR GUIDE

DETAIL

PROJECT REQUIREMENTS AT A GLANCE

Materials:

Three sheets of 3/4-in. oak plywood

One sheet of 3/4-in. oak fibercore plywood

One sheet of 1/4-in. oak fibercore plywood

One sheet of 3/4-in. MDF 8 bd. ft. of 4/4 oak lumber Stain and varnish

Tools: Tablesaw, dado blade, biscuit joiner, router

Hardware: Nine continuous hinges,six double-locking 4-in. casters, sixdoor pulls

Cost:

Approximately $500

2Glue and clamp the door guides to the doubled-up top

and bottom. Doubling the top makes the work surface

extra solid. Doubling the bottom provides a strong place to

attach the wheels.

DOUBLETOP

DOUBLEBOTTOM

DOORGUIDE

SPACER

1/4" x 1/2"GROOVE

1/4" x 1/4"GROOVE

#20 BISCUIT

19-1/2"

4"

SASHLOCK

#6 x 1-1/4" F.H.

1/4" x 3/4"DADO

H

H

P

N

M

C

D

M

G

G

KL

EB

B

A

E

B

F

JJ

28-1/2"

2" x 19-1/2"CONTINUOUS

HINGE


ADD THE REMOVABLE TOP14. Roll the cabinets back upright and unfold them.15. Carefully measure the opening width for the remov-

able top (K, Photo 6). Measurements for this part are inthe Cutting List, but variations in materials and assemblymay require you to adjust the size of this part.

16. Glue the edge strips (L) to the removable top panel. 17. After the glue has dried, test the fit. It should fit

snugly in the opening, requiring only medium hand pres-sure to slip into place.

18. Check the fit of the removable top with the cabi-nets folded together. Again, the fit should be snug butnot too tight. If it’s tight, see “Oops!” at left for an easyfix. If the fit is loose, add a strip of wood to the back ofthe edge strip.

19. When the removable top fits correctly, round thetop and two bottom edges of the side trim using a 1/4-in. round-over router bit. Rounding these edgesmakes the top slide into place more easily. Also, ease allother sharp corners with a sanding block or 1/8-in.round-over router bit.

20. Drill holes for shelf supports and add the adjustableshelves (M).

21. Finally, add the sliding doors (N, P, Photo 7) andinstall the door pulls.

22. We finished our cabinet with a golden oak stain andvarnish topcoat. If you remove the hinges for finishing,make sure to clearly mark their original locations so every-thing goes back together correctly aligned.

4Attach the hinged panels to the back of the second cab-

inet. Make sure the spacing between the hinged panels

on the second cabinet is identical to the spacing on the

first cabinet or binding will occur when you fold the cabi-

nets together. When the panels are folded together, the

panels fold into the recess at the back of the cabinets.

5 Install the wheels. The center wheels provide support for

the back of the cabinets and are offset from the middle of

the cabinet so they don’t hit each other as they swivel. Sash

locks hold the cabinets together when the table is folded up.

Our removable top doesn’t fitover the base cabinets. Small vari-ations in materials and assembly

can cause this fit to be too tight. The fix is easy.Simply saw some material off the inside of one ofthe trim boards.

problem

solution

RECESS

SMALLGAP

WHEELLOCK

SASHLOCK


7Slip the sliding doors into the slotted guides. The doors

go into the deeper upper slot first and then drop down

into the shallow bottom slot. If the doors don’t slide freely,

reduce their thickness by sanding the back of the top and

bottom edges.

6Measure for the removable top. You want the top to fit

snugly, yet be just loose enough to be pressed into place

using hand pressure.

FIGURE C ASSEMBLY TABLE PLYWOOD DIAGRAMS

BOTTOMDOOR GUIDE

Sources Woodworkers Hardware, (800) 383-0130, www.woodworkershardware.com Workbench hardware kit, includes seven drawer pulls, sevensets of drawer slides, eight cabinet levelers, two L-brackets and all mounting screws, with 9-7/8 in. stainless steel pulls as shown in story, #KIT0601,$124, which includes shipping and handling; same kit with 5-in. dull chrome pulls, #KIT0602, $89, which includes shipping and handling. Assembly tablehardware kit, includes six 4-in. double-locking casters, nine 2-in. x 19-1/2-in. continuous hinges, two sash locks, six door pulls and all mounting screws,with 5-1/4 in. stainless steel pulls as shown in story, #KIT0603, $170, which includes shipping and handling; same kit with 5-in. dull chrome pulls,#KIT0604, $160, which includes shipping and handling. • Woodcraft, (800) 225-1153, www.woodcraft.com Quick-release front vise, #17A11, $160.Self-centering hinge-drilling vix bit, 7/64-in., #16141, $11. Large wooden vise handle, #17E52, $7.

A S S E M B L Y T A B L EC U T T I N G L I S T

Part Name Qty. Material Dimensions (TH x W x L)

A Subtops and subbottoms 4 Oak plywood 3/4" x 10-1/2" x 60"B End panels 4 Oak plywood 3/4" x 11-3/4" x 21-1/4" *C Partitions 4 Oak plywood 3/4" x 8-3/4" x 20-1/4" *D Backs 2 Oak plywood 3/4" x 20-1/4" x 60"E Hinged panels 6 Oak plywood 3/4" x 13-13/32" x 19-5/8"F Bottom 2 MDF 3/4" x 11-3/4" x 61-1/2"G Top 2 Oak fibercore plywood 3/4" x 11-3/4" x 65-1/2"H Top door guides 2 Oak 3/4" x 1-1/4" x 60"J Bottom guides 2 Oak 3/4" x 1-1/4" x 60"K Removable top 1 Oak fibercore plywood 3/4" x 23-5/8" x 65-1/2"L Edge strips 2 Oak 3/4" x 1-9/16" x 65-1/2"M Adjustable shelves 6 to 12 Oak plywood 3/4" x 8-3/4" x 19-7/16" *N Outer sliding doors 4 Oak fibercore plywood 1/4" x 20-1/4” x 20-3/16”P Center sliding doors 2 Oak fibercore plywood 1/4" x 21" x 20-3/16"

* Dimensions include the iron-on edge banding on the front edge.

Overall Dimensions: 28”Th x 25”W x 60”L

N N

N N

P P

M

M

E

E

E

E

E

B B B B

A A D A A D G G F FK

C C C C

E

M

M

M

M

M

M

M

M

1/4-in. oak fibercoreplywood 3/4-in. oak plywood 3/4-in. oak plywood 3/4-in. oak plywood

3/4-in. oak fibercoareplywood 3/4-in. MDF

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