Garage/shop rearrangement

A torsion box would still be top and bottom sheet, wouldnt it?

Top and bottom sheet, with a 'webbed' core. They are supposed to be incredibly strong, stiff, and flat, and they don't weigh as much as multiple thick ply. For example, my bench has a double thickness of mdf for the tip, with a quadruple thickness around the edges so I could put bench dogs in them.

Since they have the support structure all throughout the inside, you don't really need the 3/4 sheets. Depends on what you want it for. A work table or assembly table? You could probably get away with 1/4" skins.

I know there are a few guys on here who have built them... They probably have more info than I do.
 
I layered one up about 8-10 years ago of re-claimed 1" plywood then 3/4" high density underlayment (chip board) & 1/4" tempered Masonite wrapped in 3/4" poplar with poplar legs with dado's on the inside & 3/4" plywood between front & back legs glued into the dado & stretchers at the bottom of the leg mortised in & held together with brass barrels & bolts.
I pre-drilled & countersunk a grid of screws from the bottom up through the plywood into the underlayment while the top was laying on top of a cabinet saw with a 50" fence system & extension which was nice & flat the saw stop should work just fine. Iput the underlayment down on paper on top of the saw & layed the glue down & then the plywood counter sunk holes up & proceeded to screw it together. When it dried I removed a couple of rows of screws around the edges. Using a clamped on guide I ripped & cross cut it square. I left the rest of the screws in the bottom of the top.

It's still flat. MY next bench will have a torsion box base.
 

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I watched the video . I prefer to make my webbing in full length pieces notched on the table saw with a dado blade. Clamp all pieces for the width or length together the run through the dado. I thought it was a lot faster then gluing all the little pieces together.

I didn't have any of Marc's oopsie's in my grid either & didn't need nearly as many nails to hold it together.

On top of everything with the heavy material Marc made it from I believe the depth could be a bit less & still be plenty strong.
 

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How good is a torsion box table if I cant secure it into a level perfect spot?
My world isnt flat.
My shop floor isnt flat, and when I start to assemble anything, I usually put a piece of oak plywood on my work table and shim the plywood to give me somewhat level surface to start on.
I know when I lift and move 250-300 lb tv cabinets, they will eventually conform to the house its being put into. Again, I dont live in a flat world. My floors are not exactly flat, Im sure theres quite a difference in a foundation and flooring that moves and sinks.
So if Im off 1/64 of an inch on a table top, its going to move to adapt to the surface I put it on.
Anyway, getting back, if Im using castors on the work bench, will a torsion box mean all that much if my floor isnt level and the table will be set in different positions?(I understand flat, but it may never be a level flat)
 
I have my assem table on wheels also Allen. If the base you build for it, is some what off, you could always shims where needed. As far as level flat. My floor slopes as that is an issue, I don't worry about. I just build 90 degrees to the flat.
 
Im going to go with(as of today), 2 sheets of 1/2 inch mdf with a short framework in between as a torsion top. I want the top to be no more than 3 inches thick so I can attach my vise.
I tried to salvage some of the 2x4s used in my old work table, the glue pulled the wood apart, I could not seperate it, the legs just split apart. So much for how strong the glue is.
 
thanx for reminding me, I was just getting ready to figure out a design, and Larry had shown me pics of how a vise was mounted, and I saw I need to put some blocking where Im going to mount it. (Ill probably use some maple, I have some scraps 2 inches thick, I can put it into the grid work of the table)

so I got to the next work table today. It is the one that houses the rolling cabinet underneath.
I made the surface smaller so I can make the final work bench and it will fit right of this one.
After I had it made, I realized the only ply I had left was around 1/2 inch short. I had plenty of width, but not enough length, but I cut it anyway, and for an hour I looked at it and said, well, till I get another piece, this will do and screwed it on.
My wife came home around the same time, and said, why dont you just take a piece of wood and put a little edge around the table and the empty space on top of the legs will dissappear and youll be happy.
In 45 minutes looking at the short plywood top, it never dawned on me to just put an edge around it.I had this reddish/brown piece of something I was given for free from the wood guy, some tongue and groove, so I figure some kind of flooring or paneling. Cut it up.
My brain is slowly departing my body. First my hair, then my eyes, now my brains, uh oh........whats next?!
And just in case anyone is still reading, heres a few pictures.
 

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Your wife made your bench look finished! Good for both of you. :thumb:

I envy your commitment to starting from scratch and getting it all set up the way you want it. Someday, I might do it myself. :doh:
 
thanx for reminding me, I was just getting ready to figure out a design, and Larry had shown me pics of how a vise was mounted, and I saw I need to put some blocking where Im going to mount it. (Ill probably use some maple, I have some scraps 2 inches thick, I can put it into the grid work of the table)
.

Even some glued up plywood scraps will work then you can save the maple for making pens.
 
pens? I havent used my lathe in such a long time Im going to have reread the instructions on how it works.

Jeff-I aint doin it again. I might replace a table top, but Im not building anything else for my shop after these benches are finished. Just some small things to organize stuff, no cabinets or no ripping down anything else.
I need to get busy with some builds. My son is wondering when hes getting his bar(he actually wanted to know a couple of weeks ago if there was any chance Id have it in time for his halloween party saturday night), and my wife is bugging me to get started on turning my finishing room:( into a guest bedroom complete with bed, dresser, night table, and maybe a vanity.And I need 2 other beds for my sons extra bedroom and my niece is waiting patiently for her bed.(shes not sleeping on the floor)
 
so far today. would love to skin them by end of day with at least the 1/2 inch mdf both sides and route them each flush. Not sure.
took me an awful lot of time to even out a working surface level.
 

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pens? I havent used my lathe in such a long time Im going to have reread the instructions on how it works.

Jeff-I aint doin it again. I might replace a table top, but Im not building anything else for my shop after these benches are finished. Just some small things to organize stuff, no cabinets or no ripping down anything else.
I need to get busy with some builds. My son is wondering when hes getting his bar(he actually wanted to know a couple of weeks ago if there was any chance Id have it in time for his halloween party saturday night), and my wife is bugging me to get started on turning my finishing room:( into a guest bedroom complete with bed, dresser, night table, and maybe a vanity.And I need 2 other beds for my sons extra bedroom and my niece is waiting patiently for her bed.(shes not sleeping on the floor)


Well those projects should keep you busy for about 10 to 14 days :rofl::rofl:
 
I know Im losing it, I forgot to pick up a sheet of masonite to cover it with.:doh::dunno:

got both skins on and only let the router slip once when I was flush trimming,(I was thrilled I had a flush trim bit with 1/4 inch shank, didnt have to take apart the dewalt off the router table) but that will be under the vise, and there will be a hardwood edging.
I placed glued up plywood into some sections. The corner was for the vise, and the middles were so I can attach a base fairly easily just a lag bolt or two.
I have to remember which side and which side is up for the vise so it gets mounted on the correct side of the table, which will be left.
Im going to make a mobile base that will raise the table to the height of the stationary workbench next to it(the one with the rolling cabinet underneath) A drop off wont mean that much, as long as its a bit lower.

I did come across my first design flaw today. The mitre ramp fell short 1.5 inches from the fence of the mitre, so when I was trimming narrow pieces, it didnt rest on the mitre ramp. I have to bang off the base and I have over 2 inches to move it, so I should be ok when redone.

Some pics of where Im at, as usual. Ill start the base tomorrow, and when I have the base done eventually, Ill put the masonite on the table, the hardwood edge, mount the vise, then secure the top to the base, I need someway to move it around for now, so the base is more important than finishing the top.( I took a piece of 120 grit and a block and lightly sanded the mdf edges where I routed so everything is smooth and even for mounting hardwood edge)
 

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dont be a trouble maker anymore, you had to post that video, and I had to try to make one. I was gonna just lay 2 sheet of plywood on top of each other, until you posted that. Took me an entire day.
 
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