I have pretty much finished the base of my bench except for the feet. I used 4X4 Douglas fir posts for the base (legs and stretchers) so, at this point, I only have the base resting on 2 4X4 posts about 2 feet long. There is a slight wobble so for the time being I put a shim underneath one edge of the posts. I understand that the ideal thing is to cut into the posts so that, as a result, I would end up with 4 feet that the bench is sitting on. I do not have a bandsaw for cutting into the posts and I’d rather not use a jig saw for this. So, I was simply going to cut up some maple or other hardwood and glue and screw 4 feet onto the bottom of the posts. Is this a decent solution or is there something else that someone else has used that is preferable for workbench feet?
Regards,
Buzzsaw
Replies
id drill the bottom and add some screw feet. Basically the same thing thats on your refrig and appliances to level them out. It will let you micro tune the bench to your floor with just a turn of the screw. The feet are usually rubber to help it from slipping, sliding and absorb the vibration.
WmP,
Do you know where I can buy the screw feet you are referring to? Thanks for you rpost.Regards,
Buzzsaw
mscdirect.com has a wide selection.Alan
http://www.alanturnerfurnituremaker.com
Use 1/2 inch diameter by 4 inch long lag bolts for the feet and slip rubber crutch tips over the bolt heads after you've leveled the bench. If you want to be fancy, you can make wooden sleeves that slide down over the outside of the legs to hide the bolts.
John W.
Interesting idea JohnW. Don't have any extra crutches hanging around though..Regards,
Buzzsaw
ive seen crutch tips at my local lowes and home depot. Usually in the hardware section near the door handles etc.
JohnW,
Cool idea. I like it and S4S sent me the location of where to get crutch tips. So I assume you use the lag bolts for leveling purposes. Do you use this solution yourself and how much length of the bolt do you leave exposed from the base to the ground? Just enough to hold the crutch tip?Regards,
Buzzsaw
Any decently stocked hardware store would have crutch tips in several diameters.
You can cut the height of the tips down so that you don't have to have an inch or so of the bolt extending to fit into a full height tip. The easiest way to cut down the tip is to slip it over the end of a dowel and then cut it off on a bandsaw.
If there's a lot of weight on the leg, put a fender washer inside the tip to keep the bolt head from digging into the rubber.
I've used lag bolts for levelers on a lot of shop equipment. On a concrete floor you can skip the rubber tip and just let the bolt head rest directly on the concrete or set it on a small square of plywood with a shallow hole drilled in its surface to keep the bolt head centered. I like to use the lag bolts because they're cheaper, readily available, and faster to adjust than commercially made levelers.
John W.
Thanks John,
Lag bolts have the circular head, do they not? As opposed to hex bolts which are flat. I don't know what a fender washer is...Regards,
Buzzsaw
Lag bolts have a a hex head, like a regular machine bolt, and a coarse wood screw thread.
Carriage bolts have a smooth round head with a small square section below the head that, in theory, will embed itself in the wood to prevent the bolt from turning when the nut is tightened. A carriage bolt has machine threads and needs a nut for tightening.
Fender washers are like regular washers except that the washer's outer diameter is relatively much larger than the hole compared to a standard washer, in other words fender washers are big washers with small holes. Fender washers come in dozens of sizes.
Take an hour off and wander around a good hardware store, opening the drawers and poking through the bins. There are hundreds of styles of fasteners that are immensely useful for woodworking but are generally unknown. Fairly typical these days is that the clerks won't even know what half of the stuff is named or what it is used for.
John W.
Edited 8/4/2004 12:25 pm ET by JohnW
Instead of the base resting on the 4x4s, why not drill through the base at four corners and make mortise and tenon legs,then add an apron for more stability?
Jackplane,
It is too late for that. I have mortise and tenon legs already into the 4X4 posts which are resting on the ground. I will post a picture tomorrow.Regards,
Buzzsaw
Here is the workbench base referred to in my earlier posts. It is made from 4X4 Douglas Fir posts and I am contemplating what to do for feet...
Regards,
Buzzsaw
Buzz,
I'd just shape the base you already have into suitable feet....unless you want additional height? Twice now I' ve taken your base style and with a fostner bit on the drill press and a chisel created two pads about 3.5" square...and cut away the wood between the pads (about an inch). On the top side I've rounded over the front and back by first taking a 45 degree slice off ....and then shape..
I suspect you'll find those stretchers are a bit small to prevent racking, etc.....but you may be planing to build a box ...
BG,
I guess I'm a bit confused when you say "I suspect you'll find those stretchers are a bit small to prevent racking". Those stretchers are 4X4 posts and are extremely stable. I've seen a lot of workbench bases and none I have seen use 4X4 posts. Regards,
Buzzsaw
Buzz,
This is perhaps only my rule of thumb..but I shoot for an apron/stretcher that is 1.5 to 2 times the thickness of the leg. From a workbench standpoint, 2 times the thickness is desireable...with either another set of stretchers, or replace the current with 2x6-8 material, or in your top integrate(M&T, bolt) a front apron to the legs.
In a recent article in Woodworks they had a jointers bench with a huge apron integrated into the legs to prevent racking....
I built a similar bench to yours for my lathe..with 4x4 stretchers at top and bottom and a nest of draws in a pine case...it is actually much more solid than my workbench...here is the lousy picture of the lathe center. Also, like you, I used the 4x4 without squaring up the stock...i kinda wish I had...it would look better
After feeling how solid this base is I can't imagine a lot of racking but we shall see. Thanks for the picture and for all of your suggestions...Regards,
Buzzsaw
BG,
Just wondering...do you work for John Deere? ;-P
Cheers,
Ray
...the paint adds weight....helps reduce vibration...
Green paint and shellac seemed like a good idea at the time.
Ahhh..shut-up..your just jealous of the picture window in my shop...too bad it was such a gray day outside...
BUZZSAW,GET YOURSELF SOME GOOD MAPLE,IGOT MINE FROM SOME REALLY LARGE PACKAGING CRATE FOR WATER LINES, ABOUT 4" BY 4" . I USED MORTISE AND TENONS TO JOIN MY LEGS TO TWO FEET AS WIDE AS MY TOP.ITS KIND OF WEIRD TO MAKE REALLY LARGE MORTISES AND TENONS IF YOUR NEW TO IT BUT NO HARDER THAN ASCALED DOWN VERSION YOU'D USE IN MAKING FURNITURE.I WOULD SUGGEST USING HARD WOOD BECAUSE IT HOLDS UP BETTER OVER THE LONG HAUL.MY BENCH TOP IS AN OLD BOWLING ALLEY I GOT FROM SOME DEMOLITION GOING ON AN OLD BOWLING ALLEY,SOUNDS DIFFERENT BUT IF YOU SAW HOW A ALLEY IS BUILT YOU WOULD UNDERSTAND ,ITS ALL HARD MAPLE AND 3 AND 1/2 INCHES THICK. THE LEGS AND FRAME ARE WHITE ASH 2" thick and 5" wide locally sawn and dried.THE LEGS SET INTO MORTISES IN THE TWO FEET SO THE WIGHT OF THE TABLE MAKES IT VERY STABLE .ALL TENONS ARE PINNED WITH A OAK DOWEL THROUGH THE MORTISES AND NOT GLUED SO IT CAN BE KNOCKED DOWN TO MOVE IT. I HAVE HAD IT FOR 7OR8 YEARS NOW AND IT HAS STOOD THE TEST OF TIME AND ABUSE, LEN
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