I discuss why I wanted an adjustable height workbench and why I love using it later in this article. I kept a piece of the top. I agree with the others. I had an old laminate table top and four casters that I finally had a use for. Cut a slot in the end of your dowels to receive wedges and hold everything tight later. Also, how long did you make the legs? the reason I used a battery is the jack draws a lot of amps so it was either use a battery or I had to buy some other thingy to operate the 12 volt jack and the battery was cheaper.I leave a small battery charger on all the time so the battery is always charged. Just a tip. About a 1/32" total gap on top and side of the inside leg portions provided what I felt was the right amount of play. @jHop, I believe that the legs are supported by the large pegs on each leg. Price and other details may vary based on product size and color. The scissor Jack is from Canadian Tire any automotive store should carry them. With the help of the bosses added in the last step, the legs were easy to affix to the lower beam in perfect position. There are more photos here https://imgur.com/gallery/hZ8IaII, That's a lot like this one, but yours is bigger.https://www.instructables.com/id/Make-an-Adjustable-Height-Table-With-a-Car-Jack/. If there's much weight to lift - then plan a hydraulic system.Next problem - again, a weight issue, I think - is to get it rising nice and level. This isn't required of course, and I'd recommend using new materials if that's an option! I also I applied spray urethane to the exposed unfinished surfaces of the vise to keep moisture and whatever I spill on it out. Jack Bench by Charlie Kocourek. This was about 2 inches. Mocking all of this up and making a few sketches and taking key measurements is very important! on Step 13. I've admired the flip top tool table design as well. Wish you'd have made an instructable on that build. On the top side of the upper beam structure holes were drilled and counter-bored, directly above the tops of the inner legs. Great project I had the same question as most u other guys, where do I get the jack so i can build this thing. To do this, the upper structure could not be built separately - it needed to be built into the existing lower structure, using it as a guide, in order to ensure that they mated together precisely. Could you give more details on the scissor jack assembly? Height adjusts from 28 to 48. Birch ply construction. Just wonder one thing, have you thought about adding a ruler to the part of the wood that gets exposed as it rises? The jack came with an attached remote with up and down buttons that I mounted on the front of the table. I wasn't happy with the thickness of the scrap counter top that is my workbench so I glued and screwed an additional 2x4 under the counter top to support everything more and give it greater strength. Without these blocks in place the jack only supports the table top at the direct center, so blocks are necessary to remove any wobble or teeter. 7 years ago You have to lock it down by tightening fluted knobs installed in the posts. The top of the bench had been thru a lot, paint, burns, unknown chemical spills. 3 years ago. I will try this next weekend. The inner leg pieces were buffed with superfine steel wool and waxed with furniture wax. on Step 6. I screwed and glued on the mounted face so the top was flush with the work surface. If a tornado comes though all that will be left standing are the concrete walls of my basement and this vise. Love your site and all your podcasts. This flat top will be flush with the top of your workbench. I was doing a lot of carving around the time when I designed the Jack Bench. The table top is attached the the base structure with four small screws. Just out of curiosity, why did you use a battery? The Wood Whisperer abides by word of mouth marketing standards and holds integrity in the highest regard. I cut the slot all the way to the sanded shoulder that the drawer face will be snug up against. Reply I ended up ripping the bench out but still felt that I was throwing away history. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. I have a my grandfather's Tommy bar as mentioned or I have one of his old 3/4" sockets that I drive with my drill. Good point. Anyway, I built a new assembly table using your torsion box design. I'm putting one of these on it! Thanks! Reply I had a question about the base. And did you just use one layer of of MDF/plywood as the base? Then I held this block up to it's back side and scribed through the rod hole where the rod will travel through the block. Hmmm, I always did want to take apart that 55 Chevy. The inner legs were tied in place, loose enough to allow them to wiggle freely within the upper portions of the outer leg sleeves. 1 year ago. I love added functionality to a piece. These are 5 1/2" inches tall, made from 3 1/2" wide scraps and were glued and brad-nailed together and finished to match the rest of the table. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. All of the details are written out in the steps. This Tommy Bar was his, as was the socket. I've got one of those old jacks sitting around. hammer dowel in close vise to to dry in that position. I thought you might be interested in it since you gave yours away and will have to build a new one when you get your new shop. My name is Sam and I'm a community manager here at Instructables. Here is where I wasn't thinking. Legs were glued, brad-nailed, and screwed in place as shown in the photos. Share it with us! Or better yet, maybe you can on yours and post pictures to help me out. Love the design I just wonder about the power drain on the battery and having to recharge it. The basic structure of the legs were built first. 6 years ago I'm in the process of designing and building a work bench for my garage. If you don't want to go the old jack route there are also a few places online that sell acme threaded rod and matching nuts.. http://www.dependableacme.com/and https://www.mcmaster.com/#acme-threaded-rods/=fmxczpNothing wrong with old jacks and it's always good to recycle if you can, but sometimes you need a specific size not always readily available in the junk yard. Answer But your design the jacks are only used for lifting. hay i would like to have some information on the scissor jack .. actually i am looking for a project so would like to do this jack .. what is the motor specification RPM and size etc so would like to send me the other information on this jack like construction .. fixing .. remote connection and working with diagram, Its just a scissor jack you buy at a automotive store which plugs in your cigarette lighter. thanks for sharing, Thank you for sharing. The jack only lifts or lowers the top, and isn't actually used as support once the table is set at the desired height. The only differences are that I used metal pins to hold the legs at different heights and I used a 12V electric scissor jack that I had bought for one of my cars. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Everything was put into place inverted on my worktable, and pieces of birch plywood were added as shown, first with glue, brad nails, and then screwed into counter sunk holes. Thanks again if you have any more questions dont hesitate now that I know these comments are here. That bench was also very difficult to move. So, that first workbench was too low, and too high, and too heavy to easily move around. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. This idea in 80/20 would be great! Thanks for checking this out : ). Thats why I designed the Jack Bench! How do you recharge your motorcycle battery? This block is going to be fixed to the under side of your workbench right behind the mounted vise face. Of course, that'll restrict the range available. Please note: I switched over to motorcycle jacks after I posted the (above) photo/video, and thats why there is a regular scissors jack in that photo. No. Did your friend ever make the sketchup plans for this? By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. on Step 16. Nicely done. VERY cool project! Your email address will not be published. When the supports are not in use, they stow inside little nooks built into the table structure. Please learn from my mistake. WOW!!!
The main design challenge with this table was creating a functional single-point, center lift mechanism, with four peripheral telescopic legs that provide smooth lift guidance without sticking or binding up. I like the electric adjustable table modification that PhantasticOne suggests. Next I glued the retainer block to the backside of the vise jaw so the threaded rod holes line up (image 3). Did you make this project? 1 really old Tommy Bar. I don't think I'll do that often. Designed and developed by Underscorefunk Design. I didnt build the table, but from what I saw in the pics that appeared to be how he built it. You'll see that in the next step. on Introduction. as far as strength the 4 corner legs do all the holding with pins that I turned on the lathe . I never did. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Thanks for the idea, I will be buolding one. It is solid as a rock. In the fullness of time, it may be that a different approach to the whole thing is called for - but there are far more urgent things to get on with first! . The first one is used to raise and lower the bench height. The jack, though fairly central, tends to lift one end more than th other, so the legs stick. This is fantastic. Your scissor jack is simply lifting a table top while I have a dirty great saw (DeWalt portable table saw) screwed to the top. You have done great things for the craft or should I say sport. 2017 Copyright. I was pleasantly satisfied with this purple-ish color, and as a shade of my favorite color, figured it was perfect for my new table. Before I started my build I was looking for other examples to work from and hadnt seen this one. Had an old jack laying around in the way . Did you make this project? Eight support brackets were made from scrap plywood. This is where things get a little tricky. Nice build but I'm not a fan of the Jack being visible as it is really ugly. A dream of practicality. The inner and outer portions of each leg are 23" long. Added on April 19, 2010. In this instructable you will need to used a sawsall, a belt sander, a drill, a table saw and other power tools. Plywood provides precision and stability over time, whereas solid wood would be prone to expanding and contracting with changes in environment humidity, etc. Collection. Might be good for a project, idk though, Im just a newb. 1 year ago These were glued and screwed precisely to each leg with the help of a little scrap wood jig. I really love this table so far. After extensive testing I now use and recommend motorcycle jacks. : ), Question The drive nut on the threaded rod does have 2 washers on it already. ill upload a picture of the finished bench. Finally, a way to blend a love of cars and woodworking. To my suprise it wasnt to expensive. I am very interested to know what you think of the updated video. All of these pieces were cut using my table saw. If you can make it so that the jack doesn't need to collapse fully, then you'll improve the longevity quite significantly. The middle height is the exact same as my table saw so I can use it as a outfeed table. Locate the positions you want the dowel slide to through. This is an adjustable-height table that lifts up and down using an automobile scissor jack. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely our own. So clever! It is on Zambus 2600 lb casters so it rolls real nice and locks down beautifully, my 2 year old can move it. If the throw on this (9") isn't long enough I may, one day, end up making some bench dogs and drilling some holes. I really love how easy it is to adjust the height of my bench, too. This is a really good idea. One thing that isn't mentioned that I would do is to add a washer to the outer jaw to keep the wood from crushing where the leadscrew tightens against it. 1 year ago, Thanks! With the stress of the jack pushing up the table top, have you noticed any bowing? Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, https://www.instructables.com/id/Make-an-Adjustable-Height-Table-With-a-Car-Jack/. I had a bunch of left over oak plywood scraps from previous projects that I wanted to use up. These are glued and brad-nailed together, with a finished outside width of 4 1/4". I got an old sewing machine when I was just a kid, and I've been making stuff ever since. the exposed end of the threaded rod is a 3/4" hex head. I'm sure there are several ways to hide this by boxing it in. I have a small charger and an AGM battery to power the jack that I have mounted under the table top. 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Not always successful but still worth mentioning. Check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKUVgv_iLtM for example, which has a fantastic locking mechanism built in. As for charging it not required very often at all the battery last a long time many ups and downs. The thread on the jack has simply stripped after just a couple of months of light use.
It does not store any personal data. Its made of mostly maple some birch and little bits of zebrano teak and Jatoba just stuff that was lying around the shop. The jack is used to raise or lower the top surface to just above the desired height. 7 years ago The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. The reason I used a motorcycle battery is the Jack draws a lot of amps and my electrician buddy figured this was the most economical way to deal with it. The others rise on 2 jacks one that support each side all the time. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Properly sized but joined. Others might say, "Why did you put this old piece of wood here? - That worked well - but now the scissor jack has failed. No rush. Thanks, 7 years ago If so, how did it turn out? That way if I have a big piece and need to extend it from a work bench to a table saw extension for more support, everything is level and even. Great idea!
If theres enough interest Ill try and cobble something together. Great table, I will be building the torsion box table top here soon hopefully. yes it does plug in and I have plugs on the side to plug tools into.Thanks for all the nice comments Im glad you like it. Enjoy! Being able to EASILY move my bench around is truly a luxury and I am so glad that I included that in my bench design! Gonna have to try that! In 2018, I posted this updated video explaining the bench design. Great instructable. The beams were made with 5 1/2" wide pieces of 3/4" plywood along with pieces of 4 3/4" wide pieces of 3/8" plywood, and glued and brad-nailed together. I think this has given many of us food for thought. It hasn't been used in that long. These are all BIG maybes. The jack I used has a effective lift range of 11.5 inches. You can easily get that off an ATX computer power supply. Cool. . I also added little cleats to the underside of the table top to make locating it to the same precise location on the base easy if I ever have to take it off. I adjust it high for most work, especially machine work, like when I am routing the edge of a board. nice idea! Should I ever be compensated to write, I will make full disclosure. Good night, Irene! Just wondering if you could provide details on lift assembly. I was using one of the drawer faces to make sure the 2x4 was flush to the front of the counter top. The jack was screwed to center of the lower beam, and a scrap piece of aluminum was added to the middle underside of the upper beam to act as a pressure and wear plate. The bench that I had back then was so low that I frequently got a backache when I used it. Thanks for this interesting instructables. Keep on keepin on! The table top is lifted by either hand cranking the jack or using a power drill with a homemade crank rod. In about 2010 I uploaded a short and simple YouTube video showing how it operates. Hi, I've added your project to the "Make Your Own Bench-Vise!" Required fields are marked *. Marie. These bumpers make everything stick together and avoid any vibration or chatter when I'm using the table for things like sewing. Wow! Which works well.So the bottom line is that if you only have a reasonably light table top to shift, then go for the scissor jack. With its unique design, the Jack Bench has been featured by Fine Woodworking Magazine, its been featured on Scott Phillips American Woodshop, and dozens of various different websites. I always give honest opinions, findings, and experiences on products. All jokes aside, that is very impressive! Participated in the Before and After Contest. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. on Introduction, awsome work ,added to my build list thanks for sharing,godbless. Details are covered in the following steps, and should be helpful if you're interested in making something similar. This is a surprisingly light-weight but rigid structure. 2 reclaimed oak false drawer fronts. Press J to jump to the feed. Answer It doesn't match with the rest of the wood?". You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Great job on the step-by-step instructions. Do the corners support all the weight very well, since it looks like you only have the one post that actually rests on the jack? This site uses affiliate links. I had one laying around. Please submit links to how-to pages and videos, pictures of beautiful and amazing pieces you made for us to admire, or help you finish. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. This height location depends on the collapsed height of the car jack, as well as the desired lowest-height of the table itself, along with a few other factors such as the thickness of the table top. Thoughts, tips, questions are always encouraged, and if you make something similar be sure to leave a photo in the comments! An update: 7 months inThe main reason for my failure (and your success) is likely a simple matter of weight. Very nice Job, I can see many uses for this! I love this table just cuz! Great idea and scissor jacks are plentiful in the scrap yards. Being able to adjust the bench height is simply more ergonomic, and easier on my back! Cut the threaded rod out of the scissor jack. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". The jointer is also much easier to use at a more upright height. But for me, these three main heights are perfect for my needs. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. You may need to do this occasionally if things start binding. 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In my case it's definitely not used daily, or even weekly really. So far so good. the threaded rod is what ive ever needed. The outer sleeve portions of each leg are each made of four pieces of 3/4" thick plywood that are 3 1/2" wide. These portions will later be firmly attached to the upper beam, with the inner leg portions attached loosely within. Top subscription boxes right to your door, 1996-2022, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. It's exactly what I needed, and I was able to use up a bunch of scraps from my workshop to make it. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Thanks for sharing the plans. But you may have reasons for doing it with the battery. Is that enough support to keep the whole thing from wobbling? You can buy a converter of some sort to handle it but it was 120 bucks and battery and trickle charger 80 bucks. 3 years ago One ton 12v electric car jack one ebay motors for 70-90 bucks. Perhaps it's not great for regular use! This is a truly brilliant idea. Reply Judging from the quality of work around the house, the guy tried to fix things. 1 reclaimed scissor jack The bigger the better. : \Mine is still fine, but I've only raised and lowered it a few times, just for random projects where I need my table higher or lower. Support blocks are then placed in each leg and the top is lowered onto the supports. Great work. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. About: I am a work in progress, but I'm working on it. And if you tighten the knobs on the shaft, you can keep it up indefinitely. Regarding tools needed, this project relies heavily on two main things: Other tools used include: drills and drivers, orbital sander, clamps. The Wood Whisperer, The Wood Whisperer Guild, TWW, and TWW Guild are trademarks of The Wood Whisperer Inc. All rights reserved. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Given this, please assume that any links leading you to products or services are affiliate links that we will receive compensation from. Totally cool! Viewer Project Cut the profiled trim off the tops of the drawer faces. What a great idea, I want one. I matched up two 2x4 blocks that will hold the tapped bar. I don't think I built up enough thickness in the face plate to drill holes into the thin long grain. Please wear eye protection and hearing protection. on Introduction, great work, ey. I't build one if I had a place to store it when not in use. Repeat! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The Wood Whisperer is proudly sponsored by brands that Marc trusts. This accounts for the height of my casters, so if you're making this be sure to adjust leg length according to your own specific needs. How much room do you have for legs under your desk ? Other heights could be achieved with different support blocks, and the table could be raised even higher by adding blocks on top of the jack itself. The table's base structure is made of two torsion boxes, or beams, between which the car jack rests. As far as diagrams I have none it was all done in my head as I went along. But, I like it low when working with hand tools, especially when I am planing a board. Then I cut a slot out of the support 2x4 to fit the tapped bar retainer block (image 2). Reply I could see putting a larger one on to span the pressure more evenly. I hooked it up to a motorcycle battery . Maybe you could install a foot pedal that translates vertical motion into rotational so you can raise the workbench from standing position. 3x6 layered mdf top. It's doubly neat that you were able to honor your grandfather's legacy. The table appears to be lifted by a center column. The open area is 13" deep from the table edge to the cross beams, 29" wide and 29" high at table's lowest setting. Of course I am always interested to know your thoughts on the bench itself, so please leave a comment or send me an email! The top beam structure needed to precisely fit into the lower structure, so the legs do not bind up at all as it is raised and lowered. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question. Slide the drawer face over the dowels to the sanded shoulders of the dowel.
on Step 5, Really excellent job, and very inspirational too! That is a great idea. The casters were attached to the outer legs now, and the lower beam was test-fit to decide on the necessary height to attach it to these outer legs. The first step was to lock the upper pieces of the outer leg portions to each other as precisely as possible. Fine piece of craftsmanship and I love the Jack. It will probably take a week or two, but I should have some plans soon. I had to sand the dowels down just a hair in order to hammer them on. This is the first time Ive seen one. I matched the 2x4 blocks, located the space to hold the tapped bar and I dado cut half out of each 2x4. The lower beam is attached securely to the outer leg sleeve portions, and the upper beam is attached loosely to the inner leg portions. Question now is whether I simply abandon the idea or go out and buy another jack - and wait for it to fail again. Those are for brand new jacks. I'm even more glad to be using my grandfather's old tools. If you're willing to snap a photo or two, I'd really love to see it! Good question - the answer is explained in detail in step 1 : )But in a nutshell - the top basically teeters on the jack, so blocks are used to support it when raised. I don't want to crush anything in the vise or break the vise itself. and terrifying. By Mike The threaded rod was so affordable and so handy I've been thinking of getting a couple more and making a small apple press for cider (the threading may be too wide for that), a bottle cutter, a tortilla/pizza dough press or a router lift. Amazing work! Very cool. If you build your own Jack Bench, then please use the motorcycle jacks as recommended in the plans. I was very happy with it! We need you safe, healthy and moving. I had a pile of paint samples in my cupboard, and decided to mix them all together and see what I ended up with. Reply The table top is 30" by 48". This is the tapped bar that was on the end of the threaded rod we cut off the scissor jack. The table has three easily-set heights: 30", 35.75", and 41.5". I am really glad to be giving it a second life. This is covered in detail later, though. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in.
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