This is an update to a previous post.
If your new to SketchUp or LayOut and think a Quick Reference Card that you can print out and keep handy would be helpful, you can find them here:
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My SketchUp model of an adjustable assembly table is now available in the Download Area.
I based the model on a project in a Issue #30 of ShopNotes. I changed the legs to give it more height, the top from MDF to melamine and the adjustment pin knobs to make them easier to grab.
The assembly table consists of a main work surface and two “wings”. The wings can be lowered to save space or raised to double the work area. The work surface is also adjustable up or down as required to accommodate a variety of assembly projects.
The main work surface measures 36”X36”. The “wings” are 18”X36” each. With both “wings” raised, the work surface is 72”X36”.
The height of the work surface is adjustable from 24-1/2” to 32-1/8”.
There are high definition and low definition versions of the model available.
Last night I added a detailed SketchUp model of my rebuilt G7947 17” Floor Drill Press by Grizzly Industrial to the model download area. The dimensions of the drill press are roughly 30”L X 21”W X 70”H.
You can download the SketchUp model here.
Have a great day,
For me, organization is an important part of creating an efficient workspace and keeping frustration to a minimum while woodworking. It’s hard for me to keep it organized but, I like to start a project with a clean slate. The smaller the workspace, the more important it is to me. Whether workshop or desk, organization is important, that and not trying to put 10 gallons of stuff into a 5-gallon bucket.
I know there are woodworkers out there that will disagree with me or, at least, they don’t mind working in what some would consider a cluttered and disorganized shop. And, that’s fine. They know where everything is in their shop and they create projects of wonderful craftsmanship in an environment that they are comfortable and familiar with.
You can see from the photos on this site that my shop is far from organized in its current state. So, how can I be talking about organization you may ask. The fact is that I had odd pieces of lumber and sheet goods stacked all over the place. One stack in my shop area and two stacks in the other part of the garage. I had to keep looking in each stack to see if I had what I needed at the moment and I had to keep moving the stacks around to get to things behind them.
To solve this problem, I built the Lumber Cart shown above. I don't have very much space overhead and no open walls at this point so I searched around for materials storage on wheels ideas and found a design I liked in ShopNotes, Issue #55. It had storage for lumber, cut-offs and sheet goods. It had a panel-cutting guide as a bonus. Originally designed to store a full 4’X8’ sheet of material on edge, it was too big for my small area. I adapted that design to a 48” X 25-1/2” footprint that works better in my space and left off the cutting guide since I figured that I would have to have already cut a panel down to use the smaller cutting guide.
Additionally, I changed the method of construction and the material from plywood to OSB; it saved me a lot of money (2 full 4X8 sheets, $20 vs. $50+). The most expensive single part of building the cart was the 3” casters. I’ve since found a cheaper source for those as well; which is good because I have several mobile workstations, storage and cabinets yet to build.
Now I have all of my larger pieces of lumber and sheet goods in one out-of-the-way place, easily movable if needed. This is just a start but, it will help to cut the frustration level on my next project.
Do you store your lumber and/or sheet goods on wheels? If so, or if you have other recommendations, I invite you to share them.
I’ll go through the building process of this materials cart in upcoming posts. Stay tuned.
See Also: Lumber Cart Build – Part 1 – Building the Base
Lumber Cart Build – Part 2 – Preparing the A-frame Parts
Lumber Cart Build – Part 3 – Assembling the Cart
Lumber Cart Build – Part 4 – Accessorizing
