This week’s project comes from Patrick. My poor little assembly table is cowering in the corner with its tail between its legs. lol. He writes:
This is my take on your assembly table. I had been contemplating what to do for a replacement bench for a couple of years. It was not until I saw the assembly table you built that I decided to combine the features of a work bench with the features of an assembly table. It was this idea that actually ended up saving space despite the fact this new bench is larger than the two it replaced combined. It measures approximately 81″ x 51″ x 36.5″. The base is walnut, the panels are birch ply and the joinery is mortise and tenon. The top is a seven inch thick torsion box, wrapped in walnut, and includes two vises with the requisite bench dog holes. The bench dog holes presented a problem because I did not believe MDF would be substantial enough for the dogs to react against. Therefore, I glued walnut blocks in wherever a hole was intended. Blocking the dog holes also had the added advantage of not turning the top into a time capsule for every small part I set on the bench. Finally, I have a surface big enough to assemble a large project without the assistance of shims and saw horses.
**UPDATE** Patrick sent in a Sketchup file that details the construction of the torsion box and the role of the solid wood dog hole supports. Download Sketchup File
You very well may have made the perfect bench my friend! Nice work to say the least!
That is the most beautiful thing i have ever seen.
Man oh man oh man, that is NICE!!! Gorgeous workbench/assembly table! I am jealous!!!!
Make me one please!
Or how about a detailed entry and more photos on a lumberjocks post?
That bench is Too nice to use. Absolutely gorgeous. Have you checked it with a straight-edge to see how flat it is?
Thanks for the pics
LAtes
Wow, extremely impessive bench. Like a new car, I’d hate to put the first dent in this. What finish did you use?
It is beautiful. How can you bear to use it. -LOL- I’ll bet it ends up taking even more space because you’ll surely have to build one that you can use. This one should be kept for show!!
That is really beautiful. Do you ever plan to move ?
that thing is definitely going to have to stay, how much does it weigh ?, how will it fit through the door ?
That is one beautiful workbench, that would look great in my living room !
wow! That is the best looking assembly table I think I’ve ever seen. Well done! Nice veritas vice too! What do you estimate your total cost was? How much time did it take you to build it?
That’s just !@#$’n nuts! Great job though. I am jealous…
Great looking bench/assembly table!! Could you explain a little more about the bench dog holes? I’ve been curious about how something like that would work in a torsion box…
Very nice… How about some plans? :)
Dang!!!
Enough said
Wow, I myself hoard my walnut. You could also probably use it for you dining room table, certainly looks like it. Beautiful. Claude
That is awesome! Many kudos to you. If I built an assembly table that looked like that, or even had the ability to, I wouldn’t be able to use it. I’d spend a lot of time looking at it and not getting any work done.
marc, that thing prerry much owns your assembly table, and thats not a slight at your table. wow.
Incredible! I only aspire to have an assembly table that nice. Wish I had room for it as well.
Kip
Download Patricks detailed Sketchup file to see how the dog holes were reinforced: http://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/torsionbox.skp
Is it a SIN to Covet thy neighbor’s bench? Forgive me for I have!
FL Wood Rat
Thanks for the kudos I really appreciate them. Itâ
Umm mine looks like crap to me now! I am finishing the torsion box today and have yet to decide if I want to use maple or oak to frame it with… decisions! Then again I could start over and… nah!
I too would be afraid to use this. What a beauty! My only concern is how practical the paper roller is with its position relative to the vise (why didn’t I think of adding a vise! – LOL). I am very impressed.
Mine follows Marc’s plans more to the letter than this, with a few exceptions. I will send to Marc when done and he can post if he wants…
Nicely Done,
Pat
One more question on this. Is that top hardboard? And you finished it with lacquer?
Pat
Yes, the top layer of the top is hardboard with a lacquer topcoat.
Marc, thanks for giving us another place for ideas like this to flourish. Pat, I love your bench.
I was about to finally start on a basic torsion box thinking that in the future, I could use the basic box to help with the construction of my ultimate workbench. After seeing your dressed up workbench/assembly table, I am trying to figure out if I can start on the basic box and then dress it up if I can get some more info about your bench. I have a million questions, here are the first ones that I can think of:
1) Can the bench be built in phases like; basic torsion box, dressed up apron and top, then vises?
2) Is the torsion box a full 7 inches or is the box about 3 like Marc’s and the apron is oversized?
3) Did you use mdf under the fancier stuff and if so, what size for the top and bottom and what size for the stringers?
4) Did you add the vises later as your project evolved or is it important to buy the vises first and study their requirements?
5) I see a comment that the top is hardboard, is that 1/4″?
6) Is that over a 1/2″ mdf top?
7) Do you think that using plywood for the top and bottom might add enough strength to eliminate the requirement for the blocks of solid hardwood?
8) Can you detail how you installed the vises?
9) Do you think that blocks of KD HF like the 2×4 material could be used for the reinforcement blocks for the dog holes and also to help support the vises?
10) I guess my first question should have been,”Can you give us or sell us some detailed plans for your bench?”
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide!
Roland
Roland:
1) Yes, the bench can be built in phases. With that said, I would be concerned that the torsion box may get damaged if the edge was left unprotected for too long. Additionally, due to the problems presented by adding vises to this type of top your planning must be impeccable.
2) The torsion box is a full 7â
Thanks for the quick response!
Regarding #9, the KD HF refers to a kiln dried Hem Fir that is inexpensive and readily available. Being kiln dried, and inside the torsion box that would be sealed with laquer, I was hoping that this cheaper wood could substitute for the blocks of 1-1/2″ walnut that you used for the dog hole reinforcements.
For those of us without an available supply of bridge timbers, is there anything else that you would suggest for the dog hole reinforcement blocks? I was also thinking about mounting the vise under the bottom of the torsion box and (I think) through the oversized apron-assuming that I do this in phases.
Thanks again,
Roland
Roland:
One thing you may want to take into account before you commit yourself to mounting the vise screws below the torsion box is that this could result in vise jaws that are too tall. that is the distance from the top of the vise screw to the top of the jaw is too far. Resulting in a jaw that is subject to breaking easily.
Fir ought to work just fine. I might use something harder. Also, I typed up my responses to you questions earlier so quickly I did not catch my spell checker had changed fir to furr.
Fir, Furr, Fur – What’s the difference?
Thanks again.
A week or maybe 3 ago when first coming across this site I e-mailed Marc, and mentioned that I was doing something very similar of a combination bench/assembly/out-feed table. (Very minute amount of work space.) You have apparently beat me to much of it….. And I will say that yours is looking much better than what I thought I might be able to do. I had something much uglier in mind. Mine will most likely (will as I just picked it up) incorporate some steel – as another hobby of mine too is welding. Which means much of the non-metal surfaces will be sacrificial/shielded from slag, as there will be odd ocassions to tack a piece or two together on it. Otherwise it will primarily be a large woodworking bench incorporating a torsion box surface.
I plan to use two 2X2X.125 rails on both sides for dogs, and make an adjustable fence(s) to cross the table to clamp things in the field of the table if necessary – leaving the field flat and I like the masonite idea. I originally thought of making two surfaces on a sheet that I cound flip over – but after rethinking, expansion make make a potato chip out of it and defeat the purpose. I’m still designing it – so any advice would be cool….
wow, that’s all I can say
My god, it’s full of stars….
Actually, this is pretty much what started running through my head when I was watching the torsion box projects recently. I may have to try this when it some time to take my Workbench Rite Of Passage.