[michialt]

Does anyone know of something like this, and if so could you send me a link to it:

I built my work bench to be 2' x 8' on 6 heavy duty castors. Bench is built from 4x4 lumber. Last night I had an accident that should never have happened and fortunately only my pride was hurt.

Anyway, what I need is some kind of legs that I could bolt onto the outside of the table that would allow me to raise them to allow the bench to move, and allow me to lower them to level and lock the table in place. I would really like to find something that I can adjust without getting on my hands and knees to twist the pads...

My first though was to take square steel tubing, weld nuts into both ends and use a threaded rod w/ a nut welded to the end.

Empty weight of my bench is around 300-400 lbs. I have been searching online most of today and not found anything that I like.

 

[Bill White 2]

Grizz and Lee Valley have cast iron legs. Big bucks, but might work for you.
Check 'em out.
Bill

 

[Dave Paine]

You may faint at the price, but this will allow you to raise or lower either end of the bench with just a foot pedal. Well made and simple mechanism.

http://www.adjustabench.com/about.asp

I purchased a pair at a woodworking show some years ago. I am not changing height of the bench as much as I thought, but I do love the fact that I could do so easily.

 

[rrylie]

leg lifts

Rockler.com has what you need I think

 

[Marv]

I just picked up a set of these so I can move my bench around and although I haven't tried them yet they seem to be well built.

http://www.ptreeusa.com/wheels_casters.htm

 

[michialt]

I don't think that this type of setup would work. I need to have the ability to easily level the bench, and I am also no so sure that the way it attaches would be strong enough. It looks like it is supposed to be bolted to the side of the bench. I don't think that it would have enough strength to hold the weight of the bench, I think it will either pull it's self out of the wood, or if I bolt it through the leg I am afraid it may twist/distort the base of my bench.

I do like this though, and I do have a couple of benches I can use it on. It would be great on the stand I built for my Miter Saw. Right now I have castors under it, and no way to lock or level it. I haven't had issues with it rolling around and with stability yet, but it would be nice to be absolutely sure that it won't be an issue in the future.

I just picked up a set of these so I can move my bench around and although I haven't tried them yet they seem to be well built.

http://www.ptreeusa.com/wheels_casters.htm

 

[michialt]

Here is a quick sketch of what I am thinking about/wanting. My bench already has heavy duty steel castors under it to roll it around the Garage.

I was thinking that if I made these 18-24" long, I could simply use a wrench to raise/lower the legs once I rolled the bench into place.

What I see as the biggest issue overall is that I am constantly moving the bench around the Garage for projects that I am working on. This is where the need for being able to quickly raise/lower/level the bench comes from. In time I will be getting the shop layout completed, and the bench will be in a fixed location, but in the mean time I need to make due.

When I built the bench I really wasn't thinking much into the future, I didn't even consider that by not being able to lock it in place I was creating a safety issue. It wasn't until I was trying to lift some things off the bench and it rolled out from under me that I even realized the over site.

If anyone has seen a commercial version of what I am describing, please let me know, or maybe post a link to it for me. If I cannot find a commercial version of it, I will probably pick up the stuff to build them this weekend.

 

[Marv]

Just re read your original post and missed the part about not wanting to get on your hands and knees to level which is what I have to do! Now knowing this and after seeing your drawing I immediately thought of a camper jack like below which would not require bending over and would hold some serious weight.

http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/...gn=partsfeed&gclid=CJvB_dGRvrcCFeh_QgodaFoAHw

 

[ironman123]

Nice sketch. Wouldn't the tops of these be sticking above the table top and interfere with longer work peices needing to stick out past the top? Same with the camper jacks.

Ray

 

[hwebb99]

Could you put a trailer jack on each leg.

 

[Marv]

That particular camper jack was a random pic from Google and may be too long however the trailer jack mentioned may be a better idea since those are typically shorter.

 

[johnnie52]

I had a set of plans for a bench with home made lifting casters but I can not seem to find it now. As I remember, the casters were bolted to a 2x4 and attached to the legs using heavy duty door hinges. The 2x4 was cut just a little longer than the spread of the legs and drilled for a piece of pipe to be used to raise or lower them as needed. They were held in the raised position only when moving the bench and lowered right away after moving the bench by a bolt that was inserted into a hole drilled in the leg that stopped the pipe from moving. It sounds much more complicated than it really is. Biggest problem seemed to me to be sizing the casters correctly so as not to put too much torque on the mounts when lifting the bench.

 

[Al B Thayer]

How heavy is your bench? My assembly bench roles on a single caster that locks in place in the center. I can move it around and then retract the wheel to set it back on the legs.



Setting on the legs.



This is the large caster under the bench. I just lift one end and the caster locks into position.



This is the locking mechanism that locks the caster down.

Friends don't let friends use stamped metal tools sold at clothing stores.

 

[lilman]

I believe I have seen something similar to what johnnie52 is talking about on this site. Ill look through the site and see if I can find it

 

[Manuka Jock]

I built my work bench to be 2' x 8' on 6 heavy duty castors.

4 legs/castors may be better than 6 .
The slightest crown on the floor under the middle set could have the bench see-sawing .

 

[mouchmouch]

have you looked at

' mobile base? it might be something you can adapt for you

 

[jigs-n-fixtures]

Does anyone know of something like this, and if so could you send me a link to it:

I built my work bench to be 2' x 8' on 6 heavy duty castors. Bench is built from 4x4 lumber. Last night I had an accident that should never have happened and fortunately only my pride was hurt.

Anyway, what I need is some kind of legs that I could bolt onto the outside of the table that would allow me to raise them to allow the bench to move, and allow me to lower them to level and lock the table in place. I would really like to find something that I can adjust without getting on my hands and knees to twist the pads...

My first though was to take square steel tubing, weld nuts into both ends and use a threaded rod w/ a nut welded to the end.

Empty weight of my bench is around 300-400 lbs. I have been searching online most of today and not found anything that I like.

It is called a floor lock. Most industrial supply houses carry them and you can find them on eBay. They typically engage/disengage with just toe pressure.

The other option would be trailer tongue jacks. Not quite sure how you would mount those though.

 

[woodnthings]

+1 to floor locks

Lots on EBay:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odk...m570.l1313.TR2.TRC1&_nkw=floor+locks&_sacat=0

 

[michialt]

Nice sketch. Wouldn't the tops of these be sticking above the table top and interfere with longer work peices needing to stick out past the top? Same with the camper jacks.

Ray

My table top is at 36". I was thinking that if I made the square tube 6" and the threaded rod 18" I should be fine. My castors are 4" tall so I would need to drop below the table leg by not more than 6" so it should work out.

 

[michialt]

Lots on EBay:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odk...m570.l1313.TR2.TRC1&_nkw=floor+locks&_sacat=0

These look nearly perfect. Do you know if they can be used for leveling as well? I don't see directly how they could, but it looks like I could find a way to use them to level.