New "mobile" workbench?

UKworkshop.co.uk

Help Support UKworkshop.co.uk:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Cozzer

Established Member
Joined
13 Jun 2017
Messages
1,282
Reaction score
1,798
Location
Derbyshire
By "mobile", I'm meaning the likes of the Workmate 425, Keter, Pegasus et al...
Are any capable of being stable enough to allow hand planing, right to left?
It's one thing being able to support a double decker bus, and clamping a 2x4 in order for me to saw an incorrect length, but planing?
 
This looks the best solution for space constraints to me.
Tad short for one who uses western planes, when you consider the easy planing stop
i.e wide strip of ply or board would need to be wide enough not to smack the plane into the wall.

With a few clamps this might be worth consideration

Screenshot-2022-7-21 Shop Tour Andrew Hunter - YouTube.png


Something else from Lumberjocks website
Screenshot-2020-10-29 All Replies on Work bench smack down LumberJocks com ~ woodworking commu...png
 
This looks the best solution for space constraints to me.
Tad short for one who uses western planes, when you consider the easy planing stop
i.e wide strip of ply or board would need to be wide enough not to smack the plane into the wall.

With a few clamps this might be worth consideration

View attachment 146881

Something else from Lumberjocks website
View attachment 146882
Standard saw horses and heavy timbers have alot going for them. Even a couple of sleepers with a well in-between would be good.
 
Standard saw horses and heavy timbers have alot going for them. Even a couple of sleepers with a well in-between would be good.
Andrews ones looks about the most compact, but I'd guess those timbers
would need be dense enough not to be problematic sawing.
Could step it up a bit with something like Kris Harbour's version, which @thetyreman made.
Alternatively copying a design like the Evolution mitre stand might be worth consideration,
for one who possibly wants the very best solution.
I'd say likely the most versatile, it's a wonder no-ones made this.
Think of all the things you could do with such a concept, if it were heavy enough
gauge.

sawhorse evolution.jpeg
 
Thanks all.
Yes, I tried the B&D step "idea" a few years ago, but found that my planing became even worse because of being out of balance all the time.
I was hoping to see one of the designers of these workmate-type things had developed a unit with "splayed out" legs, but it seems as though speed of set-up, load-bearing and storage area required have been prioritised.
Looks like I might settle on a Workmate 425, but open to suggestions!
 
Cozzer, a few years ago, an Australian fella had a modified Workmate, with side extensions (rather like some folding campers) that lengthened the 'footprint' of the Workmate and overcame the need for body weight on the step. I'll se if I can find it in my collection of tear sheets.
 
Cozzer, a few years ago, an Australian fella had a modified Workmate, with side extensions (rather like some folding campers) that lengthened the 'footprint' of the Workmate and overcame the need for body weight on the step. I'll se if I can find it in my collection of tear sheets.
Sounds a grand idea, SammyQ.
Thank you.
 
Sorry Cozzers, I only kept part two of his article...but...it was by Glenn Roberts, in Issue 8 of "The Router" magazine by Trend Technology; Jim Phillips's venture into publishing.
Basically, our Glenn (yup, 2 'ens') slid two pieces of 'C' section steel inside the horizontal brace under the Workmate and joined them at 90⁰ to vertical telescoping struts from a camper. You can see the principle here:

- from about 1:04 to 1:40.

He then added knobs/threaded rod/nuts to the Workmate and 'legs' so that he could clamp it all steady in place. At the top end of the vertical tubing, he had a little flat angle(!) so that it was at the same height as the Workmate 'table'. It all worked a bit like this SUPERB Makita bench:

makdeawst05_8.jpg
 
I have one of these Elu superjaws folds up to store away, the top slides out turn it around and it will hold a full width door flat or worktop.

 
Look at the Dewalt DE7035 work stand.
Two of them take over a ton
Very quick to set up and down
It's related to their mitre saw stands but stronger. The splayed legs might make them work well with a heavy plank bolted across two as a planing beam.

DeWalt DE7035 Heavy Duty Work Support Stand - Saw Horse and many other places.

The superjaws above is an awesome tool - very powerful clamping - but it's a 3 legged thing and can't handle planing forces unless you have a leg out to the side to stop it tipping. Put a length of timber in the jaws with a height adjustable leg at the end and you'd have something very usable.
 
Back
Top