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Flip Top Planer Cart

Project by USCJeff posted 408 days ago 1111 views 2 times favorited 11 comments Add to Favorites
Flip Top Planer Cart Flip Top Planer Cart Flip Top Planer Cart Click the pictures to enlarge them

This was a project that was much needed in trying to manage space in a one car garage shop. The cart is pretty straight forward. I designed the miter saw recessed area (pic #1 shows cart under miter) many months ago with this cart in mind. I think I’ll use the planer more now that I don’t have to keep lifting it up each use. The case sides and bottom are MDF. The top is two pieces of MDF with an MDF “apron” to hollow it. There is a steel pipe running through the hollow which allows it to flip. I used hardboard for the side opposite the planer so as to make it a decent side table if needed. The top locks in place using the latch and bolt pictured in photo 3. I finished it off with some magnetic tool holders (pic #1) that had been sitting in a drawer for many months. Every inch counts!

NOTE: You might notice the dinky casters on the bottom. The company I work for is very budget conscious, so they bought some cheap office chairs for many of the branches. Naturally, they break pretty frequently. I make a habit of pocketing the casters when this happens. There are five on the planer cart. They’ll fail for sure in the future as planers are heavy, but I can’t pass up free for the meantime!

I’m toying with the idea of adding some type of infeed/outfeed extension beds. I think I’ll either make some kind of “easy on/off” knock down type beds, or maybe some type of pivot up/down extension.

-- Jeff, South Carolina


11 comments so far

View WayneC's profile

WayneC

5684 posts in 635 days


posted 408 days ago

Well done. Looks to be very functional.

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

View PanamaJack's profile

PanamaJack

4452 posts in 615 days


posted 408 days ago

Cool ideas! Bravo Jeff.

-- Carpe Lignum - Seize The Wood,

View Dadoo's profile

Dadoo

1557 posts in 528 days


posted 408 days ago

Seen an article on this…somewhere. Theirs had a planer on one side and a bench grinder on the other, I think. Nice to see it’s functional. The “dinky” casters are alright and should last as long as you keep it in the garage, but do they lock? These planers need a solid mounting surface especially if you’re gonna plane any long boards. Damn near tipped mine off the bench while planing a 10 footer! That would’ve been an interesting mess.

-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!

View Dadoo's profile

Dadoo

1557 posts in 528 days


posted 408 days ago

There’s a sheet goods storage system I scabbed together from three or four different shop tips that works really well in my garage/shop/lab. You might find this helpful.

http://lumberjocks.com/projects/2614

-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!

View snowdog's profile

snowdog

688 posts in 520 days


posted 408 days ago

That is a great idea. I saw the flip bench also in some mag but thought it was not very practical. It looked to heavy but this is a great adaptation on that idea. Great space saver and your probably are correct in that you will use it more now that you do not have to lift it out every time you want to work the wood.

Magnetic holders – I have seen them a lot, do they really work? Do they hold the tools with all the vibration?

-- "so much to learn and so little time"..

View SPalm's profile

SPalm

742 posts in 420 days


posted 408 days ago

Good idea. The planer is one of those things that seems to need to be tucked away most of the time. Maybe you will be better at it, but one thing that I would suggest for the infeed/outfeed extension table is to make it all the same board that continues through the planer and has fold down legs at both ends. I never could get seperate tables to line up right withought snipe on my cheap Ryobi. Then you just slide it out and keep it in the corner for storage.

Again, looking good,
Steve

-- Stevethepeeve -- I'm no rocket surgeon

View lclashley's profile

lclashley

231 posts in 652 days


posted 408 days ago

Jeff: You stole my router and miter saw! Only kidding, both are good tools.

Great cart.

View TomFran's profile

TomFran

2371 posts in 532 days


posted 408 days ago

Jeff,

Great way to provide a home for the planer. I have seen this idea before. And, I may have to go this route with mine. I’m definitely with you on the idea of not wanting to be lifting my machine every time I want to plane a board.

I guess my only question would be, will it have any adverse effects on the planer by storing it upside down?

Thanks a lot for sharing this idea with us!

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

View USCJeff's profile

USCJeff

815 posts in 606 days


posted 408 days ago

Tom, hadn’t heard anything about it hanging inverted. No problems come to mind.

SnowDog: The magnetic holders are pretty strong. The two on the cart were actually one that I cut in half. Bought a bunch at Harbor Freight for $3 or $4. They have held as many chisels and wrenches that I can get on them without fail so far. They aren’t quite earth magnets though.

To all: Yes, this design is nothing new. I think I last saw it in Shopnotes. The same article had the nook for the tablesaw rails to hide under.

-- Jeff, South Carolina

View gizmodyne's profile

gizmodyne

1486 posts in 628 days


posted 315 days ago

Cool. I like yours too. Good use of the magnet strips.

-- -John "Do I have to keep typing a smiley? Just assume it's a joke." www.flickr.com/photos/gizmodyne

View mot's profile

mot

4859 posts in 574 days


posted 310 days ago

That looks great! I’m sorry I missed this first time by. Thank goodness for Pulse.

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

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