Project Information
Since my new shop is approximately 10 ft. x 20 ft., space is at a real premium. So I decided to build a flip-top cabinet to house my Performax 16-32 drum sander and DeWalt 735 planer. Unlike any designs I have seen on the internet or in magazines, this cabinet incorporates a spacious drawer on full extension ball bearing slides.
The cabinet, tool base, and drawer are made from Baltic Birch plywood. The tool base consists of a sandwich of two 3/4" BB ply skins with solid wood fillers between and 1/2" poplar edge banding all around, making it a very rigid structure. The two pivot shafts are 3/4" diameter X 12" long steel bars pressed into a 3/4" square channel between the skins and the fillers. The flange bearings on each end panel are Teflon impregnated bronze. At each end, two large washers, attached with countersunk screws, with nylon washers between them, provide a low friction rotating interface. Four barrel bolts provide stops for the horizontal positions. Locking knobs at each end thread into 5/16-18 inserts imbedded in the tool base. The locking knobs provide an extra level of security beyond the detents in the barrel bolts-and make nice bumpers when storing the cabinet against the shop wall.
After fabricating the cabinet and mounting the equipment, I realized that I could probably have eliminated the barrel bolts and locking knobs on one end. However, the extra hardware doesn't require much more time when changing tools, and it makes the cabinet feel very secure.
The flip-top rotation is very smooth. The planer is slightly heavier than the sander, so it tends to sink to the bottom, but the whole thing can be rotated very easily without any danger of it flipping over out of control!
I also designed the cabinet with provisions for about 30 lbs. of sand ballast between the wheels on each end. However, the 20" x 32" caster contact footprint and the low center of gravity provides such a stable platform that I decided to omit the ballast. I could add it at a later date if necessary.
Five inch diameter double locking casters make it a breeze to move the cabinet around in my shop and hold it steady for operation.
I am happy with the design and am looking forward to making some serious wood chips…...........
Enjoy!
The cabinet, tool base, and drawer are made from Baltic Birch plywood. The tool base consists of a sandwich of two 3/4" BB ply skins with solid wood fillers between and 1/2" poplar edge banding all around, making it a very rigid structure. The two pivot shafts are 3/4" diameter X 12" long steel bars pressed into a 3/4" square channel between the skins and the fillers. The flange bearings on each end panel are Teflon impregnated bronze. At each end, two large washers, attached with countersunk screws, with nylon washers between them, provide a low friction rotating interface. Four barrel bolts provide stops for the horizontal positions. Locking knobs at each end thread into 5/16-18 inserts imbedded in the tool base. The locking knobs provide an extra level of security beyond the detents in the barrel bolts-and make nice bumpers when storing the cabinet against the shop wall.
After fabricating the cabinet and mounting the equipment, I realized that I could probably have eliminated the barrel bolts and locking knobs on one end. However, the extra hardware doesn't require much more time when changing tools, and it makes the cabinet feel very secure.
The flip-top rotation is very smooth. The planer is slightly heavier than the sander, so it tends to sink to the bottom, but the whole thing can be rotated very easily without any danger of it flipping over out of control!
I also designed the cabinet with provisions for about 30 lbs. of sand ballast between the wheels on each end. However, the 20" x 32" caster contact footprint and the low center of gravity provides such a stable platform that I decided to omit the ballast. I could add it at a later date if necessary.
Five inch diameter double locking casters make it a breeze to move the cabinet around in my shop and hold it steady for operation.
I am happy with the design and am looking forward to making some serious wood chips…...........
Enjoy!