Perfect bench/ table saw / router table

Hey Topo – I’ve been lurking and noticed this post. If you have a small shop, consider installing “T” tracks on your work bench. I’ve been a small time member of “work bench smack down” on this site and my posts keep getting lost between the chatter of the “in” group who seem to own that topic. But I was showing a friend of mine my work bench and as I was demonstrating the ease of switching components, he mentioned how nice it would be to use the same method in his small shop. All his tools are tucked away and mounted as he needs them. But he does waste time in the mounting and dismounting. He is now installing T-tracks into his work bench and putting all his tools on their own slab of plywood. Check out my bench. It’s #315 in the “workbench smack down” found in the workshop forum. Hope this can help you. If it does, maybe I’ll repost my workbench system to share with all folks having to deal with small spaces. If I get thrown out of the “smack down” group, I’ll be OK. I don’t care about square pins vs. round dog wholes or if an angled mortise joint is that much better then a straight one. I just want to share work bench ideas and learn from other folks like you who is challenging tool makers to re-invent their products to accommodate the small shops, the regular folks. The bench that impressed me the most in the “smack down” post was a guy who was using his porch as his workshop and his work bench was clamping his work onto his porch railing.

-- Bernie: It never gets hot or cold in New Hampshire, just seasonal!

Looks like a good idea ;-) I didn’t see that thread before. Looks like I should spend some time going through it. I don’t have a real wood working bench, just a “work bench” in the garage.

-- "some old things are lovely, warm still with life ... of the forgotten men who made them." - D.H. Lawrence Wake Up America!! Please read; http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/01/26-0

Hi Bob. A good opportunity to ask if you ever got that lathe going. Sorry, don’t mean to nag, just curious.

-- Mike, American in Norway

don’t forget the cupholder.

NO, not yet. Too many contracts and too much migraine control. But, I don’t have anything coming up this summer ;-)) BTW, haven’t started my marble machine either ;-(

Good point bent. And a keg cooler? ;-) for hot summer days!

-- "some old things are lovely, warm still with life ... of the forgotten men who made them." - D.H. Lawrence Wake Up America!! Please read; http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/01/26-0

Bob,
My work bench is also my out feed from the table saw. It seams that when I need the out feed the bench is loaded with some other project. The table saw has a built in router on the end but I need to clear off the scrap wood and table saw tool to use the router. You know the size of my shop! I have seen other shops and even if you had the space to have a work bench as a work bench, table saw as a table saw and router table as a router table you still would store, place, leave,stack or any other good reason, something that keeps you from using the space as it was set out for.

Good meeting at the turning club thur. The wholde night was taken up with guys doing demos, 6 going at one time. Need to get the lathe out of the box.

john

-- John at Sugarloft Mountain........Don't argue with an idiot; people watching may not be able to tell the difference.

There is a shop that builds workbenchs on to a powermatic saw its got dog holes and vise all you have to is cut for a router insert. http://www.finewoodworking.com/ToolGuide/ToolGuideArticle.aspx?id=30642

-- As Best I Can

Spent today running down to Portland, OR to a family funeral. I hate it when that happens ;-((

John, sounds like I missed a good one. Having the shop loaded with “stuff” & clutter is the sign of a grand master. Look at Einstein’s office or Harry Pope’s shop ;-)

cabs4less, Interesting. I’m going to make a router set-up on my table saw. I may as well just do it like that. Thanks! Hard to justify $3,500+ for the little bit I use my table saw.

-- "some old things are lovely, warm still with life ... of the forgotten men who made them." - D.H. Lawrence Wake Up America!! Please read; http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/01/26-0

What about combining something like this :
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/60275

with someting like this :
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/67726

I don’t own one but I have always wandered why combination mahines are not popular in US.
I mean something like this
http://www.scheppach.com/no_cache/en/products/products-overview/categories/kombinations-maschinen.html

-- Sylvain, Brussels, Belgium, Europe - The more I learn, the more there is to learn

Thanks, Some good input there.

-- "some old things are lovely, warm still with life ... of the forgotten men who made them." - D.H. Lawrence Wake Up America!! Please read; http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/01/26-0

Good point Bob, but for me personally not what I would wish for. I would end up with saw cuts and dings all over the area near the vise.

Each to their own I guess but i am sure some folks would liike to benefit from your idea.

David

-- No one plans to fail, they just, just fail to plan