> Geoff Webb asked about portable workbench ideas:
>
> -bio snipped-
>
>tools). However the problem is that I live in a second floor apartment
>and there is no room for a permanent bench. I got to thinking, how did
>they do it in the old days? Surely, some 19th century carpenter needed
>a portable bench. Do any of the galoots on the porch have an answer?
>I'll just sit here on the bottom step and await the collective
>wisdom.
>
Well, I did something for a light-weight bench that may help
apartment dwellers. In my (shudder) Normite days, I had constructed
a 2x4 and plywood "bench". It is in the basement on a smooth, painted
cement floor. First time I clamped a board to it and tried my #7
(long jointer) plane on it, the whole "bench" slid away. After some
fancy footwork involving wrapping a leg (mine) around another leg
(the benches) which almost broke both, I had a better idea.
I put a piece of plywood flat on the floor in front of the "bench"
and fastened and the "bench" together with a strip of 1X4. It's very
stable and I will use it to make a real bench.
WARNING- amaturish ASCII art...
End view of bench and flooring:
: :
: :
: : <- 2x4 "bench" leg
-----: :
: : :
1x4 ->: : :
: : :
: : :
: : :
: : :
: : :
------------------------- :
plywood flooring : :
: :
------------------------- ---------
After looking at it, I wonder why I didn't use hinges instead of a
1x4. I could fold the plywood up against the "bench" and keep it out
of the way. Hmmm. I gotta go downstairs for a few minutes.
Hope this helps.
Larry
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