[Qstick]

First off - I'm not certain that this is the appropriate forum - I couldn't really decide where to put this.......


I am new to woodworking and am having to use my garage (moving the vehicles out) as a shop for the time being. I was thinking I could purchase folding table legs somewhere and make a shop table that I could store against the wall when not in use and still have room for the wife's car....

Any recommendation on a quality set of folding legs or is there a reason this is not a good idea?

Thanks,

Zach

 

[challagan]

Zach, not a bad idea. You can find them in home centers but consider this. Why not use that same space and make your first workbench. Doesn't have to be huge but if you have 2 1/2 x 8 ft that would make a nice space. Check out the Woodmagazine site and see the plans for the convertible bench they made last year out of a home center hollow core door for a top. You can put shelves in it, drawers etc. if you like. It would be a good first project for you and not alot of tools needed.

Heres a couple examples:

Here's the one I spoke above of:
http://woodstore.stores.yahoo.net/bawoand6wato.html

Some others:
http://woodstore.stores.yahoo.net/towo.html

http://woodstore.stores.yahoo.net/spacworcen.html

Corey

 

[Qstick]

Hi Corey -

I will check on the plans. My garage is a pretty tight space and the main reason I was thinking about a folding design is the lack of space it would take up while not is use. With the layout of my garage, the only wall that is suitable for a bench is not a great place to encourage a ton of sawdust etc... It isn't the gretest space, but it is the only space that I have available, so I have to make the best of it. I will look for th eplans on their website shortly. I had also thought about casters, but ran into the same storage problem.

Thanks,

Zach

Edited to add - Thanks for the links!

 

[challagan]

Check the above links Zach. If you got room for a table then you got room for a small bench but there is a fold down one as well. Welcome to the forum!

Corey

 

[Qstick]

I appreciate the help and the welcome -

I really only have room for the table when the car is not in the garage - I don't think an army could convince my wife not to park there during the winter. The garage is used for a ton of storage since we don't have a basement, so it would be easier to work in the middle of the garage then against a wall due to a ton of shelves etc...

I'nm going to try and figure it out this weekend.

I'm just about finished my 1st project - a bat rack holder for displaying my other hobby - collecting MLB game used bats.

Thanks,

Zach

 

[challagan]

I got yah, sorry about that. I thought you had a spot you could set up and leave it. Well your not alone. I share my space with the family van and I have been woodworking for 20 + years. I am lucky though, I have a deep garage and I have space in the front for a work bench and some cabinets and tool storage. I just work on bigger stuff in the middle of the garage like you do. I just set up a hollow core door on some plastic saw horses. You can get some of those table legs you are talking about at Home Depot, Menards etc. Be sure and post pics of your Bat Rack! Good luck! And BTW, this is the right forum

Corey

 

[bobj3]

Hi Zach

Here's just one more quick way of doing it.

I have 4 tables that I use from time to time when I run out of room inside or when I need to spay a project out side.
I know you have looked at one or two at a garage sales and in lunch rooms they are about 28" wide and come in 6 to 8ft. long,they have a metal frame and lock out legs that swing out from under the top.
I got 2 from a Goodwill Store for 10 bucks each and some from a garage sale for 5 bucks each they store well in the garage/shop and snap up quick and easy.

Bj

 

[Qstick]

Thanks for the tips -

I was thinking of building a table similair to those that BJ recommended with these...

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=5817&filter=folding leg

A decent MDF top and 4 legs......

 

[bobj3]

Hi Zach

Next time you get into the lunch room look under the folding table, the legs on this type of table are built like tanks plus they have a slip down lock device and metal frame all the way around the table top.
I have loaded this type of table with 200 lbs. plus without any give in the top.

But this is just my 2 cents

Bj

 

[Qstick]

I appreciate you 2 cents

I'm going to go out tomorrow and see what I can find - for some reason, I'm not visuallizing the table you mean, but I'm certain it will be obvious when I find it....

Zach

 

[bobj3]

Here's a link for a look see

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/ww...operator=prodIndexRefinementSearch&L1=Tables,

Bj

 

[challagan]

I agree with Bj, my inlaws have about a half dozen of these "banquet" tables with the locking bars on them like BJ mentions. Most of them came from one of my former jobs when they closed the doors. They have used these tables for countless parties and garage sales and I used one in my shop for years! You can pop them up in seconds and knock them down just as quickly.

Corey

 

[Dr.Zook]

Zach, I bought a table at an auction. It has the fold up legs mounted to a 4X8 sheet of plywood. Great for use in the shop when needed and makes a great display table for when the wife decides to have a garage sale. I can't remember who sells the legs, but you can buy just the legs somewhere.
Oh yes Zach, welcome to the Router Forums. You registered today and also jumped in and started a very good topic on the forums.

 

[Mike]

Here is an ideal solution for your lack of workspace. This workbench has some storage and folds up on the wall when not in use. You can purchase the plans from woodworking stores or direct from U-bild.com