New bench for the lathe

mickri

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Instead of making/buying a new bench for the lathe I had decided to replace the existing shelves with drawers in my current bench. As I like to say my plans are always cast in sand at low tide and subject change. Change happens.

A stout credenza came up on CL for $50. I was probably going to spend close to that to build the drawers I was planning to make. The credenza without its top is 66" L x 22" W x 28" H. This thing is built like a tank. Three of us couldn't lift it to get it into the back of my pickup. The seller had one of his employees lift it with a forklift so we could slide into my truck. Didn't have my camera with me. No pictures. I had to take it apart to get it out of my truck. Didn't think that pictures of a it torn apart would show much.

Here's the plan. The top of my current bench will fit. It is 71" L x 30" W. Is made out of 2x6's. Has a metal band around the edges and a sheet of plastic to protect the top from oil and grease. I will make the legs on the credenza longer so that the top will slide from the current bench onto the cadenza. And there in lies the question.

The legs are 1.5" OD x .120 Wall by 5" long steel. The legs need to be 11" long to raise the height of the credenza to where I want it. I think that I have two options. One is to buy a 4' piece of 1.5 OD steel tube and cut it to length. That will cost me more than the price I paid for the credenza. The other option is to buy a 2' piece of steel tube, cut it into 6" lengths and weld it to the existing legs. I am wondering if I should put a sleeve inside the tubes to help keep them aligned if I go this route.

Suggestions please.
 
Sorry Chuck but I’m having a little difficulty picturing the whole thing without pics. I prefaced that so if I miss the mark you’ll forgive me. But welding extensions to legs and not have them go schwangle is pretty tough not to mention sounds like PIA because of the weight. What about using the 2x6’s frOM the old bench and lay them sideways to make a spacer box at the dimensions of the top of the credenza and then lay your old top on them? I’d probably use Simpson ties to make the 2x6 box sturdy and to screw the top, spacer box and credenza together. Just a thought.
 
I recently bought an old heavy wooden worktable, but it was about 6" lower than I wanted. Rather than try to extend the individual 4x4 legs I just built a riser from 2x6 in a sort of C shape open at the front. 2x6's doubled up to give a 4" width, then I secured the legs to the riser with some metal strap ties (not sure their official name, but a strip of steel with holes drilled for screws). That resulted in a nice stable base and if anything falls under the bench it is contained inside the riser, so fewer corners to search.

I think Tony is suggesting something similar but putting the spacer up top.


It is easy to get caught in the trap of "I only paid X" for the thing I'm fixing up and limit yourself to cheap halfway modifications. I go there often so know the feeling. I constantly have to remind myself that what I paid isn't really relevant, it is what I would have paid to get there from scratch that matters.

I only paid $45 for the work table, and I easily spent $100 cleaning it up and modifying it to fit my needs. Even though the work added double what I paid, I'm probably into it for less than 1/2 of the materials to build from scratch and only 1/4 to 1/3 what it would have cost to buy something premade.
 
It is easy to get caught in the trap of "I only paid X" for the thing I'm fixing up and limit yourself to cheap halfway modifications. I go there often so know the feeling. I constantly have to remind myself that what I paid isn't really relevant, it is what I would have paid to get there from scratch that matters.
As an unrepentant junkyard dawg, this is THE struggle. But I always come to the same conclusion. I avoid reinventing the wheel at all cost and would rather mod than build from scratch whenever possible. I love to repurpose. Whether it’s stuff I’ve made or found elsewhere. It often would not win any awards but it makes junkyard heart all warm and fuzzy every time I use and think of the $$ and time I’ve saved. And kept something totally useful from ending up in a landfill.
 
It is interesting how the leg attaches. There is a bolt that extends out from the bottom framework. The leg slips over the bolt and fits over a boss(???) on the frame. Then there is a top hat shaped piece the slips over the bolt and into the leg. Everything is held in place by a 1/2-13 nut and lock washer. There is also an adjustable foot that screws onto the end of the bolt. Whatever route I take I have to extend the bolt too. Some threaded rod and a coupler nut will work to extend the bolt.

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Making the legs longer is the nicest looking solution. And it will keep the drawers higher so that it is easier to get stuff out of the drawers.

Making a box to sit on top is problematic because the top is steel with no access to the underside of anything the sits on the top. Making a box for the legs to sit on I think might create a trip and fall hazard. Might not. Could probably work something out. I don't want to lose the adjustable feet on the end of the legs. If I was going to make a box for the legs to sit on I would make something like this out of 2x6's and a 1x6. This would allow me to keep the adjustable feet and would be the easiest and least costly to make. I might have a redwood 6x6 or 8x8 in the scrap wood pile. I'll look tomorrow.

bench leg stand.jpg
 
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It is interesting how the leg attaches. There is a bolt that extends out from the bottom framework. The leg slips over the bolt and fits over a boss(???) on the frame. Then there is a top hat shaped piece the slips over the bolt and into the leg. Everything is held in place by a 1/2-13 nut and lock washer. There is also an adjustable foot that screws onto the end of the bolt. Whatever route I take I have to extend the bolt too. Some threaded rod and a coupler nut will work to extend the bolt.

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Making the legs longer is the nicest looking solution. And it will keep the drawers higher so that it is easier to get stuff out of the drawers.

Making a box to sit on top is problematic because the top is steel with no access to the underside of anything the sits on the top. Making a box for the legs to sit on I think might create a trip and fall hazard. Might not. Could probably work something out. I don't want to lose the adjustable feet on the end of the legs. If I was going to make a box for the legs to sit on I would make something like this out of 2x6's and a 1x6. This would allow me to keep the adjustable feet and would be the easiest and least costly to make. I might have a redwood 6x6 or 8x8 in the scrap wood pile. I'll look tomorrow.

View attachment 351902

I'd be somewhat concerned about lengthening the bolts unless they provide no support, seems like basically doubling their length would provide a lot of opportunity to bend. The last picture is kind of what I did, but 2x6 screwed together on end to give me the height. (2x6 doubled was cheaper than a 4x6). I guess I could have gone with stacked 2x4s, but the odds of finding 4 good 2x4s that aren't warped at Home Depot...

I was worried it could tip sideways, so tied the two risers together with a 2x6 across the backside which also closed in the space helping to keep things from getting behind the bench. A 2x4 probably would have been adequate but I lean towards overkill and thought the 2x6 looked better.

As long as it is all within the footprint, I don't see why it would create a tripping hazard. Mine is a workbench in a corner, so I'm not that concerned about it getting pushed sideways. You could always run some plywood or 2x4s across the span between the legs for additional lateral support and make a shelf for infrequently used items at the same time.
 
Two 2x6's on end will tip over being taller than they are wide. You would need cross pieces both front and back. Also a 2x6 is 5.5" x 1.5". My drawing is four 2x6's laid flat. That gives me the height I want and would not tend to tip over. The 1x6 with the slot for the legs ensures that the bench would vibrate off of the 2x6's.
 
As an unrepentant junkyard dawg, this is THE struggle. But I always come to the same conclusion. I avoid reinventing the wheel at all cost and would rather mod than build from scratch whenever possible. I love to repurpose. Whether it’s stuff I’ve made or found elsewhere. It often would not win any awards but it makes junkyard heart all warm and fuzzy every time I use and think of the $$ and time I’ve saved. And kept something totally useful from ending up in a landfill.
 
Spent several hours over the last several days making new adjustable feet for the original legs. I also decided not to try to extend the existing legs. Instead I had some well seasoned 6x6 douglas fir that I will use to raise the bench up. I spent today taking everything out of and off of the old bench. My garage is even more of a mess than it normally is with stuff placed all over the place. I was barely able to move the old bench out of the way. I had my floor jack lifting the heavy end while I drug the light end. The new bench was on my furniture dolly. Even with all of the drawers out of it and the top off I can't lift the new bench. I was concerned that having all the weight on the legs as I pivoted it upright would damage the legs. I supported the edge on a 6x6 and some 2x4's & 2x6's so that it would pivot on those instead of the legs. Got everything in position to slide the top from the old bench to the new bench when Murphy decided to join the party. What would we do without him. Turns out the top is made out of 2x4's, not 2x6's, and they are not held together. They are merely screwed from the underside to the supports for the bench. ARRRGGG. Here's some pictures for you

The old bench in all its glory

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The new bench on the wood blocks ready to pivot upright. Love those shiny new adjustable feet. And the old bench on the dolly and floor jack moved into position next to the new bench. Ready to slide the top over to the new bench.

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Here's where I left it for the day. The new bench is in position and level. I will recheck the level once everything is in place. Just needs the top.

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Decision time. The top is 4" longer than the new bench. I could screw a 2x2 to each end of the top. This would hold everything in place while I slide the top onto the new bench. The new bench has a steel top with lots of screws to hold the top to the bench once the top is in place. I have everything that I need to do this. OR I could buy a 4x8 sheet of 3/4 plywood to make a new top. Of course then I would want a steel cover over the plywood. 100 mile drive to get the plywood and steel. It would look better. It would be the end of the week before I could get it. I am leaning to using what I got. It would be easier and I would have it done tomorrow.
 
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Was able to get back to it this afternoon. Things went pretty much as planned. Screwed a 2x2 to the underside of the top at each end to hold the 2x4's together. Found a couple more screws with square heads no less holding the top to the old frame that I had to remove. Jacked up the old frame so that the bottom of the top was just higher than the new bench and slid the top unto the new bench. Put the lathe in place and checked the level. No twist but not level to the ground. The front is low as is the headstock end. I will adjust it. It is so far out that I can see the slant from end to end.

Still have to screw the top to the bench, put the motor back on and put things away. Stuck the drawers in to get them off of the floor and see how it looks. Looks good to me. By the weekend I should have it ready to start making chips again.

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Since I can't let anything go to waste what do you guys think that I plan to make out of the end of the old frame? I had to lean it up against something and my jackson was handy.

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