This week we finally finish our M18 Table Saw Workbench. Then we get to meet Hailey from HonestWork Designs! But first, It’s time for a Maker Break!
Workbench Part 2
So last week we designed the bench, built the frame, and went to ridiculous lengths to get the adjustable feed I wanted. This week, we’re gonna wrap things up… almost. First thing I did was screw in the lower cross bars that will support the bottom shelf, and of course give me a bit more stability. I had predrilled pocket holes for these so it was really quick.
Next I put on those awesome feet our buddy Jake made for us. The feet were actually spare parts from Grizzly, but Jake made these awesome plates with a nut welded on, so I could easily adjust the feet. I needed to drill out a hole in the bottom of the leg to accommodate both the nut, and the bolt on the foot, so I used two different sized Forstner bits to get it done.
After that I simply screwed the plates onto the legs, and threaded on the feet. Perfect. Then it was time to get the frame on the floor, so I could build the top, on the frame. Getting it down was… challenging, but I got it there. After that I simply slid over 2 sheets of ¾” MDF that would make up half of the top… or so I thought. I’ll get to the thickness in a minute. First I had to glue the two sheets together.
I blew off any dust, and applied a bunch of titebond 3 to it. I could have used any titebond, but I accidentally grabbed the 3. I then slid the other sheet over it, lined them up, and did my best to clamp it down. I do NOT have a good clamp collection yet, so I also drilled a few screws through the middle, that I would remove after it’s dry.
30 minutes later, it was time to start cutting the top. I started by giving myself a straight edge to follow. I used my bora wtx clamp edge to guide my HART 6 and a half inch circular saw. That worked great. Next I started measuring out the top, and planning my cuts.
At this point I was still figuring I would eventually glue two more sheets together and stack this up to 3 inches, so I kept cutting everything with a half inch extra, so when I glued all 4 stacks together, I could make a final cut through all of them, giving me perfect edges. But then…
I cut out all 4 layers of the smaller section that will be to the right of the saw, and stacked them up. That’s when I realized 3” is ridiculously huge. I wasn’t even going to be able to cut through all of it with my HART Saw. Not even a 7 and a ¼” saw would work. I’d need a dang Sasquatch. I called my buddy Jay to ask him about this, and he convinced me that a 1.5” thick top would be plenty. So that’s what I stuck with, and that’s what you’ve been watching me struggle to flip over, because it’s about 130lbs. But I eventually got it done.
So of course that made this my final top, so I had to cut that extra half inch off, and get it to it’s final dimensions. This table is going to be 4×8 by the way. Because bigger is awesomer amirite?
Next I built the frame for the shelf that will hold the table saw. Now unlike the stretchers, I didn’t notch out the legs to support these. The reason why, is because I needed the ability to finely adjust the height at each leg, allowing me to get the tablesaw perfectly level and flush with the rest of the table.
Then my mistakes started to rear their heads. First, I couldn’t get the assembled shelf in place, without taking it apart. Then when I got it in place, I realized that somehow one of the middle legs had shifted, so the shelf didn’t fit. So I had to move the leg. Ugh. Plus, I realized that if I put this shelf in, I’d never get the bottom shelf in. So I put on the breaks, and cut out the bottom shelf first.
The shelf would need a cutout for all 6 legs, which I made with my HART Jigsaw. Worked like a charm… except, I cut the shelf to width, but forgot to cut it to length, so it didn’t fit. Take it back out and cut again! The second time, it fit great.
Now back to the saw shelf. With the bottom shelf in place, and the middle leg fixed, I was easily able to assemble the shelf. I supported each corner with a clamp, and dropped my mdf shelf in place for testing. This was the first time I was able to put the saw on it, and it was awesome. So excited to get this done!
Next I went through the FRUSTRATING process of getting the shelf and saw level and flush with the table. Technically I positioned the saw about a 16th of an inch higher than the table, so none of the wood I cut would catch on the edge. Fortunately this was right about the time Sarah came by to shoot our shows for the week, and her extra set of hands made this much easier. Once it was level, we screwed the shelf into all 4 legs.
Next, I got to use the saw and table for the first time to rip a 1×4 in half so we could use it for our edging. The MDF makes a great top, except for the edges that are easily dented and tore up. So this 1×2 edge should not only protect it, but I think it makes it look great too.
I measured each piece one at a time, and cut a 45 degree miter on our Miter saw. We glued each strip onto the MDF, and used a brad nailer to hold it in place while it dried. After that, it was time to get the saw in place, and try it out! Now changing the table top thickness means I’ll need to notch out the 2×4 stretcher that is now in the way of the fence railing, but that should be easy. Annnd, well, I realized at the very end that when the fence is at 0, right up against the blade, that rails actually stick out 3.5” to the left of the saw. NO CLUE how I missed that. But I’ll be able to fix it by cutting a 3.5” notch on the left side of the saw to accommodate it. I’ll be sure to change that in my plans.
Other than that, this project is done.. Although it does seem to be missing some color…We will eventually paint it and if you want to see the final product when we finish it be sure you are following us on Instagram so you don’t miss it when we post! instagram.com/beltsandboxes!
Meet A Maker!
This week we meet Hailey from HonestWork Designs! To see her interview make sure you watch the video above!
Our Favorite Videos Of The Week!
Before we go we love to share our favorite maker videos of the week, and just a reminder, we hope you share yours in the comments! First of all, on my other show, Top 5 DIY this week, I covered my top 5 favorite tool organization videos, and then, without warning, Chris Salomone posted his own! Chris not only added more organization to his shop, but he also talks a bit about how we all think about organization and has some tips to help you make your shop, make more sense.
Michael Alm, who’s famous for his beautiful and creative work with plywood patterns, shared a CNC solution for even the smallest shop. Now I realize most of us don’t have CNC machines, not just because of the space they use, but also because of the price. But let’s pretend price isn’t an option. Michael showed off the Shaper Origin, a handheld CNC machine that helps you make precision routed cuts on just about any surface, by visually identifying it’s location using these stickers, and then slightly adjusting your movements making it nearly as accurate as a regular CNC. Really freak’n cool.
If that price makes you need to sit down, might I suggest this project from Rogue Engineer. Jamison just shared a video and plans for making these awesome adjustable chase loungers with only 2x4s! Mostly. The feet are 4x4s, but those aren’t that expensive. The best part, he sized them to fit These cushions from Target!
Alright guys that’s all we’ve got. If you saw a Maker Video that should have been mentioned, do us a favor and link it in the comments below. If you link it, we’ll watch it! Thanks to HART for sponsoring this episode and reminding us that we can build anything we can imagine if we #doitwithhart. Be sure to like and subscribe so you don’t miss a thing! Alright break’s over! let’s make something!