Work bench

Multi-tool work bench......I am retired in Costa Rica and have limited tool resources so decided to make the tools I do have more user friendly........Converted the jigsaw to a table jigsaw......made a drill press using  a hand drill.......mounted router to table.......built small wood vise.......All the tools are easily removable for hand use..........the bench was originally a tv stand my neighbor built.....I dismantled it, made the legs the same length.....added a drop leave and gave it a quick stain and varnishing........As you may have seen in my other instructables,  I build unusual type guitars to keep me busy and this bench will help a lot.........Also searching the internet I couldn't find any design for mounting a hand drill for a drill press so was challenged to do that.......I also have and instructable on how I made the drill press.......here is the link...........http://www.instructables.com/id/Drill-press/

Step 1 Jigsaw table

I used a plywood box to make the jigsaw stand......the top slides in and out to adjust to the blade to the guide.....the blade guide is an accessory that came with the router which I turned around and mounted to the pipe.......the pipe guide arm is adjustable up and down for different size blades......or can be moved out of the way........the sliding top is attached with wing nuts for easy removal......

Comments

[vincent7520]

great job
now think of all of us who spent $$$ in heavy machinery that is excellent but that we mostly do not use at full capacity… a little more brains and we could have ended with this that could suit as well !…
congratulations ! … 

[ljfa321]

This is just awesome, and exactly what I need for now. Thx!!

[wilwrk4tls]

Very creative- I'm impressed!

[DIY Dave]

looks great; very inspirational

[Xthinker]

Love it :)

[sawtooth1953]

A lot of great ideas here. I' m not familiar with the router accessory you used as your jigsaw blade support. What is that accessory called or what is used for on a router? Other than mounting it as you did to the pipe, did you have to modify the accessory to enable it to be a blade support. I'm wondering about using it on a scroll saw to support the blade.

[stringmanipulator]

outstanding .. I wish I had one of those ..:)
//Ken

[kelseymh]

Amazingly compact.  And it looks like a cow :-)  Very, very nice!

[busupholstery]

OMG....It does look like a cow......Never noticed........

[professorred]

OMG. I didn't notice until it was pointed out. It so does. I think that when I make one I will have a cow pattern on the front. Possibly leather. I may add some electronics to make it go MOO when anything is turned on.

Good ible.

[DIY-Guy]

Dear Professor, since you (might) have access to electronics that make a mooing sound; perhaps you could send the device to the author since he's in a place where people have to make do with what is available. Just a philanthropic thought. :)

[kelseymh]

:-D  The power strip on the side looks (in the picture) exactly like a tail.  I think it's great.  It would be a fantastic design for a younger person as well. 

[yeagerxp]

never mind how it looks, like as long as it works, will post my pictures on what i have done

[profpat]

very ingenious design! i like this your ideas...

[scitzz]

Excewllent! It has ideas popping in me head :P

[milusos]

that's the power of invention. from nothing to magical creation WOW!

[thepelton]

Not bad at all. I once made a workbench out of two shipping pallets and a sheet of plywood. I stood the pallets on end, and supported the plywood on the top for a work surface by bolting two by fours to the pallets. Just be sure that the pallets are the same size. They can be from all over the world, and made by different people with different plans for them, and made in different dimensions. For stability, I bolted the whole thing to the support pole in my garage.

[charliebee]

you could also drill the vice and table top for some dowels so you could clamp things to the top of  the table instead of just to the side of it.  Most table top vices have a sliding dog that can be extended above the top of the vice to allow this.

[busupholstery]

Good idea........also some handles that would be easier to turn would be nice.......like some cranks...........

[inad]

Nicely done!  Might want to add a removable pole for a clamp light.  Better still get one of those lights with flexible arms and a magnifying glass built in.  As for the cow :  a small pouch or old purse or bag could be used as an "udderly" curious waste container.

[busupholstery]

Since I'm retired and live in Costa Rica no light is necessary........It's always sunny and bright in my carport..........

[Einarjon]

Very cool.
You might want to add a link to your drill press instructable in the text, for those who want more info.

[busupholstery]

Thanks Einarjon.......mission accomplished.......

[srilyk]

 Nice instructable. It gives me a lot of good ideas!

[rickyspears]

 My building is 200-feet away from my house and it doesn't have power. I've been buying battery powered hand tools to use out there. I love the idea of mounting them in a workbench like this. Since they are battery operated, and the bench is portable, they really could be used anywhere. Great Instructable! Great idea! Thanks for sharing!

[Broom]

Wonderful! Beautiful! Brilliant!

One suggestion: It looks like the jigsaw table folds down against the workbench side. Make its side fold even with the workbench, to extend the working area. It won't be strong enough to hammer on, but it can support long pieces.

I *LOVE* this workbench!

[Diego E]

This is fantastic, Busupholstery.
I wondering you can show us more pictures of the mecanism of the hand drill press.
Had a spring? How is hold the slide mechanism to the wood in pipe? Had you plans?

Esto es fantástico, Busupholstery.
Me pregunto si podrás mostrarnos más imágenes del mecanismo del taladro.
¿Tiene un resorte? ¿Cómo está sujetada la placa deslizante a la tabla del brazo fijo? ¿Tendrás planos?

Gracias por adelantado.

[busupholstery]

Added instructable for drill press.......hopes this helps.......this is the link and if it doesn't work just check my other instructables......
http://www.instructables.com/id/Drill-press/

[Diego E]

Thank you verrrrrrry much, busupholstery.
You are very kind person.

[Aerospaced]

Someone said that it looked like a cow. I immediately thought it looked like a horse..... a work horse.

[jrv_boots]

An excellent example of power-using your power tools.  He has definitely made the most of his tools with the resources available in Costa Rica.

[RelientOwl]

What kind of stain do you use for your products? it looks nice.

 

[yoyology]

Excellent use of limited resources to maximum effect.  Makes me feel guilty when I complain I can't get anything done in my apartment.  :-)

[steliart]

I can really appreciate the effort you put into the project as I have build a bigger more heavy duty multi tool bench.
http://www.instructables.com/id/The-Smallest-Workshop-in-the-World/

Very Well done

[PS118]

Very nice!  Looks super sturdy.  (I'd personally like it if you could post more pics of how your vice works.)

Also, just a thought.  Looks like you have a removable plate for your router.  Why not make another plate the same size for your jigsaw to bolt to?   That way you wouldn't need a whole separate box for it.  Just drop in whichever tool you want to use!  (And as a bonus you can also probably use your router fence for sawing purposes as well.)

[wonton]

i love this.   the work bench looks so classy,  i would love to have the space at my boarding school to make one but i dont.  

im going to build the drill press when i get home.  

[efop]

Respect.

[Mojo_JoJo]

This I like.... I think I'll add this to my workbench and probably mod it so it can hold both my dremel as well as drill. Thanks !!

[l8nite]

AWESOME !! They used to make a drill press like attachment for portable drills but I haven't seen them in awhile. Hoping you have many hrs of pleasure from your creation

[parsly]

Wow this is almost exactly what I was going to start building this summer, very nice!