# New Work Table - lots of pics



## fire65 (Oct 29, 2008)

Always wanted to build one so here is my effort. Material is 2x6 framing lumber and lots of glue. All mortise and tenon, used router with guide for table top, hollow chisel mortiser for most of the others, router leaves cleaner hole but I could only go 2 inches with the bits I have, mortiser gave me the depth I needed. 
Top was made in 3 sections which were to be run through my new planer, planer went up in smoke after about 20 boards, now to plan B, I had no plan B just a shop full of lumber. Called my buddy, hauled all the lumber to my old shop and milled it there, then hauled it all back home. Planer had been sitting in the shop for a year and out of warranty. Pulled the 3hp motor and took it to a shop, burned the starter up, 2 weeks and 135$. 
During this time I decided to just glue it into one piece and make a router sled (always wanted to use one anyway). Sled worked great until I slid it off the runner and oops! lucky I was practicing on the bottom of the table top. Added some stops so that would not happen again. Sled worked great, took about 1.5 hrs to do it using a 3/4" bit. If I had it to do over, I would use my 3 1/4 hp router just for the weight, more stable and buy a bigger bit. 

Glued it all up and then flipped the top and put the sled on and flattened it. Ended up with some splits in the top so I routed them out and filled with some strips. While doing the repair I bumped the top and then had to repair the repair, solid top is easy to fix though. 

Put a quart of danish oil on it, because that is what I had in the shop. I added a 7" Yost vice and so far so good. I think the only thing I would do different is to add hangover on each side just for looks and easier clamping. 

Table is 32 x 60, 35 inches tall and very heavy. Total cost, around 160$


----------



## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Wow is that is one heavy duty awesome looking work table you built there Clay . I can hardly imagine what it weighs


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

that is one might fine build...


----------



## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Beautiful job.


----------



## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Holy Hanna! Clay, when they came up with the Cold War warning, "Duck and cover", _that's_ what they were talkin' about!!
That's built to last for generations.


----------



## Multiwood (Feb 24, 2013)

How come when anyone has Attached Thumbnails I can never see the pictures?
This has been going on since there was trouble with the site a few months ago.


----------



## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

What a table!!! Clay you did a great job on this. Thanks for all the pictures.


----------



## DonkeyHody (Jan 22, 2015)

Do ya reckon it's strong enough?? Inspiring!


----------



## chuckgray (Aug 2, 2015)

Awesome looking work bench Clay. How did you flush cut the ends?


----------



## fire65 (Oct 29, 2008)

chuckgray said:


> Awesome looking work bench Clay. How did you flush cut the ends?


I used a Makita track saw and a big belt sander. Thanks for looking.


----------



## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

I never would have thought of clamping several 2x6’s to make the top ,and I don’t believe I’ve seen it done before either . I’m liking the cost factor too.

Looks like it makes for an incredible strong work table. Great idea with the router and sled to make it perfectly flat . I’m also impressed with the dado around the perimeter of the legs . Very creative ideas,and it certainly has a lot of wow factor 

Ps, I think I may need one of those mortise machines


----------



## fire65 (Oct 29, 2008)

RainMan 2.0 said:


> I never would have thought of clamping several 2x6’s to make the top ,and I don’t believe I’ve seen it done before either . I’m liking the cost factor too.
> 
> Looks like it makes for an incredible strong work table. Great idea with the router and sled to make it perfectly flat . I’m also impressed with the dado around the perimeter of the legs . Very creative ideas,and it certainly has a lot of wow factor
> 
> Ps, I think I may need one of those mortise machines


Based on a Roubo style bench, André Jacob Roubo developed it in the 1700's. Morstiser, yeah, I just wanted it, not needed it. Just and expensive drill press that drills square holes. Said that to my wife and she did not believe it was possible, until she saw it.


----------



## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

fire65 said:


> Based on a Roubo style bench, André Jacob Roubo developed it in the 1700's. Morstiser, yeah, I just wanted it, not needed it. Just and expensive drill press that drills square holes. Said that to my wife and she did not believe it was possible, until she saw it.


I thought the same thing when I first heard about it , a rotating bit cutting a square hole ? 
Amazing machines really. I’m kicking myself , as they had one at our local Windsor plywood store . They starting selling all there General stock for nearly cost .
Should have bought it then


----------



## DonkeyHody (Jan 22, 2015)

What are the dados in the bottom surface about?


----------



## fire65 (Oct 29, 2008)

DonkeyHody said:


> What are the dados in the bottom surface about?


 I bet you are talking about where I repaired some cracks that I had after glue up. The top was so heavy that I just had to glue it and hope for the best as I could not flip it alone, so had a few bad places in it. I routed some grooves in it and filled them with some strips of solid for repair.

And of course during routing the dados I did not make my guide long enough and hit the table with the bit and then had to fix that too. LOL, pretty easy to repair a solid slab though.


----------



## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Knot working said:


> How come when anyone has Attached Thumbnails I can never see the pictures?
> This has been going on since there was trouble with the site a few months ago.


You sure you're 'logged in', Larry?
If the top left corner doesn't show you as being 'Welcomed', then you arn't (logged in I mean; you're still welcome...)


----------



## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

RainMan 2.0 said:


> I thought the same thing when I first heard about it , a rotating bit cutting a square hole ?
> Amazing machines really. I’m kicking myself , as they had one at our local Windsor plywood store . They starting selling all there General stock for nearly cost .
> Should have bought it then


Don't need no steenkin' machine, Rick! You're on a budget now, remember? (Pretty sure you have a drill press...)
https://www.amazon.com/CSLU-Tool-Wo...=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B01GGA8X88

https://www.amazon.com/Fisch-Hollow...=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B005GC6WUO

https://www.amazon.com/DELTA-17-924...=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B0000223B4


----------



## Roy Drake (Feb 10, 2014)

Sorry about the booboo Clay; however, thanks for making me feel better! I built one, but it sure isn't this good. Maybe I'll try again - with 2x6 instead of 2x4! Nice table. Thanks for the inspiration.


----------



## coxhaus (Jul 18, 2011)

I like the table size and weight. The cost is not bad either. 

Are you planning to add any vises or just use as a work table?


----------



## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

DaninVan said:


> Don't need no steenkin' machine, Rick! You're on a budget now, remember? (Pretty sure you have a drill press...)
> https://www.amazon.com/CSLU-Tool-Wo...=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B01GGA8X88
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Fisch-Hollow...=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B005GC6WUO
> ...


Dan , I don’t know a lot about the subject , but I believe I read somewhere that they are hard on drill presses .
I don’t mind a dedicated machine really, just have to figure out where to put the dam thing is all :|


----------



## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Clay you rock! 
I’m so glad you posted this thread , as you have really inspired me here.

Sorry as I don’t want to hi jack your thread ,but recently we have made some cutbacks at work , to the tune of about an $18,000 cut in gross yearly salary . 
There’s no way I can swing the router table kit I want now , and it would be hard to justify spending 10K on a kit for a hobby regardless . (10K is not including the electronics and spindle) .
So I am back to making a cnc router table with V-bearings . 

But I don’t really want to build a cnc router table with a steel frame . So far, everyone I have seen weld these frames and tables up have had a considerable amount of unwanted distortion . 
If I was to build the main table out of 2x6’s , and route the top as you did , it would give me a tremendous start . 
And the weight would be very beneficial , as the heavier the better . 

It’s funny how one door closes and another opens


----------



## fire65 (Oct 29, 2008)

coxhaus said:


> I like the table size and weight. The cost is not bad either.
> 
> Are you planning to add any vises or just use as a work table?


Added a Yost 7" , have not used it enough to have an opinion, YET


----------



## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Clay, could I get your permission to post some of these pictures on a cnc router site? 
I want to pass this idea by the guys for a router table application


----------



## fire65 (Oct 29, 2008)

RainMan 2.0 said:


> Clay, could I get your permission to post some of these pictures on a cnc router site?
> I want to pass this idea by the guys for a router table application


 Sure, I would be happy for you to use them.


----------



## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

Hey Clay, good to see ya back in the shop and back on the forum!!!


----------

