# Polk ultimate portable workbench



## roofner (Aug 1, 2010)

Anyone built it ? I've tried several things but I not happy. Want it for my track saw
Here is a link


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

Doesn't look like anything I couldn't do with a solid core door and a couple of sawhorses. I prefer designing my own stuff, that way I get just what I want/need, and not what someone else thinks I need.


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## roofner (Aug 1, 2010)

I like the tool storage idea not fumbling for tools. Convenient hold downs.


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## hammerheadmike (Jan 4, 2016)

I saw the same thing on fastcaps website the legs were a little different but the top was the same


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## CharleyL (Feb 28, 2009)

The Paulk work bench is a pretty well thought out design, for a portable work bench, but for just breaking down sheets or using a track saw, I prefer a cutting table. It's just a frame of a table with banquet table legs. My table perimeter is made from 1 X 4 pine with 2 X 4 cross pieces laid flat and flush with the top edge of the 1 X 4 frame. There are five of these cross pieces, 2 near each end where needed to attach the table legs, and one in the middle for added strength. There is no metal in my table. It's all joined together with glue and biscuits. The only metal in the wood are the short screws that attach the table legs, which are an inch below the table surface, and the two screws that attach the small pieces of plywood to one long side of the table, which are more than 1 1/2" below the top surface of ther table. The table size does not need to be as large as a sheet of plywood. Mine is about 30" wide and 70" long, but it can be any size that you want it to be. Just make it at least about 2/3 the size of sheet stock so the larger, less than full size off cut pieces can remain safely on the table without needing to balance them. I just slide the sheet stock around so that the cut line is roughly centered over the table, to keep the off cuts from falling when the cut is complete. For very narrow rip cuts of the full length of the sheet I usually just do these off the edge of the table, since they are light and I can support them with one hand while operating the saw with the other. The banquet table legs are available from Harbor Freight, Northern, and other sources for about $25 per pair

To use the table, I just set it up on a flat surface (usually my driveway) and lay the piece(s) to be cut on the top of it. Since I don't have a true track saw I use an aluminum straight edge clamp and my circular saw with a zero clearance base plate on it. I set the saw to cut about 1/4" deeper than the thickness of the material that I will be cutting and then just make the cuts. The beauty of using a cutting table like this is that 1. you don't have to worry about off-cut pieces falling when the cut is complete. 2. The work is at a comfortable level 3. The kerfs made in the table pieces do not affect the table's strength. If I ever make so many kerfs in the table frame that I want to replace it, I just make another and move the legs to it. When I'm not using my cutting table, the legs fold easily and flush with the bottom of the 1 X 4 frame. I then just lean it up against my plywood stock in my shop.

The pictures attached are of my first cutting table. After 4 heart heart attacks and surgery for each, plus two knee replacements I have considerable difficulty lifting full sheets of 3/4" plywood and my heavy cutting table, so wised up and remade the table lighter by changing the outer frame from 2 X 4 to 1 X 4 and it reduced the table weight by about 18 pounds. To move full sized sheet stock around I have a wheel assembly that I place at one end under the bottom edge of the stock, and then I lift and carry the other end of the sheet to wherever I need it.

I also added two pieces of plywood on one long side of the table frame, attached off center with just one screw. I can turn these so they are below the top surface of the table, or turn them so they are above the table surface. Turning them so they are up above the surface lets me tip the table on it's side with these down against the driveway, then lean a full sheet of plywood or other sheet stock against the table surface with the bottom edge of this stock sitting on these two pieces of plywood. I can then bend down and tip both the table and the sheet stock up so the table is again on it's legs, but with the sheet stock then laying flat on the top of the table. (I added this feature to the original table and it worked so well that it's now also on my newer, lighter version of the table.

If I ever make so many kerf cuts in the top of this table that I become unhappy with it, or worry that it's not as strong as it should be, I'll just make a new wood frame top and move the legs from the old one to the new one, but I doubt that I'll live long enough to ever need to. 

Again, the attached photos are of my heavy first table. My second version uses 1 X 4 for the outer perimeter frame and 2 X 4 material for the cross pieces and it's plenty strong enough.

At a large family picnic where we ran out of table space, I set my cutting table up with a full sheet of 3/4 cabinet birch plywood on it, covered it with a table cloth, and set up folding chairs around it. Some of the guests were wondering where I had found such a large perfect table for the picnic, until I told them what was under the table cloth.

If you should need a work bench area for tool storage and you don't need this as a cutting table, a piece of plywood to cover it, and you can use it as a light duty work bench or tools and supplies table.

If I'm helping someone do some woodworking away from my shop I always take my cutting table with me. I prefer it much more than saw horses for general use woodworking. 

One photo shows the bottom of my saw with my clear lexan "zero Clearance insert" attached to it. If you make one of these, you only need the "zero clearance function where the blade teeth rise up out of the cut. Notice that the opening widens out behind this so that the blade guard can still function. A single narrow slot the full length of the blade would prevent the blade guard from operating, and the saw would be very dangerous to use. If you make a zero clearance insert, make certain that the blade guard can still operate after you attach it to your saw.

Charley


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

Nice one, Charley...I particularly like the "Sheet-goods Lifting Assistant Mechanism" (SLAM) you built into it...very creative...


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## CharleyL (Feb 28, 2009)

Thanks Nick. My shop is too small to break down sheet stock inside it with my Unisaw, so this table gets used frequently. Since I don't have a track saw, I usually cut my pieces slightly larger, and then take them into the shop and cut them to their final size. I may someday invest in a track saw, but my method using my cutting table has done very well for me for about 10 years now. I don't even own saw horses any more.

Charley


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## roofner (Aug 1, 2010)

Actually I am not going to build his design. I got a much simpler but similar concept. I will post picture of the work I have done . I have something I use now that will replace his support system.


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## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

Fastcap is marketing a kit...24x48 or thereabouts. Perfect for beginners or someone that just wants to do the assembly and no cutting.

I have one of his plans purchased several years ago. Used it as reference when i built my miter saw station.


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

IIRC there are several videos on youtube regarding this particular design. I like it. I'd be tempted to do something like this for a full time bench in the shop..


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## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

I saw one video where the guy made slide out drawers for the openings.


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## Everend (Mar 15, 2013)

My brother sent me one of his videos last year but it was still too complex to set up and I didn't have the CNC to cut it out. 
This version has me rethinking my whole garage. I have the same job site table saw that I built a table for years ago with an integrated vacuum and power. Since then I've moved the shop vac to the attic on a remote. I also have a pair of 12"x96" torsion boxes on heavy duty 4' wide saw horses. 
The table saw table was OK and better than nothing but my out feed is only about 12" and if the saw is in my truck then I have a big hole in middle of the table. 
I could build this workbench 2 and set it on the horses I have. This would completely eliminate the table saw table. Suddenly my shop would be almost twice as big!
Oh and having a router table in there would be good too. Right now I have a bench top style that is really inconvenient. 

I'm also thinking of


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## roofner (Aug 1, 2010)

Here is my design from his concept rather than nice fancy round holed compartments . As you can see from my pictures I took 2 8 ft
1 x 3 ripped to those dimensions , and space along the side block 3 x 3 about 2 ft apart. From the pictures you will get the idea.


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## Everend (Mar 15, 2013)

Two months later and I've built two of his designed benches. The 4'x8' bench with integrated router table and table saw has transformed my shop. 
The 3'x6' version I built to fit into my ford E250 van. It wouldn't fit with the metal shelving that came with the van (used cable TV van). So that prompted the total redesign of my work van. The 6' drawers out the back and 4' drawers out the side mean that I can get most any tool out without unpacking!
I did some trim work today and it was REALLY nice to have proper support of the trim pieces as I ripped them to width on the table saw then cut to length on the miter saw.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

The folding legs cutting table is pure genius. I currently precut sheet goods while its still on my truck. But the fold down cutting table is a far better solution. I'm making one of those. It can be stored easily and pulled out when I need it. Far easier to use than what I'm doing now. Thanks for posting this.


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## tomp913 (Mar 7, 2014)

I made an interlocking grid out of plywood strips - it sits on top of 2 (folding) sawhorses - the plywood sheet slides out of the back of my truck right on to the grid. No lifting and don't have to climb up into the truck. After use, the grid is taken apart and stores on top of a storage shelf unit.


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Nicely done.


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## 197761 (May 2, 2017)

These portable tables are pretty cool.

Tom, that grid and 2 saw horses you made, would it work if I were to leave the interlocking sections as is, and the middle of each board, but then down the length of the 4 boards, cut a grove out, so that I would have a clearing and not have to worry so much about changing the depth or using sacrificial wood, when cutting a big sheet of plywood?


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## tomp913 (Mar 7, 2014)

DerSchuhmacher said:


> These portable tables are pretty cool.
> 
> Tom, that grid and 2 saw horses you made, would it work if I were to leave the interlocking sections as is, and the middle of each board, but then down the length of the 4 boards, cut a grove out, so that I would have a clearing and not have to worry so much about changing the depth or using sacrificial wood, when cutting a big sheet of plywood?


You could probably do that, but it's not necessary - plus you would need to put the sheet on the grid each time so that the cut line is over the relief notch. 

I made this grid a few years back and both rip and cross cut on it, with the sheet directly on the grid. Yes, the top edges of the strips have some saw kerfs in them but it doesn't affect the function. I set the saw so that the blade cuts into the grid 1/4" or less, and don't see any reason that the grid won't last as long as I do - other than the time I dropped one of the long pieces and it broke at the notch, it hit right one the corner and that did it. I've since reinforced the pieces with a metal connector plate at each notch - had to widen the notches to compensate for the thickness of the metal plates - and think that has solved the problem, although I'm trying not to drop the pieces any more.


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## 197761 (May 2, 2017)

Thanks for the pics Tom! I could easily stick the broken down grid on the floor in the utility room of my flat or save one shelf for it to sit on. I am still going back and forth with that and another idea I am milling around in my head.


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## roofner (Aug 1, 2010)

I had same problem tomp913 with them braking if dropped for that reason I gave up on this method.


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## tomp913 (Mar 7, 2014)

My one long strip broke from falling on the floor (a lot). The long strips and the end short strips fit into shallow dados in a piece of plywood that's clamped on top of the sawhorses. I set the one long piece in place and then go to pick up a short piece and the strip falls out of the dado. I know the ultimate solution is to tack 3/4" square strips along the edge of the dados to provide more support - and I'm going to do that one of these days. In the meantime, I try to be more careful and am relying on the metal reinforcement strips that were installed to reinforce the notches.


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