Assembly Table Ideas

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tj675

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Looking for input and ideas for an a dedicated assembly table. I’ve been using my outfeed table however its length was restricting the assembly of bigger projects.

I have a nice hand tool workbench so this will be used for prep and assembly of projects.

Maximum size: 5’x 10’
Top material: Butcher block maple

Should I drill the top for bench dogs or use T track or skip it all together?

Would you add vices? If so what type?

I have a 4’x4’ 5/16” piece of stainless, that’s been leaning against the wall for 10 years, that I was thinking of inlaying in one corner of the top.

The legs are 16/4 mahogany and I am using 8/4 hard maple as the stretchers.
IMG_4084.jpeg
 
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Renegade1LI

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I picked up a steel assembly table from a small fab shop, 200$. 5 x 10, 3/16 top I'm thinking of adding a Baltic birch plywood top, look around for used, plenty out there. I couldn't by the material for what or cost.
 

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brothernov

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For me, the most important aspect to an assembly table is that it's dead-flat. Mine has Dog holes, and I wouldn't want one without them. Requires quite a bit of thickness, however.
 
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tj675

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I picked up two 30” x 120” x 1.75” maple workbench tops that I will join down the middle. After that is done I might add a few pieces of steel C channel to keep things flat in the future.

Definitely going to add dog holes and a Sjoberg vise to one corner.
 
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hefnerconstructionlc

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You might consider keeping them separated. But having a quick way to join them and disjoint them. Having two tables that can move around really gives you a lot of flexibility if you're trying to make things wider or longer versus one static table. The picture below is my assembly table / turns into a chop saw stand for my miter saw. And then has storage below. It's a modified Ron Paulk design. And it really is one of the best tools in my shop. You also notice on one of the tables I installed at benchvis. But I also have dog holes in both benches and I also have a third one. They all rest on stands so the whole thing is able to be disassembled quickly.
 

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hefnerconstructionlc

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Few more pictures for ideas. Good luck with your project!
 

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tj675

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My floor has two levels and this table will sit on the edge of the two. Depending on which side you are standing, there will be a 10” difference in height so it does give some flexibility. I will be using the bottom for storage (drawers and doors).

The downside to the different levels is it doesn’t make moving things around easy, so once in place this table won’t be moving. I will still have the 3 steel rolling tables, that I’ve used as my temporary assembly table, if I need something elsewhere.
 
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jollygreengiant

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brothernov said:
For me, the most important aspect to an assembly table is that it's dead-flat. Mine has Dog holes, and I wouldn't want one without them. Requires quite a bit of thickness, however.
Click to expand...

How thick do you need it to be for dogholes? I'm looking at making an assembly table here right shortly, and was thinking about a 1.5" plywood top.
 
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brothernov

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jollygreengiant said:
How thick do you need it to be for dogholes? I'm looking at making an assembly table here right shortly, and was thinking about a 1.5" plywood top.
Click to expand...
I suspect that's way too thin for traditional "pound in" hold fasts. A double plywood top could last for generations. Mine's 3 1/4" thick but the plan was 3 1/2. I built it out of laminated edge grain hard maple and it's still dead-flat after 17 years.
 
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RTM

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jollygreengiant said:
How thick do you need it to be for dogholes? I'm looking at making an assembly table here right shortly, and was thinking about a 1.5" plywood top.
Click to expand...

brothernov said:
I suspect that's way too thin for traditional "pound in" hold fasts. A double plywood top could last for generations. Mine's 3 1/4" thick but the plan was 3 1/2. I built it out of laminated edge grain hard maple and it's still dead-flat after 17 years.
Click to expand...
Thicker is always better for pound in holdfasts. 3” was a number from my past. Mine is 2”, and occasionally bigger stiffer holdfasts would not work. We had friends who made them, so we got to experiment.
 
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jollygreengiant

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brothernov said:
I suspect that's way too thin for traditional "pound in" hold fasts. A double plywood top could last for generations. Mine's 3 1/4" thick but the plan was 3 1/2. I built it out of laminated edge grain hard maple and it's still dead-flat after 17 years.
Click to expand...

RTM said:
Thicker is always better for pound in holdfasts. 3” was a number from my past. Mine is 2”, and occasionally bigger stiffer holdfasts would not work. We had friends who made them, so we got to experiment.
Click to expand...

Now that I've looked at holdfasts it seems I should have clarified. I'm not thinking of holdfasts, but more like the bench ********* and associated clamps.
 
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RTM

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jollygreengiant said:
Now that I've looked at holdfasts it seems I should have clarified. I'm not thinking of holdfasts, but more like the bench ********* and associated clamps.
Click to expand...
Those are a little more forgiving than holdfasts. Lee Valley has a Bench pup which will fit in a very thin top. Their bench dogs will go into pretty thin tops
 
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