Ideas for a portable sharpening table or workbench

B

bgentry

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Aug 3, 2009
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I take my WorkSharp KO around to different places and sharpen. I also don't have a dedicated work space at home, so I have to clear off (and later clean) a table inside, or find something outside to work on. I think I want something more dedicated *and* portable. I swear, a few years ago, I saw a guy's setup here on BF, or maybe on another knife forum that was a combination toolbox, chair, table, and was on wheels. That would be perfect, but I think I'd probably have to build it out of a luggage carrier, a small chair, a table, and a toolbox.

What I'm after is roughly something like a Black and Decker WorkMate for the table. I've looked into a discontinued product called a FatMax Portable Project Center. Looked pretty cool, but it's discontinued. I hear the new WorkMates are flimsy compared to the old ones. I'm also concerned about the height. Standard tables seem to be around 29", which is fine for seated work, but way too low for standing. Counter tops seem to be 35 - 36" which is about perfect for standing work. I'd be cool with either one, but if I'm going to be seated, the table has to have some leg room, which the WorkMate doesn't seem to.

WorkMate's big competitor seems to be the Keter folding table. Seems awesome, but again it's sort of low, and it doesn't have leg room.

I'll also be using this table for sharpening with bench stones, and will probably use it for general purpose "shop" type tasks also.

I'm sure I'm over thinking this. Any sage advice?

Brian.
 
I have both the B&D WorkMate and the Keter Folding Work Table and neither are really suited for your application. You might want to take a look at the Park Tools PB-1 folding work table. It is designed for bike mechanics but is better suited for your needs than the B&D or Keter.
 
Hey Brian, your timing of this post is almost scary. I've also been thinking of a way to build such a table or workstation (and I do have a Workmate, which crossed my mind). On the occasions where I've used any table at all, I've just used a little wooden TV/dinner stand that I picked up at Walmart years ago. Just a scissor-legged folding table, but it's too wobbly for comfortable sharpening uses. I usually sit in my leather 'office chair' in front of the TV, while honing or whatever, so I'm hoping to come up with something that's conducive to that particular habit (small footprint, relatively low height, but not too low; and someplace to put my legs/feet underneath).

I'm curious to see where this thread goes... :D


David
 
What about making one on the design of the folding TV/dinner table but use heavier material? This way it could be made a bit wider or deeper for your needs with room for your legs.
 
You might consider one of these. I believe its made by Makita. I built the table on their collapsible roll around frame. Its light and will carry 350 lbs.
DSC00753.JPG
 
rpttrsn said:
What about making one on the design of the folding TV/dinner table but use heavier material? This way it could be made a bit wider or deeper for your needs with room for your legs.
Click to expand...

For me anyway, I'm hoping to find a solution with a steadier footprint. The one thing I've never liked much about folding tables with small footprints is, they're always more wobbly than I'd prefer (folding legs, and especially the scissor type, flex or give too much laterally at the pivot points). I'm thinking more along the lines of a table on four legs, or perhaps a cabinet-on-casters sort of thing. I'd recently watched an episode of 'Ask This Old House', where Tom Silva built a small kitchen island from two ready-made wall-mountable cabinets (off the shelf from the home center), anchored back-to-back, and with a butcher block tabletop mounted on it. Also mounted heavy-duty casters (lockable) on the four corners underneath it. That gave me some additional inspiration...


David
 
I'm almost to a decision. Remember that for me this is a portable workbench. It's for sharpening for sure. But for other work type tasks also. In light of that, I'm leaning towards the Rockwell Jawhorse.

From what I can tell it's very very sturdy. In fact, it's total overkill for a sharpening stand. I could easily clamp my WSKO in it, or the cookie sheet that I do sharpening on. But I'm thinking if I get this, I'll probably build a small table top out of birch plywood, and affix a 2x4 to the bottom to clamp into the vise of the jawhorse. That way I'll have a nice working surface, and the stability of the heavy tripod base below it.

At least that's what I'm thinking right now.

Brian.
 
The Jawhorse with the miter saw platform is what I use. I cut a thick rubber pad to fit the platform. Works out very well. One could of course make their own platform to their liking.
 
I bought a JawHorse. Now I need to build a table top for it. One idea is trying to find a scrap counter top like from a cabinet shop throwing away a scrap, or maybe from a remodel or something. I'd like a good table top and have it be water resistant since I'll probably be sharpening with water stones on this too.

Or I could just go simple and do birch plywood. I'll get it figured out soon and let you guys know how it works.

Brian.
 
I finally got a table top built. A guy at work helped me out by building a simple table top. It's a 3/4" piece of plywood that's right at 2 feet by 3 feet, with a 2x4 attached about 8" from each end. The 2x4s are firmly attached with 3" drywall screws. With one of the 2x4s clamped into the vice and the other sitting on the rail of the jawhorse, it makes a VERY solid table top.

I set it up today and used my WSKO to sharpen a few blades. It worked well. The height is a tiny bit lower than I'm used to, but it gave me a slightly different view of how the blade meets the belt, which might be helpful. It didn't seem to inhibit my use of the WSKO at all, and I was comfortable doing it, so the height is definitely useable.

I"ll have to test it later for sharpening on bench stones. I think the height is right, but you never know until you try.

As I said before, the JawHorse is ridiculous overkill for just a sharpening table. It's also rather heavy (about 45 pounds) so it's definitely not a convenient, easy to carry solution. But it is quite solid and gets the job done. If I was going to design something that was only for sharpening, I'd definitely go for something lighter and easier to move.

I'm happy with what I've got. Just being honest about it being overkill. :)

Brian.
 
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