Making a portable "knife making station" table. Suggestions welcomed.

[Rancho5]

I was going to add onto my current garage workbench to make room for my Craftsman 2x42 knife grinder, tabletop drill press, and whatever else I need to make knives. But with the kids gone now we've decided to sell the house next summer and downsize. The next house will have a ship,in back. So I think I'll make a portable table I can just mount everything to and take with us when we move. And wheel out onto the driveway on nice days, and keep inside on cold days.

So what size would you guys suggest? I'd prefer it longer and narrow so it can go between cars, slide up next to my shelving, etc. Also prefer standard measurements to best utilize wood. 2x4 foot might be too small? My built in tool bench will have the beefy vise, the peg board above it etc. I'd like a shelf under the portable table and dowels on the sides for belts. It'll have an electric box of course that'll go to an extension cord. Layout wise, if I went narrow, the grinder would be on one end and the drill press on the other, then table space in between?

I'm pretty handy working off plans and also not, when I doing my own building, but I'd like this to have wheels so it can move, but then lock so it's stable. I'm just crappy at designing plans.

Any input, links, advice would be MUCH appreciated.

I'm just getting into this and you guys are the pros, so please give me your input.

 

[LARRYZ10]

Everyone has an opinion. Here's mine. If you begin to really like making knives you will become addicted to it and you will ever so slowly begin to wish for more space and better equipment. Each time you buy a new piece of equipment or a tool you will think to yourself that you have all you need. This is an early warning sign of your delusion that you can be content with that "final piece of equipment. You will first build a small shed or tool room and eventually you will either move to a place with a three car garage or you will buy a place with room for a large shop building. You will spend thousands of dollars to make a perfect knife for yourself or others. You will do yourself a favor if you move to place that has a large workspace...if it doesn't work out then places like that are always in demand so you can sell it and do something else. I cannot stop making knives and I do not want professional help because the addiction is too strong. This can happen to you too...just start making some knives and have a little success with it. Downsizing may be a mistake...why not give yourself a year to think this through? Larry Lehman

 

[tryppyr]

Here's what you need for the ultimate portable knifemaking station.

Start with a flatbed truck. Start by jacking it to the point where the bed is at the right level for working with your equipment.

Next, get a gas powered generator and mount it in the front center of the flatbed. Run the electrical outlets to the four corners of the truck.

Buy a knifemaking grinder (or build one from a kit or from scratch) and mount that as FAR from the gas tank and generator as possible.

Buy a nice table top drill press and mount is far from the gasoline too.

Get a 4 x 36 sander and mount it as far from the gasoline as possible.

Directly about where the gasoline is filled into the truck build a supplies stand that will hold your sandpaper, grinder belts, glues, tapes, cleaning supplies, and other consumable supplies. Right next to that you build a tool stand that cal hold the tools in place even when the truck is in motion (think 1970s car chase movie type motion).

Get a marble slab that is dead flat and mount that wherever you can find the space.

Mount a big vise somewhere along the edge of the flatbed. Also mount a knifemakers vise somewhere else on the truck.

If you're feeling ambitious, find a place on the flatbed to store your favorite bench/stool, or mount one that swings out and stores itself under the flat bed.

Put a large Igloo water cooler beck there somewhere. And if you have a heat treat oven, leave that in your garage or somewhere else.

When the weather is good, you drive your knifemaking truck to the nearest scenic overlook and fire up the generator and piss off the tourists. When the weather is bad you park the knifemaking truck in the garage and plug into building power.

 

[Rancho5]

Thanks for the thoughts. And I loved your video on knife making you have on your website. Beautiful knives and amazing firework.

When we move I intend to get a larger space than I have now. I would just like to start making now and am looking for the best way to utilize the small space I have, which is why I was thinking a small rolling table that could be rolled out into the driveway, and rolled back and put into whatever space I can find in my garage. Then I'll take the machinery with me to the larger space when we get the home in a year and mount it permanently.

Any insights into the kind of table, it's design or size/layout?

 

[Tim Pollack]

I have my grinder and buffer on a 2'x3' rolling workbench I made. In the process of making another for my drill press,arbor press etc. I used 4x4 pressure treated wood for the legs. 1x3's for cross braces, 3/4 birch plywood for top 1/4 birch ply for shelf. I used deck screws cause that treated lumber would eat regular screws. Locking castors from HF. The bench is heavy and with the castors locked it wont budge while grinding.

 

[Rancho5]

I have my grinder and buffer on a 2'x3' rolling workbench I made. In the process of making another for my drill press,arbor press etc. I used 4x4 pressure treated wood for the legs. 1x3's for cross braces, 3/4 birch plywood for top 1/4 birch ply for shelf. I used deck screws cause that treated lumber would eat regular screws. Locking castors from HF. The bench is heavy and with the castors locked it wont budge while grinding.

You answered one of my concerns... that of castors moving when grinding. Do you remember which locking castors you purchased from HF? Also, if you had to do it over again, what dimensions would you choose? 2' x 4'?

 

[ggoose]

I have all of my equipment on rolling tables, as I use them where I normally park my truck. I have a 2'x3' table each for the kiln and grinder, and a 3'x5' table as a work bench for the vise, portable metal band saw, and 9"disc sander. I also have a buffer on a small stand. If I need to put my truck in the garage I simply move the tables to the "woodshop" side of the garage. I also used these Harbor Freight casters on one end of each table and these on the other. I'll post some pics if it would help...

 

[Rancho5]

I have all of my equipment on rolling tables, as I use them where I normally park my truck. I have a 2'x3' table each for the kiln and grinder, and a 3'x5' table as a work bench for the vise, portable metal band saw, and 9"disc sander. I also have a buffer on a small stand. If I need to put my truck in the garage I simply move the tables to the "woodshop" side of the garage. I also used these Harbor Freight casters on one end of each table and these on the other. I'll post some pics if it would help...

Thanks ggoose! So it has been done before... If you could post pics that would be fantastic.

 

[Fiddleback]

Have you seen the Rockwell Jawhorse? We use one of the clone machines, they're cheap and the vise is quite strong. We use them to sand outside. It'd be very easy to turn 2 of them into a bench with 2 vises.

 

[ggoose]

Here are a few images. The stands are made from 2x2 square tubing. The main bench has a 2x4 top, and the others 1/4 inch diamond plate from the scrap yard...

 

[suitaroh]

I have all of my equipment on rolling tables, as I use them where I normally park my truck. I have a 2'x3' table each for the kiln and grinder, and a 3'x5' table as a work bench for the vise, portable metal band saw, and 9"disc sander. I also have a buffer on a small stand. If I need to put my truck in the garage I simply move the tables to the "woodshop" side of the garage. I also used these Harbor Freight casters on one end of each table and these on the other. I'll post some pics if it would help...

So there's these things if you're worried about casters moving around. Although, that particular set is only rated for 400 pounds. I'm sure there are other types rated for heavier loads though.

 

[Rancho5]

So there's these things if you're worried about casters moving around. Although, that particular set is only rated for 400 pounds. I'm sure there are other types rated for heavier loads though.

I love those! And less expensive than the large HF ones. Thanks.

Ordered.

 

[Tim Pollack]

Sorry late to reply... I like the 2x3 size for the grinder. I dont have much rm. in garage so next one will be 2x3 also(easier to move around). The castors are the locking 3in rubber. They work great on concrete floor but if u had to move outside they wouldnt be as good.

 

[William Schrade]

Here's what you need for the ultimate portable knifemaking station.

Start with a flatbed truck. Start by jacking it to the point where the bed is at the right level for working with your equipment.

Next, get a gas powered generator and mount it in the front center of the flatbed. Run the electrical outlets to the four corners of the truck.

Buy a knifemaking grinder (or build one from a kit or from scratch) and mount that as FAR from the gas tank and generator as possible.

Buy a nice table top drill press and mount is far from the gasoline too.

Get a 4 x 36 sander and mount it as far from the gasoline as possible.

Directly about where the gasoline is filled into the truck build a supplies stand that will hold your sandpaper, grinder belts, glues, tapes, cleaning supplies, and other consumable supplies. Right next to that you build a tool stand that cal hold the tools in place even when the truck is in motion (think 1970s car chase movie type motion).

Get a marble slab that is dead flat and mount that wherever you can find the space.

Mount a big vise somewhere along the edge of the flatbed. Also mount a knifemakers vise somewhere else on the truck.

If you're feeling ambitious, find a place on the flatbed to store your favorite bench/stool, or mount one that swings out and stores itself under the flat bed.

Put a large Igloo water cooler beck there somewhere. And if you have a heat treat oven, leave that in your garage or somewhere else.

When the weather is good, you drive your knifemaking truck to the nearest scenic overlook and fire up the generator and piss off the tourists. When the weather is bad you park the knifemaking truck in the garage and plug into building power.

LOL! That's hysterical. Where have you been?

 

[Boatbuilder]

I just finished building a new 4' x 8' x 1/2" steel plate bench. I installed 4- 2" x 72" grinders, 1 disc grinder and a drill press. I installed a panel so I only have 1 cord going to table. Never put wheels on it but I will use forklift to move outside if I decide to grind outside. I also installed 4 sets of 6 bulb t8 light fixtures. Lights each satiation up real good.
Jim