BT Mobile base and router table

[poolhound]

That turned out very nicely - well done!

Ray

Thanks Ray especially for your help in the early stages with the torsion box.

[dbhost]

Heck, I don't want anyone making one for me. Just maybe walk me through the steps to help avoid the mistakes...

I've never done a torsion box, or anything that large honestly. I am really liking the look of this...

I don't suppose you drew up a plan for this that you'd like to share did you?

[pbui3057]

That is amazing looking. Is that walnut trim? I wish I had space for something like that.

[poolhound]

Heck, I don't want anyone making one for me. Just maybe walk me through the steps to help avoid the mistakes...

I've never done a torsion box, or anything that large honestly. I am really liking the look of this...

I don't suppose you drew up a plan for this that you'd like to share did you?

Plan - whats that

I have notebooks and pieces of paper with various sketches and calculations on sizes etc but I doubt you would make much sense of them without context.

Some dimensions are fixed or at least based within certain limits e.g. width between the rails is fixed, height is usually somewhere in the 33-36" range and length depends on wether you use full or half extension rails or somehwere in between.

In my design I also took into consideration where it was to be stored and the fact that I wanted it to be able to go flush against the wall without any wasted space, hence the inset wheels on the rear.

Once you have you basic external dimensions (L,W,H) decided then the internal config of drawers and features is up to you. How you will mobilize it i.e. casters, creates a fundemental design choice. The are various options and these will dictate how much potential storage volume you gain or lose.

If or should I say when you decide to go ahead I (and the rest of us) are here to provide answers and guidance that will either help or hinder your decsions

[thestinker]

Looks great!!

[jking]

In my design I also took into consideration where it was to be stored and the fact that I wanted it to be able to go flush against the wall without any wasted space, hence the inset wheels on the rear.

I completely overlooked that detail in the pictures. I like that idea. One question, though. How easily have you found the entire unit for manuevering? If you're storing it against a wall, I'm thinking about if you have pretty tight quarters, does it swing out and back in easily? Or, do find yourself having trouble getting it pulled out and put back against the wall?

A mobile base is probably what I will do at some point. I will need to get some of the parameters worked out before I start.

[dbhost]

If or should I say when you decide to go ahead I (and the rest of us) are here to provide answers and guidance that will either help or hinder your decsions

That about sums it up right...

I need to go back over your other thread. I don't recall exactly how the BT is mounted to the base...

I was actually hunting more for construction detail ideas. A sketchup would be kick a** for a starting point... I am pretty sure the Sketchup model of the BT that is out there isn't quite to scale though...

[poolhound]

That about sums it up right...

I need to go back over your other thread. I don't recall exactly how the BT is mounted to the base...

I was actually hunting more for construction detail ideas. A sketchup would be kick a** for a starting point... I am pretty sure the Sketchup model of the BT that is out there isn't quite to scale though...

The "Diary" thread provides quite a lot of construction notes and if there is something else you need just ask.

[poolhound]

I completely overlooked that detail in the pictures. I like that idea. One question, though. How easily have you found the entire unit for manuevering? If you're storing it against a wall, I'm thinking about if you have pretty tight quarters, does it swing out and back in easily? Or, do find yourself having trouble getting it pulled out and put back against the wall?

A mobile base is probably what I will do at some point. I will need to get some of the parameters worked out before I start.

Given its size and weight its actually pretty easy to move once you get the hang of exactly where to pivot it to steer it into its home location. I will take some pics and post them here but I would guess I only have about 6" extra space to play with.

[poolhound]

That is amazing looking. Is that walnut trim? I wish I had space for something like that.

Yes the trim is walnut. I wanted to cover the exposed ply and just happen to have a bunch of 3/4" sq scraps of walnut.

By building this I have actually created more space as I have now got rid of my dedicated router table and the storage in the cabinet was from space that previously was just wasted AIR!!

[Bill in Buena Park]

Jon,
Your table turned out awesome. Great design. I need to keep my 21829 on its mobile base for space and transportability, but if I didn't, I'd borrow strongly from your design.

[poolhound]

Given its size and weight its actually pretty easy to move once you get the hang of exactly where to pivot it to steer it into its home location. I will take some pics and post them here but I would guess I only have about 6" extra space to play with.

Here are some pics so you can see that it fits into a space with very little clearance. Its actually more like 2-3" as it goes tight against the jointer on one end and there doesnt need to be that much room for the wheels to clear on the other.

[BearPipes-1]

Terrific. If you mentioned it during the construction articles, I couldn't find it - could you guestimate how much walnut you ended up using? I love the contrast.

[poolhound]

Not much, it was mainly to trim the exposed edges of the plywood. Its only 1/4" thick by 3/4" so in bd/ft terms its probably less than 1.

I only used the walnut as I have a bunch of 3/4" sq offcuts although as you say the contrast does look nice.

[shoottx]

Jon

What a spectacular build, and a great finished cabinet. I have watched the whole process and did not want to jinks it by commenting earlier. The effort you have taken to document the whole process is better than most of the free plans available.

I am sure the new cabinet and the router table are the platform to take your woodworking to the next level. I don't know how much better ic can be but I am sure it will make your job easier.

Again thanks for creating a furniture grade shop fixture!