Torsion box top

[LinuxRandal]

The large workstation idea's thread made me think. I have a 2' square, 1/2" thick, piece of glass, from a friends estate, that I wanted to make into a scary sharp table. The workstation post mentioned a lighted table, and a torsion box would lead to that, but, does the top have to be mounted or can it be just set down (so I could swap it later, change the bulb, etc).
TIA

[LCHIEN]

it's going to be pretty heavy, at1/2" thick.
Many furniture items with a thick glass top simply have the top set on a base using gravity only to hold it (any maybe some non-skid bumpers) provided the table is stable.

You could pretty much set it into a recess and will be fine. Gravity is a wonderful thing... there has never been a general gravity failure!

[BobSch]

Gravity is a wonderful thing... there has never been a general gravity failure!

But there have been several severe local gravity disturbances. I felt one the last time I was out imbibing

[gerti]

But there have been several severe local gravity disturbances. I felt one the last time I was out imbibing

Sure, make me look up stuff in the dictionary...

Back to the original post: If you 'just set down' the glass on the ribs it will not be a torsion box.

[mdutch]

1/2" glass is heavy and a tiny clink can cause a major chip. So how about not removing it?

Since torsion box partitions will potentially interfere with the lighting, use torsion-box construction for the outer "frame" part, and leave the center (glass) area open and free of interior partitions. Then you can put the fluorescent lighting in some removable "drawers" in the body of the box so you can pull them out for easy bulb-changing.

If the glass is clear, put a milk-white plastic diffuser beneath and you should get even lighting.

Just one man's opinion...

[RickCarpenter]

Then you can put the fluorescent lighting in some removable "drawers" in the body of the box so you can pull them out for easy bulb-changing.

This is a good idea, but LEDs might be cheaper and easier and you could mount them in holes drilled in the back. I would suggest making the box ribs out of clear acrylic, the top out of translucent acrylic, and the bottom and sides out of whatever. This way you'll keep it a torsion box and not just a box. Make the sides tall enough to hold the glass sheet in but don't permanently fasten it, so it is replaceable.

Rick

[25]

This is a good idea, but LEDs might be cheaper and easier and you could mount them in holes drilled in the back. I would suggest making the box ribs out of clear acrylic, the top out of translucent acrylic, and the bottom and sides out of whatever. This way you'll keep it a torsion box and not just a box. Make the sides tall enough to hold the glass sheet in but don't permanently fasten it, so it is replaceable.

Rick

This is a pretty good idea, however, drilling the holes and running the wire would be a nightmare. Then again I always overdo things like this and would have at least 100 LEDs to make sure it had enough light .

[gsmittle]

But there have been several severe local gravity disturbances. I felt one the last time I was out imbibing

There's one at my doctor's office, too. It's located right under the scale....

g.