Flip top tool cart question...

[dbhost]

I'm not entirely sold on them, but, for the time being at least, the very concept of pulling ANY of my bench top tools off of the wall stacking rack is very unappealing...

Given a few more days of rest, and medications I may be singing a different tune, as under normal circumstances, I really don't mind the wall stack system, and it honestly buys me back floor space that I am not exactly flush with...

[wardprobst]

I'm not entirely sold on them, but, for the time being at least, the very concept of pulling ANY of my bench top tools off of the wall stacking rack is very unappealing...

Given a few more days of rest, and medications I may be singing a different tune, as under normal circumstances, I really don't mind the wall stack system, and it honestly buys me back floor space that I am not exactly flush with...

I've seen a workshop with the planer stored near the ceiling with a block & tackle. It was let down onto a bench or table. Most bench top planers have nice handles for attaching line. I used to have both of mine on a rolling stand that worked pretty well in my previous small shop. The middle picture at http://www.wardprobst.com/Everett%20Grand.html shows it tucked under my BT3K clone.
Just some other options,
DP

[pelligrini]

Charlie has a pretty cool solution.

I have a 92lbs DW735 planer on my cart only. It's really pretty easy to flip. I'd guess it feels more like lifting about 35lbs or so, and that's only for a small portion of the rotation.

The flipping of your jointer might create some other issues, depending on the size. If it's shorter like Charlie's photo it shouldn't be too bad. A longer jointer will either make a wider cart or make for some tall clearances if flipped end for end.

Other solutions in lieu of flipping is to mount multiple tools on a cart. I put my Hitachi belt sander on one side of a cart with drawers and put my worksharp and grinder on the other.

[dbhost]

Just so everyone is clear as to what I am talking about... This is the existing setup for my bench top tools... The miter saw is on a miter saw stand and not on this rig...



You can see the jointer toward the bottom. It is a Sunhill Machinery SM-150B.

[toolguy1000]

i built 2 flip up stands. one could be used for 2 tools:



the other is single tool specific:



note that the "hinge" pin is a similar principal with two different executions. just providing pics for thought provocation.

[BerniePA]

My setup is exactly like CharlieX's (see above), except that I have my jointer mounted 90 degrees from his -- that is running "front to back" rather than "across" the cabinet. Just measure 1/2 the length of your feed table and make sure that much will fit under the top of the stand and the bottom platform. You'll probably find it will be less than your planer is tall.

As mentioned by others, I don't store items in the "storage tray" on the top of my Ryobi Planer because it does have a tendency to come open when you swap tools.

[3thumbs]

I built the Shopnotes "flip top cabinet" for my Dewalt 734 planer, and my Ridgid
spindle/oscillating belt sander. I made it the same height as my table saw, so that I could use it as an outfeed table. The cabinet is on locking casters.
I made a hoist for my router table out of a bike lift and drawer slides mounted to the ceiling. That way I can pull out the hoist and lower the table when I need it.
DM

[capncarl]

dbhost, have you considered mounting your heavy tools on one bench close together, on sliders that pull out toward the shop? They could actually be in cabinets with flip up and back doors. One of ww magazines had this set up featured in the last 24 months. I believe each tool base was in a cut out below the surface of the work bench kinda like some of the bt3 set ups, with a lift out work bench surface. That way the work bench is the infeed and outfeed surface for your tools.
capncarl

[dbhost]

Update to the flip top stands...

As you may have guessed, I benched this idea for a while as I organized, and worked other projects, but I did not let it get out of my mind...

I think I have settled on how I am going to configure this...

2 flip top stands. According to my measurements, these will work this way...

#1. Stand to hold the jointer on one side, and the Ridgid OSS on the other side.
#2. Stand to hold the planer on one side, and the SCMS on the other. I will need to build some sawhorse stand type extensions for the fence / stop blocks, but I can hang those from the ceiling when not in use, and save a mess of floor space.

I finally got the deal on the mortiser I wanted. This will actually go on a non flip top cabinet of its own. For now, it will live on the strong tie workbench...

The idea is that I want to be able to move these around so that I can maximize my infeed / outfeed space around them.

The grinder will be moved to a dedicated sharpening station that I am working plans on now. I am looking into basically a narrow storage cabinet, with a space for a turning tools rack on top... This too will have casters, and live close to the lathe, but it needs to be easily movable in order for me to quickly reconfigure my shop as the need arises.

I have been collecting the hardware so far. I have the eye bolts, washers, nuts, thread inserts and casters for one of the flip top stands. Chances are the casters will actually go elsewhere as I want the flip top stands to match, so I will likely grab a couple of sets of casters from Grizzly ASAP...

Then the fun part, once these are done, I get to rearrange the storage that is under the strong tie bench, and build a sheet goods rack...

I think for now, I am going to cool it on shop projects, I have the mortiser, and the walnut and maple blanket chest / coffee table project is calling my name...

[eezlock]

flip top tool cast question

I would think that it would be easier to mount that jointer or any other similar sized jointer on a rotating top (disc) type of tool stand...not a flip top like you suggested earlier. A flip flop tool cart/ stand would be "ok" for most other small machines...but not a jointer. A larger 6in. size, cast iron jointer, would be a real bear to manually flip/rotate this machine into/ out of operating position every time it is needed,also would place a lot of stress on the jointer that it is not designed to handle! THINK ABOUT THIS if you are needing or wanting to replace your jointer with a larger version in the near future!

A rotating top ( disc type) rotating tool stand would be better off and last longer if smaller machines are mounted all in the same operating plane as the jointer and not constantly having been switched from one to other to perform
needed functions.

A flip flop stand is one good alternative to a small work area but it will not cure all your machine mounting woes as neither does the rotating (disc) type
solve all your machine requirements!

I would consider mounting the jointer to a small, accessory wing underneath
the tablesaw's main table and supported by the saw's main support system, it
would give better access to the next milling operation without going elsewhere to perform the needed function, like the old Homecraft version of
combination machines that were available a few years back.

Save the flip top tool stand for smaller, less used machines, your back will
thank you also in the future also!

[jeepman71]

I had an issue with floor space and decided to put my Dewalt planer on a flip top stand with my bench top jointer. After a lot of consideration I decided not to put the planer on this type of stand for fear that any overhang of the lumber might upset the stand. I purchased a chest like this one http://www.homedepot.com/Husky/h_d1/...atalogId=10053 from Homedepot and mounted the planer on it. This seems to be very stable and houses alot of other things that needed a home.

[pelligrini]

I would think that it would be easier to mount that jointer or any other similar sized jointer on a rotating top (disc) type of tool stand...not a flip top like you suggested earlier. A flip flop tool cart/ stand would be "ok" for most other small machines...but not a jointer. A larger 6in. size, cast iron jointer, would be a real bear to manually flip/rotate this machine into/ out of operating position every time it is needed,also would place a lot of stress on the jointer that it is not designed to handle!

David has a small Sunhill jointer, you can see it in this post: http://www.bt3central.com/showpost.p...2&postcount=19 It's not much bigger than his other benchtop machines. I don't think there would be any issues flipping it over. A rotating disc is nice if space is available, but for the four machines I think the floor area lost will be more then two flip top carts.

I saw some hinged support extensions in a magazine a while back that might be able to be adapted to your carts. They folded compactly onto the sides of the cart they were on. I'll see if I can locate the articles. I bet one was in Shopnotes or Wood. It would save you from finding a place to store the supports.

I put my DW735 planer on a flip top cabinet. http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=39913 It's not exactly a light piece of machinery, flipping it over is pretty easy. I like having the other side of the stand clear though. It makes a nice smaller assembly table. Besides, it wouldn't fit under my Roubo-like bench with another tool bolted to it.

[dbhost]

I had considered, and fairly quickly written off the rotating disk type stand like the one in Shop Notes "The Complete Small Shop" publication. It does cram a lot of function in a small-ish footprint, but the overall size of the thing is unwieldy, and would not allow for full utilization of the planer, or jointer as other tools got in the way. At least according to my Sketchup drawings...

Mind you, I am not talking about mounting a full size floor standing type jointer on a rotating stand, I am talking about a small bench top machine. The total bed length is less than 30", and the weight of the thing is less than my planer.

The other, and possibly more appealing option I see is taking the already in use Strong Tie workbench, and mounting up some sort of lockable slide system for each tool, so that I can slide each tool out, use it, slide it back in... However that puts us back into too many things permanently in one area, I need mobility...

Given the shared space nature of my shop, I need to think, and work in 3 dimensions.

The idea of mounting under the TS extension wing is good for space utilization, except that space is already used by the shop vac / thien separator, and even if empty, the workbench is immediately behind it and would cause interference problems with the jointer. Even if none of those problems existed, we still have to deal with the fact I have back problems, and I would have to stoop down to use a jointer under the table saw, which is not really a workable option.

The collection of all of these issues, keeps bringing me back to the idea of the flip top stands...

Mind you, I am certainly open to fresh ideas, and I am not trying to come off as wedded to any single idea at this time. I haven't cut a single piece of lumber for this project after all... What I did want to bring up is merely the fact that I have some, funky issues I am trying to solve, some related to the space at hand, some related to the user of the equipment and the space.

So to be as open as possible to ideas, let me lay out what I am trying to solve...

I have the following bench top equipment that needs to be able to have at least 8' in feed and 8' outfeed, and mobility to increase that as needed. It needs to be tucked away when not in use.

#1. Sunhill 6" Bench Top Jointer.
#2. Ryobi 13" lunchbox planer
#3. Ridgid EB4424 Oscillating belt / spindle sander.
#4. Ryobi 8" bench grinder with Wolverine Jig.
#5. Chicago Electric 12" Sliding Compound Miter Saw.
#6. Central Machinery Mortising Machine.

For the human issue, due to constraints my back has placed on me (if you haven't been in a major car wreck, do yourself a favor and avoid it, it's no fun...) I need to minimize lifting or bending / stooping to an absolute minimum.

I am willing to sacrifice a little longevity of my machines to save my back, but I honestly seriously doubt that a flip top stand would hurt any of them. The only real issue I can see is the on board accessory storage for the various machines. Especially the sander...

Honestly, I love where they are now, if I could figure out some sort of rig where I could slide them out and lower / raise them into working position, lock them in place, and use them, with some sort of mechanical aid, I would probably go that way...

Of course, if I can get the $$ together to finally build that garden shed to clear the garage out, I would have the front half of the first bay, and I could just build rolling cabinets for each of these tools and be done with it. No flipping, lots of storage underneath, win / win... Stupid mower, weed eater, garden stuff...

Mind you, I am blessed beyond description to be able to have built such a shop as I have. I know a lot of guys are cranking out fantastic projects with far less equipment, and much smaller spaces, and I am not complaining about my setup. But I certainly wouldn't mind being blessed with more room to work...

[wardprobst]

The best thing I can recommend is get the garden stuff out in a shed. You can buy a metal shed for $300 or so depending upon size(Arrow is one brand I've used) put it up in a weekend and be done. It's better for your back to have space to move around in than to be cramped, DAMHIK.
DP

[dbhost]

The best thing I can recommend is get the garden stuff out in a shed. You can buy a metal shed for $300 or so depending upon size(Arrow is one brand I've used) put it up in a weekend and be done. It's better for your back to have space to move around in than to be cramped, DAMHIK.
DP

Agreed, however, that $300.00 metal shed is a mere 5'x6', hardly enough to keep the mower and smoker in. I need a lot more room that that. I need at least a 10x12 to stuff everything I need to fit, in...

I am looking at a quick build wood kit like the 2x4 basics, I can throw together an 8x14 pretty quick, and within reasonable cost. And it would sure solve the flip stand problem. at that point, I would be wanting to build rolling cabinet with drawers not flip top carts... Actually, at that point I would be looking to sell my bench top jointer, and scrape up enough to get an old iron 8" jointer on a mobile base...