Building a Simple Shop Cart

[Tom Clark]

Last spring I decided that it was time to build a new large assembly table for my workshop. When deciding on what kind of construction to use, the design of simple shop carts caught my eye. It is easy to tell that they are very useful, as they are always piled high with parts for whatever project is being built at the moment.

I set a sheet of plywood on a shop cart to help determine just what size the new table should be, and ended up with 40” x 80”. However, this simple project can be built in any size that you have room for in your shop. I build all workbenches to a standard 36” high, so that is how high the table is.

Basic construction uses 3/4” plywood legs shaped like angle iron, and they are strong! Top and bottom stringers are 4” wide, and as you can see the construction couldn’t be simpler. I needed a large shelf under my table, but the area could just as easily been filled with drawers. As a matter of fact, I did add one drawer after finding a single set of left over drawer slides.

[Tom Clark]

Building a Shop Table Page 2

The top is two layers of MDF. The first one is nailed right to the frame, and the second one glued in place. After 1/2” plywood trim was added around the edges, a sheet of 1/4” Masonite was added for a final, replaceable, top layer. Five inch casters make rolling the table around very easy.

Now my shop has an area dedicated to model building, complete with custom cabinets designed to keep everything you need right at your finger tips. I just wish I could have learned how to build cabinets years ago.

[RodKirby]

Great solution - easy construction! How did you finish it?

[dlminehart]

Nice, straightforward, effective. Wish I had room for it! Now, if it folded in quarters . . .

[Tom Clark]

Finishing?

Great solution - easy construction! How did you finish it?

Hi Rod,

I finished the table in the usual manner - electrical outlets were added, area lights mounted to help the old eyes see, and custom brackets here and there for hanging special tools…

OK, just kidding! I believe that all shop equipment should be functional above all else, which means that it has to be solid, structually sound, and work as intended. Looks, on the other hand are something else, so I go by the 10 foot rule. That means that if it looks good from 10 feet away - I am happy. Using oak plywood greatly helps in that respect. Anything will bring out its great grain pattern!
My furniture projects all receive a hand brushed coat of lacquer sanding sealer, then are finished with multiple coats of sprayed clear lacquer. When I build telescopes they receive 3-5 brushed coats of satin polyurethane for protection from the weather. Using satin instead of gloss covers many sins, while still producing a good looking finished project. Shop equipment only gets a single coat of polyurethane to make it look good and produce that nice warm oak glow. It would work just as well unfinished, but certainly not look as nice. I did not put anything over the masonite top as it is replaceable and subject to lots of spilled glue.

[JSUPreston]

Do you have any more detailed dimensions or a plan that we could look at? My current shop table is an ancient breakfast table w/ply for the top. I drilled the legs and put in a set of chair casters. Needless to say, I really need to get something better.

[MikeMcCoy]

Tom -- was your project a submittal for one of the wood magazines? It sure looks familiar but I can't remember if I saw it from you before or otherwise.

[ragswl4]

Last spring I decided that it was time to build a new large assembly table for my workshop. When deciding on what kind of construction to use, the design of simple shop carts caught my eye. It is easy to tell that they are very useful, as they are always piled high with parts for whatever project is being built at the moment.

I set a sheet of plywood on a shop cart to help determine just what size the new table should be, and ended up with 40” x 80”. However, this simple project can be built in any size that you have room for in your shop. I build all workbenches to a standard 36” high, so that is how high the table is.

Basic construction uses 3/4” plywood legs shaped like angle iron, and they are strong! Top and bottom stringers are 4” wide, and as you can see the construction couldn’t be simpler. I needed a large shelf under my table, but the area could just as easily been filled with drawers. As a matter of fact, I did add one drawer after finding a single set of left over set of drawer slides.

That is one nice table. Gotta build one as I need a nice assembly table for cabinet making, clamping, etc... Thanks for the post.

[Garasaki]

whoa whoa whoa

Someone posted a PRACTICAL piece of shop furniture on a woodworking forum?!!??!

Where's the curly maple? The wenge? It dosen't even have Paduak on it?!?!

Looks greak, nice and simple. Easily adaptable design (so, no need to ask for "detailed measurements"!). A vast expanse of flat space is infinately useful in a shop. I would bet cash money that thing is literally never cleared off...

[radhak]

Tom -- was your project a submittal for one of the wood magazines? It sure looks familiar but I can't remember if I saw it from you before or otherwise.

Actually, Tom is one of our resident celebrities : he has figured in detail in one of the specials from wood magazine. This thread describes this better.

Tom is also an author of a small but power-packed book on building shop-cabinets (from www.shop-cabinets.com) . I bought it recently, and it's a fascinating read - it's quickly become one of my most read books.

[ejs1097]

Great looking workbench Tom. Your pictures and descriptions are Super. I could use one of those and there seems to be alot of interest from other too.

I have a few questions if you don't mind.

1) I don't see any traces of pocket screws or other metal fasteners on the legs, are they just glued?

2) You wrapped the MDF with trim then placed masonite on top. Does the masonite then overlap the trim?

3) Since the masonite is replacable, how is it attached to the top?

Thanks for sharing.

[Pakaderm]

Great looking workbench Tom. Your pictures and descriptions are Super. I could use one of those and there seems to be alot of interest from other too.

I have a few questions if you don't mind.

1) I don't see any traces of pocket screws or other metal fasteners on the legs, are they just glued?

2) You wrapped the MDF with trim then placed masonite on top. Does the masonite then overlap the trim?

3) Since the masonite is replacable, how is it attached to the top?

Thanks for sharing.

Tom uses glue and nails to put his cabinets/tables together. If you look closely in the pics above you can see the tiny holes from the 16 or 18 gauge brads.

I believe the masonite is 'set in' the trim. It is held down by gravity? Maybe a couple of 18 gauge brads throughout?

-Pak

[Tom Clark]

Great looking workbench Tom. Your pictures and descriptions are Super. I could use one of those and there seems to be alot of interest from other too.

I have a few questions if you don't mind.

1) I don't see any traces of pocket screws or other metal fasteners on the legs, are they just glued?

2) You wrapped the MDF with trim then placed masonite on top. Does the masonite then overlap the trim?

3) Since the masonite is replacable, how is it attached to the top?

Thanks for sharing.

1. I have an old, worn out Senco 16 gage finish nailer. I just glue and nail, then fill holes with Famowood filler. Sounds crude, but hey, it works wonderfully, and I can build projects faster than most can draw a picture of them!

2. The trim sticks up one-half inch above the Masonite, on both sides and the back - to keep tools from rolling off. The front is flush. However, that was just my requirements. Build yours however you wish.

3. The great plan was to just let gravity hold it down, but nature is a mother! The edges kept curling up on me, so I nailed them down with tiny 1" nails. They are easy to pull and replace.


JsuPreston: The handiest thing in the design world is a pad of graph paper and a pencil. I built my table to fit MY requirements and shop. This project is so simple that no plans are necessary. Just study the photos until the construction method is clear, then sketch one to fit YOUR shop and needs. It may be smaller or larger. That is one of the best things about simple designs is you can build them in whatever size YOU need.

MikeMcCoy: You may have seen a photo of the table in a previous post. My shop was in America's Best Home Workshops this year, but the table was built long after the photographer did the shoot. I did send in an article to a wood magazine, but they told me to get lost…

Garasaki: You loose. Send cash. I recently cleaned the table off when I was taking photos for another article I recently wrote on shop cabinets. (But there usually is a model under construction on the table! - I wreck so many!!)

[TB Roye]

I built the `18 drawer work bench in Tom's book and it came out great. Also made a cabinte/lathe stand using the same technique. Very simple and fast (KISS) Now I may make a version of his assembly cart. His book is great for the price and I recomend it. I bought Norm's NYW Video with the measured drawing which is very good but for the cost of the drawer guides alone I could have built 2 or 3 of Tom's work benches. I have nothing against the traditional methods of joinery and techniques and have used them in the past, but I need something quick and simple at the time to get me out of a depression and back into the shop and it did. The work bench helped clean up and organize my small shop by eliminating some wall hung cabinets on some other cabinets and made more working room.

Tom

[jhart]

I purchased Tom's book a couple of months ago and for $12.95 (I believe that was what I paid for it), it may be the best woodworking dollars I have spent. Good basic information to build quick and easy shop cabinets and drawers. You can fancy them up with hardwoods if you want. Thanks Tom.