A recent thread that talked in part about a height-adjustable assembly table got me thinking about how to raise and lower an assembly table that could be quite heavy without having to use a lot of muscle. I'd want something that operates at heights between about 28 and 34 inches (or a bit higher and a bit lower if it could be done economically), with some drawers for storage underneath the table top. A 3'x4' table made entirely of 1/2" MDF would weigh over 100 pounds and I'm not up for lifting that kind of weight single-handedly on a regular basis.
One option is pneumatic cylinders, which can be had for as little as $40 apiece new. I could probably get away with two of them.
Another possibility is a rack-and-pinion assembly (actually two, one on each end). I can envision how it would work but I'm not quite sure where I could find parts or whether I could build this out of wood if I can't find metal versions that are economical. Maybe a couple of old drill presses if I can figure out how to connect the pinion gears to a single shaft.
Of course, I could always buy one of these and be done with it, but then I have one more thing to find room for and it wastes 8 square feet of shop space that's already pretty scarce.
Has anyone used pneumatic cylinders or rack-and-pinion assemblies in an application like this one?
This is just in the thought stage right now and I'm fishing for opinions.
One option is pneumatic cylinders, which can be had for as little as $40 apiece new. I could probably get away with two of them.
Another possibility is a rack-and-pinion assembly (actually two, one on each end). I can envision how it would work but I'm not quite sure where I could find parts or whether I could build this out of wood if I can't find metal versions that are economical. Maybe a couple of old drill presses if I can figure out how to connect the pinion gears to a single shaft.
Of course, I could always buy one of these and be done with it, but then I have one more thing to find room for and it wastes 8 square feet of shop space that's already pretty scarce.
Has anyone used pneumatic cylinders or rack-and-pinion assemblies in an application like this one?
This is just in the thought stage right now and I'm fishing for opinions.
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