# Bench Top Mounting System



## Eddyde (Dec 3, 2017)

Hi All,
This is a system I came up with for securing small machines, tools etc. to a workbench top. Basically, it's a machine tool "slot & tee nut" arrangement, made out of common strut channel. It was a result of my commitment issues, except in this case instead of women, it was tool placement. The system allows items to be mounted securely and easily moved if needed. The machines are also mounted to strut channels and angle iron that allows them and the stock supports to slide out so longer pieces of work can be cut.

Construction: The base of the countertop is made out of 2 layers of ¾" plywood, the first layer is screwed to the cabinets below, then second layer was glued and screwed to the first layer, with staggered seams. The ½ height strut channels were screwed and Gorilla glued in between Formica laminated particleboard strips, that were glued down with white glue.

The admittedly ugly Formica was salvaged from 3 damaged sheets purchased at half price from The Home Depot, in hindsight I should have held out and ordered a more suitable pattern, but it was instantly available and cheap...




The total length is 26'


The ends of the channel are milled to allow the tee nuts to be inserted.


Polyurethane caulk at all seams. To prevent something like a spilled "large Coke to go" from wreaking havoc on the particleboard.



I used the same size bolt (⅜-16 spline drive) for most connections, so only one ⅜ box-end wrench is needed for most adjustments.



All the machine table heights are the same (6"above countertop) so they don't interfere with work from adjacent machines. this way, I can cut up to 6" wide and 10' long on any of the three saws without having to slide them out. So most metal stock can be cut easily and quickly.


The machines are very rigid even when extended out.


If I need to cut wider the chop saw can slide out and cut 16" wide X 12'+ right or left. If I ever need to cut longer, I can simply move the saw.
I also made all the "tee nuts", will post pics soon.
I plan on using this system to construct a welding table as well, stay tuned...


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## brino (Dec 3, 2017)

Great idea Eddy!
Thanks for sharing it.
-brino


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## FOMOGO (Dec 3, 2017)

Very cool setup. The only short coming I can see is the mix of hot metal from cutoff saws taking a toll on the Formica surface. When you build your welding table version, those saws could be moved to it. Very nicely done. Mike


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## barnett (Dec 4, 2017)

That's a nice bench, what kind of drawers are under it? what size strut did you use, 7/8" or 1-5/8?


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## Eddyde (Dec 4, 2017)

FOMOGO said:


> Very cool setup. The only short coming I can see is the mix of hot metal from cutoff saws taking a toll on the Formica surface. When you build your welding table version, those saws could be moved to it. Very nicely done. Mike


Thanks Mike, The Formica surface is actually quite durable, the chips from the saw don't burn it. The Metal Devil saw is non abrasive, carbide tooth, no molten sparks just chips. I was originally thinking of cladding the top in thin steel plate but it is unnecessary thus I couldn't justify the expense.


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## Eddyde (Dec 4, 2017)

barnett said:


> That's a nice bench, what kind of drawers are under it? what size strut did you use, 7/8" or 1-5/8?


Thanks Tom, The metal drawer units were bought surplus, they were from office desks of a local police force, They fairly are well made with ballbearing slides. At either end of the bench are shop made wooden cabinets with space for 16 large plastic storage bins. The Strut channel is ½ height, ⅞" (actually 13/16") thick.


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## RandyM (Dec 4, 2017)

OK, now that is different Eddy. I like the original thinking.


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## richl (Dec 4, 2017)

I removed a long 12 foot bench/cabinet I built years back. On top I had a chop saw and a big fence, it really was a huge waiste of space,  only use was for the chopsaw. I like your approach, not perfect, but pretty close.
Nice work.


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## Eddyde (Dec 4, 2017)

richl said:


> I removed a long 12 foot bench/cabinet I built years back. On top I had a chop saw and a big fence, it really was a huge waiste of space,  only use was for the chopsaw. I like your approach, not perfect, but pretty close.
> Nice work.


Yeah, I had a similar, 20' fence, arrangement in my old shop, a waste of space indeed. I didn't want to repeat that mistake so this was the result. No, not perfect, but easily refined. I hope others will expand on this idea, I think it has a lot of potential...


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## KBeitz (Sep 18, 2018)

I did the same thing to my wood working table for wood clamps
	

		
			
		

		
	



	

		
			
		

		
	
...


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## C-Bag (Sep 18, 2018)

Beautiful. Good job.

I love Formica and used a chunk we had left over from out kitchen remodel for a small work station/ bench. I love unistrut and completely forgot about that as an option for attaching tools! I've been contemplating a new roll around work station with my 8" bench grinder, 3ton arbor press and possibly my tapping machine. This has been bugging me because I was trying to figure how make the whole thing adjustable for the different units and had completely forgot about unistrut! D'oh


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## KBeitz (Sep 18, 2018)

Another bench hookup that I use on all my benches is class 3 hitchs. 
Slide a tool in and use it. Slide the tool out and put it away...
Very strong and very fast...


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## jdedmon91 (Sep 18, 2018)

I have a small steel plate mounted to my workbench. On the plate I have 1/4 20 threaded holes to mount my portable bandsaw stand, my tapping machine, and chain sharpening grinder. 

Here is the video 





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## GunsOfNavarone (Sep 18, 2018)

Man! I'm jelly (as the girls would say...) I however would not want to get any machinery down your stairs (saw plumbing in the ceiling, i assume its a basement?) Then again winter in Colorado in a garage isn't fun either!
Nice!


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## Eddyde (Sep 18, 2018)

Thanks! Yes the shop is in a basement, getting machines in is a little extra hassle but they aren't going out, at least not in my lifetime  Also, the temperature is pretty nice and stable year round.
Here's how I got the mill down there...
https://www.hobby-machinist.com/thr...ling-machine-in-a-low-ceiling-basement.38765/
I will soon be posting my venture getting a lathe down there, it involves a backhoe, stay tuned...


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## GunsOfNavarone (Sep 18, 2018)

Having all those floor joists has got to be awesome. You could put a hoist just about anywhere! Looking forward to the next (backhoe install)!


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## C-Bag (Sep 19, 2018)

+1 on the slide outs, somehow I missed that. I don't see this flexibility as a lack of commitment. I've gotten really tired of major overhauls to something because I couldn't see into the future and grasp what I could do to help work flow. 

One of the best things I've run across for how I do things and the projects I do is 80/20 aluminum extrusions. I needed flexibility above and beyond unistrut and happened to score 74' of the 2"x2" stuff plus a bunch of hardware for it off the local CL. It was originally an old DIY CNC router table that got scrapped. I made a jig table out of it and a radius cutter for doing precision convex and concave mating curves for metal forming. The true beauty of the stuff is if something doesn't work you can take it apart and reconfigure it. Here's the radius cutter:


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