Bigger and bolder projects can’t be built on the floor
Initially I had thoughts about building a large heavy woodworking bench with a vice, dog holes … the whole 9 yards.
Honestly though, I don’t have the space for that at the moment and given my diverse interests I wanted something more versatile. I decided I wanted something big…but small enough and light enough that I could get it up the basement stairs in one piece should I need to move it out. I also wanted more storage for my growing set of tools and be able to wheel it around.
The solution I settled on was a 24’ X 48’ X 36’ project table made with standard 2X4 lumber and rolling on castors.
24’ X 48’ is a standard size, which means I was able to buy a sheet of MDF that fit it perfectly with no alterations. (MDF being a great starter top for me as it’s very flat and smooth and unlikely to warp, important for building things that are also square and flat) In addition, 24’ is skinny enough to fit up the stairs.
Having it on castors makes it easy to move out of the way on laundry day and allows it to butt up against the table saw as an outfeed table.
A pair of gas struts and a piano hinge helped add some easy storage under the top. The extra shelf below is not only useful storage, but adds some good stability and weight for those times when I need the table to not move at all.
Finally, choosing a 36’ height seemed reasonable after researching standard workbench heights.
Should I need a larger table in the future, I could always build a second one and connect the two tables together with magnets or other connections.
To give credit where it is due, I definitely took inspiration from the “I Like To Make Stuff” youtube channel.
