JP

Jay Pique

22/01/2005 11:58 AM

Wobbly bench woes.

As I rearrange my shop, I've noticed that my benches wobble ever so
slightly depending on where they are placed. Additionally, they are
very rudimentary (tubafours and plywood) and not all that heavy. As
such they can slide if pushed too hard.

What I'd like to do is install some leveling feet with rubber pads on
the bottom. This should eliminate the wobbling as well as the
slipping. I've seen a bunch of leveling pads in the Reid Tool
catalog, but they are quite pricey. Anyone have any cheaper
suggestions?

Thanks -
JP


This topic has 10 replies

Js

"JLarsson"

in reply to Jay Pique on 22/01/2005 11:58 AM

22/01/2005 8:35 PM

Obviously, you need to have your entire shop floor professionally
leveled. +/- .002" (or is that .0002"?) for the entire length and
width of your shop. That way, your benches will wobble exactly the
same way no matter where you put it.

It shouldn't cost you more than $50/square foot. (not to be confused
with linear nor lineal feet).

Benches? How many do you have? Seriously, I like the carriage
bolt/T-nut/lock-nut idea. Maybe you could find a rubber cap that would
just fit over the head of the carriage bolt. Or maybe that will take
you right back into the price range of the leveling pads.

Good luck with it. I need to get back out in my shop. Can't remember
if the bench wobbles or not. 8^)

Jon Larsson

Gg

"George"

in reply to Jay Pique on 22/01/2005 11:58 AM

22/01/2005 2:35 PM


"Jay Pique" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> As I rearrange my shop, I've noticed that my benches wobble ever so
> slightly depending on where they are placed. Additionally, they are
> very rudimentary (tubafours and plywood) and not all that heavy. As
> such they can slide if pushed too hard.
>
> What I'd like to do is install some leveling feet with rubber pads on
> the bottom. This should eliminate the wobbling as well as the
> slipping. I've seen a bunch of leveling pads in the Reid Tool
> catalog, but they are quite pricey. Anyone have any cheaper
> suggestions?
>
Same-o shimming anything. Cedar shingles, secure and snap. You can add
some hot glue as non-skid.

Bb

Bruce

in reply to Jay Pique on 22/01/2005 11:58 AM

22/01/2005 6:12 PM

On Sat, 22 Jan 2005 09:58:16 -0700, Jay Pique wrote
(in article <[email protected]>):

> As I rearrange my shop, I've noticed that my benches wobble ever so
> slightly depending on where they are placed. Additionally, they are
> very rudimentary (tubafours and plywood) and not all that heavy. As
> such they can slide if pushed too hard.
>
> What I'd like to do is install some leveling feet with rubber pads on
> the bottom. This should eliminate the wobbling as well as the
> slipping. I've seen a bunch of leveling pads in the Reid Tool
> catalog, but they are quite pricey. Anyone have any cheaper
> suggestions?
>
> Thanks -
> JP

Screw a lag bolt into each leg.

-Bruce

Gs

Groggy

in reply to Jay Pique on 22/01/2005 11:58 AM

23/01/2005 6:32 AM

On Sat, 22 Jan 2005 11:58:16 -0500, Jay Pique <[email protected]>
wrote:

>As I rearrange my shop, I've noticed that my benches wobble ever so
>slightly depending on where they are placed. Additionally, they are
>very rudimentary (tubafours and plywood) and not all that heavy. As
>such they can slide if pushed too hard.
>
>What I'd like to do is install some leveling feet with rubber pads on
>the bottom. This should eliminate the wobbling as well as the
>slipping. I've seen a bunch of leveling pads in the Reid Tool
>catalog, but they are quite pricey. Anyone have any cheaper
>suggestions?

I use a wedge with a smear of glue to hold it, works for me.

GA

Gordon Airporte

in reply to Jay Pique on 22/01/2005 11:58 AM

22/01/2005 10:22 PM

Cross-bracing will take care of the wobbles. I'd add one brace at a time
until it's stable.

Pg

Patriarch

in reply to Jay Pique on 22/01/2005 11:58 AM

22/01/2005 11:30 AM

Jay Pique <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> As I rearrange my shop, I've noticed that my benches wobble ever so
> slightly depending on where they are placed. Additionally, they are
> very rudimentary (tubafours and plywood) and not all that heavy. As
> such they can slide if pushed too hard.
>
> What I'd like to do is install some leveling feet with rubber pads on
> the bottom. This should eliminate the wobbling as well as the
> slipping. I've seen a bunch of leveling pads in the Reid Tool
> catalog, but they are quite pricey. Anyone have any cheaper
> suggestions?
>
> Thanks -
> JP
>

Mine is leveled with an offcut from one of the first tapered table legs I
cut. Is that sufficiently frugal for your tastes? JOAT would be proud.

My bench is engineered much as you describe yours, except that I've
recently added a scrounged wood fire-rated door, adding almost two inches
of height, and 150 lbs or so of mass. And a clean top.

Patriarch

JJ

in reply to Patriarch on 22/01/2005 11:30 AM

22/01/2005 1:43 PM

Sat, Jan 22, 2005, 11:30am (EST-1) [email protected]
(Patriarch) says:
Mine is leveled with an offcut from one of the first tapered table legs
I cut. Is that sufficiently frugal for your tastes? JOAT would be proud.
<snip>

Ah, you have done well (insert insect of your choice).

You know you've got major problems, when you've got to shim all 4
legs to stop the wobbling.

Folded cardboard works too.



JOAT
Charity ain't giving people what you wants to give, it's giving people
what they need to get.
- Albert

JP

Jay Pique

in reply to Jay Pique on 22/01/2005 11:58 AM

23/01/2005 1:42 PM

On Sat, 22 Jan 2005 11:30:49 -0600, Patriarch
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Jay Pique <[email protected]> wrote in
>news:[email protected]:
>
>> As I rearrange my shop, I've noticed that my benches wobble ever so
>> slightly depending on where they are placed. Additionally, they are
>> very rudimentary (tubafours and plywood) and not all that heavy. As
>> such they can slide if pushed too hard.
snip
>Mine is leveled with an offcut from one of the first tapered table legs I
>cut. Is that sufficiently frugal for your tastes? JOAT would be proud.
>
>My bench is engineered much as you describe yours, except that I've
>recently added a scrounged wood fire-rated door, adding almost two inches
>of height, and 150 lbs or so of mass. And a clean top.

That's an excellent idea - and I can scrounge one of them from a job
I've been working on. I'll probably lop an inch or so off the legs,
and then put the door on top and trim it to size.

WRT the wobbling, I've shimmed it and it seems fine for now.

Thanks all.

JP

Pn

Prometheus

in reply to Jay Pique on 22/01/2005 11:58 AM

23/01/2005 1:58 AM

On Sat, 22 Jan 2005 11:58:16 -0500, Jay Pique <[email protected]>
wrote:

>As I rearrange my shop, I've noticed that my benches wobble ever so
>slightly depending on where they are placed. Additionally, they are
>very rudimentary (tubafours and plywood) and not all that heavy. As
>such they can slide if pushed too hard.
>
>What I'd like to do is install some leveling feet with rubber pads on
>the bottom. This should eliminate the wobbling as well as the
>slipping. I've seen a bunch of leveling pads in the Reid Tool
>catalog, but they are quite pricey. Anyone have any cheaper
>suggestions?

Shims should work fine. Depending on how often you rearrange your
shop, you could also just trim the legs a bit, and bolt them into the
concrete. Then they won't move around on you, either. If they're
against a wall, you can screw the sucker right into the studs as well.
I've got a bench like that (first peice of shop furniture I made, and
I keep it for sentimental value) that gets a little shorter every time
I move it, and gets nailed into the wall to keep it steady.

>Thanks -
>JP

Aut inveniam viam aut faciam

Jj

John

in reply to Jay Pique on 22/01/2005 11:58 AM

22/01/2005 7:33 PM

Instead of a lagbolt, I put in t-nuts (3/8in) and thread in a 3/8
carriage bolt with a nut already threaded. Once adjusted level,
tighten the nut up against the t-nut to lock it in place

John

On Sat, 22 Jan 2005 18:12:27 -0700, Bruce <[email protected]> wrote:

>On Sat, 22 Jan 2005 09:58:16 -0700, Jay Pique wrote
>(in article <[email protected]>):
>
>> As I rearrange my shop, I've noticed that my benches wobble ever so
>> slightly depending on where they are placed. Additionally, they are
>> very rudimentary (tubafours and plywood) and not all that heavy. As
>> such they can slide if pushed too hard.
>>
>> What I'd like to do is install some leveling feet with rubber pads on
>> the bottom. This should eliminate the wobbling as well as the
>> slipping. I've seen a bunch of leveling pads in the Reid Tool
>> catalog, but they are quite pricey. Anyone have any cheaper
>> suggestions?
>>
>> Thanks -
>> JP
>
>Screw a lag bolt into each leg.
>
>-Bruce


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