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Shop Built Work Tables?

12K views 55 replies 35 participants last post by  skinny 
#1 ·
Not really for building frames from scratch, but for example, putting a bare frame up there, and assembling the bike around it, without sitting my ass on the floor while doing it.
 
#30 · (Edited)
got two of these, and I wheel barrow them about the shop all in order of which bike I am working on. The handles are removable and one set serves both tables of couse. Corners like an ocean liner but well worth the effort, built from 2x4 and scrap ply
The wife XS getting a make over here....

 
#33 ·
I sure hope SOMEBODY makes use of these plans and photos...you have no idea how long it took me to get these posted on this 'plastic box from hell!'

The guy I got this stuff from built it about five years ago and uses it regularly. Said that it's great for a bike that's up to about 450lbs...for anything heavier he recommends using hardwood for the frame.



 
#35 ·
Damn Goldy, that is very cool!
Basically a wooden version of the metal lifts.
Thanks for diggin' that one up.
Someone is bound to use those plans and pics.

skinny
 
#38 ·
I built mine with 2x4s and the top is made with 1" playwood that has an aluminum skin on it. Father in law gave me the plywood, it was an old freezer door. I took and notched the top frame part so the ply sits flush. I use a 2"x8"x8' piece of wood as the ramp, with 1/4" plate that I bent slightly on the end of it to hold the table. I put my bike up and down my myself.

 
#40 ·
my buddy took a high quality motorcycle lift....cut out a hole in his garage floor the exact size, dug it out, poured a new floor below, set in lift, ran lines to a pump and bingo....flush mounted lift that rises to waist level but hides in the floor. Lot of work but damn is it sweet! He also bought a small hydraulic lift table on wheels. Unloads motors/frames etc on to it from the truck bed, rolls stuff to the lift table. Literally never picks anything up, just slides it from one to the next. Yes, I am envious.
 
#42 ·
Richard,
I haven't built this particular table (I did build one of my own design using steel), but here is what I see in the pictures:

It looks like the lifting pad on top of the jack doesn't connect to the table. The lifting pad makes contact with the metal plate that's secured to the underside of the table and actually slides on the plate as the table is raised or lowered.

That's a pretty nice table design, especially for someone who doesn't have a welding machine. The only power tools you need to build it are a saw and a drill motor (or a good, sharp hand saw and a brace and bit :)). Thanks for posting that up Goldy.

Geo.
 
#45 ·
It looks like the lifting pad on top of the jack doesn't connect to the table. The lifting pad makes contact with the metal plate that's secured to the underside of the table and actually slides on the plate as the table is raised or lowered.
I think you are right. Maybe a caster in place of the lifting pad would work as well...

I am tempted to make one out of steel, but my budget is tight, since I just built a 4'x6' steel welding table.


I'd like to knock something together out of wood and use it a while to see what I like/don't like. A prototype, if you will.
 
#43 · (Edited)
I built a wood table like the ones above ive found about 30" maybe a couple less to be a great height you can work on everything and see the top of the bike . Kept it 24" wide and like 8' long. Wheel chock and eye bolts for strapping down. Easy to attach stuff , and remove like a jig. I'm 5'11. I had it at standard counter height it was wayy to high. 34-36". Aluminum ramps make it easy to bring down with 2 people at this height . If it isn't going to adjust figure a good height for you.
I love that adjustable wood table I might have to build one I have an extra 3 ton jack .
On second look bet that thing is wobbly . Wood doesn't do well for moving parts and pine is pretty soft these days .
 
#44 ·
Years ago I had a buddy who rebuilt props (TIG welding AL and SS). He was a bit of a non-conformist … sleep till noon, work till 2 AM … and he had a gig with a Bike / Snowmobile / ATV Yamaha dealership. He had keys to the shop and would work "his" hours, starting when the shop closed at 5 or 6 … whatever it was.

I would help him sometimes and he would teach me how to TIG. I did OK, the props I welded had no voids and were better than most rebuilt props out there.

Anyway, what this shop had for lifts they fabled themselves. They used an expired Acetylene bottle, a steel shaft + fabled mount placed in the bottle, then air / hydraulic fittings were fitted, and the whole thing sunk into the concrete of the shop floor.

The fabled mount was then attached to a steel ramp / stand setup. I don't remember the details exactly but it seems to me they just poured concrete around the bottle and sunk bolts into the concrete, then used about a 12x12" steel plate to fix and locate the top of the bottle / shaft.

They worked very slick, gave you zero to about 3 foot capacity, and it seems to me the cost wasn't too high.
 
#47 ·
Richard,
The fab table looks good. I like the slats instead of a solid top, it allows you to get a clamp just about anywhere you'd need one.

Thinking about that wooden lift table . . . . 3/4" plywood for the deck and the addition of a gusset plate on what the designer calls the rear legs would help to stiffen it up.

Geo.
 
#49 ·
Frisco67,
The plans for the wooden tilt table that you posted are out of the old Motorcycle Mechanics book. That table works on a simple principle - gravity. There is no jack or lifting mechanism involved. It's a little funny, but every time I see the plan for that table I envision a Evel Knevel type move for getting your bike up on it. You start off by taking a practice run at it and stop at the base of the ramp while you rev your motor a little bit and give the table a hard stare . . . then turn around and get lined up with the ramp. . . . let the suspense build a little bit as you blip the throttle . . . start off with a little wheelie maybe :D. . . your cape flares out behind you as you accelerate . . . then hit the ramp and as you pass the pivot point and gravity takes over, you lock your brakes and slide up to the front wheel stop and the rear support leg of the lift drops down and locks the table in the horizontal position! ! !

Kinda like loading a bike in a pick-up truck using a short plank :D !

Geo.
 
#51 ·
This was a heavy duty work table from the place I used to work. They were throwing it out, so I brought it home, narrowed and lowered it. It's 75" long, 25" high, and 24" wide. I have a Handy Industries lift I do most of my work on, but this one will support a second bike if I need it. Mostly it's a horizontal surface that collects stuff.

 
#52 ·
well the only thing done by me to this table was adjusting the valves on the pistons for slower lowering and fitting the vise and english wheel to it,takes 1500kg easy and is big enough to have a car on (all though with one set of wheels dangling) used to sit as a loading area at my local booze store hahaha

love it even though it collects alot of stuff :rolleyes:

didn't have any pics without the CZ,sorry


 
#53 ·
You can find bowling alley lane on Craigslist. Some guys want a lot, some guys don't... You can also check this website. http://www.homemadetools.net/site/search?q=workbench&Search= There's quite of bit of good info on this website and it's updated every week. I'm going to get some bowling alley lane for my lathe to sit on. It's a 6" x 18" Atlas. The lane is 42" wide and that's plenty for what I need it for. Good luck and keep us posted.
 
#54 ·
keep in mind that bowling alley is side-nailed (with hardened nails)... not glued. the pieces can separate relatively easily.

it usually has some steel horizontal ties on the bottom end, ("T" bar on every one i've seen so far), that are held in with a few screws. take those out and the bowling alley starts loosening up. it really needs a frame to sit in...
 
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