How to make an outdoor work bench.

Psycho Sonny · 12 May 2020 at 21:04

what do you need gloves and a clamp for?

you aren't using a mitre saw and it's pretty easy to screw a bit of wood into another without clamping it first. i made 2 benches and a table 2 years ago and it was a doddle.

Raymond Lin · 12 May 2020 at 21:07

Psycho Sonny said:
what do you need gloves and a clamp for?

you aren't using a mitre saw and it's pretty easy to screw a bit of wood into another without clamping it first. i made 2 benches and a table 2 years ago and it was a doddle.

I will be hungry and need a snack.

Raymond Lin · 12 May 2020 at 22:01

Checked Wickes, can do it about £15 less. £10 after I added in some screws.

Will get these first tomorrow from Screwfix. Actually Screwfix, Wickes, B&Q and that timber Merchant are all 5 mins drive/walk from my house, I could collect it all but none of the wood fitx in my Volvo.

Raymond Lin · 15 May 2020 at 13:34

I have stumbled on a problem.

How do I make the table level….It will be sitting on an uneven surface. The surface is some concrete slabs, whilst it looks level, I can’t be 100% sure that they are totally to each other. There may be a slight mm up on the edge here and there. That means the table will wobble.

My original plan was to put 1 single Coach screw down the centre (into the grain) of the 75mm post. It will both act as a way to raise it off the ground, and I can adjust the height with it as well. But that seems quite cruel way of doing things, are there any product out there which allows easier adjustments and durable for outdoor use?

I thought about getting some casters but the cheap ones have no allowances for height adjustments and having 6 casters will just mean the whole thing will wobble like crazy, even if there is a lock on them.

Bearing in mind the table will have 6 feet, as it is spanning 1.6m, I have allowed for a centre post to support the centre.

fobose · 15 May 2020 at 13:42

Can you not just make it with the legs the same length, then tap some wedges under it where it needs jacking up?

Raymond Lin · 15 May 2020 at 13:53

fobose said:
Can you not just make it with the legs the same length, then tap some wedges under it where it needs jacking up?

lol I could, but I've come so far to make the thing, putting some random pieces of wood under it seems so cruel a solution.

fobose · 15 May 2020 at 14:00

I am not saying tap the wedges in where you can see them. You could paint the wedges the same colour too, then tap them in from behind the legs. I think you might just be over thinking a project and making it more complicated than it needs to be

Raymond Lin · 15 May 2020 at 14:04

fobose said:
I am not saying tap the wedges in where you can see them. You could paint the wedges the same colour too, then tap them in from behind the legs. I think you might just be over thinking a project and making it more complicated than it needs to be

Oh, I definitely am over-engineering the entire thing but I enjoy it

Problem, finding a solution that BLOWS away that problem x 100. That's the fun part.

My original plan was get breeze blocks, stack them, place lenths of wood on top with nothing to tie them together. But that's not as fun as this

fobose · 15 May 2020 at 14:18

Hehe. How about some leveling feet then?

https://www.screwfix.com/p/suki-levelling-foot-m10-x-80mm-2-pack/701gx

Raymond Lin · 15 May 2020 at 14:20

fobose said:
Hehe. How about some leveling feet then?

https://www.screwfix.com/p/suki-levelling-foot-m10-x-80mm-2-pack/701gx

Even more elegant than what I had in mind.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/c/28023477895

then use existing coach screws as feet. I like yours better

fobose · 15 May 2020 at 14:28

Or this..... caster for moving around but built in levelling foot when stationary.

https://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk...MIuvG-p_y16QIVD-ztCh0mXQetEAYYByABEgKYBPD_BwE

Showboat · 15 May 2020 at 14:37

How are you doing your cuts? Mitre saw or by hand?

Raymond Lin · 15 May 2020 at 14:45

fobose said:
Hehe. How about some leveling feet then?

https://www.screwfix.com/p/suki-levelling-foot-m10-x-80mm-2-pack/701gx

I think these are cheaper, and also shorter, I don't need that long.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07L9BS78F/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=AIF4G7PLKBOZY&psc=1

Raymond Lin · 15 May 2020 at 14:46

fobose said:
Or this..... caster for moving around but built in levelling foot when stationary.

https://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/product/coldene-heel-castor-with-levelling-foot-swivel-50kg-maximum-weight-orange-469570?vat=1&shopping=true&infinity=ict2~net~gaw~ar~387176555199~kw~~mt~~cmp~Smart Shopping > Top Products~ag~Ad group&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIuvG-p_y16QIVD-ztCh0mXQetEAYYByABEgKYBPD_BwE

Oooooh, now I like, I did find some but they were like £80 for 4.

Raymond Lin · 15 May 2020 at 14:47

Showboat said:
How are you doing your cuts? Mitre saw or by hand?

I am leaning on a mitre saw at the moment. Both to speed things up and also ensure a cleaner cut as I have never used a hand saw before.

fobose · 15 May 2020 at 14:55

A good tip that I always do when cutting by hand is to use my square to draw two lines on the bit of wood I am cutting. One of the top to get me started, and one down the front face so I can see if my saw is starting to drift. With the amount of cuts you have a mitre saw would save you a lot of swearing, just check the cuts are square as even expensive models don't always come set perfectly and need adjusting.

Showboat · 15 May 2020 at 15:25

Raymond Lin said:
I am leaning on a mitre saw at the moment. Both to speed things up and also ensure a cleaner cut as I have never used a hand saw before.

You have a lot of cuts there, and trying to get the feet ones square will be tricky if you are not used to cutting. With a mitre saw you could build the entire thing in a couple of hours. £60 on screwfix / b&q.

Raymond Lin · 15 May 2020 at 17:50

fobose said:
A good tip that I always do when cutting by hand is to use my square to draw two lines on the bit of wood I am cutting. One of the top to get me started, and one down the front face so I can see if my saw is starting to drift. With the amount of cuts you have a mitre saw would save you a lot of swearing, just check the cuts are square as even expensive models don't always come set perfectly and need adjusting.

If I were to get a M8 feet from here with a 30mm depth, what insert size is that referred to ?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/sourcingmap-Furniture-Leveling-Protector-Adjustable/dp/B07FTBQQPN/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=M8+feet+30mm&qid=1589561381&refinements=p_76:419158031&rnid=419157031&rps=1&sr=8-1

Is the M8 in the insert the outer or inner size?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/c/28023477895

fobose · 15 May 2020 at 19:37

I would say if you bought M8 feet, you would need M8 inserts.

https://www.toolstation.com/pronged...MIzPPZyMG26QIV0oBQBh2t9QsJEAQYBCABEgLlbPD_BwE

Raymond Lin · 15 May 2020 at 20:57

fobose said:
I would say if you bought M8 feet, you would need M8 inserts.

https://www.toolstation.com/pronged...MIzPPZyMG26QIV0oBQBh2t9QsJEAQYBCABEgLlbPD_BwE

I went with these

thread

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/173941619251

nut

https://vod.ebay.co.uk/vod/FetchOrderDetails?itemid=221075589345&transid=2399039553012&ul_noapp=true

feet

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/160828426441

I have went with Tilt-adjustable feet to allow for any uneven concrete slabs in the garden in a 360 degree angle. Casters sound cool but it will seldom be moved and casters just introduces more points of failure over time with bearings and all that. Ordered some low profile nut too which will let me adjust for any difference in level issue.

The problem now solved

(Beats a wedge under the feet

)