I've got over 100 sqft of workbench countertop space in my shop, but you'd never know it. The disaster can reach epic proportions if I'm working on a project. Somehow my work pieces are always piled up at the next machine I need to use and so I'm constantly moving them. So I designed a rolling shelf system inspired by a Norm Abram 'Workshop Helpers' project. I used some of my soft maple lumber and a bit fancier joinery than Norm's. Most of the frame components are 2x2s, except the base frame which is around 2x4. Half lap joints in the corners, and each frame is rabbeted to accept 1/2" ply (red oak). The upper frames have a middle brace supported by mortise and tenon joint - my first attempt at that. Here's my mortising setup - I also used it in the corners of my end pieces, which required 'housed rabbet" joints for the ply. Ready for some uh-sem-bull-lee. I had hoped to finish this weekend, but there's a lot of frames and they're chewing up my big clamps quick. So this is just a progress thread for now - stay tuned!
Nice start Shawn. Shortage of clamps is always a problem in my shop. Lookin' forward to the finished product.
Progress update - shelves assembled. Joinery turned out pretty good, but I would be remiss if I failed to mention my chiseling setup. It's the only way I've got to get into those inside corners and make the joinery work.
Nice work. I have that mortise set up for my drill press too. The t-track is a nice addition for really precise set ups. That shelving should hold some weight with this thick edges and 1/2 ply. The housed rabbets look good. Great winter project. Those rabbet cuts can be dicey, more so if you are doing a plunge cut. We're you using a stack Dado set?
Thanks! Yeah I wanted to make it beefy, so hopefully it can help with moving the big chunks of green lumber I've been resawing on my bandsaw setup. The standard rabbets were all done with a regular TS blade. For the housed rabbets, I started by using the mortising setup to hawg out the inside corners, and the edges of the 'housing'. Those edges needed so much chisel work, I could have probably skipped that step. I removed rest of the material at my router table, except for the wider base pieces, where I did a plunge cut on the TS (standard blade) to remove a large chip from the middle portion. If I ever have to make them again, I'm just going to use my plunge router base, and then clean up the corners with the chisel. I thought I would save some time doing it the other way, but I don't think I really did. Plus, if you look at the 2nd photo from my second post, you can see where I nearly lost a fingertip. I was plunging one of the wider base pieces, and the bit caught the work piece and snatched it right out of my hands.
Thanks! The Dewalt originally belonged to my grandfather. Its been a real workhorse for me. I went with the half lapped joinery because I knew I could get really nice results with that saw. I use that joint in my sawbucks too, and I've made 14 of those so far. I cut the shoulders first with a standard blade; making the first cut at my layout line, and the second a little shy so I can check the fit with a test part. I didn't gang saw the pieces - I don't think my table is accurate enough for that anymore. I have a t-track let in to the countertops, which I use to position a stop block for duplicate cuts.
Here she is! Freed her from the clamps, attached some 2" cast iron casters, and then filled the shelves in about 5 minutes... Might have to make another one!
Nice shelves Shawn. Your shelves gave me another idea for another project of mine. Nice DeWalt RAS. Can't beat the well made old tools.
