# Portable work bench



## Motor (Dec 30, 2014)

I'm looking for a portable work bench for prepping newel posts and railings, drilling and routing interior doors for hinges and door knobs, and other on-site work. I've considered a Festool portable table but they are very expensive and reviews say they are wobbly without the stabilizers. Anyone have suggestions on a suitable product, or comment on the Festool table?


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## Lettusbee (May 8, 2010)

Have you seen this?
http://rousseauco.com/door-bench-model-1500/

Or for the do it yourself route:
http://www.garymkatz.com/ChartsDrawings/door_bench.html


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

i just got the plans for this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnNi6Tpp-ac


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## Tom M (Jan 3, 2007)

What a great job he did on this set up. It brought him a lot of attention too.
I thought of doing it but couldnt think of a way to make the smaller DW745 saw work.


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## Nick R (May 20, 2012)

Here's my take. It's only 40x72.


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## JFM constr (Jul 26, 2014)

this does not answer all your desires but on the cheaper end .consider an old solid core door .toss it on horses . you can add track or clamps .https://www.kregtool.com/store/c34/clamping-accessories/ .kreg has track that can be morticed in and clamp pads .Something like this has done me well for preassembling trim for doors and windows . I do have the festool table which has it's place but one thing I figured out from it .I can use a solid core door and drill holes any place depending on need .3/4" hole and use there clamps or heck 2" hole and use the clamp you have . Just a thought


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## MDjim (Mar 15, 2011)

I plan on getting a cnc company to do this one for me. Eventually. 
http://www.multifunctionslab.com


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## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

I have built my own paulk workbench as was shown above and also own a festool mft3. 

The paulk bench is very nice but not worth moving around unless you're going to be on a job for a decent chunk of time IMO. Its just to big and bulky. I have mortised door hinges with it and it works great. I would just use the festool clamps and fasten it through the side holes. My paulk bench has never left my garage.

I have found the mft3 to be surprisingly NOT useful. This is probably just me but considering what it cost me it hasn't justified itself yet at all. It is very cool, and there are tons of situations where it would work awesome, I just have encountered any of those yet.

I think the mft3 would be plenty solid for what you are doing without the stabilizers, I think the problem is that you'll find its to small.


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## duburban (Apr 10, 2008)

a small fleet of MFT3s would be great. I bought a used mft3 and used mft1080 that don't sit at the same height ! 

Some custom size of the Paulk bench is best just for the fact that you can put the tools and gear underneath the work surface and keep the top clean. That alone makes it totally worth it. The key is to imagine what tools you'll be using on it and make sure the common ones will fit in the space below.


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## JFM constr (Jul 26, 2014)

love the multifunctional slab .
agree with poster regarding festool table that for the money it is not as useful as i would of hoped .though i have had 10yrs and it has been useful enough .
i have tried to design/build the perfect table .now i have several .seems my needs change .


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## centerlinemv (Apr 26, 2011)

Tom Struble said:


> i just got the plans for this
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnNi6Tpp-ac


I built this last June & it was well worth the time. It's fantastic for trim jobs.


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## overanalyze (Dec 28, 2010)

I use this. I had a 4x4 mft style top made for it. Breaks down quick, is lightweight but can handle a bunch of weight.


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

I use my mft/3 for mortising doors and boring for lock sets. One clamp on the side rail and a foot at the opposite bottom side to keep the door off the ground. 

I use it at least two times a week, but I never use the stupid fence or rail set up. 

I do a lot of sanding, finishing, assembly, routing, jigsawing, etc. on it.


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## PrestigeR&D (Jan 6, 2010)

......😷


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

Well look who crawled out of the snow drift.


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## PrestigeR&D (Jan 6, 2010)

:laughing:.......

Hope all is well D,...:thumbup:


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## Tom M (Jan 3, 2007)

Nick R said:


> Here's my take. It's only 40x72.
> View attachment 126010


Nick that size is all you need! Is that the dw745? Looks like you rigged some eye hooks, must have been rough aligning it with the top.


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## overanalyze (Dec 28, 2010)

I also made a shelf for my Dewalt TS so I can use it as an outfeed as well.


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## J L (Nov 16, 2009)

I've used both larger and smaller work stations and right now I'm digging my mft kapex. I'm looking to supplement it with a full size mft in the near future. It is portable and sturdy enough for everything I've thrown at it including routing dados in the bottom of 9' solid walnut doors. I actually spent nearly 3 weeks working on those doors on that stand.


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## Nick R (May 20, 2012)

Tom M said:


> Nick that size is all you need! Is that the dw745? Looks like you rigged some eye hooks, must have been rough aligning it with the top.



Yes it is, it's the only way I could come up with without extra pieces. That's 3/4 emt which runs inside some pine 1x. I believe I just measured to the top and fastened the pine blocks to the ply where it needed to be. Works great for me, very stable. I am all about trying to make transport in the van the most efficient I can.


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

so they are eye bolts thru the tube of the saw Nick?..nice..:thumbsup:


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## rrk (Apr 22, 2012)

That Paulk bench takes up way too much room to store, if you are on a job for months at a time it may be ok. But I would not want to set that up and break it down every day or even several times a week


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## Nick R (May 20, 2012)

Tom Struble said:


> so they are eye bolts thru the tube of the saw Nick?..nice..:thumbsup:



Yes correct  thanks.


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

rrk said:


> That Paulk bench takes up way too much room to store, if you are on a job for months at a time it may be ok. But I would not want to set that up and break it down every day or even several times a week



that's a dumb comment

well...then don't..i don't get it,maybe you don't need the flat work space..let me tell you something,i do when trying to pre assemble outside window trim


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## JAH (Jul 27, 2014)

The Paulk bench is perfect for a shop. I'm sure its a great bench for some, just not me. Looks like a total pia to move around for job site work. I'll sacrifice some convenience for a light bench set up.


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## mgb (Oct 31, 2008)

I built something similiar to ron paulks design. Except I hinged it in the middle. It's basically a bi-fold but with 3/8" ply. Instead of building a large/heavy worktop to hold the dw745. I made it so it hangs off of the saw, or just on a pair of horses.

The festool clamping elements cam out a bit with 3/8" ply is the only downside I've found.

Ron's bench would be perfect if I was in a 5000+ sq ft house. But that only happens once a decade so far.


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## rrk (Apr 22, 2012)

Tom Struble said:


> that's a dumb comment
> 
> well...then don't..i don't get it,maybe you don't need the flat work space..let me tell you something,i do when trying to pre assemble outside window trim


Have you made one? I have, and it is a pain to store, set up and move. I also have a 5' x 5' sheet of baltic birch ply which takes up barely any room, easy to set up and move. 

Everyone has different ways of working, it did not work for me. You cannot deny that table takes up a lot of room. How that is a dumb comment is beyond me.


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## D.S.I. (Jul 23, 2011)

I'm supposed to get this in the next couple of days. $122, 3k lb capacity, 4x8'. Folds up nice and small.


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## Roofcheck (Dec 27, 2011)

D.S.I. said:


> I'm supposed to get this in the next couple of days. $122, 3k lb capacity, 4x8'. Folds up nice and small.


Where are they available?


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## D.S.I. (Jul 23, 2011)

Roofcheck said:


> Where are they available?


On www.Toolnut.com. It looks like the price went up to $160. It sounds like a new product, they get enough orders and make a bunch. When I ordered it, they said it would ship in February or March.


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

rrk said:


> Have you made one? I have, and it is a pain to store, set up and move. I also have a 5' x 5' sheet of baltic birch ply which takes up barely any room, easy to set up and move.
> 
> Everyone has different ways of working, it did not work for me. You cannot deny that table takes up a lot of room. How that is a dumb comment is beyond me.


you right it wasn't a dumb comment,i appologize


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## rrk (Apr 22, 2012)

Tom Struble said:


> you right it wasn't a dumb comment,i appologize


No problemo

Don't make me do a Ryobi scan


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

sometimes i get caught up in what i need,and that is as much flat real estate i can find..i forget other people have different needs..:sad:


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## overanalyze (Dec 28, 2010)

I like having lots of flat suface too Tom. When we are on larger projects we have a rolling cart, portable folding table, my cutting table/station and maybe another small work surface....they all end up chit magnets...lol!


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## CITY DECKS INC (Sep 4, 2012)

Nick R said:


> Here's my take. It's only 40x72.
> View attachment 126010


That's funny I used the eye bolts. Mine is 36x60 for in field. Full size in shop.


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

..and i only use the ryobi for shakes:shutup:


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## rrk (Apr 22, 2012)

Tom Struble said:


> sometimes i get caught up in what i need,and that is as much flat real estate i can find..i forget other people have different needs..:sad:


I once did some work at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, in there shop they had a table 20' x 30' with 2 table saws diagonally opposite each other. The guy there said they could use 2 of those if they had the room.
That would be your kind of setup :thumbup:


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## gillisonconstru (Jan 21, 2006)

we have 2 - of these 4x8 units nothing fancy but they work we have the white 1x4- hooks were we slide doors in for routing.


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## duburban (Apr 10, 2008)

Anyone have a router table inserted into one of these? 

I'd like to have table with two router inserts for doing built in doors onsite.


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

i was thinking of replacing the router with the metal Kreg plate


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## smpcarpentry (Aug 13, 2014)

Rons smaller one is 3 by 6 i think that is a good size but not sure if i want to be moving it around as much as i do


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## Aaron Berk (Jul 10, 2010)

4x8 as it looked this morning, earning it's keep. It's a beast to haul out, but I'm going to be here till mid January.


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## Motor (Dec 30, 2014)

*Kreg mobile project center*



smpcarpentry said:


> So for an ideal size portable bench what size would you guys say or use. Im thinking im going to build a paulk bench but not sure what size would be best. Four by eight im sure is nice but a bit large for transport dayly. Mft3 is roughly two and a half by four im thinking to small. Im thinking three by five would be good. Small enough to transport easily and big enough to use for most thing what do u guys think. I can make it out of baltic birch because it is easier to get nere me rather than russian birch too.


Check out the Kreg mobile project centre. They're fairly well thought out. The only thing I don't like is the 31.5-inch height, which is hard on the back. If you watch the video on this table, the idea is you buy two of them, link them with two 2x4's and a plywood top of whatever length you want, and there is your work station. The "MPC" is pricey but for the cost of what you have to pay someone with a CNC machine to cut your top, it might be worth looking at.


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## Aaron Berk (Jul 10, 2010)

I saw that Kreg table, I really like how the face clamps slide in the channel under the edge.


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## Tom M (Jan 3, 2007)

I like that. It is well thought out.


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## BBG Carpentry (Oct 11, 2016)

love it


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## ShadowLynx (Feb 22, 2014)

I've been using one of these as my work bench. I keep it mainly for tools and as a table. Best of all, it rolls with me and I attach the platform from a 2nd set on top for additional overhead storage.

I have the miter saw stand that came with my dewalt 12" slider and old solid core door on sawhorses as an outfeed table for my dewalt table saw, which rolls around with its own built-in stand.


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## Donquardo (Oct 29, 2015)

Not in the same league as an actual workbench but I've been using this set up for a year now. Saw horses connected with each other with framing lumber. Veritable bed bolts make it a breeze to set up and knock down.


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## Dirtywhiteboy (Oct 15, 2010)

overanalyze said:


> We also use the Keter folding work surfaces. They are really sturdy and light. We keep one in the van and have another we use as a miter saw stand. $50-$60 at Sams, Costco, and online.


I keep 2 keter tables in my work van. Very useful!!!:thumbsup:


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## asevereid (Jan 30, 2012)

@dirtywhiteboy, how do you manage to store two Keter's in your van? You're still driving the E Series or Express aren't you? 

Sent from my Gravity 5 LTE using Tapatalk


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## Dirtywhiteboy (Oct 15, 2010)

My file loader was giving me hell, it's up there^^^^^

I will say now they have a lot of use on them the plastic seems to be getting brittle and if I pull on them with weight on them I feel cracking. I am looking at better tables to replace them one day. The Kerg table looks like a good one.


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