# Shop cart ideas needed



## MT Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

I am thinking about making a mobile cart that I can use to assemble base cabinets on and move them around, or maybe just simply turn it around.

Cart might not be the right terminology. I have a Harbor Freight furniture dolly that I can use as the base. It is just four casters attached to four boards with a little carpet for protection.

It would be nice if I could raise it some by building a 12-15 inch box to make the working height a little higher off the floor.

Also, I would like to incorporate a couple of pipe clamps. That would be nice.

Any ideas or thoughts appreciated. Pictures speak volumes. I do some of my best work by looking at a picture.

Note: I don't have much room to work so it would most likely be about 24 x 30 or thereabouts.

We are out of town visiting relatives...and I have some slack time to think about things (design stuff!) :laughing:

Thanks.
Mike


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

It could be done but you would need locking casters or the thing would roll around on you while you were working. Even locked it will move some. I normally put a piece of plywood on saw horses when a temporary work station is needed.


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## MT Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

Thanks Steve. Yeah, I know...uneven floor and all. It's just my workbench is too high to comfortably assemble the cabinets. I may end up with just a lower work area but I am cramped for room. It would be great if I could easily move it around.


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## mobilepaul (Nov 8, 2012)

MT Stringer said:


> I am thinking about making a mobile cart that I can use to assemble base cabinets on and move them around, or maybe just simply turn it around.
> 
> Note: I don't have much room to work so it would most likely be about 24 x 30 or thereabouts.
> 
> ...


Hi Mike, I think a version of one of these may be the answer to your needs!

http://www.americanwoodworker.tv/videos/5056_adjustable-height-assembly-table/

http://www.shopnotes.com/issues/60/extras/adjustable-height-assembly-table/

http://lumberjocks.com/projects/26803

http://www.woodworkersworkshop.com/...8_149864&sid=2bwn99m69g6kq991e89a84e12ch3h99v

http://lumberjocks.com/JackBarnhill/blog/8643

http://www.shopnotes.com/issues/060/extras/adjustable-height-assembly-table/

That should get you going down the right road.... Travel safe on your way back home!

I've got a couple of other ideas but I will have to draw them up. Especially one that stores flat, vertically, when not in use. I've seen a couple like what I am thinking about but not adjustable ones. PM me when you get back home.

Paul


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## 44260 (Aug 29, 2013)

Since you don't have much room to work, why not make it a muti-use table? Maybe make the base a shop air cleaner and when considering the adjustable top, make it suitable for an out feed table or side table for a table saw or a band saw or thickness planner, some machine that you need extra support at once in a while.


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## 44260 (Aug 29, 2013)

You could also make a sanding center out of it. Mount a shop vac under it and run the hose to the top to hook to your sanders. If space allows some sort of drawer or area to store sander paper and other sanding supplies


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## MT Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

dirty-curty said:


> Since you don't have much room to work, why not make it a muti-use table? Maybe make the base a shop air cleaner and when considering the adjustable top, make it suitable for an out feed table or side table for a table saw or a band saw or thickness planner, some machine that you need extra support at once in a while.


Thanks Dirty. I have an outfeed table that does double duty a s an assembly table. But it is 34 inches high, which is just a smidgen lower than the table saw.

It would be nice to have something shorter to sit the carcase on. I have an air filtration unit hanging from the ceiling. Being able to store it vertically appeals to me.

I appreciate the suggestions.
Thanks Paul. I will check out those links.
Right now we are off to go watch my wife's niece play softball for North Central Texas College in Bixby.


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## Dodis (Feb 25, 2013)

I think you are already on the right track for what you want with a box on the furniture dolly, height to suit your needs. However, I would suggest build the box, leaving one side open for either a couple of boxes or drawers for more storage (think, short clamps and squaring blocks) basically a short cabinet, and then get 4 locking casters from Harbor Freight. I know they are not too far away from you in Channelview , was my regular stop until the new one just opened in League City...


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## Marv (Nov 30, 2008)

Below is one of my most valued "tools" that I've been using for 20 + years to assemble cabinet carcasses/sanding etc. To save room I used to roll it under my old workbench as seen however my new bench is not open on the bottom so I'm going to build an outfeed table for the saw and will store it under that to keep it out of the way.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*maybe some ideas here*

Outfeed table, track saw table, clamping table, etc....


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## MT Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

woodnthings said:


> Outfeed table, track saw table, clamping table, etc....
> 
> Ultimate Track Saw Workbench - YouTube


Thanks.
Nice but way too big.
When I get home, I will check out the ShopNotes link. I have the DVD.

Hmmm...I have four legs left over from a pop up canopy that are adjustable. 
Mike


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## MT Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

Marv said:


> Below is one of my most valued "tools" that I've been using for 20 + years to assemble cabinet carcasses/sanding etc. To save room I used to roll it under my old workbench as seen however my new bench is not open on the bottom so I'm going to build an outfeed table for the saw and will store it under that to keep it out of the way.


Thanks Marv. That is what I originally had in mind.


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## Marv (Nov 30, 2008)

You're welcome and I'm sure you'll find lots of uses for one of these!


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## MT Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

woodnthings said:


> Outfeed table, track saw table, clamping table, etc....
> 
> Ultimate Track Saw Workbench - YouTube


I watched that video and realized I have seen it before. In fact, I ordered some of those brackets and added some extra width to my workbench.

Lots of good ideas to think about but not much time to build one. :-(


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## liquid6 (Feb 15, 2011)

Here is something that I built. It came from an issue of WOOD magazine I believe. I have a bunch of my tools in there and it is super heavy with locking caster. It doesn't move around a lot due to the weight. The only thing I would change about it is maybe make it a little deeper.


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## Pauley (Jan 21, 2012)

Here is something that I made for my little shop. It's the best thing I ever made for the shop...it now has two draws in it.


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## Marv (Nov 30, 2008)

Very nice Pauley! If I may ask where did you get the folding brackets and are they pretty strong/solid locking?


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## Pauley (Jan 21, 2012)

Marv said:


> Very nice Pauley! If I may ask where did you get the folding brackets and are they pretty strong/solid locking?


 I got those from Home Depot. I think they were something around $18 bucks each. But they are very strong! I use that every single time I am in the shop, for something or other.... 

The PVC tubing can be raised and lowered for whatever height you need...

Thanks for the kind words...


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## MT Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

Pauley said:


> Here is something that I made for my little shop. It's the best thing I ever made for the shop...it now has two draws in it.


Nice cart. I bet you get a lot of use out of it.
Mike


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## Civilian (Jul 6, 2013)

*small stools?*

Mike,

What about a set of small step stools to work off of? This is what I made and actually the WIP dining room table legs are on it being varnished. However, if the work shop floor is not level, the stools won't be either unless you shim them.

Jon
Northern Michigan


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## MT Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

Thanks Jon. Yeah, my floor is uneven. I have always said that I think the sames guys that poured our street, did the slab also. 

Now with that said, I may still wind up with something like your stools, only just one about 30 x 36 x 15 inches high. I plan to do some measuring and testing tomorrow.

Just got home a few hours ago from a 900 mi road trip. I am pooped!
Mike


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## Civilian (Jul 6, 2013)

MT Stringer said:


> Just got home a few hours ago from a 900 mi road trip. I am pooped!
> Mike




I know what you mean. On Saturday, I just came home from DC thru Muncy, PA to Northern Michigan. Plus time in Muncy for a couple of hours (if you know what I mean).

Jon
Northern Michigan


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## Tom Clark NM (Jun 21, 2008)

MT,

A shop cart can be as simple or fancy as you like. Height? that can only be determined by you and your own needs. First one is a 30 year old bit of 2x4s. 4x4s, and ply. Second one a bit fancier. Both are very useful, so take a bit of time and make what you need.


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## MT Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

Thanks Tom.
I didn't have time to build anything nice. I had to cobble up stuff I had laying around. So far, it seems to be working out OK. At least I will have a better idea of what height to build the cart.

My current thinking is a working height of about 20 inches. Plans are to make it adjustable height with the highest being workbench height of 35 inches (or thereabouts).
I hope to incorporate sevral other stops for various projects including a possible sanding station that I can hook to the dust collector.

The table top will probably look a lot like my mobile workstation. I can't see why not because that thing works great.

When I finish this set of cabinets, I hope to take a day or three and build the cart. 
I will most certainly post some pics. Y'all will need a good laugh anyway. 
Mike


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## Civilian (Jul 6, 2013)

MT Stringer said:


> I had to cobble up stuff.
> Mike


Are those cobbled up items such that you can take them apart to store them? They might give me some ideas for stools.

Thanks,

Jon
Northern Michigan


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## MT Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

Civilian said:


> Are those cobbled up items such that you can take them apart to store them? They might give me some ideas for stools.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> ...


Yes sir. I don't recall where the idea came from...ShopNotes, maybe. The "saw horses" can be rotated to make a taller work bench. You can also make the cross supports longer to use when cutting down sheet goods or what-have-you. I actually made mine from two pieces of 1/2 inch cdx plywood I had left over and glued them together.

The "table" was leftover from my shop vac/Dust Deputy cart. It has been replaced with a HF dust collector.

If I can find the project, I will report back.

Edit: Found it!
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/86962

Mike


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

steve neul said:


> it could be done but you would need locking casters or the thing would roll around on you while you were working. Even locked it will move some. I normally put a piece of plywood on saw horses when a temporary work station is needed.


+1

gmc


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## Burnt_Blade (Dec 26, 2009)

I have the plans for this little assembly table


Shoot me a PM if interested


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## MT Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

Burnt_Blade said:


> I have the plans for this little assembly table
> 
> 
> Shoot me a PM if interested


Thanks. I haven't had any time to devote to a design I would like to build.

I hope to finish my current project so maybe I will have some time in a couple of weeks.

Lots of nice tables show. I appreciate the feedback.

Mike


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## Civilian (Jul 6, 2013)

Burnt_Blade said:


> I have the plans for this little assembly table
> 
> 
> Shoot me a PM if interested


Those are some awful long and large mortises you have for legs. LOL

Looks like a good table. I like the adjustable height arrangement.

Jon
Northern Michigan


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## MT Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

I think my adjustable height table will have a scissor jack incorporated into the design.


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