# Looking for flip over, revolving, rotating, spinning, work benches



## Taylormade (Feb 3, 2011)

Searched each of those terms above and can't find anything, although I'm 90% sure I saw someone here who had one that was awesome. I just can't find it now. 

My workshop is a two car garage with a large pop up camper planted squarely in the middle of it, so space is at a premium. I'm looking for a way to build three spinning three way tables to hold my planer, band saw, benchtop sander, grinder, drill press, etc. Ultimately I'd like for them to be triangles with one side being a flat workspace. 

Anyone have ideas and or pictures to get me started? Thanks!! :thumbsup:


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## thegrgyle (Jan 11, 2011)

*I recall seeing that once too........*

I, too, have seen something to this effect, but I don't remember where. I would think that it would be very useable for the smaller items (benchtop sander, planer, grinder), but the items that are taller probably would be too tall to spin around. They would probably be better used in a workstation that has a removable baseplate, and all the items were attached to the same sized baseplate, and could be put into place, one at a time. When not in use they could be stored in a shelving unit. I know Sears was selling a workbench system that was based on this years ago, but they apparently do not sell it now. 

I will continue to search for what you and I are talking about, and see if I can come up with a pic or two.

Fabian


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## Taylormade (Feb 3, 2011)

thegrgyle said:


> ... the items that are taller probably would be too tall to spin around.
> Fabian



True, I was thinking that the drill press and band saw would have to be on a two way (flip) system rather than a three way with the work surface. Thanks!


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

I remember it also. I think Kenbo built one and i know they had some in WOOD magazine years ago.


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## mn pete (Dec 10, 2010)

Richard beat me to it. I think Wood Magazine had plans for some of those. Sounds like workshop Transformers...more than meets the eye! Shop carts in disguise!

Sorry, I have a five year old! 

Optimus Dad


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## sawdustfactory (Jan 30, 2011)

Check these out
http://www.woodstore.net/flwoce.html
http://www.woodstore.net/is15no20.html


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

Yeah those look like some of the ones I remember. They had another one that had about 4 different designs.


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## Pirate (Jul 23, 2009)

In my small barn shop, I mounted 3 grinders on a 3' long, about 9" dia. cast iron flanged pipe. Very heavy and stable. I just spin it around to get to the one I need.


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## Taylormade (Feb 3, 2011)

I'm pretty sure I saw one with a triangle instead of just a flip. Perhaps I'm just flat out wrong. I'd love to spin around for a sander, again for a jointer (5") and yet again for a clean work space or outfeed table.


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## Taylormade (Feb 3, 2011)

Sears used to make this beast, which I'd like to duplicate, without the extensions maybe.


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## jeffreythree (Jan 9, 2008)

Most of my tools live on shelves and any other nook or cranny they fit in and only go on the bench when I use them. My SCSM sits on top of my planer which sits on top of my roll around tablesaw I keep in a corner when not in use. It is a bit like a puzzle putting them up, but I would rather put them on shelves than a workbench contraption that may not fit its replacement or a different tool. I could fit 2 more tools in that Sears thing if it were shelves and I just set them on a non rotating top, and I bet it would be much more stable as well.


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## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

This is the thread of the one that I built not too long ago. I'm not sure if this will help you or not.


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## Taylormade (Feb 3, 2011)

Thanks Kenbo. I've got plans for that one and I think I may try to make a few of them this weekend.

@Jeffreythree: I've got everything on separate shelves currently and I have one mobile workbench on casters that I put those pieces on when I need to use them. What inevitably happens is I have my band saw and sander on the ground and in the way while I have the router table on the workbench. When I'm done with the router table, it goes off the table and I move the next piece up. I'd much rather have two pieces that I rotate around.


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## thegrgyle (Jan 11, 2011)

Taylormade,

so to answer your initial post.... I guess that you could come up with a Triangular revolving table (like the Craftsman table that was posted, minus the removable tops on the sides) and set that inside Kenbo's portable revolving table top. You would most likely have to lower the "axle" that the revolving table top to compensate for the deeper tabletop. Should be pretty easy if you wanted to still use 3 items inside your portable workstation.

Just my .02 :icon_smile:


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## haugerm (Nov 19, 2009)

If you get "The Complete Small Shop" pdf mentioned in Kenbo's thread, it's got a pretty neat Lazy Susan type revolving tool stand in addition to the flip top one you mentioned. It looks like a heck of a lot of storage in a small footprint. I'd post a picture of it for you, but I can't quite figure out how.
--Matt


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## jharris (Jan 8, 2011)

thegrgyle said:


> planer, band saw, benchtop sander, grinder, drill press,
> 
> I, too, have seen something to this effect, but I don't remember where. I would think that it would be very useable for the smaller items (benchtop sander, planer, grinder), but the items that are taller probably would be too tall to spin around. They would probably be better used in a workstation that has a removable baseplate, and all the items were attached to the same sized baseplate, and could be put into place, one at a time. When not in use they could be stored in a shelving unit. I know Sears was selling a workbench system that was based on this years ago, but they apparently do not sell it now.
> 
> ...


Your timing is great. The new issue of Shopnotes (volume 20, issue 116, page 4) has the system described. No plans but pretty well explained.

It's a great idea.

Ditto on the flip base in Small Shop Solutions. I plan to build one as soon as I buy a bench-top planer.

Jeff


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## Taylormade (Feb 3, 2011)

haugerm said:


> If you get "The Complete Small Shop" pdf mentioned in Kenbo's thread, it's got a pretty neat Lazy Susan type revolving tool stand in addition to the flip top one you mentioned.
> --Matt


I actually have that pdf and have seen both the tables you're referring to. I'm going to sit down over the next few days and figure everything out. I essentially have 8 feet to work with, and my TS is half that, so I have 4' left to work with. I may use 2' for a mobile workbench with slots to store things and make a flip top like Kenbo's for the last two feet. 

I'll show you the resolution this weekend.

Thanks folks!!


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## Youngmechanic (Apr 11, 2012)

Piggy Back to Taylormade's Craftsman Rotating table. I use to have that rotating work bench and loved it. I wasn't that big really. The only thing I didn't like was the quality of the wood sucked. I kept it on the carport and just the mositure warped the MDF board. My Delta Compound miter saw barley fit on it, everytime I wanted to rotate it, I would have to rotate the miter saw and remove the side extensions. I ended up only mounting 2 tools on it, bench top table saw and the compound miter saw, left one blank for a work table. It had 2 wheels on one end for tilt and roll with no handles. And with my miter saw on it, it was heavy to move. It wasn't even 3' tall. I gave it away, I wish I would have kept it but didn't have room in the moving truck. As for the side extensions that you mentioned leaving off, those really helped stablized the middle portion when in place. The extensions had metal plates mounted on the bottom that tucked up under the middle when you slide it back in. The extensions also had little pins that went in the corrnors to hold them in place. The table was farley cheap to, right around $100 when I purchased it back in around 2001-2002


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## Taylormade (Feb 3, 2011)

Youngmechanic said:


> Piggy Back to Taylormade's Craftsman Rotating table. I use to have that rotating work bench and loved it. I wasn't that big really. The only thing I didn't like was the quality of the wood sucked. I kept it on the carport and just the mositure warped the MDF board. My Delta Compound miter saw barley fit on it, everytime I wanted to rotate it, I would have to rotate the miter saw and remove the side extensions. I ended up only mounting 2 tools on it, bench top table saw and the compound miter saw, left one blank for a work table. It had 2 wheels on one end for tilt and roll with no handles. And with my miter saw on it, it was heavy to move. It wasn't even 3' tall. I gave it away, I wish I would have kept it but didn't have room in the moving truck. As for the side extensions that you mentioned leaving off, those really helped stablized the middle portion when in place. The extensions had metal plates mounted on the bottom that tucked up under the middle when you slide it back in. The extensions also had little pins that went in the corrnors to hold them in place. The table was farley cheap to, right around $100 when I purchased it back in around 2001-2002


Cool! Welcome to the forums. I ended up clearing out almost everything in my shop (garage) and have dedicated benches for everything now. Here's one thing I did to save some floor space, though.


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## Geronimo Tampa (Nov 15, 2015)

*Rotating work bench*

here is a link 
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/e3/ec/ae/e3ecae9e68de9856e9810daef325767e.jpg


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## Dodis (Feb 25, 2013)

Even back when the Craftsman version first came out, I liked the concept but I could see that it took up a lot of room to be able to rotate three tools. If I can ever get past all the honey-dos, I am going to build two regular flip cabinets for several tools, they will fit easily into less space than the Craftsman 3-tool version. Also need to build a dedicated mitersaw stand with folding supports.

But another option, depending on the tools you plan to mount, Stumpy Nubs made a nice one for several smaller tools that mounts 4 tools, and the shelves all stay upright so small items and accessories don't fall off, even has drawers. 
http://www.stumpynubs.com/rotating-tool-stand.html

And another idea I have for seldom used tools, since I have a few of those too, is a shelf that has slots for sliding in plywood squares that each tool would be mounted on, and a mobile base that these squares will fit in. So I just slide a tool out of the shelf and drop it in the rolling base as needed. Even thought about future planning of a small overhead block and tackle to lower heavy tools (in my retirement years...).


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## wlc (Apr 3, 2015)

Check out Stumpy's rotating tool stand.
http://www.stumpynubs.com/rotating-tool-stand.html


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## QES01 (Feb 25, 2019)

I actually have one of these, It works very well, fairly stable and easy to change from one table to the next. I don,t know why Craftsman quit making them??


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