I need a new machine stand, and so I turned to 80/20 t-slot extrusions.
80/20 aluminum profiles are strong, versatile, and I’m familiar with the system.
After checking the prices for new extrusions, I turned to my supply cabinet and pulled out extrusions that were used in past builds.
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I cut 6x 1.5″ x 3″ extrusions down from 36″ to 24″ for legs, and made a huge mess in the process. I found extrusions that were kind of the right sizes for cross members.
Here’s the plan – leveling casters at the outer 4 legs, and leveling feet under the 2 middle legs. I say “middle,” but the build isn’t symmetric.
I might have to source longer threaded studs for the leveling feet, or machine an extension block.
The leveling casters, which allow for the machine to rest on wheels for mobility or feet for stability, will have a height of 4″ to 4.6″. The machinery leveling mounts have a base thickness of 1″ and “usable bolt length” of 4″. At say a 4.5″ leveling caster height, the threaded stud might only have 1/2″ of engagement in the 3/4″ foot mounting plates.
This means I could live with less adjustment height of the leveling casters, or add a spacer block to the middle feet. I’ll figure this out another time. The added feet aren’t essential, but should help with stability.
This is all for a 10×22 benchtop lathe. The factory stand – which is backordered – has a height of 30-5/8″ or so. Rather than order one, I decided to build my own.
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The spindle center is 12″ above the lathe base. My elbow reaches a height of around 41″. So, I calculated that maybe 29″ would be a good machine stand height. Factor in shoes and maybe an anti-fatigue mat, and what looks to be a typical stand height of ~30″, I went with a 30.5″ machine stand height. I can always shorten the legs a little more.
So that would be 4.5″ for the leveling casters with foot pads extended, 0.75″ for the mounting feet, 24″ for the 1.5″ x 3″ legs, 1.125″ for an IKEA butcher block table top, and 0.12″ for the chip tray or maybe a sheet to go over the wood top.
That gives me a 30.5″ working height for the machine to be placed on. The 30-5/8″ height could take into account the chip tray lip. So, I was aiming for 30″ with a little extra room to experiment.
This will allow me to go with say a 4.25″ leveling caster height without the machine base dropping below 30″. I could always add risers if needed.
I’m going to want a couple of drawers, so I added some 10-32 t-nuts into the leg extrusions – enough for 2 banks of 4 drawers.
Here’s the machine stand with the legs cut and everything assembled. You can see one of the 80/20 cut-offs on the bottom of the Craftsman stool, and also the bottoms of the leveling casters.
I went with double anchor fasteners because I already had 1.5″ x 1.5″ extrusions with the ends prepped from a prior workbench build.
The stand is still on its side – I need to move some stuff out of the way before I’ll put it down.
The depth will be 3″ + 16.625″ + 3″ = 22-5/8. The 16-5/8″ part allows the holes of bottom-mount drawer slides to perfectly line up with the leg extrusions’ slots, which were each pre-loaded with the 10-32 t-nuts.
The rear cross-members are attached to the inner slot so as to give some rear clearance for power cables or similar. I did that with my workbench and it seemed like a good idea to do here too.
The length will be 1.5″ + 16″ + 1.5″ + 26″ + 1.5″ = 46.5″.
I’ll have a 48″ wood benchtop potentially covered with a thin layer of stainless steel.
Thinking a thicker top might help with rigidity or dampening, I ordered a John Boos 1.75″ thick 24″ x 48″ maple butcher block top from McMaster Carr.
I’m not a fan of the construction, which looks like it was built with cut-offs.
Tekton has work tops for their mobile tool storage cabinets at around the same price but with full-length boards. The Boos work top was disappointing.
On the back side, I was annoyed as to how much filler there was, compensating for knots and defects.
Not all of the voids were filled in.
I sent the John Boos workbench top back to McMaster Carr and will make do with an older IKEA countertop.
I didn’t want to use the IKEA countertop at first, because they warp a bit over time, and it’s been standing in a corner of my workshop for a few years (If I recall correctly I bought 6 of them at clearance pricing).
I still need to cut the countertop to size, mount it to the stand, and then decide if and how to secure a steel sheet on top. Then I’ll drill holes using the chip tray as a guide, and then lift and position the lathe before bolting it down.
I added 6 brackets for the wood top.
I haven’t worked with leveling casters before, but I’ve been meaning to. Even if I end up reworking this machine stand build, the casters will be used.
The lathe arrived and I didn’t want to waste too much time. That’s one of the best parts of working with 80/20 – I know it well and can throw something together pretty quickly.
I wish I could share a good 3D CAD model with you, but… I designed the machine stand in my head, with some scrap paper helping at times.
As an aside, I have been looking into new CAD software options – either a maker version of Solidworks, or Fusion 360. I’ve been looking for something that can better handle multi-part assemblies.
I reminded myself for the umpteenth time that a chip tray is mounting over the bench and under the lathe.
Instead of a steel sheet, maybe I’ll go with 1/2″ thick steel plates just under the lathe mounting feet, if I can source large-enough plates at low cost. That would allow for leveling shims to make up for any warping of the butcher block top.
I also have a 12″ x 36″ sheet of 7075 aluminum that I bought for a steal a few months ago. I can maybe cut off two strips, but I’d rather save it all for project use.
An 80/20 machine stand with 6 feet, leveling casters, machine mounts, and a wood top are easy.
I’m still working on the rest of it.
I will likely just mount the lathe directly to the wood top for now, and figure something out if it needs leveling shims.
The lathe weighs around 350 pounds, and if I recall correctly, the footprint is 16″ x 44″.
I am tempted to go with 46.5″ as the overall length, but 48″ seems like a safer bet, especially if I plan to add panels to the outer sides of the legs.
95% of the stand was easy to design. The final 5% is constantly changing and still isn’t finalized.
The tricky part is that the wood top will likely warp a little, and I’m not sure that shimming between cast iron and wood is going to work as well as shimming between cast iron and steel.
Then again, the steel chip tray will be between the lathe and wood top. It seems best to install the lathe and chip tray to the 1-1/8″ IKEA butcher block top, and worry about adding steel risers, load spreaders, or other improvements later. There could also be other considerations I’m not yet thinking about.
Drawers can come later, and side panels too. I added t-nuts for the drawers so that I can add them without having to take anything apart. Side panels can be bolted to the outer sides, or if the top is off they can be cut and inserted through the leg slots.
I can try to cut, finish, and install side panels before the top goes on, but it’ll delay everything by a long time. I don’t have the space right now to break down a full sheet indoors, and I can’t take things outside due to the sub-zero temps and ice. I can always bolt on side panels and then reprocess them for recessed installation when I have a chance.
You’ll see what I mean in the follow-up.
MM
I do like 80/20 for building safety guards, they look nice, have many hinge options, and it’s easy to put polycarbonate panels inside the slots. The T-slots are also nice for things that require adjustment or repositioning.
I never cared for 80/20 for building machine tables though. Too expensive, too many concerns about vibration loosening fasteners, not heavy enough. If I recall, you have a welder, Stuart? Any reason you didn’t go with square or rectangle steel tube welded up & then filled with sand or cement when you’re done?
Stuart
I don’t have a welder.
The 80/20 legs have a large central void that can be filled for greater weight, but I don’t think I’ll be doing that here. A cement top is another potential upgrade path.
80/20 is pricey, even more so these days. But all of the extrusions were reused – the legs were cut to a new size and the cross members were reused as-is.
I could have also went with 18″ on the left bank and 24″ on the right, but I like the idea of a wider 26″ drawer just in case I need to fit longer stuff, like a 24″ straightedge.
This project was for ToolGuyd use, not personal, meaning I can write off materials as a business expense, but there are no tax deductions for the use of my time. Every time I buy new 80/20 extrusions, whether raw lengths or cut-to-size with ends factory-machined for anchor fasteners, I estimate whether that’s the project I will buy a welder and spend time skill-building for.
One of these days I’ll go the welding route, but there are going to have to be other benefits aside from lower cost, due to the time commitment it will involve.
After 80/20, my next choice would have been wood, given I have the tools and experience to build a relatively quick bench. If not, a couple of workbench brackets and 2x4s would have been quick and functional.
Ron K
Stuart, strongly recommend some diagonal bracing, and you may have to give up some under lathe storage to put it in. As is, it’s simply not ridged enough and will start to rack the first time you do a parting operation where some vibration, and probably a lot, starts shaking the lathe and what it’s attached to. You could try putting in very tight fitting panels in the grooves with the corners notched for the fasteners. Just an opinion.
I’ll mention it here since I’m typing. Look around for some old bowling lane salvage. Solid maple, and obviously engineered to take years of abuse by bowling balls being dropped from a couple of feet. I saw some listed on our local Craig’s list, 12′ for $100.
Stuart
I doubt that, but if things do loosen up or shift, there’s 1.5″ channel at the rear when I can attach diagonal bracing. Or, as you suggested, I can add rear panels.
Each anchored connection is essentially a T-joint, with anchors on both sides. Double anchors are the strongest 80/20 joint I’ve ever used and know of.
I also plan to build a stand for the mill I’m working to convert to CNC. That’ll have to be built with 1.5″ x 3″ or all 3″ x 3″ profiles.
Frank D
Ha on the ikea butcher block countertops. I bought three maple ones one time with the idea to replace some antique laminate countertops; and not a single one of the ikea countertop was flat!! All warped, sealed in their packaging. With ikea being three hours away … yeah. I had to eat that one. I ended up using one for my standing desk and the rest in smaller pieces, here and there. I still have a full sheet laying around … grrr
Big Richard
For anyone Midwestener doing some butcher block type of stuff, Menards has these 12″ x 48″ finger jointed Acacia boards that I’ve been gluing up into bigger slabs for projects. They look pretty awesome and have minimal filler/defects for the price. All they need is a little poly and they pop.
https://www.menards.com/main/1-x-12-x-4-edge-glued-acacia-board/1047612/p-1642874294002635-c-10067.htm
Albert
Agree. Those boards are nice and reasonably priced. I also like Menard’s real butcher block, 1.5 inch thick, and up to 3 x 6 feet. Not cheap but goes on sale regularly.
Ben
Thanks for the heads up! Been working on some workbench plans in my head and these would save me a ton of time, effort, and money.
Cory
Many moons ago, Menards had 5/4 x 42 oak stair treads on clearance for $4/board. Wish I had bought all of them…
Still, not wide enough for this application…
TdotW
Home depot also carries the butcher block counter tops in several different sizes -5 or so iirc. It seems like pretty decent quality from what I’ve seen in the store here(#1234 -Buffalo NY). I’ve kept a few cut-offs from different counter top kitchen jobs I’ve been on, and cut up to use for various projects & cutting boards.
Robb
Long shot – looks like Menards doesn’t carry those acacia boards anymore – any chance you’ve seen anything similar elsewhere? I’d used them to add a new top to a cheap melamine desk, and now I’m hoping to track them down to make a matching piece.
Leo B.
Stuart, could you glue up two of the IKEA slabs together and use a double thickness one for stability and extra dampening? It might help control warping if they oppose each other. I’m not sure if the height can accommodate it, but it’s a thought. Interesting stand! Thanks for sharing.
Stuart
Potentially. I considered that, but it’s asking for trouble to laminate two tops like that together. I’d sooner glue together two or three sheets of MDF.
That latter is still an option – 2x 2′ x 4′ MDF project panels are $30 each at Home Depot. A 4′ x 8′ sheet is $59, but I don’t have the space to break down a full sheet right now.
I also have 3/4″ baltic birch plywood. I might have an easier time ripping that down to size for glue-up. I’d add edge treatment in the future.
Or, I could laminate 2x4s or similar, but that’s labor I’m not keen on right now.
Using something I already have and could reuse if replaced seems like an easier approach.
Stuart
I just checked, and the butcher blocks are okay for workbenches, but less than ideal for this purpose.
I also checked a piece of 3/4 2×4 MDF that I purchased in July 2020 (so 3-1/2 years ago), for a project I haven’t got to yet. One corner swelled a little but the rest is perfectly flat.
Ouch – the panel was $11.58 at the time, and is now $30.
I can play the “what should I go with” game all day, but will likely just start with one of the IKEA countertops. I can build a better top afterwards.
Tommy
I will enjoy seeing this come together! I am building an assembly table and also a mobile cart for my festool mft and decided to go with aluminum extrusions for both of these. Extruded aluminum seems to be one of those love it or hate it materials for building out a workshop – count me as one that appreciates them for what they are and acknowledges they have their limitations and tradeoffs just like anything else. I am trying to build all of my workbench surfaces at a uniform height of approx. 37″ – so for the MFT cart – instead of putting the MFT on those rubber ends that most do when the feet are folded up – I am adding some leveling feet to the MFT top so that way I can use the adjustability of those feet to get the MFT surface just flush with my assembly table. That is the idea at least – I will be building it over the next few weeks or so 🙂
Mister Mike
I’ve built several work stations and work benches from 80/20 and other varieties of aluminum extrusion. It’s an amazingly versatile material for woodworking and other crafts. Incredibly strong, easily assembled, very adjustable, and never rusts.
However the different systems have thousands of fasteners and brackets which are not always compatible with each other as, for instance, some are metric and others standard. I recommend always checking that the slot dimensions (8mm and 10mm) remain consistent for all hardware parts. American standard 1/4″ and 3/8″ carriage blots will also work for fastening wood or plywood to the frames to mount drawers, etc. The aluminum can be easily cut to length on a miter saw with a carbide blade suitable for aluminum. I use MKMorse Metal Devil blades.
For machine stands I prefer to use laminate covered plywood as Wilsonart/Formica stays flat and is very durable and easy to clean. Recycle centers often have older kitchen cabinet or commercial tables built with this material. HDF also makes a good surface, especially when glued up in double thickness and inset flush between the aluminum framing so you use the top edge slots, but it needs sealing as it absorbs moisture and distorts over time. I often laminate 1/4″ Masonite to 3/4″ MDF stock as it is very durable and more resistant to moisture. By itself Masonite is also useful for side panels on bench and stands as it stiffens the frames and adds soundproofing for motors. (I also use it to make light weight shop shelving by glue/stapling it to 1″x1″ frames)
Engineered flooring is my new favorite materials for tops on workbenches or shop cabinets. Several years ago I used a couple of boxes of T&G bamboo flooring to finish my shop cabinets which has proved to be a very stable and durable surface. The pre-finished solid stock is very attractive and was super fast and easy to fit onto any kind of framing. Recently I’ve also made benchtops with the newer engineered waterproof laminate flooring. This material snaps together quickly and can be glued onto any kind of sheet material for strength.
Troy
This looks great! I love to read the breakdown of your thought process – much more valuable than just seeing the finished product alone.
Apologies for the kind of self-congratulatory comment, but the butcher block top reminded me of the best deal I ever got.
One of the local Home Depots had market down almost their entire inventory of butcher block countertops. I’d just come in for some moving boxes, and didn’t know until an associate told me about them when I was about to impulse buy one in a certain size they had stacked up and on sale in the center aisle. She said they just weren’t selling, and they had tons of sizes and species marked down in the main aisle.
She wasn’t kidding! I bought a few birch sections for between $60-90, then went nuts and had them pull down an entire pallet of 18 walnut 8′ x 25″ countertops and bought them all. Had to make another trip the next day with my little Harbor Freight trailer. $105 each, normally somewhere around $400. The real deal too, full 1.5″ thickness walnut, immaculate top sides and even usable bottoms.
The checkout process was a wet dream for my deal-loving self. The cashier thought something was broken when the receipt showed a discount of over $5000. I still have it and am considering framing it in walnut, lol.
They’re currently just chilling in a climate-controlled storage unit but will eventually become countertops in our new house, with at least a half dozen left over for other projects like cutting boards and whatnot. Will make for some nice gifts to give out for years!
Stuart
That sounds like a fantastic deal!
I also scored a 2′ x 4′ oak countertop at IKEA way back. I bolted it to a smaller 80/20 base, but didn’t have use for it when we moved. I found a new use for it last year – it’s the benchtop for a standing desk. I wish I had bought more.
I worry that stream-of-thought discussions like this might be too rough compared a polished project log, but a lot of the thought process details would otherwise be lost to time.
A lot project coverage show off finished projects, and when I look to draw inspiration from them, the “why did they do it like *that*?” part is often missing.
Troy
Totally. Well, I, for one, love the format.
Everyone still has something to learn, and everyone feels a little bit “behind the curve” sometimes when just seeing other people’s polished, finished work. I always appreciate it when content creators let us in on their creative and troubleshooting processes so we can remind ourselves that we’re all struggling a bit to do our best work. Seeing other people’s solutions is always inspiring to me, and it gives valuable context for why they chose to make certain compromises.
I’m also a big fan of 80/20 and I too wish it were cheaper. I use it for the same reasons you do – I haven’t had the time to invest in welding, and it’s just way quicker and easier to cut and bolt some extrusions. Plus it looks great and is lighter and much more corrosion-resistant than steel tubing.
Patrick Bollin
old bowling lanes
Stuart
I’ve heard of that too, but that’s a “right time, right place” type of material source.
bg100
I was offered first dibs on the floors from an entire bowling alley, but I had to turn it down because I was broke broke at the time. A neighbor of mine ended up with them, and they sat out for a couple of winters and went to heck. It was painful. Still is in fact!
DRT42
I made my primary workbench from an 8′ piece of bowling lane. Has worked out really well. I would absolutely do it again.
Aaron SD
One way to stiffen the countertop I’ve seen on dining tables are C-channels. It takes a little extra work and I’m not sure if the table is thick enough.
Seems like a simple-enough table and can replace the top in a year if any issues or not if not using the lathe anymore
Curt
Stuart, I don’t know if there’s a Floor & Decor near you, but they have reasonably-priced butcher-block countertops in a few species at 1.5” thick, 25” deep, and lengths of 6/8/12ft depending on species.
An 8ft length of rubber wood countertop is like $200 in Houston, TX right now. Walnut’s about double.
David Z
Stuart, can you throw in a link to the leveling casters?
Thanks!
David Z
I just realized it was the non castor feet that had the bolt sticking up. I want to put leveling casters on a Husky adjustable-height workbench/table. So I want the bolt coming up from the castor, as the original castors do.
bg100
I personally love the Home Depot butcher block from their house brand Hampton Bay. They have cheaper “engineered” butcher block too that may work well on a project like this.
I found it funny that Stuart is looking to mount a lathe right after the post about HF’s new lathe. I myself am now looking for where I would set up a lathe in my very small shop, so this homemade stand article is right on the money for me! Follow up article? Pics of it mounted and a list of ‘next time’ changes? Pretty please?
bg100
Just saw the line about the follow up article, oops and yay.
Stuart
It’s coincidental; I bought a benchtop metal lathe weighing ~350 lbs.
I looked at Home Depot’s butcher block options, and they have a couple Husky ones too. I wasn’t sold on any of them.
I plan for some follow-ups, but it might be a while.
jsbson
For a cheap solid tops I’m still using cut to size ones from a number of solid core 1-3/4 in exterior particle board doors. If they haven’t warped in 20 yrs as exterior doors they have always stayed stable for me. $5 for 36″ x 80″ at Restore, back in the day.
Andy
One way to solve the length concern with the leveling feet in the “middle” of the stand is use a threaded hex standoff:
https://www.mcmaster.com/products/nuts/standoffs~/male-female-threaded-hex-standoffs-6/
For the work top, my first thought was to laminate sheets of MDF together. I understand you don’t have space to break down a full sheet, however, most home centers can cut to size when purchasing. I typically ask them to cut to the sizes 1 inch larger than needed and do the final cut myself.
Stuart
Standoffs are not usually designed or rated for loads. It’s moot, because the standoffs you linked to stop at 1/4-20. These leveling feet have 1/2-13 threaded stems.
I could potentially go with coupling nuts, or longer lengths of threaded rods, as they are NOT fixed to the mounting feet.
But it seems easier to just machine a 1.5″ x 3″ x 0.5″ or 0.75″ block to go between the existing mounting foot – a 1.5″ x 3″ x 0.75″ block with central thread – and the legs. The construction isn’t complex – an aluminum block with 3 through-holes. I would need longer bolts for securing the mounting feet to the 80/20 legs.
It’s not a crucial component, just a “seems good to have” feature.
My benchtop milling machine still isn’t up and running (there was an issue with the spindle), but that should make it easy to square up the stock.
I can buy an aluminum bar, but I also have 0.75″ plate I bought at a steel. I’m still looking for a good way to cut pieces off for project stock, but that should work.
I have sheet goods cut to rough size at home centers on occasion.
I’m still wishy washy on the idea of an MDF top. Proceeding with the IKEA block in the meantime still seems like a good option, and one I don’t have to stick with.
MM
In my opinion MDF has a lot of advantages for tables: it’s dense, it’s dimensionally stable, it dampens vibrations, it doesn’t have a grain structure so it’s less likely to warp. But I wouldn’t use it anywhere near coolant or oil, both of which are likely present with a metalworking lathe. The risk of either getting into the MDF and making it swell and lose integrity are just too high, unless you enclose it within something else. I don’t think that paints or other coatings are very practical for solving that problem, but you could make a lamination. I’m imagining something like thin aluminum sheet on top, a layer or two of MDF core, hardwood plywood on the bottom. The aluminum top will be water and oil-proof and can still be cut with woodworking tools making it easy to make it look nice.
Andy
Makes sense about making the extension block, especially if you have the material on-hand. I didn’t realize the threaded rods for the feet were 1/2”-13, good to know.
Stuart
These particular feet are rated to 1,000 lb load capacity (each), and the casters 1,210 lbs (each).
I went with the larger swivel caster because I’m not rolling along a smooth and level floor, and because I wanted larger foot pads. I could have went a little smaller on the mid-leg machine pads, but I wanted more contact surface with the floor.
Tommy
Would you mind posting a link for those leveling feet?
Stuart
Leveling Feet: Mason MLS-1000 (via MSC)
Leveling Casters: Foot Master GD-80S-1/2 (via Home Depot)
There are different styles of the leveling casters. I went with these because the side access to the adjustment knob will make it easier to extend or retract the feet when the table is close to a wall, or from under the machine stand.
There are also cheaper brands on Amazon and elsewhere.
Richard Miller
I’m disappointed to hear that about Boos. I’ve found their cutting boards to be excellent quality.
Stuart
I’ve been tempted to buy a Boos cutting board so many times, but then reviews of splitting always turn me off.
It really looks like they built this with cut-offs of parts too low-quality to be used in kitchen islands or larger cutting boards. Voids, knots, filler, oh my.
There were just too many defects, and I was just visualizing splits and failures down the road.
I’d like to think that this was a fluke occurrence.
factory320
Keep in mind Boos Bros offers 3 levels of quality, not sure which you got or what Zoro sells?
https://www.johnboos.com/countertops/education/
Kitchen-A grade, nsf, full length, most most consistent aesthetics, no voids and blemishes
Commercial- B/C grade, nsf, full length, one side good, minimal voids and blemishes, mixed color
Industrial- C grade, nsf, filler pieces is not full length, blemishes and small voids, highly mixed color
Sounds like you got Industrial grade, their lowest quality option?
Also careful w IKEA these days, the “butcher” block tops is now a heavy veneer
MM
I think Stuart said he got the tops from McMaster-Carr. I have bought several “butcher block” workbench tops from McMaster over the years. I can’t say who made them as McMaster generally doesn’t advertise brands and I never bothered to ask or pay attention to the labels. Mine did not look as mismatched at the pictures Stuart posted here, though I did find the occasional small void here and there, always on the bottom. It sounds like what I got was B/C grade. I sent one back because of shipping damage, but otherwise they all looked very nice.
I no longer work where most of them went, but at the moment I have two I bought about 15 years ago, they are mounted to Pollard brand legs, also from McMaster. One of them developed a couple of splits and a delamination of a glue joint near a corner. This didn’t appear related to hard loading, as this particular bench I used for electronics. I repaired the damage with dowels & wood glue last year and I haven’t had any further problems. All that said, they look a lot nicer than what Stuart posted, fewer knots, less grain, etc. If they were selling Boos back when I bought mine they have lowered the grade since then.
Stuart
McMaster also doesn’t specify the supplier, so I didn’t know it was Boos until it was delivered.
Nathan
What’s the lathe? I like these discussions. I find I do a lot of middle of project second guessing also.
Meanwhile nobody pings on the cad question. I use fusion 360 personal at home. I’ve had good luck with it so far. Draw up idea. Make parts list. Split into individual part 3 view drawings. Etc
I use a Lenovo yoga laptop right now and while I used to fret over having it in the garage while cutting stuff I don’t worry anymore. But I rarely print now I just fold it in tablet form and leave it on the one bench in the back. (2-3 feet away from any saw). Anyway I’ve used solid works and AutoCAD at work. Thought fusion350 would have some cross function with AutoCAD but not much. Acts a lot like solid works or catia5