Has Anyone Built Their Own Industrial Sewing Tables? --Can You Critique My Idea?

[gottaknow]

Nothing is "solid" when it comes from Ikea. Those plates are called "hobby plates" here and made by 23 mm soft pine, used for book shelf and flower pots. The wood is taken from the outside layers of the log and curl up whit a three degree weather change . With a frame around its of course stronger. Ikea uses only the cheapest stuff and child labor, Its reasonable priced however. Maybe Ikea has managed to make a name for them self in the USA, here they fool nobody. I have installed a fair amount of Ikea kitchens in my time, I know what I talking about. ( cra........)

Before all tops where made of 2 inch American plywood, now they use the bad fiber plates (particle board); they do not hold up. I have a plate like that on my Adler 204 machine/ with a heavy Efka variostop underneath. The table moves ten inches sideways every time the motor kicks in. The particle board sucks up water and give bad support for screws, the vibration from the machine makes it all worse. They do not use water proof particle boards in those cheap sewing machine tops, they do not hold up for long.

I know it is a economy crisis, but come on. Its better to spend a couple of dollars more the first time than have to do it all over again when it breaks down. I know Erik will agree with me, he knows that is the most economical solution in the long run.

Tor

When I do build a custom table, I have to build it to withstand factory use. I tend to build it for how heavy I think it needs to be, and then go a bit beyond. My concern even with the reinforcement is the area immediate to the machine cut-out. It's certainly ok to try different things, and in his situation the thinner top might be just fine.

Regards, Eric

[shtoink]

Talk about overkill

If it ain't overkill, it ain't worth doing.

Go big, or go home, right?

[Massive]

you have to be careful framing solid wood. It is not how the stuff works. That is why the typical forms float a panel in a frame, think door or kitchen cabinet. You can frame a ply or particul board top, but not solid wood. The reason is that it expands and contracts with seasonal moisture changes, and will tear your frame appart.

Something like this is ideal. http://www.grizzly.com/products/Solid-Maple-Workbench-Top-48-Wide-x-30-Deep-x-1-3-4-Thick/G9913

I get it is way more expensive than you want to spend, but from hanging out on wood boards I can tell you threads come up constantly with outrageously good prices for this kind of stuff. This is similar to butcher block used in kitches, which is another source of the deals.

[thesergeant]

Boy am I flip flopping on this project!

Alright, so I'm going to forget about the ikea table and trying to brace it. You guys have convinced me and I'm fairly certain I'll thank you for it.

Massive, thanks so much for the info on framing solid wood. Clearly I'm a noobie at wood working. Second, thank you for the link to that table top. That is EXACTLY what I was looking for -- hardwood, "workbench look" and 1 3/4" thick. I might actually go for the smaller table size (24"x36"x1.75") as well.

[Trox]

Erik is polite, Massive shows the good stuff right there.

Thesergeant, Its nice with a big table if you have room for it. You can glue and screw an other plate from the bottom to make your table stronger.

Tor

[J Hayes]

If you have a "Woodcrafters" store nearby they will have the same stuff as Grizzly, and even thicker, I think they typically have 1 1/2. I have also seen the "butcher block" stuff at home improvent centers. Occasionally You can find pieces of bowling alley lane on craigslist.

Good luck, creating is rewarding no mater what the material used.

Jeremy

Edited June 26, 2013 by J Hayes

[gottaknow]

Trox, don't go telling people I'm polite....

Regards, Eric

[thesergeant]

Jeremy, I wish you never would have directed me to "woodcrafters"!! THey have the table tops but unfortunately are too long -- BUT -- they have a lot of other interesting stuff there. I have a feeling my wallet is going to lighten up a bit--plus there's one 30 minutes away from me.

I did a little more searching and found a place a hour north of me that makes and sells these table tops in a variety of thickness and sizes. I'm going to go for a 24"x48"x1.375" hard rock maple for $88 (!!!). For another $50 I can get a dark walnut in the same size. HMMMMmmmmmm, is it worth it? Lol.

http://www.perfectplank.com/hardrockmaplefj.html

[ElConquistador]

Jeremy, I wish you never would have directed me to "woodcrafters"!! THey have the table tops but unfortunately are too long -- BUT -- they have a lot of other interesting stuff there. I have a feeling my wallet is going to lighten up a bit--plus there's one 30 minutes away from me.

I did a little more searching and found a place a hour north of me that makes and sells these table tops in a variety of thickness and sizes. I'm going to go for a 24"x48"x1.375" hard rock maple for $88 (!!!). For another $50 I can get a dark walnut in the same size. HMMMMmmmmmm, is it worth it? Lol.

http://www.perfectplank.com/hardrockmaplefj.html

[ElConquistador]

Hi, I have been making sewing machine tables and the most easy way to make them is out of 3/4" oak vener , from a regular 4'x8' oak vener I will cut it into 4 pieces , and then I will glue 2 tougether like a sandwitch wit a lots of glue between and holdig it together with 1 1/8" screws every 8" let to dried sanded stain and apply polyurethane and finish . Do your cut out as you need for your machine out of a 4'x8' you can get 2 table machinesfor $40 and solid like a rock .