Help re build table

[Ryan]

Hello all.

Joined the forum the other day but this is my first actual post here. purchased "the book" around a month ago and since then have been dreaming none stop about building a roadster. I am still in the planning stages at the minute but hoping to get started in the next month or so. My mechanical knowledge is fairly ok, after having to repair lots of my cars before! Whilst I have worked with engines etc before I have never attempted anything like this…….Its still a little daunting. Just wondering if people could offer me any advice around building a build table, Do I just buy the ply and timber and screw it together? How do I know that this will be a true flat surface? Also, the lines that I need to draw on the top of the wood, are these the measurement lines? Or do I actually draw the lines where the metal should sit?

All these questions and I haven’t even stated my build yet! Sorry about that!

Cheers, Ryan.

[londonsean69]

Firstly, welcome to the forum

This was being discussed the other week, have a look here, some ideas about build tables.

To ensure I had a true and level surface, I placed a spirit level (about 3ft long) across the table at all positions, both along and across, not forgetting the diagonals.

The lines should represent where your tubes will go (as a hint, most steel rules are 25mm wide)

I used little bits of timber as the guides for the tubes, some people have used those little blocks for screwing kitchen cabinets together. An alternative would be to use some steel angle (although drilling loads of them out would be boring

Don't worry about asking questions, it's what the forum is for, but it may have been asked before, so remember there is a search function

[gingea1pom]

In my humble opinion don’t use MDF (I am probably the only person to use it, it was cheaper!!!) my table now has a gentle curve across it’s length from the damp getting in the garage.

I painted the table white as I had a week to wait for the steel (parkers) and it took me two attempts to get the marking out correct.

I used the kitchen cabinet fixers and only used about 30 from a packet of 100 so if you like I will send them all over (locost I don’t need them you might).

I have not finished the chassis yet, there are some pictures in my signature, and always ask questions don’t go into anything blind. This forum is like no other, if you ask a simple fundamental question you will get a considered reply not a slaging of as you and I are not going to know everything.

The wealth of knowledge here is amazing, If I could I would print all 10711 posts and keep them for reference!

Good luck and keep asking.

[Ryan]

Thanks for the replies! Table seems simple now I have seen a few pics

Sean, must have missed that post as I did do a search, hate to re post things unnecessarily.

Ginge, well done on your chassis. The pics look brill. Thankyou for the offer of the little clip things but I have loads of little angle bracket things in the loft that I plan to use.

Next job is to clear the garage and get cracking on with a table, as soon as I get off these crummy night shifts...

Thanks again for your advice!

Ryan.

[Bonzo]

Hi Ryan

A very warm welcome to the forum.

Just about any thickish flat surface is suitable for the build table.

MDF is prone to absorbing damp & curling up a little. That said, i would say that it is still suitable provided it is firmly screwed down to a decent wooden frame.
Perhaps it could be sealed with some PVA before being painted white.

As said, a good long builders level will ensure things remain flat.

I went the lo-cost route & used what was to hand.

3" X 3" X 8mm angle iron frame. This was covered in waterproof floor boarding sheets. Finaly I dropped a 8' X 4' sheet of 1.6 mm mild steel on the top.

Overkill for sure but cost me nothing as it was already here

Never be afraid to ask a question, sometimes even the search feature fails to cover the exact topic that you were looking for.

Enjoy your build