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Yesterday I finished assembling the steel table frames I bought for my new X-Carve 1000mm x 1000mm. I ended up going with a set of 2 Stack-On SOP-AWB-6 Adjustable Height & Length Steel Workbench Frames, bolted together. The adjustable height and length steel frames are exactly what I needed for strength/stability and to mitigate a 3″ offset on the garage floor at the X-Carve’s designated shop location.
I like that fact that the frame height adjusts from 29 inches to 41 inches tall and the legs have adjustable screw levelers. The length can be adjusted for 4 foot, 5 foot or 6 foot x 24 inch work surfaces. I knew I had to mitigate the issue with my uneven floor and I wasn’t completely sure where I would end with the work area so having this flexibility to work with was great for me.
At the end, I settled with a 4’ x 4’ work surface configuration and 3/4" MDF table top. A good simple base to start with.
Below are a couple of photos showing the assembled table and the steel frame components after unpacking.
I still need to add shelves at the bottom and additional reinforcements, if needed, once I make the final tuning of the table to ensure the X-Carve table surface is flat and the table frame is stable.
That is a great price for a steel frame. I have just started looking at buying vs building a new workbench. Since my shop is in my basement I need a work table that can be split into two parts for easy moving if I every want to take it back out of the basement once assembled, so this looks perfect…
You said it may need some additional bracing, is it not sturdy as built?
Are the tables designed to attach to each other?
Is it designed to accept shelves?
It is sturdy as built before even bolting down the MDF top (my choice). Each table weights approximately 29 lbs. So, I’m at ~58 lbs. overall on the steel frames before the MDF top. The manufacturer claims each table has a weight capacity of 750 lbs. No issues there for me. The concern I have is that the table sitting on the epoxy floor might shake or “walk” away with the motion of the X-Carve, so I may need to secure the steel frame to the back wall. The table can also be bolted to the ground, but I’m not doing that.
The manufacturer doesn’t show a use case to attach to each other or to accept shelves. To secure the shelves, I’ll use the 4 holes available on each lower cross-member. Given the shelf span, I plan to add vertical supports or “legs” from the shelves to the floor.
To fasten the MDF table top to the steel frame I decided to use E-Z LOK’s 1/4-20 x 1/2" threaded inserts embedded in the MDF table top. Once I placed the table top over the steel frame exactly where I wanted it, I marked all 34 available holes on the MDF table top with a black marker. Then, using a 3/8" Forstner bit, I drilled a total of 34 1/2" holes for the threaded inserts. Next, I screwed the inserts into the MDF board with a screwdriver. A bit of patience pays off.
And here it is after my first carve. Couldn’t be happier with the table. My main goal was to get a sturdy table that could get me going with my X-Carve relatively quickly. Mission accomplished and loving every minute with my X-Carve!
