LocostUSA.com

I am not sure what i should do. would a wood table, 4'x8' work, perhaps with a MDF top? it only gets used once, so i want to make it cheap, and easy to dispose of.

It seems that many build threads describe the construction of their build tables first thing in their thread.

Laminar is right you can take a look around.

I recollect two or three common thoughts. One is the top should be made from two sheets of something with studs or metal studs in between to make it stiff so it stays flat. A shelf is useful between the legs and at any rate you want to make the shelf or any bracing far enough off the floor to get an engine crane under it. I'm not sure that works with a V8 though

I looked at buying metal studs from lowes or home depot and was not encouraged by their price. If the links on Lowe's website can be believed, an eight foot beam was more than $50.

I'm thinking two sheets of MDF, spaced with 1x4 pine and 4x4 legs reinforced with either 1x4s or 1x6s. If it's not burned down, I can use it for other things afterward. My problem is that I will be doing all of my work outside, so keeping everything clean and dry is going to be an issue.

Yo, Charles-
My table was set up outside as well. Under a roof, but no walls. I can tell you from experience that the welding won't burn down your MDF table top near as fast as humidity will cause it to swell and get all soft on ya. (Insert tasteless joke here...) Mine had a few scars from welding, but it got almost double its original thickness at the corners and was visibly flexible. (I admit it wasn't the best design to begin with. One thickness of MDF on top, no lower piece.) By that time, though, the chassis was welded and we just put the chassis on sawhorses...

H-T-H

JDK

Lot of information here http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=6634&start=0

Something is up with that. A 10' stud in Lowes.ca is $3.39.

Yeah, they've got something strange going on. At Lowes of Cheyenne, they're flat not available, but if I go to Home Depot in Sterling, Colorado, I can pick up "Clark/Western 1-1/4 in. x 2 1/2 in. x 10 ft. Drywall Steel Stud 25 Gauge" for $3.27 each.

For building your table, steel studs would be better than wood. Wood will tend to have a slight arc to it, where the steel 'should' be straight.

Sounds like you should make the legs the full 8' 4x4. Then a little more fooling around and get either a plywood roof or corrugated plastic. A layer of paint on the wood will help keep it from swelling etc. or whatever from rain and stuff. You can probably work a tarp or heavy construction palstic around it too... If you go for the heavy clear plastic it will help keep it dryer inside because it will warm up a bit on most days... Other wise dew will take a tool on the bare metal.

Those aren't structural studs. The build tables I have seen with steel studs use 2 x 4's or 2 x 6's, 20-22 gauge. Since the big-box stores in my area don't carry steel studs, I ended up buying some recycled 8' long 20 gauge 2 x 4's on CL for $5 each.

Rich,

There are only 3 ways to go with this: Cheap, mid-range and over-the-top. Do a search on "build table" and you'll see all three. I went cheap. Two saw horses with four or five 2x6s (all of which I already had laying around) and a sheet of 3/4" MDF that I actually went and bought for the table. It worked for me. I leveled the table by squeezing the legs together on the low corners.

John

This was my main one and the other was my later one when the car was actually under construction and the frame was built.

Al

OK, Guys. I could use a little help deciding how best to go about this. My original Plan was to build a BIG, HEAVY, (more or less) PERMANENT table since I had a pretty large shop. I said "had" because, once again, life intervenes, and now it looks like my shop is going to be reduced by half. Of course, an immoveable table doesn't look quite so attractive anymore. A smaller, lighter, more portable option seems in order here, and the tables used by Racers Dan & Al look like they'll fill the bill very nicely. My question is this,'Do i need to provide for some means of leveling the table whenever I move it?' It appears that raceral has brake equipped casters, which would hold the table in position, but not allow for easy level adjustment. I have a few ideas on how to deal with this, but another question could be, 'Do I really need to?' Am I overly concerned about a non-problem?

How about some leveling casters? You would have to readjust them every time you move them but they not too bad of an option. And THESE were just the first thing that came up with a little GoogleFu. The load rating appears to be enough for a frame and most of the bits before the car becomes a roller.

edit: Same style, larger wheel and load rating.. http://www.accesscasters.com/3p80f-3-le ... quare.aspx