Joel OF Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 Hi guys, just thought I'd share a couple pics of some trestle tables I made today. I needed some for general measuring out, bit of cutting etc. The pics are fairly self explanitory, I don't know what you'd call this type of hold down method but I got the idea from my anvil hold down. I make a variety of salvage items using light guage railway track and had some spare lengths kicking around the workshop so used them for this project. All the box section and angle iron was just what I had to hand and was left over from my welding bench build. You don't need railway track to make these, anything heavy and flat will work. The trestles are very sturdy and hold the workpiece tightly, obviously not as tightly as a vise but very well nonetheless. I might be reinventing the wheel here and for all I know this idea could be really old hat but I haven't seen any pics of them before. One design improvement to the framework would have been to raise the bottom bracing arm off the floor so one trestle could slide under the other. You live and learn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 Laying something heavy on the project to keep it put is indeed old had or should I say Hold hat? I think all of us have done the heavy, "gravity clamp?" thing too many times to count. I like your set up as maybe a proof of concept model, for my use anyway. I'd put a wider flat under the rail. "table?" I'd seriously think about another rail for the table section and experiment with which works better flange or rail up. I think it needs hips from the legs to the posts, it'd get wobbly in my shop too fast. I'd also experiment with putting the shanks off center in the clamp bar to see if it'd jam in the holes like a holdfast does. They would stack for storage as they stand with a minimal offset to one side or the other. Put some SMALL feet on the legs and they couldn't tip when stacked. I'm thinking 1/8"x2" strap stock for feet and maybe a smear of dry silicone calk on the bottoms to make them no skid feet. I vote this is a darned good idea, a head slapper for me for sure. Lots of potential without getting all fancy. Well done. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 Very slick idea. It took me a minute to figure out what you were talking about with the whole "trestle" thing. Then I realized you had made some sawhorses. Just goes to prove folks sure do talk funny on that side of the pond! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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