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[w3526602]

Hi,

More an embrionic idea, rather than a project, that I'm mentioning here in case others are in same boat, or can suggest improvements.

At present, when sawing up branches (2" to 3" diameter), I open my green wheelie bin, and try to grip the "workpiece" firmly to the bin's rim. It works ... after a fashion.

My builder has left an 8ft x 4ft sheet of 1/2" thick plywood in my garage (I assume it was included in his bill, but  I won't argue, as he does a lot of pro bono jobs.)

The plan is to cut a square of ply, a bit bigger than the lid of the bin, with a big circular-ish hole cut in the middle.

Lay this lump of ply onto the bin, and stick hand holding a pencil, into the hold, and trace the internal shape of the bin onto the underside of the ply.

Jig-saw along the line.

Drop the resulting shape into the bin, where it will sit on the lip, about an inch below the to edge.

Once happy that it is a "drop fit", transfer the shape to two or three similar squares, and trim them to shape. I suppose to be really posh, two sheets of 25mm thick WBP, would give best results.

Whichever, glue or screw the two sheets together.

For sawing branches, planks, etc, a simple block of wood, fixed across the ply would suffice. But for more intricate (metal) jobs, a 4" vice (or bigger?), can be bolted to the ply.

Comments, suggestions, or raspberries, please.? (OK, a sheet of 1" thick mild steel plate would be preferable to plywood.)

3/4" T&G decking, glued and screwed to similar laid underneath, at 90*?

Once the template is cut, use it cut a single sheet of 1" thick WPB?

602

[Genem]

1. Before you start chopping the board up, check the current price. You may wish to march it straight into the nearest bank vault, under armed guard. The cost of Ply, OSB and any sort of plank has at least doubled in the last year.

2. That seems about the worlds most complexificatified Saw Horse ?



   

[w3526602]

2. That seems about the worlds most complexificatified Saw Horse ?

Hi Gene,

Complicated? It couldn't be simpler?

Two bits of 12mm thick plywood.

Cut one bit to 400mm x 410mm with 50mm x 50mm chamfered corners, so it will drop into the top of the bin.

Cut second bit to 420mm x 430mm with square corners, so it won't drop into the bin.

Centralise the smaller sheet on the larger, and draw pencil line around.

Join sheets together using wood screws or small coach bolts and nuts.

I already have the plywood, with no plans for it. When I have plans, I always buy WBP. And any way, I would only be using 500mm from a 2400mm long sheet. I might have a box of suitable wood screws in my currently inaccessible garage, but eight coach bolts and nuts wiil not break the bank.

The wheelie bin is free, and will continue to be a wheelie bin when the work-top is hung from the garage roof trusses ... by the vice.

It would be sensible to buy a small can of impact adhesive.

I'll ask Barbara (to make her feel included) to find me a 4" engineer's vice on Amazon.

Gibbo ... would your sister have a use for a rubble sack full of 3" dia logs, about 12 inches long?

602

[Wittsend]

Couldn't you just make a saw horse out of a couple of old pallets

... and leave the wheelie bin out of it ?

[w3526602]

Hi Alan,

Quick answer ... YES


Quicker answer ... clear my garage (when access to the Amenity Centre returns to normal), and erect the heavy work-bench that Barbara bought me a couple of years back, and not yet unwrapped.

My urgent desire is for a vice that I can comfortably use, without first digging a hole to stand in. (I am joking ... about the hole).

Just remembered, I have a stand for for treadle sewing machine that I was planning to fit with a flat top, to stand in the patio area.

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