The Cutting Table (a.k.a. Work Table a.k.a. Craft Table….)

Tags

bookcases, casters, craft table, cutting table, easy build, IKEA hack, quilting table, space management

 

I promised a posting about my *fabulous* table…..

When I conceptualized this table, there was not talk of a Quilting Machine upstairs; the room looked like this:

There was plenty of room, and I really needed a good surface to work on.  The resulting work table, was sketched/drawn by me, then Charlie and I took a trip to IKEA to pick up some of the “bones”- we built it together.

Here is the write-up that I put together for the IKEA hackers website (a website dedicated to people that take IKEA items and create something different).

Materials:
2 IKEA Expedit (2 x 4) bookcases
2 sheets of plywood (3/4″)
5 heavy duty casters &  
5 washers & 
5 lockwashers
leftover flooring
trim
18 – 20 L-brackets

The Build:

1. Assemble the two bookcases

2. Cut the two sheets of plywood down to 6 ft (cut 2 ft off the long side). The sheets will now measure 4ft x 6 ft). Paint one side of each sheet to match/coordinate the finish of your EXPEDIT pieces. In my case, I just painted them white. Mount 4 of the casters in the four corners (within 6″ of the edge of the long side so that they will not interfere with the bookcases), and one in the center. The casters should be mounted on the side of the plywood that is NOT painted.

4. Position the bookcases parallel to each other but with 13 1/4″ of space in between them. Position the plywood (with the casters) on top of the two bookcases. You should now have a 6″ overhang on the long ends, and a 2″ overhang on the short ends. Secure the the plywood and the bookcases together with L-brackets (2 on each of the short ends and 1 in the middle of the long side).

5. FOR THIS STEP ASSISTANCE IS REQUIRED !! Turn the table upright (see photo above)

6. Attach the 2nd piece of plywood (painted side down) to the top of the two bookcases, using the same measurements you used on the bottom.

7. Finish the top with the covering of your choice. I used leftover flooring for mine. In the main picture, I have attached the trim to the top but not yet to the bottom.

And here it is after it had been put into service – it is now 2 years later and I still LOVE it!  Now that the space has gotten much “tighter” upstairs, the heavy duty casters were a brilliant (if I may say so myself) idea!  When I am sewing, I push the table closer to the Quilting Machine, and when I am quilting I push it closer to the sewing machine; but, the casters are heavy enough that the table stays put when I am working on it…