I was waiting for a Festool track saw and bam. It turns out to be a Wen track saw. First time I've seen a well-known channel to have one. It's honestly underrated by so many.
Hi Justin, I only watch joinery channels that strive for perfection! Excellent verbal dialogue and filming. No gimmicks, just very entertaining and informative content. Your channel has now joined the group. I can see this channel growing at an alarming rate. Well done, and keep up the good work. Len (Devon 🇬🇧)
I love the look of the finished area. Not just the finished torsion box, but the whole work area. Instead of cutting those strips off the bottom to access the mounting bays, could you have used a hole saw and cut a two or three inch access into each bay? That would allow you to glue the bottom plywood to the spacers all the way up to the edges, but you'd have ready access to those screws that attach it to the wall.
Thank you for showing how to make these shelves/worktops. My workshop floor has so many lumps and bumps, trying to find a level surface in there is nigh on impossible but now I can do a top like this for my workbench 🙂
Lol yep a ton! That was a pretty simple, easy way to do it, you can even use a lot of scraps. Torsion boxes are great and I’m really happy with how this one looks.!
Hello Handyman Friend, Yes, a tidy workshop is a cheerful workspace, well organizing this place is very important for well-being and for achievements without wasting time, my workshop is a former electric motor winding factory for all voltages, 2000M² on the ground floor -floor, ditto on the first floor where the offices of former employees are and on the second floor my private apartments. I struggled to reorganize and organize the workspace, I fished ideas left and right, but over time everything came back to normal with the sweat of my brow and with great patience . But no regrets about that, I still have two shipping containers to position. But every day that I spend in my studio is a real pleasure and a source of well-being. Good luck to you for your workshop. Alan from Belgium.
Great video, as always. Love that you were able to reclaim a corner of your shop and get some useful area out of it. Perfect application for a torsion box to cover a large span and still maintain strength and flatness.
As an alternative to cutting the bottom panel to give access to attach to the wall one could use a hole saw in each space. It would also compromise the strength of the torsion box less.
Great stuff. I like the out-of-the-box thinking on a custom torsion box. This design is homeowner friendly, both financially and skill level. As usual, excellent content PS - jumped up to 12K. Dry nice to see you rewarded for your effort. Well deserved. Tony
Have you ever seen the fastcap speed braces? I watched a channel who built his shop benches using all surfaces using these with short drawer boxes in the front 3” or so. He used the speed braces for mounting. Looked like an awesome setup with tons of storage and the same convenience.
No haven’t ever seen that before, looks cool! For this piece, no matter what I still would’ve gone with the tortion box top because I need it to be perfectly level and flat through and through but this looks like a cool option for other areas of the shop!
For small stuff I have a curing “oven” that speeds it up. I’m thinking for larger stuff I’m going to make a retractable plastic cover that attaches to the French cleat to cover it all so it’s not sawdust city in my epoxy!
Nice job! I need a super flat and stable tortion box mobile workbench to do composite layups on. That said I was planning on using only three wheels instead of four for the base. I am wondering why you chose to use four wheels instead of only three? The single castor will be in the middle where your pivot pin is. Thanks.
@@BitnerBuilt oh my gosh! I'm sorry! I watched a bunch of tortion box videos late last night and when I went back in my history I selected the wrong video to ask my question. 😳 Thanks for your reply and great video.
Nice job but if I could respectfully make a few suggestions: one of the benefits of a torsion box is that it is very resistant to twisting ( hence the term “ torsion box “ ) while being relatively light in weight. The inner “ honey comb “ pieces used could be 3/8 “ and the outer “ skins “ could be 1/4 “. That much glue is not needed and will add more weight to the table ( as do the screws ) . I just make a frame from 3/4 “ stock then staple the inner pieces ( using 3/8 “ ) together without using glue, then I apply glue to all the pieces on only one side, lie one of the 1/4 “ skins ( with a little overhang which will be routed trim later ) on top and put every type of weight that I have in the shop on the skin, let it dry, trim the edges, flip, then repeat on the other side. There is an excellent article on making torsion boxes by Ian Kirby in Fine Woodworking 1983 I believe.
Love your channel! I am currently starting out and building a shop. Currently I have just plywood walls, will be doing a French cleat system. You have given me much inspiration! I have 2 questions; What type of plywood did you use? Also why not make a desk using the French cleats?
Thanks! so for this, I use the radiata pine from Home Depot. It’s a cabinet grade ply that has an a/B side, and a c side. Right now it’s $50 but it used to be 30 before the pandemic and where I live I can’t get Baltic birch. so your question as to why not build a desk using French cleats. Well, in this application, I needed there to be no supports at all Underneath, yes, I could’ve hung it cleat style however, I wanted his desk to be perfectly level and flat. If I had used cleats to mount it, there could’ve been movement overtime. There also can be inconsistencies over a long run of cleat and things that occurred do to expansion contraction so for this application, where it was extremely important to be flat and level always I went with lags
Looks very clean and I definitely appreciate the available space below. I am curious though, with the weight of the top, other materials & supply, that thing will see quite a bit of weight. No doubt you used some heavy-duty screws I am curious how confident you are into what you screwed into and its ability to hold all the weight. I am guessing the elimination of the legs is for clearance of the planer? I love a clean look as much as the next person, but I would be very concerned about its survivability as a whole and even its levelness after some time in service!
I’m 215lb and I climbed on it yesterday to see if it would move and it didn’t. 😃 because I’m able to screw it into the wall on the right and the left it effectively acts like it has four legs because it’s being supported in all four corners. I’m not gonna be putting 200 pounds on it going forward it’s gonna be for project work, but I just wanted to make sure I was confident in its abilities.
Would some triangles on the sides underneath, and small L brackets in the middle help with weight load on that box? Also, what size screws did you use to attach to wall? 3/4 ply wall?
So it does screw in on the sides in addition to the back so it’s plenary well supported, I did climb up on it (215lb) and it didn’t seem to flex or sag. The wall behind it is half-inch ply, then drywall then Studs.and then I marked where the studs were behind that. I actually used a lot of extras I think.Used grk screws from the hd
Just a tip. I can tell you’re using plywood from Lowe’s (don’t ask me how I can tell). If there’s a Home Depot near you, go there. They carry Columbia Forest plywood. It’s 5-ply poplar core. Very stable and consistent with very few voids. That multi-layer ply from Lowe’s can easily delaminate. Price is the same but a much better and slightly lighter product.
That’s the radiata pine from Home Depot. I don’t never shop at Lowe’s. It’s probably different in color because I’m in a different part of the country than you so it’s first from somewhere else.
Love the bender CnC. Any reason to avoid half laps and use long cross sections rather than the small pieces? I’m prepping for the torsion top on the table saw project and I am debating on a hatch pattern of half laps but it also sounds like overkill too.
Half laps are excellent for torsion boxes, I did this one probably the simplest way you could do it just so anybody at any skill level could follow along. I also just purchased two sheets of three-quarter inch ply. You could use thicker material on the outside and thinner material for your laps. I think this is the eighth torsion box I’ve made and honestly I have felt that any of the ways I’ve done it, it all comes out well. I’m a big glue fan though, a few people have commented about not using the glue because of the weight, but I’d stand my ground on that one
@@BitnerBuilt awesome! Thanks! And yes, glue is cheap and honestly doesn’t weigh enough for me to be worried about. I’m not a small person and my test is to abuse anything with my heft. If it can live up to me I will stamp approval it for anything short of my own kids 😂 Long live the glue!
Thanks! My garage is slope two on the right side of this torsion box to the left side there’s almost a 2 inch drop in the floor. So if it’s a wall-mounted, use a laser level or at least a bubble level
@@lukelipari5860 put two legs in the back the height you want, then prop the front up with a level, measure and cut legs for the front (if that’s the direction of the slope and the table isn’t being moved
Great video!!…How’s the jointer working out?..I’m the guy that bought your old one..(which is working great)!..I do countertops..sometimes we will sandwich a 1/4” piece of steel on the leading edge to stiffen it up..looks like you don’t need it there..looks damn sturdy!..
Very nice addition to your shop, Justin! I have a P321 nailer that thinks it's jammed all the time. I returned one only to have the second one do the same thing. Did you have anything like that happen with yours? Any thoughts what I might be doing wrong? I've never found a jam.
Nailers can be funny. I had a full set of Makita from pin to finish nailer and they’ve been garbage honestly. The Brad before it died, did the same as yours. The finish nailer I know every single time I use it I have to do the first shot into a scrap piece of wood because it’s gonna stick halfway out, when the Brad nailer died, I ended up buying the Ryobi, and to my crazy surprise it’s been excellent. I’ve owned it for two years and never ever has a jammed up. And half the price too. One thing to try before abandoning yours you be test some other brands of nail clips. It could be a minute design difference in the nail head that the nailer doesn’t like.
I have heard that sometimes the inner works get gummed up and need to be cleaned. Try cleaning yours before you give up on it. I have the same one and never had a problem. I also ran Porter Cable brads through it with no issues.
I was waiting for a Festool track saw and bam. It turns out to be a Wen track saw. First time I've seen a well-known channel to have one. It's honestly underrated by so many.
Haha yea I personally think every brand has some good tools, I’m sure that one isn’t the best but cost / value on this one is great!
I loved the whole build but I really appreciate you covering where the stuff went so it wasn't just staged. Love your videos!
Thanks! Yeah, it’s funny how in videos things magically disappear in the final version 😂
Hi Justin, I only watch joinery channels that strive for perfection! Excellent verbal dialogue and filming. No gimmicks, just very entertaining and informative content. Your channel has now joined the group. I can see this channel growing at an alarming rate. Well done, and keep up the good work. Len (Devon 🇬🇧)
Wow, thanks!🙏
Great explanation! I have a big work space but poorly used. You are an inspiration!
Thank you so much!
I love the look of the finished area. Not just the finished torsion box, but the whole work area.
Instead of cutting those strips off the bottom to access the mounting bays, could you have used a hole saw and cut a two or three inch access into each bay? That would allow you to glue the bottom plywood to the spacers all the way up to the edges, but you'd have ready access to those screws that attach it to the wall.
That’s a great idea and it definitely would have worked! Would have kept it even more structurally sound! Thanks!
Thank you for showing how to make these shelves/worktops. My workshop floor has so many lumps and bumps, trying to find a level surface in there is nigh on impossible but now I can do a top like this for my workbench 🙂
Oh cool! Good luck with it!
That was very nicely done. Lots of pieces to glue!
Lol yep a ton! That was a pretty simple, easy way to do it, you can even use a lot of scraps. Torsion boxes are great and I’m really happy with how this one looks.!
Looks like a win all the way around!
Definitely, I’m upset I wasn’t using that space better before now!
Hello Handyman Friend,
Yes, a tidy workshop is a cheerful workspace, well organizing this place is very important for well-being and for achievements without wasting time, my workshop is a former electric motor winding factory for all voltages, 2000M² on the ground floor -floor, ditto on the first floor where the offices of former employees are and on the second floor my private apartments.
I struggled to reorganize and organize the workspace, I fished ideas left and right, but over time everything came back to normal with the sweat of my brow and with great patience .
But no regrets about that, I still have two shipping containers to position.
But every day that I spend in my studio is a real pleasure and a source of well-being.
Good luck to you for your workshop.
Alan from Belgium.
Thanks Alan! Yes I’m always happy when the workshops clean and organized! Wow that’s quite the shop! Would love to have that kind of space!
Good job
Thanks ✌️
Soooo much room for Activities!😝
😂
Great build and idea thanks for sharing
Thanks Jim 👍
Great video, as always. Love that you were able to reclaim a corner of your shop and get some useful area out of it. Perfect application for a torsion box to cover a large span and still maintain strength and flatness.
Thanks! Yea it’s working great!
Great improvement!
Thanks love being able to hide away the jointer!
As an alternative to cutting the bottom panel to give access to attach to the wall one could use a hole saw in each space. It would also compromise the strength of the torsion box less.
good idea!
Great stuff. I like the out-of-the-box thinking on a custom torsion box. This design is homeowner friendly, both financially and skill level. As usual, excellent content
PS - jumped up to 12K. Dry nice to see you rewarded for your effort. Well deserved. Tony
Thanks Tony! Yea simplest design for a torsion structure but works great!
Have you ever seen the fastcap speed braces? I watched a channel who built his shop benches using all surfaces using these with short drawer boxes in the front 3” or so. He used the speed braces for mounting. Looked like an awesome setup with tons of storage and the same convenience.
The channel is ThisisCarpentry, full shop tour, 13:35 mark.
No haven’t ever seen that before, looks cool! For this piece, no matter what I still would’ve gone with the tortion box top because I need it to be perfectly level and flat through and through but this looks like a cool option for other areas of the shop!
Very nice build and explanation as always. Where will the expoxy projects stay to cure?
For small stuff I have a curing “oven” that speeds it up. I’m thinking for larger stuff I’m going to make a retractable plastic cover that attaches to the French cleat to cover it all so it’s not sawdust city in my epoxy!
Nice job! I need a super flat and stable tortion box mobile workbench to do composite layups on. That said I was planning on using only three wheels instead of four for the base. I am wondering why you chose to use four wheels instead of only three? The single castor will be in the middle where your pivot pin is. Thanks.
Thanks! I’m confused, I made a wall mounted one, no wheels at all…no pivot pin etc?
@@BitnerBuilt oh my gosh! I'm sorry! I watched a bunch of tortion box videos late last night and when I went back in my history I selected the wrong video to ask my question. 😳 Thanks for your reply and great video.
Nice job but if I could respectfully make a few suggestions: one of the benefits of a torsion box is that it is very resistant to twisting ( hence the term “ torsion box “ ) while being relatively light in weight. The inner “ honey comb “ pieces used could be 3/8 “ and the outer “ skins “ could be 1/4 “. That much glue is not needed and will add more weight to the table ( as do the screws ) . I just make a frame from 3/4 “ stock then staple the inner pieces ( using 3/8 “ ) together without using glue, then I apply glue to all the pieces on only one side, lie one of the 1/4 “ skins ( with a little overhang which will be routed trim later ) on top and put every type of weight that I have in the shop on the skin, let it dry, trim the edges, flip, then repeat on the other side. There is an excellent article on making torsion boxes by Ian Kirby in Fine Woodworking 1983 I believe.
Thanks for the tips!
Love your channel! I am currently starting out and building a shop. Currently I have just plywood walls, will be doing a French cleat system. You have given me much inspiration! I have 2 questions; What type of plywood did you use? Also why not make a desk using the French cleats?
Thanks! so for this, I use the radiata pine from Home Depot. It’s a cabinet grade ply that has an a/B side, and a c side. Right now it’s $50 but it used to be 30 before the pandemic and where I live I can’t get Baltic birch. so your question as to why not build a desk using French cleats. Well, in this application, I needed there to be no supports at all Underneath, yes, I could’ve hung it cleat style however, I wanted his desk to be perfectly level and flat. If I had used cleats to mount it, there could’ve been movement overtime. There also can be inconsistencies over a long run of cleat and things that occurred do to expansion contraction so for this application, where it was extremely important to be flat and level always I went with lags
Looks very clean and I definitely appreciate the available space below. I am curious though, with the weight of the top, other materials & supply, that thing will see quite a bit of weight.
No doubt you used some heavy-duty screws I am curious how confident you are into what you screwed into and its ability to hold all the weight.
I am guessing the elimination of the legs is for clearance of the planer? I love a clean look as much as the next person, but I would be very concerned about its survivability as a whole and even its levelness after some time in service!
I’m 215lb and I climbed on it yesterday to see if it would move and it didn’t. 😃 because I’m able to screw it into the wall on the right and the left it effectively acts like it has four legs because it’s being supported in all four corners. I’m not gonna be putting 200 pounds on it going forward it’s gonna be for project work, but I just wanted to make sure I was confident in its abilities.
Would some triangles on the sides underneath, and small L brackets in the middle help with weight load on that box?
Also, what size screws did you use to attach to wall? 3/4 ply wall?
So it does screw in on the sides in addition to the back so it’s plenary well supported, I did climb up on it (215lb) and it didn’t seem to flex or sag. The wall behind it is half-inch ply, then drywall then Studs.and then I marked where the studs were behind that. I actually used a lot of extras I think.Used grk screws from the hd
Just a tip. I can tell you’re using plywood from Lowe’s (don’t ask me how I can tell). If there’s a Home Depot near you, go there. They carry Columbia Forest plywood. It’s 5-ply poplar core. Very stable and consistent with very few voids. That multi-layer ply from Lowe’s can easily delaminate. Price is the same but a much better and slightly lighter product.
That’s the radiata pine from Home Depot. I don’t never shop at Lowe’s. It’s probably different in color because I’m in a different part of the country than you so it’s first from somewhere else.
When making a torsion box, can you use MDF or does it need to be plywood?
You can definitely use mdf just ensure your using a lot of glue, it’s already flat and once glued up will be very stiff
Love the bender CnC.
Any reason to avoid half laps and use long cross sections rather than the small pieces? I’m prepping for the torsion top on the table saw project and I am debating on a hatch pattern of half laps but it also sounds like overkill too.
Half laps are excellent for torsion boxes, I did this one probably the simplest way you could do it just so anybody at any skill level could follow along. I also just purchased two sheets of three-quarter inch ply. You could use thicker material on the outside and thinner material for your laps. I think this is the eighth torsion box I’ve made and honestly I have felt that any of the ways I’ve done it, it all comes out well. I’m a big glue fan though, a few people have commented about not using the glue because of the weight, but I’d stand my ground on that one
@@BitnerBuilt awesome! Thanks!
And yes, glue is cheap and honestly doesn’t weigh enough for me to be worried about. I’m not a small person and my test is to abuse anything with my heft. If it can live up to me I will stamp approval it for anything short of my own kids 😂
Long live the glue!
@@executor485 😂😂😂✌️
Very nice build. What do you think about using half laps for the interior 'ribs'?
Sure, lots of people use them with torsion boxes, they create a more interlocked structure shit show
It looks great man! Any tips for putting one together in a sloped garage?
Thanks! My garage is slope two on the right side of this torsion box to the left side there’s almost a 2 inch drop in the floor. So if it’s a wall-mounted, use a laser level or at least a bubble level
@@BitnerBuilt how about if it has legs?
@@lukelipari5860 put two legs in the back the height you want, then prop the front up with a level, measure and cut legs for the front (if that’s the direction of the slope and the table isn’t being moved
@@BitnerBuilt great idea thank you!!!
Make sure you put on adjustable feet too, that will correct any small errors in leg height
Great video!!…How’s the jointer working out?..I’m the guy that bought your old one..(which is working great)!..I do countertops..sometimes we will sandwich a 1/4” piece of steel on the leading edge to stiffen it up..looks like you don’t need it there..looks damn sturdy!..
It’s great! Ooo yea that steel would work well. Torsion boxes really don’t need it as they really are sturdy. Thanks!
Very nice addition to your shop, Justin! I have a P321 nailer that thinks it's jammed all the time. I returned one only to have the second one do the same thing. Did you have anything like that happen with yours? Any thoughts what I might be doing wrong? I've never found a jam.
Nailers can be funny. I had a full set of Makita from pin to finish nailer and they’ve been garbage honestly. The Brad before it died, did the same as yours. The finish nailer I know every single time I use it I have to do the first shot into a scrap piece of wood because it’s gonna stick halfway out, when the Brad nailer died, I ended up buying the Ryobi, and to my crazy surprise it’s been excellent. I’ve owned it for two years and never ever has a jammed up. And half the price too. One thing to try before abandoning yours you be test some other brands of nail clips. It could be a minute design difference in the nail head that the nailer doesn’t like.
@@BitnerBuilt good idea. I'm using the porter cable nails. I'll give the Dewalt a try. Thanks!
I have heard that sometimes the inner works get gummed up and need to be cleaned. Try cleaning yours before you give up on it.
I have the same one and never had a problem. I also ran Porter Cable brads through it with no issues.