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Fixing workbench wobbles

JDBoston

Well Known Member
For someone who has been building for a long time on and off this question shows my ignorance of carpentry :)

I built two EAA tables, one is 72" and the other one is a smaller 30" square table.

They are pretty sturdy except when it comes to backriveting. I end up with dumped over rivets because of the wobble in the table. The tables seem secure but if you push enough you can see how a rivet gun would move it enough to cause a problem. I've confirmed it is the table by backriveting on the concrete floor which is fine. It used to be better because when I backriveted many of the structures on the wings that I built things were fine as well.

I have driven lots of screws in thinking I was making it more sturdy, but does anyone else have this problem? Are cross braces the answer? Rebuild the table with another design? I don't think it is the legs not being flat on the floor although I guess that could contribute to it. It seems like the frame itself has a little sway/give to it.

Thanks for any pointers.
 
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Eaa workbench

I built an eaa workbench, except i had a 2? lip all the way around. It is very sturdy but still wobbles due to the floor not being flat. I just use a wood shim under the leg to keep it from wobbling
 
I built an eaa workbench, except i had a 2? lip all the way around. It is very sturdy but still wobbles due to the floor not being flat. I just use a wood shim under the leg to keep it from wobbling

Thanks, I should clarify for those reading it isn't that the legs on the ground wobble - It is the structure itself - the table has some give to it.
 
Glue

If it is the frame itself that is moving then some adhesive in the joints should firm it up. It will mean some disassembly but if you can get some woodworking PVA or polyurethane or construction adhesive in the joints I think that could fix it.
 
Here is a design for good, solid tables. One of the keys is that for the frame, it's all glued and screwed together.

The table has some battens which fit tightly. The battens are screwed to the top and the top simply rests on the frame.

I've built something like eight of these so far and all are good solid steady tables. One even holds my Big Green Egg barbecue, which is sort of heavy.

Dave
 
Mine wobbles a bit, too .. it's only held together with screws. It would be much stiffer if I glued all the joints, and then reset the screws. Diagonal cross braces or a shear web made from a convenient piece of Van's crate plywood will also stiffen it up significantly, even without glue
 
When I backrivet, the plate goes on the concrete floor with pieces of 1/2? plywood around the plate. I have found over the years that gives me solid, repeatable results.
 
Wobble

Assuming a standard EAA Bench, all my joints were glued before screwing. Plus the bottom deck is 1/2" plywood. Top and bottom decks both glued before screws. No give and no wobble. Much more work but very solid. I back riveted on the bench.
 
My EAA benches are rock solid as they were designed.

I find that when I back rivet the set will move about so I usually hold the end with my fingers on the end of the set, and the heel of my hand on the work. The other hand triggers the gun. If I just let the set move without my fingers guiding it then it smears the shop head some.
 
I built two of the standard EAA work benches to plans using only screws. Both wobbled. I disassembled and used wood glue and the same screws to reassemble. Absolutely no wobble. At least for the last 12 years or so.
 
I have four of the EAA1000 benches in my hangar. All were built screwed-and-glued and are rock solid. If there's give in yours, and you didn't glue them during assembly, that's where your problem lies.
 
Thanks everyone. Indeed I did not glue at all when I assembled these years ago. I?m going to see about taking them apart and gluing.
 
2" lip - good idea

I built an eaa workbench, except i had a 2? lip all the way around. ...
This is a great idea - I didn't do that, I only have the lip at the ends, and would have been happy to have it. I ended up buying much longer clamps, so all good, but would have the lip around the whole table if building them again.
 
I put a piece of MDF on top of the table, with a lip. The MDF gets drilled into, cleco'd, you name it. It actually straddles two tables to extend things. It is easy to replace if needed.
 
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