Varmint Bench Legs

[Alycidon]

Has anyone tried these legs on a Varmint Bench yet?.

 

http://www.northerntooluk.com/search.asp?

 

Maybe one set at the front and a single offset wooden folding leg at the rear to allow for a top cut out.

 

A

 

Link does not work properly, go onto the site and type table legs into the search box.

[Redfox]

Too wobbly you can make far better at home, out of wood if necessary.

Redfox

[craigyboy]

Geoff I looked at those for my bench but didnt like the look. I posted a similar question a while back but never got around to getting sorted until yesterday. This is gonna sound stupid but I got a great set of legs from IKEA. They are fully adjustable from 50-90 cm and have plenty of weight about them and do seem quite sturdy, best bit was they only cost 7 quid each! They have a good size 5 inch flange on top with 6 screw holes, so plenty of fixing support, there were 2 different types of adjustable leg, one with a fixed welded top flangeand one with a removable bolted top flange, I went with the removable top version so I could take it apart for going to the range but if I find its not sturdy enough I will just weld it up. The fixed top version was 15 quid. I am using a 3 leg setup, the trick with that is to get the cast all going the same direction, if I get the time I will post a few pices later explaining.

[Alycidon]

They did not that stable thats why I posted the question.

 

Ikea have a huge store in Milton Keynes, no windows in it though. last time I went we could not find our way out and swore we would never go back. I will eat my words and go and see if I can find your legs. I nearly salvaged some out of a skip the other week but they were a bit big with no obvious fixings.

 

A

[Vermincinerator]

Aly,

I think they will work well, have a look at Varmint Safari 1, they use a bench with just the same legs plus the fact that if they can support 700lbs they are not exactly going to be flimsy.

I have been looking for this kind of folding leg for some time so i will probably get a set for that second bench i want to build.

Thanks for the link.

 

Ian.

[chester]

Lads

 

Try this place may give you some ideas

 

Table legs

 

Might give you more ideas

 

Chester

[craigyboy]

Geoff, Ikea do mail order, as well as proimised here are some pics

 

 

Here is the bottom, I put 5 pieces of oak all bevelled to give the cast for the legs, I cant remember the exact angle I done them but I think it was about 5:1 i.e if you have a 5 inch square piece of timber 1 inch thick cut it from 1 corner to another , you have a 5:1 ratio which should give about the right cast for the legs, to make sure all legs are pointing away from each other properly just mark out where the centre of each leg will be and join them up in a triangle, now split all the corners of the triangle in half, this will be the centre line for youre 5:1 bevelled pieces of timber, just screw them down with the centre line corresponding with the centre of the piece of timber, I find this quite hard to expalin but if you look at the pic hopefully my pencil lines come out and it makes sense

also best to use oak or a similar hard wood for this type of thing softwood might not hold the screws for the flanges that long oak will last a lifetime, best to get a mate with a bandsaw though as oak is a tough bitch to cut if youre real stuck I will cut you some a post them to you.

 

Detail of Bevelled Oak Pieces

 

 

detail of flanges

 

 

On further looking these legs are very good, I got up on my bench and bounced about for a bit, they were plenty stable dont think I will need to weld them so I will be able to keep it a take down unit. The legs are real easy adjusted you just spin the lower leg to lossen and then you can slide the leg up and down, then when in the right place just tighten her up again by spinning it clockwise easy and rock soild, I love IKEA!

 

The legs also have height referance points

 

I was at the range today on the MMTR range shooting running targets but when I got home I had 5 rounds left so shot one group from the bench out the back, must say its a lot better than lying in the dirt, didnt measure the group but it was tight and a real brezze to shoot off the bench, I will be load testing from a bench from this day forth. It only ened up a 4 shot group as a dumass maggie landed just 180 yards aways so he got my last round, fist blood for the new bench.

 

 

The whole shebang

 

 

I just need to paint it now, maybe use some latex floor paint or something similar, also just to note I uses exterior 3/4 inch ply, I got an 8X4 sheet and cut it into a 4x4 sheet glued it together with hight strength wood glue and left it clamped for a couple of days, I made my bench pretty big as I wouldnt liek to run outta room.

 

Hope this is some use to you.

[Redfox]

Nice looking set up craigy, should be just the ticket.

Ian I have bought a fair bit from Northern Tool and you can bet they are flimsy, vertical weight bearing is very misleading, plus you have no adjustment and would need to weld on some form of foot. I have persuaded the wife she needs a look round Ikea I like those adjustable legs craigy got.

Is this the ones you use Craigy http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/60105301

Redfox

[Alycidon]

Nice one Craig,

 

It does look smart and maybe a bit lighter than the Northern Tools set up.

 

A

[Redfox]

Wife is convinced, what she doesnt know is I'm only taking enough cash for some legs.

Redfox

[craigyboy]

Those are the ones REDFOX, £7 aint bad for them, there are even heavier duty ones at £15. Take your walking shoes when you go to IKEA, I had never been before, the place was bloody massive and I had to walk all the way around the showroom before I could get to the self service area for my legs.

[Redfox]

Thanks Craigy, I will let the wife take me to the cafe ( there was one last time we went) for emergency resuscitation half way round.

Redfox

[craigyboy]

Had to do that myslef redfox, ened up with a massive plate of swedish meatballs, werent half bad either.

[Vermincinerator]

Thanks for the warning Redfox, i will stay away from them.

 

Ian.

[Alycidon]

Had a look at the IKEA legs recommended by Craigyboy today, they look cracking. Only downside is that the thread may be a bit light duty but time will tell. Bought three so now got to get on with building the bench.

 

Thanks Craig for the tip,

 

A

[craigyboy]

Geoff, I though exactly the same thing about the thread bein abit light, but when screwd in agains the flange there is hardly any flex so shouldnt be much movment to stress the thread and if it does happen you can just weld it permanent.

[Alycidon]

Craig,

 

It looks like you have a round tube running round the edges to keep it rigid or is that an illusion in the last pic. Got my board yesterday and it looks like it will want some additional timber as a frame. Bought 3 ply exterior roofing ply.

 

A

[chester]

Craig,

 

It looks like you have a round tube running round the edges to keep it rigid or is that an illusion in the last pic. Got my board yesterday and it looks like it will want some additional timber as a frame. Bought 3 ply exterior roofing ply.

 

A

 

 

Craig has been out with the router,

 

just finished routing my board, and its now waiting to be stained up

 

hopefully going to try something different with the legs, if I can get a match with the leg thread.

 

Going to grind the back plate level and weld the nut onto the back of the plate, should help spread the pressure over a wider area, may need to countersink the area in the wedge where the nut will be located.

 

 

 

 

Chester

[craigyboy]

I have indeed been playing with my router, just done it to finish it off a bit but it aint completely neccesary, I actually just painted mine last night went for a grey colour looks pretty good. Chester I got your wedges made yesterday so I will pop them in the post.