Popular Science Monthly 



617 



Benches for Electrical and Mechanical 

 Machinery 



THK benches illustrated are designed 

 to meet requirements where 

 strength and rigidity are essential. A 

 bench is shown in Fig. i on wiiich 

 medium weight electrical machinen,- has 

 been tested for a number of years, 

 without the bencii showing any signs of 

 weakening. The 

 top and battens of 

 t his bench are made 

 of 3-in. yellow pine, 

 which can be 

 bought dressed to 

 size, at any mill. 

 The top may be 

 tongued or doweled 

 together as shown 

 in Fig. 3, and can 

 be made the length 

 designated, or ex- 

 tended to 12 or 

 15 ft. by adding 

 another batten and 

 two more pipe-legs. The battens 

 fastened to the top with ^/^-'in. 

 5-in. lag-screws; these lag-screws 

 have washers under their heads, 

 is necessary to bore the holes in 

 battens slightly larger than 



FLANCt5 FASTEINED 

 TO FLOOfi AND TABLE 

 WITH *b'.3' LftO 

 SCREWS 



FIG. I. 



ft:^ 



A wood-top bench supported by large gas- 

 pipe posts which eliminate vibration 



about J-^-in. 



are 



by 



to 



It 



the 



the screws, 



to allow for the shrinkage 



and swelling of the top. In boring the 

 top for the screws, use a J^-in. bit, 

 running the bit into the wood about 

 ]/2 'I- less than the distance the screw 

 will penetrate; also cover the threads 

 of the screw with soap before turning 

 them in. 



While the pipe used for the legs may 

 seem a trifle 

 heavy, it has 

 been proved by 

 experience that 

 to eliminate 

 vibration it is 

 necessary to 

 use this size.- 

 The pipe may 

 be obtained cut 

 to length and 

 threaded on 

 both ends to fit 

 the standard 

 flanges. Screw 

 the flanges on 

 the pipes until 



F1G.2 



A bench for light machinery. The strength of 

 the joints is increased by doweling them together 



the bench is the desired height, and par- 

 allel to the floor; then fasten them to 

 the floor and to the battens with ^-in. 

 by 3-in. lag-screws. 



Drawers will be found very convenient 

 for holding tools and equipment. They 

 may be made of '^Jt-'"- maple, suspended 

 from the bottom of the bench as shown 

 in Fig. I, which also shows the possible 

 methods of con- 

 struction. Finish 

 the wood parts 

 with four coats of 

 oil-finish, made by 

 mixing i part of 

 boiled linseed oil 

 with 2 parts of 

 turpentine. Apply 

 with a brush and 

 allow it to stand 

 about 3 hours; then 

 nib ofT with a piece 

 of cloth or cotton 

 waste. Each coat 

 should dry 24 hours 

 before applying the next. A finish of 

 this kind preserves the wood and 

 prevents warping. 



Another bench for light machinery is 

 shown in Fig. 2. The frame of this 

 bench is made of 2-in. angle-iron, bolted 

 together with ^g-in. by l-in. stove-bolts. 

 The holes for these bolts can be drilled, 

 or if the iron is purchased from a con- 

 struction company, they may be punched 

 at the works for a small extra cost. 

 The top and shelf are made of i>2-in. 

 oak or maple, screwed fast to the frame 

 with i]/i-'in. No. 12 flat head screws. 

 In making the top and shelf, it is ad- 

 visable to use 

 boards not 

 more than 6 in. 

 wide to prevent 

 warping. The 

 mill will supply 

 this stock, 

 dressed and 

 jointed, ready 

 to be glued to- 

 ge t h er . A 

 clamp, such as 

 shown in Fig. 4, 

 to hold the 

 boards together 

 while gluing, 

 is easy to make. 



