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2007 - Volume #31, Issue #4, Page #39

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"All Portable" Farm Workshop

Ben Hach, Dysart, Iowa, recently sent FARM SHOW photos of how he puts all of his shop tools, storage racks, and work tables on metal stands. They're designed so he can use a pallet jack to move them around.

    "The only tool inside my shop that's bolted to the floor is the air compressor," says Hach. "All the other tools, work benches, and racks are easily moveable with a pallet jack.

    "This system works great because it lets me move my tools wherever I need them. It also makes it easier to keep the entire building clean, as I can simply move everything out of the way to sweep the floor."

    Here's what he came up with:

• Nuts and bolts storage rack. It holds Hach's nut and bolt rack and many other items. Made from 2-in. rectangular tubing and with bolted-on plywood shelves, it measures 8 ft. long by 32 in. wide by 53 in. high.

• Tool storage rack. Measures 8 ft. long by 30 in. wide by 30 in. high and has a 6-ft. high pegboard on both sides. "I park the rack 2 ft. away from the shop wall so I have access to the tools on back. I get a lot more storage use that way."

• Heavy duty work table. Measures 8 ft. long by 36 in. wide by 25 in. high. The top is made from 1/2-in. thick steel bought at a salvage yard. "Works great for welding and many other jobs," says Hach. "A lot of times I roll it over to whatever I'm working on, such as a tractor or combine cab, and stand on it. It works nice when I'm tearing something apart, because as I take the parts off I can set them on the table surface. Also, it's low enough that I can sit down in a chair to do all my welding. I built it low because I have a nerve disorder that causes a lot of pain in my feet and legs so I do a lot of sitting."

• Vice table. "I bought this table at an auction and mounted my vice on it. The table had been used by a family blacksmith shop. I added two steel tubes to make it work with my pallet jack."

• Oil storage rack. It consists of a storage table and a pair of metal "pallets" that each hold a 55-gal. plastic barrel. One barrel holds transmission oil and the other holds diesel engine oil. "When more oil is needed I can lift off the drums with my skid steer loader and put them in back of my pickup so that I can have them refilled by my bulk oil dealer. Each barrel sets on just three pieces of steel tubing. I recommend anyone who uses plastic barrels to make a full cradle under the bottom side of the barrel, as I found my plastic barrels tend to bulge whenever they're full of oil which could cause them to break," says Hach.

• Infinite adjustable roller stands. Hach converted a pair of bulldog jacks into roller stands. When spaced 5 to 10 ft. apart, they provide a sliding surface for moving objects along.

    The jacks were originally designed to weld onto a trailer tongue. Instead, Hach welded a metal base onto the bottom of each jack, and he also welded a short length of 1-in. vertical rectangular tubing onto one side. Another length of telescopic tubing supports a roller and can be adjusted up or down by changing the position of a metal pin. He can also turn a crank to adjust the height of each jack so that everything is level.

    "It works great when using a drill press to drill multiple holes in sheet metal, because I can roll the metal along with me," says Hach. "It also works great when using an electric bandsaw to cut short pieces off long pieces - I can roll it along to the next cut and cut it."

• Movable shop tools. Hach bolted a wide metal stand onto most of his power tools, including his bandsaw, drill press, and wheel grinder, so that he can move them with a pallet jack. He even bolted a stand onto an electric cord reel built out of an old car wheel rim. "The cord is long enough that no matter where I plug it in I reach anywhere inside my shop. I can also move the cord stand outside on the concrete apron in front of the shop."

    Portable tools can come in handy for social reasons, too, says Hach. "Sometimes I'll invite friends to come over on a Saturday night to play cards in my shop. I move all the tool to one end of the shop and sweep the floor clean. Then there's lots of room to play cards."

Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Ben Hach, 5541 11th Ave., Dysart, Iowa 52224 (ph 319 476-7991; bbmmhach@netins.net).

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All Portable Farm Workshop FARM SHOP Miscellaneous Ben Hach Dysart Iowa recently sent FARM SHOW photos of how he puts all of his shop tools storage racks and work tables on metal stands They re designed so he can use a pallet jack to move them around
     The only tool inside my shop that s bolted to the floor is the air compressor says Hach All the other tools work benches and racks are easily moveable with a pallet jack
     This system works great because it lets me move my tools wherever I need them It also makes it easier to keep the entire building clean as I can simply move everything out of the way to sweep the floor
    Here s what he came up with:
• Nuts and bolts storage rack It holds Hach s nut and bolt rack and many other items Made from 2-in rectangular tubing and with bolted-on plywood shelves it measures 8 ft long by 32 in wide by 53 in high
• Tool storage rack Measures 8 ft long by 30 in wide by 30 in high and has a 6-ft high pegboard on both sides I park the rack 2 ft away from the shop wall so I have access to the tools on back I get a lot more storage use that way
• Heavy duty work table Measures 8 ft long by 36 in wide by 25 in high The top is made from 1/2-in thick steel bought at a salvage yard Works great for welding and many other jobs says Hach A lot of times I roll it over to whatever I m working on such as a tractor or combine cab and stand on it It works nice when I m tearing something apart because as I take the parts off I can set them on the table surface Also it s low enough that I can sit down in a chair to do all my welding I built it low because I have a nerve disorder that causes a lot of pain in my feet and legs so I do a lot of sitting
• Vice table I bought this table at an auction and mounted my vice on it The table had been used by a family blacksmith shop I added two steel tubes to make it work with my pallet jack
• Oil storage rack It consists of a storage table and a pair of metal pallets that each hold a 55-gal plastic barrel One barrel holds transmission oil and the other holds diesel engine oil When more oil is needed I can lift off the drums with my skid steer loader and put them in back of my pickup so that I can have them refilled by my bulk oil dealer Each barrel sets on just three pieces of steel tubing I recommend anyone who uses plastic barrels to make a full cradle under the bottom side of the barrel as I found my plastic barrels tend to bulge whenever they re full of oil which could cause them to break says Hach
• Infinite adjustable roller stands Hach converted a pair of bulldog jacks into roller stands When spaced 5 to 10 ft apart they provide a sliding surface for moving objects along
    The jacks were originally designed to weld onto a trailer tongue Instead Hach welded a metal base onto the bottom of each jack and he also welded a short length of 1-in vertical rectangular tubing onto one side Another length of telescopic tubing supports a roller and can be adjusted up or down by changing the position of a metal pin He can also turn a crank to adjust the height of each jack so that everything is level
     It works great when using a drill press to drill multiple holes in sheet metal because I can roll the metal along with me says Hach It also works great when using an electric bandsaw to cut short pieces off long pieces - I can roll it along to the next cut and cut it
• Movable shop tools Hach bolted a wide metal stand onto most of his power tools including his bandsaw drill press and wheel grinder so that he can move them with a pallet jack He even bolted a stand onto an electric cord reel built out of an old car wheel rim The cord is long enough that no matter where I plug it in I reach anywhere inside my shop I can also move the cord stand outside on the concrete apron in front of the shop
    Portable tools can come in handy for social reasons too says Hach Sometimes I ll invite friends to come over on a Saturday night to play cards in my shop I move all the tool to one end of the shop and sweep the floor clean Then there s lots of room to play cards
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Ben Hach 5541 11th Ave Dysart Iowa 52224 ph 319 476-7991; bbmmhach@netins net

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