The build table

 

I had planned for this entry to be the first modifications but after realizing the amount of preparation required and some of the pre modification difficulties encountered I thought I would include them since this is about the reality of, not the fantasy of both building something completely new

First I am doing my development work in a small and very crowded single car garage and a brief visit with my tape measure revealed that I had some major re-organizing to do to make the room this project would require. 

Second I am making do with basic tools I already have on hand unless there is absolutely no way to accomplish a given task without buying a tool.  I have started and run successful small businesses in the past all with the common start up factor of being debt free. 

As for using what’s available, s couple years’ back when we had purchased a new kitchen table I had taken the legs of the old heavy wood one and stored it against the garage wall for just a time like this.  I realized that it would be a little too short, but figured a sheet of 4’x8’ ply screwed to the top would provide the extra width and length needed for the build while providing a flat surface to work on. 

That gave me a big enough table but I still needed to clear a space for that table and room to work around it as well.  Fortunately my wonderful wife had purchased several heavy duty rolling storage racks which were placed along the walls and were stacked sealing high with all manner of stuff married folks accumulate over 23 years of marriage.  Three plus hours later, and a lot of old VW parts moved to the back yard shed and a complete organization of my tools and our various “stuff” provided the needed space.  A short time later the table was assembled and a sheet of the cheapest ½” stuff I could find had been attached to the table with some left over 1” wood screws.

I thought of various methods to put a straight line down the table tops center but settled on using a piece of string and an old can of left over spray paint.  I measured and marked the center of each 4’ end and then hung two partial gallons of house paint leftovers uncovered during the clean up from opposite ends of a string, one hanging off of each end of the table.  I lined the strings up on each of the pre-marked locations and then sprayed straight down on the string from above with cheap spray paint covering the string the full length of the table.  The paint was given a few minutes to flash dry and the string was removed leaving a nicely highlighted and VERY straight line down the center of the table.  This was needed to help me keep things square as I slice and dice the body.   I also added wheels so I could move the table in and out myself since I am almost always working alone.