what size table for engine rebuilding?

[romantic comedy]

So I have 2 Atomic Fours in the garage. One in the boat. I keep thinking that I need to get started taking them apart to see what I want to do with them.

I dont want to take up space on the work bench. Besides it is too high anyway.

What would be the dimensions of the work bench you would want Santa to bring for a dedicated Atomic Four engine bench? You know, what height and bench top dimensions?

thanks.....

[hanleyclifford]

This is the impromptu table that I use. It is 30"x30" and 24" off the floor, very convenient to work around and as you see I lower it right from the boat and don't have to horse it around.

[The Garbone]

I used a small pallet (used to transport batteries) and $19 harbor freight furniture dolly. Used ratchet straps to keep the dolly and pallet snug and them readjusted them for transport after finishing the garage work. I found it pretty easy to roll the motor on its side to work underneath etc. Have some nice stools to sit on as I work and dropped nuts do not roll as far from the close fall to the floor.

[romantic comedy]

thanks guys. With some of what I see here, I was half expecting some amazing and detailed bench, complete with fuel supply, battery, gauges, and beer cooler.

Hanley, we will talk about that reduction gear sometime.

[sastanley]

RC, For detailed work like this, I suspect it will be done in stages..I pulled a transmission apart for my Honda once on a folding picnic type (Lifetime) table..but for an engine, I'd have several boxes for engine sub-areas...head, valves, springs, etc..another box for block, pistons, rings, connecting rods..another box for all the stuff hanging out under the block in the oil pan...etc, etc..

A cheap solution that I can think of is an interior door on a set of sawhorses..you can reach everything with that size table and you can add or subtract stuff under/over the sawhorses for getting the height correct for you.

I agree with you on leaving the work bench open for all the other "work" you have to with each of the subsystems during the re-build.

[ndutton]

I prefer the largest table space will allow.

[romantic comedy]

For VW engines I had a bench mount engine stand. For outboards I have a typical engine stand. I had a motorcycle lift that was great for lots of jobs because it was adjustable.

I got some lumber outside that will just rot away, so I figured I would knock together a little bench for the Atomic Four.

I made some 18 inch high horses last year for a scaffold, and I was thinking of using them.. but I will just make a bench.

nothing serious here, I just have some time

[edwardc]

I went overboard and built a bench specifically for the rebuild, capable of accommodating two engines at the same time (the old and the new).

The top was constructed out of a single 4' x 8' sheet of 3/4" plywood, with an 18" x 48" rectangle cut out of the center of one of the long sides. This produces a "U" shaped benchtop, with 24"x48" space on the deep parts on the left and right sides for an engine on a simple cradle, allowing easy access all around. The shallower central portion has a 30" depth, allowing easy arms-reach to the pegboard at the back and the outlet strip along the fiddle at the rear. Each engine section had four 2x4 legs to easily support the weight of a fully built-up engine. Since I generally work standing (back issues), I built the top at a height of 36", which works out nicely for me. (I'm 5'7")

The attached photo shows lifting the old A4 onto the bench.

[romantic comedy]

Ed, now that is what I am talking about!!!!

[romantic comedy]

The neighbor was remodeling and I raided his dumpster. I made this table for the Atomic Four. Now I can wheel it around the garage. It is not a priority but it is there for when I need some therapy.

[lat 64]

I like RC's version.

Mine was similar but not as nice. Just an old tv stand I found in a dumpster* with some hardware-store casters I screwed to the bottom.

Here's a pic showing how it was usful to slide into my old camry. The engine is on a cradle made from 2x6s that stayed with the engine all the way to the floor of the boat.

r.

*Do you see the theme here?

[JAK]

Here's another crate, no bench however.

Pretty sure you have the hole distance etc already, but I put out the dimensions anyway for anybody who might need them.

Cheers.