Watchmaker worktop with folding leaves

[systeman]

I have limited work space at home, so I decided to design and make a small watchmaker worktop with folding side panels so the height can be increased when required.

Here is my watchmaker prototype worktop and already I have an idea to improve it.

The work top started out with a 62cm x 42cm offcut of 18mm mdf.

To one side, using a vinyl spray adhesive, I stuck a piece of 5 ply drawing board cover of the self-seal type. I then used hockey stick profile moulding to bead around the edges. The beading was hidden-nailed and glued in place, then three coats of varnish applied. Three coats of varnish was also applied to the underside to seal the mdf. Photo 1.

I also made 2 hinged side leaves, 42 cm x suitable height.Like the top, this was beaded all round but with a rounded profile moulding.Then I applied three coats of varnish. Photo 2.

A card template was used to decide on the arm rest positions for the worktop. Photo 3.

I then removed the top section of the hockey stick beading. Photos 4 and 5.

Aluminium angle was used to form a front edge for the arm rest positions, these were coutersunk screwed into place. The position of the arm rest mounting holes were decided, marked out drilled. Photos 6 and 7.

To attach the leaves to the top I used 4x 90 degree locking hinges. I removed the locking mechanism for the rear hinges.

To attach the hinges I marked out suitable bolt hole positions, then drilled out the mdf to accomodate flush screw-in bolt inserts. The inserts, together with bolts, are better than using ordinary wood screws. Photo 8.

For the arm rests I salvaged some leather from an old sofa someone had disposed of.

Using the carboard template, I marked out on a piece of 18 gauge aluminium sheet the outline of each arm rest shape and corresponding mounting bolt hole positions. Two of these were made for each side together with the same shape in hardboard for gluing the leather to. The hardboard was then sandwiched between the aluminium profiles and "G" clamped together. Holes corresponding with the worktop bolt holes were then drilled through. This was replicated for each arm rest.

For each arm rest, one aluminium plate was used as a base plate. The other I drilled out, countersunk, and fitted with 4 x M5 brass rivet nuts with the nut part to the uppermost of the plate. Two edges of each plate were reduced in size to accomodate the aluminium angle on the worktop.

I also drilled out the plates and hardboard for 4mm x 12mm pop rivets as can be seen in the image.

30mm firm foam was then glued to the top of each arm rest top plate covering the rivet nuts. The hardboard profiles were then glued to the the other side whilst aligning the mounting and pop rivet holes.

The leather was formed and sewn into shape using the card template for each arm rest, allowing for the depth of the foam and for gluing to the underside of the hardboard. The aluminium base plates were then pop riveted into place to aid clamping the top plate, hardboard, leather and base plate together, as can be seen in the arm rest. Photos 11,12 and 13.

The finished watchmaker work top in lowered and raised positions. The rest of the photos.

The height of the leaves was determined by the existing bench or table top height.

[Dccrzr]

Pretty Nifty  I'll take one

[bobm12]

Excellent job! I like!

[oldhippy]

Very well done and it looks nice.

[clockboy]

Great job looks real good 

[horsetrailer]

Excellent job

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[ramrod]

that is a great project. i'm already interested in your ideas for improvement. this seems hard to improve on.

[systeman]

My improvements would be to use 18mm plywood or HDF because they're better to work with than MDF for the top and side panels. Also, because the raised height currently is based on my existing table top height, some additional adjustable height can be added. If I decide to add futher height adjustment, I'll post some more images.

[noirrac1j]

Famtastic!

JC

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[Don]

Really nice solution! Looks very professional.

I need to make some arm rests for my little bench.