Attaching a workmate to the side of a cabinet - and it has to fold out of the way!

[herr_oberst]

stomachmonkey with his TV box isn't the only Pelican putting geometry to work around the house.

For the last couple of weeks or so, I've been tinkering on this 'invention" (ha ha) to enable me to have a workmate next to my drill press that I can use when I need it but fold it away when I don't.
Most of this stuff is from the free piles on my walks around the neighborhood. The workmate, the new wood for the workmate top, the mountain bike suspension linkage, the yellow level, all from the scrap pile.

I've got it mounted on a test fixture while I work out the bugs; once I get it sorted, I'll unbolt it at 4 points and transfer it to the red cabinet. All that's left to do now is to work out the pulley rope routing and final hardware and it should be good to go. Everything is working well in the test fixture.
The thing that makes it work is that the 4 pin linkage attached to the upright board has an over-center feature that allows gravity to hold fast the beams that will support the workmate horizontally until I need to fold it, then all I have to do is lift the workmate up slightly and the link drops and the whole thing collapses.. The rope and pulleys will be used to lift the 4 pin link from rest and also for a positive latch mechanism so it doesn't accidentally collapse while I'm working on stuff.

I'm happy about the way it's turning out.


This is the workmate I want to lift:


Here's the mechanism lifted:


Collapsed:


The 4 link lifted:


The 4 link collapsed:

[LWJ]

Damn. You can show me up but don’t make it sting so much. Nicely done!

[masraum]

Wow, impressive!

[Baz]

Impressive to use that degree of engineering - fascinating!

I'm curious how you sourced the 4 pin linkage, Herr Oberst - and look forward to future updates.

Thanks for sharing! ~Baz

[herr_oberst]

[QUOTE=Baz;11729440]Impressive to use that degree of engineering - fascinating!

I'm curious how you sourced the 4 pin linkage, Herr Oberst - and look forward to future updates.

Thanks for sharing! ~Baz[/QUOTE]

The linkage is just some rando Mtn Bike rear triangle that someone shredded and tossed to the curb. I made CAD templates (cardboard aided design) of the elements and worked out rotation and pivot points. Heim joints tie everything together, replacing the shock and frame of the origin bike.

The level was providence-sent. It's a high quality, HD aluminum extrusion, I found it during the build (!) in a nearby slash pile where a new home was being built. It had a crease in the center where someone or something landed on it, but otherwise it's arrow-straight and sturdy AF, and I didn't need the full 72" length for my needs.

So far the hardest part has been drilling and tapping holes in the spreader bars that separate the two yellow beams. I don't have a lathe, only a drill press and hand taps... The round bar is pretty good quality so I feel lucky that I didn't break a tap in any of the many blind holes that I had to prepare.

[Baz]

OK thanks for the explanation, HO.

Nice score on that level, for sure!

I found one of those portable halogen double-lamp triangle lamp stands in a dumpster once. Just needed new bulbs, IIRC. I use it periodically.

Look forward to seeing the finished project - and maybe even an operational video!

[stomachmonkey]

Do you think that rig would hold up the front of an outdoor TV box and can you stick a motor on it?

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Do you think that rig would hold up the front of an outdoor TV box and can you stick a motor on it?

Yes, and yes.

It would limit the viewing area.

You can motorize anything.

Hope this helps!

[A930Rocket]

I’m still trying to figure out what the finished product does and looks like….

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

I’m still trying to figure out what the finished product does and looks like….

Horizontal bench space when you need it, floor space when it's folded flat.

I have a small garage, and it's handy to be able to park two cars in it when the weather turns to suck.