Like most amateur woodworkers with limited shop space, I needed more bench-top space for stationary power tools, such as a drill press, grinder, scroll saw, sander, etc. My solution was to cut a circular piece of 3/4″ plywood, the same diameter as the depth of the workbench, drill a 1″ hole dead-center, mount 4 casters on the bottom, and make a hub from a 3/4″ pipe nipple for a center pivot, with a pipe cap on each end. Place the turntable on the bench upside-down, about 1″ from the back of the bench, and using the center hole as a guide, drill a matching 1″ hole through the workbench. Turn the turntable over, secure the turntable to the bench with the pipe nipple, and mount the stationary tools in place.
A barrel-bolt mounted vertically on the front skirt of the bench, with matching holes drilled in the overhang at each tool location provides a lock to hold the turntable in place while using the selected tool. As a further bonus, mount a 6-hole outlet strip near the center, with the cord fed through the pipe nipple and plugged into a convenient outlet. VOILA! No tangled power cords, all tools easily accessible, and if desired, a gooseneck lamp can be mounted on the turntable to provide additional light. This is especially convenient installed at the end of a bench, and allows up to 4 tools in only about 30″ of bench space.
– Max Bloodworth
Wendell, NC
