I ask Danny and others awhile back about a lift table to use with my planer. Now I'm finally going to have electric back to my new shed this week and plan on going ahead and getting one now. I see HF has two, a 500# and a 1000#. The 500 is for sure enough but is the table top size the same. If you are setting up an 8ft slab and want support on the bottom board you are using on the first flatting side so it does not sag how do you handle that?
I went with the bigger 1,000# one. Before long, it will be so handy you'll be putting lots of weight on it. I've certainly had more than 2,000 pounds on mine, no problem. I took the handle off and just feed the hydraulic release cable under the table. Without the handle, you have lots of open space and can load slabs and lumber in there center of the table.
Without the handle, and with the simple hydraulic lift system, these things are extremely useful. If you get one, before long, you will get two.
X2 on the 1000lb one. Just bought one last week after seeing them discussed here on the FF. Well built. Even after just having it around for a week I don't know how I got along without it. BTW - the cashier at HF worked some kind of coupon magic at checkout and it ended up costing $201.xx. Not sure how she got there, but dig around for coupons.
I got a new planer that stands much taller so I am going to have to lift my lift table.
I have the smaller one, find a lot of uses for it in the shop. Had not thought of it as an outfeed table. If not tall enough, maybe build a box on top. Also have one of their hydraulic motorcycle lift benches, put a wood top with T track on the edges, adjustable height assembly table.
Usually wait till I have someone to help on bigger slabs especially with the mdf boards under it on first side past to level it. I could see how the mdf boards could sag under the slab on the table top being so short. Maybe place a couple 4x4s on top of table? I could see how they might get in the way. Ideas on how you would handle this???
I also went with the 1000#. I use primarily to lift and move benches around shop. Also as height adjustable work bench. I have only had one small ongoing issue I that the cylinder will slowly lose pressure and lower overnight if left alone. No external fluid leak so assume internal seal has small bypass leak. Don't think it did this originally if I remember right. Overall they are worth the money and I am still finding new uses.
I have had the 500# one and the 1000# one. The thousand pounder is a big improvement over the 500 pounder. Get the thousand pounder.
HF used to be good bout just replacing stuff. It was taken advantage of and they are now tougher. If it is not too old, @Downstream (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=31739) see if they will fix it for you or trade out a cylinder.
I would like one as well what is HF ??
Harbor Freight. https://www.harborfreight.com/
May be a store near you as well.
I've got a table I made from a hospital gurney .It's got foot operated hydraulics .I can use it for my table saw, planer or radial arm .Auction find among other things .I have no idea what the lift capacity might be but at least a couple hundred pounds .
prob. close to 500 pounds, but most hospital stuff is way overdone due to liability, and safety. If you can find a brand/model number it will be available.
Just went and bought a 1000# lift table from Harbor Freight for my new planer :)
So Danny if you have a warp slab do you lay it on a flat board like mdf and put shims under to keep it balance while planing first side? If you do and use the cart does the mdf sag and get out of place when planing? Also if you lay an 8ft board on the smaller table how do you keep it flat to shim up?
I flatten boards on the 12" jointer unless they are too wide. I flatten the thick wide slabs on the sawmill with a skim cut before planing. I have tried using a sled with shims at the planer, but it is too slow and way too much work for the number of slabs that I have to process.
I use the carbide bands from WM and they flatten slabs very nicely on the sawmill, if they are too big for my jointer. All is needed is one flat side and it can be run through the planer.
Twisted planks go back on the sawmill. My lift table is built under the floor.
Quote from: YellowHammer on November 03, 2020, 08:12:29 AM
I use the carbide bands from WM and they flatten slabs very nicely on the sawmill, if they are too big for my jointer. All is needed is one flat side and it can be run through the planer.
I'm using Kasco Blades 4°. I'm going to try it with them and see how they work soon. Getting another size blade I would have to get another wheel for my wm sharpener. If I go your way where do you get your wheels from?
Quote from: WDH on October 19, 2020, 08:16:28 PM
I got a new planer that stands much taller so I am going to have to lift my lift table.
I got the 1000 pound one at Northern. I think it lifts to about 50" high. The only down side is if you want or need it low to the floor is stops at 15" high.
Bolt or weld a gravity conveyor to the top of the lift table. Solve the height and sag in one shot.
If you need to use one for the outfeed table on a planer don't you need one for the infeed also?
I use one for the big wide 9/4 slabs. Once on the lift table, feed the slab into the planer, and while it is being planed, roll the lift table to the back of the planer so that the slab lands on the table. Then, roll back to the front for the next pass until the slab is planed to your satisfaction. The lift table then becomes a roll around table, front to back to front to back etc.
I don't use my lift table for the planer at all. I use it for lots of other things though. My 18" Woodmaster has ~4 foot in and out feed tables that adjust up and down automatically with the cutter table height.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11043/WM-2.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1607353970)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11043/WM-1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1607353969)
I have two of the HF lift tables and highly recommend them.
The handles are dead in the way, so we take them off and put a simple handle on the hydraulic release cable and that's about it.
The only thing I don't like about the HF lifts tables is that the wheel brakes aren't very effective and they allow the table to swivel a little even when they are applied, so lets them move when I don't want them to move. I would prefer a table with a single step down rubber foot brake that freezes the entire end of the table, not just the wheels.
That being said, if one broke today, I'd have a new one in the shop tomorrow.
Somewhere under this little bitty stack of wood is one of our HF lift tables. Unlike in this photo, sometimes I really overload them. :D :D :D
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21488/IMG_0348.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1607359979)
Quote from: YellowHammer on December 07, 2020, 11:55:33 AM
I have two of the HF lift tables and highly recommend them.
The handles are dead in the way, so we take them off and put a simple handle on the hydraulic release cable and that's about it.
The only thing I don't like about the HF lifts tables is that the wheel brakes aren't very effective and they allow the table to swivel a little even when they are applied, so lets them move when I don't want them to move. I would prefer a table with a single step down rubber foot brake that freezes the entire end of the table, not just the wheels.
That being said, if one broke today, I'd have a new one in the shop tomorrow.
Somewhere under this little bitty stack of wood is one of our HF lift tables. Unlike in this photo, sometimes I really overload them. :D :D :D
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21488/IMG_0348.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1607359979)
Robert just pickup my table this week. Waiting on sale finally only got 10% off. If you get a chance could you get a pic of how you did your handle. Thanks
I tried to get one a few months back. they said they were out of stock and could not get them. and yes, they said they did away with a 20% off coupon.
That sucks about the coupon, sign of things to come.
Quote from: Al_Smith on November 02, 2020, 10:00:03 AM
I've got a table I made from a hospital gurney .It's got foot operated hydraulics .I can use it for my table saw, planer or radial arm .Auction find among other things .I have no idea what the lift capacity might be but at least a couple hundred pounds .
This goes back a few months .It just so happens I've been doing work on my rental house and that's where the lift table was .I just used it to stain and varnish a couple pieces of trim and a bi-fold door .It's pretty neat ,has foot operated hydraulics and can raise each end separately or both at the same time .All four caster wheels lock also .it's heavy enough it won't roll away on its own The top came from a pool table
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/12054/DSCN10145B15D~0.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1627757942)
Quote from: xlogger on March 04, 2021, 07:06:06 AMRobert just pickup my table this week. Waiting on sale finally only got 10% off. If you get a chance could you get a pic of how you did your handle. Thanks
@yellowhammer I'm another one who would like to see how you did the handle.
The tables have been out of stock locally, but they just got a new supply in today so I picked up the 1,000 pound table. Already thinking about how I want to modify it.
I'll take a photo but it's nothing fancy. Take the handle completely off, take the foot pedal lever off with just the stub remaining and then all that it left is the bare cable. I attach the end of the cable to a handle, a piece of steel, wood anything and toss it under the table or let it drag on the floor.
To raise the table, I pump up the stub with my foot like normal, and to lower the table, just grab the handle on the end of the cable and pull.
It's amazing how useful these are, I just wish the brakes worked better. I was using them today to match the height of my planer and feed wood. Or to stack wood from the rip saw, or even as a portable workbench.