The Adjust-A-Bench leg system consists of two nesting trays, one of which slides up and down inside the other. The various height positions are maintained by a ratchet mechanism which automatically engages at each position. As the ratchet engages with a pair of teeth, a cam action is effected creating what has been described as a "gravity clamp." The downward thrust of your bench top is converted into a horizontal thrust which presses the two trays firmly together, making your bench surprisingly rigid.
To raise your Adjust-A-Bench simply lift each end of your bench to the desired level. To lower your Adjust-A-Bench depress the foot pedal. Because of the safety spring attached to the foot pedal, nothing will happen until you lift the end of the bench top. Once lifted, the ratchet disengages and the bench can be lowered. Lower the bench to a point below the desired level. Release the foot pedal and raise the bench up to the new level. It is wise to finish any adjustment by raising the bench from a lower setting, thus allowing the ratchet rod to positively engage with a pair of teeth. Positive engagement will be signaled by a loud click.
The Adjust-A-Bench system is very flexible. The rails which run lengthwise under the bench and hold the two leg sets apart, are made by you to whatever length your bench top dictates. Typically benches are between 5' and 6' long, but we know that Adjust-A--Bench legs have been used on 4' x 8' assembly tables and benches as long as twelve feet. In these cases, the base was made wider by the addition of the caster package. (See "what can the caster package do for my bench?" below). On the other hand, the most used benches in our own shop are 2'x3' and allow us to move parts from machine station to station throughout the shop very easily.
The optional caster package is a way to add additional adaptability as well as mobility of your bench. Each leg set comes with mounting holes to accept the caster beam. These beams, made of 3" x 3" x 1/4" angle iron can be made to any custom length to accommodate wider benches. The minimum length caster beam is 17", but these have been made as long as 40'' to accommodate 4' x 8' assembly benches, to create a suitably wide footprint. The casters are mounted on 4" long hardened steel bolts which allow you to do two things. Once you have rolled the bench to a new position, turning any of the bolts can level the bench on an out of level floor. Also, the bolts can be used to fine tune the height of your bench. Perhaps you are using it as an outrigger table for some machine. Because each ratchet stop is an inch and a half apart, your top may not end up at the perfect level. By turning the bolts you can fine tune the height between the coarse adjustments offered by the ratchet stops. Additionally, the wheels can be completely retracted from the floor when maximum rigidity is needed.
Yes. You will need to assess the space requirements of your vises, both open and closed when deciding where to position the Adjust-A--Bench leg spots under your bench. In some cases it may be necessary to use shim blocks to create adequate clearances for vise operation. Also, dog hole openings should not be obstructed by leg positioning.
Adjust-A-Bench Leg Sets and Craftsman Hardware Pacakges typically ship the next business day, but please allow 1-3 days. Complete Bench Packages usually ship within 5 days.
Our products are proudly manufactured and assembled in the USA. In fact, most of it is made within a 50 mile radius of our shop in Trenton, NJ using local vendors and manufacturers, so we like to think of ourselves as "green". We have had offers to make our products in foreign countries for far less money, but have always refused. We like having control over our manufacturing process assuring a well-made quality product for our customers.