This portable workshop from Paoson WoodWorking was such a delightful surprise to find in my inbox last week. It is a very well equipped workshop that folds up into a portable box when not in use. As you can see above, it can be moved by a single person (though two would be nice), and unfolds to allow for a wide variety of work.
I have to say that I’m pretty surprised by the simple mechanics that were employed to make this work. Things like the extending table top surfaces don’t have complex locking hinges or anything, simply a piece of wood that fits into a notch as an angled brace. Despite the simple design, the demonstration project of creating a wheeled drawer, seems to go without issue.
In part one, you can see the original design. Meant to be wheeled around in a tiny space, it has castors on one side so that you can tip it and move it. The concept was first drawn up in some CAD software, or possibly SketchUp, and then assembly began. The 3 axis router that we’ve featured before makes an appearance here as a tool he uses while mounting the table saw.
Part 2 brings more refinement to the work surfaces. The router extension is constructed and mounted in this episode. A fun bit to note here is that all of the knobs he uses to tighten the system were created by hand as well.
In part 3, the power distribution system is added. It isn’t simply a power strip attached to the inside, you’ll note that he’s added an emergency stop button that will kill the circular saw. The 2nd extension with the jig saw is also constructed.
For part 4, the focus is on creating accessories. There are all kinds of brackets, sleds, and other bits that need to be created.
The final part of the construction videos brings everything together. The final touches are added to his accessories and the system is tested by making a few things.
A portable workshop is a pretty cool concept and I really enjoy the creative methods he employs to get space savings. If you wanted to replicate his project exactly, you can purchase the plans from his website.
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