I am about to go ahead and get started on my table, I still have 6+ weeks before my 1F ships. In doing all of the usual reading on all of the usual forums from all of the usual people about all of the usual builds, I am left wondering just one thing:
Do you really need a dead level torsion box table top if you are going to put a spoilboard on top of that and surface it anyway??
I’m not talking about using something lumpy or obviously way out of flat, I just wonder is it really necessary to attempt to build something reference flat when the spoilboard top will end up flat and parallel to the frame once surfaced.
What am I missing here?
I know it would need to be flat to use the table as the Z zero instead of the top of the workpiece, is this the only reason?
Not sure how your shop environment is controlled, (humidity and such) What makes a difference is that the day after surfacing your spoil board remains relatively flat. Of course not on a level with rocket science but certainly on a level you would expect in a wood shop. For myself, my floor is concrete, my table frame is metal square tube, welded and the top is same metal square tube, melamine with two layers of .75 MDF. I used threaded inserts every 4 inches and made hold downs to match. I’ve setup 2 work areas on my 4x4 foreman and used PVC to setup fences for both areas. The top layer of the spoil board will get plenty of abuse and you will replace it according to use. I know you see lots of pretty spoil boards and if that makes you happy then by all means. Myself I know something will happen and that first character mark will eliminate all that pretty. I digressed. Just make sure however you build it, sturdy is what you have at the end of the day. I choose to metal frame the table. Welds shouldn’t break and environmental conditions do not affect metal. . I run my 1F almost everyday and have not had an issue with the table or much other really. If you’re not setup to use metal then I’ve seen some really nice wood tables too. Six weeks should be plenty of time to have a nice flat surface. Flat is important. Laying a 6 foot level across the top and reading the bubble and a piece of note paper between the surface and level should be close enough to get you what you want. Good luck and if it makes you feel any better most everyone has gone down the same road you’re on now. I literally finished my table the week after I got my 1F. I had to completely empty the space where it was going make all the necessary repairs remove carpet and build the table. Like I mentioned we’ve all been there. Have fun!!!
You’re right, you will be surfacing the spoilboard anyways, and probably more than once, so a less than perfect torsion box isn’t all that big a problem. What’s more important is that the four corners where the machine is going to sit are all coplanar. If necessary, you can always shim one of the machine corners up a bit to get it on the same plane as the other corners.
Great points from everyone! To me the important thing is to have a stable substrate, which is what a torsion box provides. If you use solid wood or low quality sheet material (without torsion ribs), it could warp with temp/humidity changes. Your spoiler board will bend with the substrate, so you might have to resurface with the seasons.
. I run my 1F almost everyday and have not had an issue with the table or much other really. If you’re not setup to use metal then I’ve seen some really nice wood tables too. Six weeks should be plenty of time to have a nice flat surface. Flat is important. Laying a 6 foot level across the top and reading the bubble and a piece of note paper between the surface and level should be close enough to get you what you want. Good luck and if it makes you feel any better most everyone has gone down the same road you’re on now. I literally finished my table the week after I got my 1F. I had to completely empty the space where it was going make all the necessary repairs remove carpet and build the table. Like I mentioned we’ve all been there. Have fun!!!