Shop Cart With Attitude
Enhance your shop with a sturdy work surface that rolls where you need it
By Mike Berger

A shop can never have too many work surfaces, and one that’s near your project is especially convenient. This rolling cart is a useful amenity for any shop, as it provides a sizable sturdy work area that can be easily moved wherever you need it. Use it as a rolling tool bench, a portable assembly table, a welding cart or a rolling benchtop tool stand. Constructed from 3/32-in.-thick aluminum diamond plate and 14-gauge steel flat stock and square hollow tube, this versatile table is inexpensive (ours cost about $90) and easy to build. In fact, the only difficulty you might face is handling requests from friends who want you to build one for them.

Cutting the parts
Cut all of the hollow tube and flat stock pieces to length as indicated in the cutting list (p. 60). A metal cutoff saw is the best tool for this task (photo 1, opposite), but you can use either a jigsaw outfitted with a metalcutting blade or an angle grinder equipped with a cutoff wheel.

You may be able to find aluminum diamond plate in precut sizes at a home center. But if your store doesn’t stock the size you need, you can buy it from a steelyard or metal distributor.

Take advantage of the distributor’s shearing service if possible. The steelyard where I purchased diamond plate charged $20 for each break, and the quality of the cuts is far superior to what I can achieve. But if you’re intent on saving money and want to cut the sheet yourself, you can use a variety of tools: a circular saw outfitted with a 40-tooth carbide blade installed backward (photo 2), a jigsaw with ametal-cutting blade or an angle grinder equipped with a metal cutoff wheel. Be sure to wear hearing protection in addition to your other safety gear when cutting sheet aluminum, as the process is extremely noisy.

Once you’ve cut the sheet to size, use a jigsaw with a metal-cutting blade to cut notches that fit around the upright support (see drawing, p. 60). Smooth the cut edges with a crosscut file rather than an angle grinder, as friction generated by the grinder’s high-speed will only form new sharp edges. Finally, drill four holes (two in each side; see drawing) to accommodate the four 10- 24 x 2-in. bolts that will secure the plate to the framework.

Welding and assembly
Start assembling the base by first laying out the long base member and the two base legs. Check that the assembly is square; then weld the three sections (photo 3).

Use a drill press if possible to bore the height-adjustment holes through both of the upright posts. (If you must use a hand drill, wait to bore these holes until after you've welded the uprights in position.) I used a 1/2-in. lawn trailer hitch pin for the heightadjustment lock; you should size the holes to fit the diameter of the pin you purchase.

To weld the upright, first mark its location. While holding it in place (and remembering to check that it is plumb and square), tack-weld it to the base member. Once the upright is secure, run full welds on all four sides (photo 4, p.60). Finally, weld the 2-in.-sq. end caps onto the ends of the base legs.

Weld the top section together in the same manner as the base. Just as before, check that it is square before making any welds; then use an angle grinder to smooth all of the welds and ease sharp edges on both the top and the base (photo 5).

Next, mark the centers of the casters’mountingholeswitha punch; then drill the holes for the 10-24 x 2-1/4-in. bolts. Use cutting oil, and start with a small-diameter drill bit, slowly working your way up to the final diameter. If your drill has a plumb glass, you may be able to bore both the top and bottom holes in one pass (photo 6). Otherwise, mark the hole locations on the opposite face of the tube and drill corresponding holes.

If you didn’t already bore heightadjustment holes through the uprights, do so with a hand drill in the same way you bored the casters’ mounting holes (see drawing for placement).

Next, drill holes through the four corners of the top framework to correspond with the four holes you drilled earlier through the diamond plate (for the 10-24 x 2-in. mounting bolts). Then drill the two holes for the 8-24 x 2-in. bolts that secure the handle to the front of the cart.

Clean the framework with mineral spirits; then apply two coats of paint — I used Rust-Oleum Protective Enamel (Sunrise Red). Once the paint is dry, fasten the casters to the base, and insert the top-section upright into the bottom-section upright, using the hitch pin to lock the two sections together (photo 7, above). Finally, attach the handle to the front of the framework and fasten the diamond plate to the underside of the framework (photo 8). The table is ready to roll into place — or into hiding from any envious friends.


Convertible Storage
To enhance the table’s versatility, you can easily construct a bottom shelf for extra storage (see photo, right). First, cut a second section of diamond plate the same size as the top work surface. Use 8-24 x 1/2-in. bolts to fasten two 22-in. lengths of 14-gauge 1/2-in. angle iron to the underside of the diamond plate 2 in. in from each side. Finally, attach a handle on the front edge of the diamond plate. The angle iron will keep the shelf properly positioned between the legs, and the handle will make it easy to remove the shelf when it’s not needed. — MB


SHOPPING LIST
2-in.-sq. 14-gauge hollow steel tube (9 lineal feet)
1-3/4-in.-sq. 14-gauge hollow steel tube (11 lineal feet)
2 in. x 1/8-in.-thick steel flat stock (1 lineal feet)
24 x 30 x 3/32-in.-thick aluminum diamond plate (1)
2-in. metal wheel swivel casters (4)
10-24 x 2-1/4-in. machine bolts and nuts (16)
10-24 x 2-in. machine bolts (4)
8-24 x 2-in. machine bolts and nuts (2)
10-24 wing nuts (4)
1/2-in. dia. lawn implement hitch pin (1)
Stanley gate handle (1)

Download PDF for full instructions and photos of the build