Hospital Bed Makes Great Workbench

Hospital Bed Makes Great Workbench FARM SHOP Maintenance The moment Jim Borden saw an old hospital bed at a flea market he knew it would make a great adjustable height workbench He bought it for $20 and hauled it to his workshop “I threw everything away that wasn’t important and disconnected the switches that raise the head and feet ” he says “I just wanted it to go up and down ” Borden knew that it would lift at least 350 lbs That’s enough to handle the antique furniture he restores Borden built a sturdy 83 by 38-in top out of inch-thick oak boards he cut planed and painted then screwed into holes drilled in the bed frame The height – raised and lowered with a foot pedal – ranges from 16 to 34 in The low height makes it easier to place objects on the workbench and Borden adjusts the height so he never has to bend while working Besides working on furniture he’s used it to work on lawn mowers and other projects A grinder vise and other tools could easily be mounted on it for working on other projects “I wouldn’t have done anything differently ” Borden says about his bed-to-workbench conversion “I left the castors on so that when I’m not using it I can roll it out of the way ” Check with hospitals and universities he suggests for old beds His only advice: make sure it still goes up and down before buying Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Jim Borden 914 Montvale Station Rd Maryville Tenn 37803 ph 865 556-3875

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