Homemade bench plans, Have we seen this fella before?

Dave-
I tried several folding leg designs on portable benches and was never satisfied with the stability. I switched to a screw in leg, polished up the table so that it looked like a commercial product and sold a ton of them last year.
Nothing like having a bench to make those long shots a bit easier. I never did like lying down on the ground to shoot at woodchucks, especially right after the farmer just spread a fresh load!
 
Before my trip to KS p'dogin I made a bench similar to the one in the picture. I bought folding table legs like those shown, but I turned them 90 degrees, so that they were to the right and left of the shooter. In the ends of the legs, I put a 1/2-13 nut and crimped the leg around it, then added some JB weld for good measure. Then I took 9" of threaded rod and welded a big washer on for feet. Now I can level the bench even on pretty uneven ground. I also made the table wide enough for either a right or left handed shooter, this also help it's stability. So far everyone who has shot off of it has liked it, but none of us are into the LRH standards folks around here are.
 
The easiest way to do it yourself is with standard pipe. You can use 3/4 inch pipe (as the smallest) and cut 4 lengths to 26 inches long. Thread one end standard pipe threads.
For the foot, I used 16 inch long 13/16ths aluminum (or stainless) rod inserted into the end of the pipe. This gives you a perfect fit. Come about one inch up the pipe and weld a small block of steel about 5/8" square. Drill and tap this for 3/8-24. Then get a 3/8-24 threaded stud with knob and screw into block and thru wall of pipe. This holds inserted rod in place. On end of rod I attach a stainless steel ball so that it is always making good contact with the ground. The inserted rod gives you plenty of adjustment, I have set up on a side hill many times. Now, buy 4, 3/4" pipe couplings and cut one end off at about a 15 to 20 degree angle. Cut 4 steel plates, 1/4" thick and 4 by 4" square. Drill 9/32 holes in each corner. Weld your coupling to each plate so that the angle is out and forward. Screw base to whatever table you want to use with heavy duty 1/4 inch lag screws or thru bolt with flat heads on top so that they are flush. This base will angle legs out and forward and believe me, there is no wobble at all. I used standard pipe flange at first but found that the threads weren't deep enough for maximum stability and that is when I switched to cutting the couplings and welding them to a base plate. For the top, I use 2, 3/4" layers of exterier plywood glued and screwed together as one sheet and then I cut to shape. Sanding, sealing, and painting with high grade exterior paint is of course recommended. To really clean up the package, you can buy standard snap in broom stick holders (metal, not plastic) and screw 4 sets on the bottom of your table. Then you can snap the legs into them for easy storage and mobility. I always install a carrying handle as well so you can tote the whole thing like a suit case. Give it a try, it works very well.
 
Primetime,

Thanx... I'm forwarding your message to my shooting buddy that is the actual craftsman making our benches....

I'll try to remember to let you know how they come out....

$bob$
 
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