i want to make one of those easels that i always see at Letterhead events -- but i didn't pay attention to how they're put together. if somebody has some plans or something, it would help me out. i don't want to reinvent the wheel.
Posted by Arvil Shep' Shepherd (Member # 2030) on :
Do a search..Mark Fair posted a drawing a while back for a work bench mounted easel.. Shep'
Posted by ScooterX (Member # 2023) on :
thanks Shep, but that's not the kind of easel i mean. the ones i've seen use 2' x 8' sheets of plywood. i _think_ they are also on a 2' base, but i'm not sure, and that's why i'm hoping somebody who's built these can help me out. (there were about 20 of these at Mars, but i didn't think to sketch out the way they were assembled).
Posted by Mark Neurohr (Member # 2470) on :
Scooter,
Basically, rip a 4 X 8 in half, hinge in the center, run 2 X 4's to set it how you want your angle. 1 X 2's across the bottom.
Whlaaa laa!
P.S. Nice meeting you Bud!
Posted by Doug Allan (Member # 2247) on :
I have seen it done with 2 verticle 2x4's on the wall so you can hinge your easel board to the 2x4 which shims it out 3-1/2" from wall allowing room at the top for clamping things (banners, pounce patterns, material to project on to etc.) Then you could have a series of notches in the outer edge of the 2x4's to use for adjusting the angle. Add "legs" of some kind on the back that fit into the notches to adjust from plumb to the wall, out to whatever.
If you want to get fancy try to make it adjustable drop into a 4x8 flat surface by removing the top hinge, slotting into a lower notch, & maybe the "legs" mentioned above could be beefy enough, with a locking diagonal bracing to support the front.
Lets see what you come up with, if you do find, or create, good plans.
Posted by Robert Thomas (Member # 1356) on :
I love my 4x10 easel. Big enough for a 4x8 sign with room to spare and for the occasional 10' banner. I've never seen a 2x8 easel. Most old school shops I worked for had 3-4x8s lined up together so you could do a big job if nessasary. All individually adjustable. Just build a frame out of 2x4s mount the used mdo to it, hinge at the top. Use some 2x4s for legs with a cross member for support and a few 2x4 scraps to catch the legs so you can angle it. Some even had a rope and pully setup to lift the legs up to the catches. There are many variations of this setup, some are freestanding on wheels. Some pivot flat to make a table.
Posted by Wayne Berry (Member # 1327) on :
I don't have a lot of room in the shop so I had the local machine/welding shop build my easel.
The face is 40" x 18' 1/4" plywood with a galvanized steel sheet over the surface. It's frame is made of 1" square tubing with 2" tubing for legs. The legs(3) are on casters so I can move it out from the wall. This is handy because the whole surface has a pivot point at about 24" and by turning a crank (just a rod welded to a nut) I can rotate the easel any way I like. I can even rotate it into a table for coating out panels and such.
All & all it's worked out very well. BTW, the steel surface came from a local sheet metal shop and sure makes a great place to build pounce patterns. A few scraps of magnetic stock to hold the paper in place and my electro pounce to burn the holes.
Cost in easel= about $200
Hope this helps, Wayne
[ September 07, 2002, 07:09 AM: Message edited by: Wayne Berry ]
Posted by Ricky Simpson (Member # 1318) on :
Wayne,
That sounds like one cool table/easel. Any chance you can post a picture of it or email it to me as an attachment. I would like to see enough of the details to make one for myself.
Thanks, Ricky
[ September 07, 2002, 04:16 PM: Message edited by: Ricky Simpson ]
Posted by Wayne Berry (Member # 1327) on :
I'd be glad to post a photo of the easel. It may take a few days as I'll have to get the film developed.
Wayne
Posted by Tony Lucero (Member # 1470) on :
Wayne, I too am very interested in seeing some plans or a simple sketch of your easel. Like you we have limited space and I like the cost efficiency you worked out. Thanks for sharing.
