It is a constant challenge in the workshop to come up with new ideas that either improve the quality of the work, or make the producing of it a little easer. From something as simple as a bench stop, to a whole new pice of machinery, these innovations can in a moment change the way you make your furniture. As well as enhancing production, it's a great motivator to see new schemes and plans making a difference.An example of this is a very simple set of trestle's I made with connecting bars. Cutting up components from 8x4 sheets in the past was a two person operation. Each board was loaded onto the panel saw to be rough cut into oversize sections, one person 'steering' from the end pushing the board onto the blade, the other person working to keep the board tight to the fence and then removing it from the end of the saw table. Board cutting for a large project could keep two people tied up for hours.
That was before we struck on the idea of connecting two trestles together with wooden battern's. Useing trestles alone leaves the board unstable when cutting, and smaller sections fall to the floor, and on the toes, when separated. Placing an old board on top of the trestles still causes issues with stability.After a bit of refining we came up with this design. Two trestles made up of 2 inch pine stock with opposing tops haunched out to take three 2x3 inch x 6 foot long rails. When slotted into place the rails keep the structure rigid as well as creating a large flat working area. The weight of the trestle construction keeps the whole thing grounded when working. Boards are manoverd onto the trestles, marked up oversize and then ripped down using a Circular saw, these sections are then trimmed to size on the table saw, by one person!
As you can see from the pictures the trestles double up as a great finishing platform, assembly bench or just somewhere to stack components. An asset to any workshop.