I've been preparing some additional photos of the work stand, with gratitude for the many positive responses I've seen. I am intending to post sufficient details to help those interested in having one of these useful devices.
I encourage anyone visiting here to leave a post, even a brief one, which will help me know who is interested and what information I can offer to be most helpful. Feel free to ask any questions. If anyone wants a work stand and can't get it built, I'll try to help. Send a PM.
SWING FRAME CONSTRUCTION
I suggest a modular approach to the stand. The three modular parts would be, the swing frame, the baseboards and mounting hardware, and lastly some sort of support base for the frame. Let's begin with the swing frame, as it is central to just about any design that could be conceived. It is the crucial component that repositions the pivot point to the center of gravity, giving easy, balanced movement.
(Basic Swing Frame)
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The welds need to be strong. I have welds at all possible locations, top and bottom, inside and out. Particularly where the uprights attach to the frame bottom, the welds need to be able to carry the weight and stresses involved. I didn't file the welds at all, to keep all the metal that was there for strength. I just painted it.
(Frame Corners and Uprights)
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If you can get the swing frame done, all the other parts can fall into place around it fairly easily. One could, for example, cut the top of an unsalvageable sewing machine cabinet to create a baseboard. It has even been suggested to use this frame for something other than sewing machines.
And, while the base I built served well to prove the concept and design, there are a number of other configurations that might work better for you or fit better in your work environment. I'll post some other suggestions soon.
The swing frame metal stock may be obtained from many hardware stores or home improvement centers. I got the metal I used from Lowe's. Two three-foot lengths of one-inch angle iron are enough for the frame bottom. One three-foot length of one-inch perforated steel tubing will suffice for both uprights. Below is an illustration of how to cut and shape the pieces for welding. You need two of everything.
(Diagram - Metal Parts)
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When I finally had the swing frame welded, before it was even painted, I tested its operation with a rough baseboard and a sewing machine. Having no fasteners yet, I clamped a 1x2 piece of wood, 9 inches long, across the sewing machine bed with C-clamps, front and back. I arranged two saw horses to be parallel at the correct width. I temporarily used large bolts extending outward from the uprights, as pivots.
It worked great. The benefit of balance was immediately apparent.
There I was, in the back yard, spinning a sewing machine around on two saw horses while an interested and confused passerby looked on for a short time. While a funny memory, it points out that if you have the swing frame, the rest can come together without too much difficulty.
More soon,
John
Coming: Pivots, Baseboards & Fasteners, Lock Mechanism, Stand Base Dimensions, Additional Frame Support Ideas For Work Areas