Homemade Lab Jack (Part 2)

I have almost finished the Lab Jack that I started recently, actually it is done and it works! I wrote a PART 1 post about his project and I recommend that you read it if you are interested in how this got going and why I built it. I decided to build this after I looked around for commercially available products and decided that they were too expensive or not big enough for what I wanted. Besides, if you build it yourself it is exactly what you want! Below is a picture of the completed lab jack extended to over 12 inches in height.

     

My Home Built Lab Jack

Can it go higher than twelve inches? Yes it can but it gets really unstable due to the 'play' in the hinges. I'm going to fix that and I'll write a post about how I fixed it soon. This project worked out better than I expected. It's very easy to raise the height by turning the adjustment knob (detailed below) from the lowest height of 2-1/4" all the way up to where you see it in the picture. The only problem is in the 'slop' in the hinges that I used to make it. Being the first Lab Jack that I have built I have to call this a success.

   

Check out THIS LINK to see some of the other stuff I have built.

Below is a picture of my lab jack in it's lowest position. At 2-1/4 inches it's pretty low. The quarter twenty all thread is sitting just inside the hinges and the entire assembly sits flat. It worked out pretty well...

 

My Home Built Lab Jack

Compare that to the picture at the top of this post and you can see why this is useful. Being ably to adjust the height of 'something' like a camera is great! The only problem is the stability. I have to make a modification to the hinges that I used, swap a few of them out for some pre-loaded hinges to reduce some of the instability.

     

It is very easy to adjust the height, not much effort required to turn the screw. I think with a little bit of grease it will be even easier. I don't want to put any petroleum products any where near the wood until I have stained and sealed this entire piece because the petroleum will create a stain that I can't remove.       

     

Pocket Hinges

I cut small pockets into the top and bottom pieces to recess the hinges. These pockets enable the hinges to sit flat. Cutting the pockets started with a Forstner bit to clean out the bulk material and a couple of chisels to clean it up.

      

One Half Of The Lab Jack

Take a look at the FIRST POST that I did about this project. The hinges and the pockets that I cut in the bottom are identical to the top piece. Both pieces go together with the hinge pins inserted and make the jack!

      

If this doesn't make any sense email me or leave a comment!

   

A couple of pictures of the hinges. On one side there is a nut that is held by the hinge pin and o the other side the finger screw knob.
      

   

Above is a picture of the finger screw knob. Below a picture of the captive nut.
     

Captive Nut

That is about it for the lab jack. I will probably stain it a nice color and seal the wood. This worked out better than I thought that it would!