I built this shop cart with a folding tray to minimize the amount of floor space used. This should allow me to use the ArcDroid more often and with more consistent results.
I started with a US General cart from HF and a tray from Strong Hand Tools. I built the base out of 4 layers of 3/4" plywood to widen the cart to match the width of the tray when closed. This base added some needed weight and height as well. With the heavier casters bolted on, the cart is pretty stable and resists tipping better than I expected.
I thought about building the tray from scratch, but for less than $200 the Strong Hands Tools TPL3021 tray was a no brainer. The mounting brackets, gas struts and locking/release levers are well built, better than I could have cobbled together.
The dimensions are just about perfect for the ArcDroid’s cutting area: 20" x 24". It overhangs about 4" when folded down which allowed me to widen the base. I bent up some galvanized sheet to protect the lumber and help with cleanup.
The cart’s footprint is 21" x 31" which fits my limited shop space pretty well.
The Thermal Dynamics Cutmaster 38 fits below and adds some gravity to the bottom. The cart feels rigid even with the tray extended but I may add a couple triangles or sheet the sides with galvanized sheet. It doesn’t feel like it’s trying to flex or twist, but if you’re gonna do something, might as well overdo it right?
Next I’ll clean up the cable management, bolt the Cutmaster down and swap on a locking caster from my other cart. But for now it’s a huge improvement over my previous attempts at clamping the ArcDroid and material to a table or workbench.
The cart slots in with my other shop carts out of the way, at the ready for the next quick project.