need to build a large work table

[Wipedout]

I have a friend (and client) whose business got flooded during Harvey 38 inches of water in her store.  Amazingly I recovered her data off her hard drives after they were submerged in nasty water for 3 days

She has her store back together and would like me to build her a work table where she can put shipments together and work on large print jobs.  It's a PostNet franchise.  I'll do this for her with minimal charge for my time.

She wants it to be 5 foot by ten foot on large casters.  I think a mdf covered in white melamine will be best - I can get a sheet of that for $35 locally.  I'll wrap the top with maple.  I need some help on the design

Im was thinking a torsion box setup but am open to ideas.  Thoughts?  Suggestions?

The base can be simple 4x4 construction with a single shelf at the bottom (above the casters) for her to store things on.

All ideas appreciated.  They didn't have insurance and lost over $70 K in equipment.  We helped them tear out the sheet rock and everything in the days after the water receded. She had the store up and running for at least shipping and faxing within 2 weeks of the flood (bare walls and all) so she could help the people in the neighborhood

Robert

[DaveR1]

It sounds like you've got it worked out pretty well. Do you want some sort of drawing/plan for this table?

[Wipedout]

It sounds like you've got it worked out pretty well. Do you want some sort of drawing/plan for this table?

Maybe

I was questioning if I really needed/should go the torsion box -  I will have to move it from my shop to her business and torsion box going be heavy as hell

[DaveR1]

Maybe

I was questioning if I really needed/should go the torsion box -  I will have to move it from my shop to her business and torsion box going be heavy as hell

How many legs do you intend to put under it? I expect you could leave the bottom skin off. That would help to reduce the weight.

[Wipedout]

Also - my local los=wes has 8 foot 4 x 4 cedar for like $5 a piece -  But Im wondering if cedar will be too soft for the legs - caster connection and the connection to the top

[tomsteve]

5 by 10'- id say frame the top like a section of wall.
whats the max weight that this table may see on it?

[Lynden]

Search for "large work table" at houzz (both "photos" and "shop") and at Google Images. Lots of ideas for her to look at.

[jcredding]

I made a 4 x 8 outfeed / work table using the concepts from Wood Whisperer (project number 160 or 161 on his website I believe) and have found it plenty stable for working on. Depending upon how hard it will be used, that could be a very quick solution. I inset plywood and then put an MDF top over that and screwed in from the bottom. A little polyeurathane on the MDF top and everything is slick and it's sufficiently solid.

[AgGEM]

You said 5x10. Worried about weight... build 2 smaller ones of whatever material you decide and put them together on site.
Ag

[Admiral]

You said 5x10. Worried about weight... build 2 smaller ones of whatever material you decide and put them together on site.
Ag

I’m liking this idea, sometimes she’ll not need the large table but two 5x5s give flexibility. Many ways to lock together with hardware. Also, casters don’t have to be as stout.