I got all the stringers cut to 15″, and the rafters cut to length as well, and I was ready to reconfigure the shop to start building the table.
In the online torsion box video I watched, the presenter spent a lot of time creating a “temporary” level and flat surface upon which to build his grid. This probably would have been a good idea. I do not have an area large enough to do this in the shop, nor did I have a couple extra sheets of plywood lying around to create a surface. So I used what I had on hand; 4 feed tables of somewhat varied height.
I started laying out the grid, and quickly cursed myself for this “random seams” idea. I should have built everything to particular sizes. Oh well.
As I’d cut all the pieces out on the saw without moving the fence, I had some reason to believe that they’d all be more or less the same height, so I glued and nailed everything together with top edges mated (and I checked square on each connection). I have no reason to believe that this will cause anything to be flat, but there you go. I will have the ability to shim the top to flatness if necessary, but frankly, I have no idea how I’m going to know whether it’s flat or not, given that whatever it’s resting on is also not guaranteed… hmm. Might end up using some sawhorses.
I got the entire grid glued and nailed together, and I tried to make sure that it wasn’t going to glue itself to the workbench.
Next I need to install the top and bottom, and then build a frame for it to sit on, and I’ll be all set!
The CNC machine should not take too much longer. Major stopping blocks right now are getting the torsion box finished, getting the legs for the torsion box, and getting holes drilled in the aluminum rails. Once those things are done, it should devolve into an afternoon or two of assembly.