Centipede Review

Monday I bought the 4X8. I thought, why pay $50 for a 2X4 when I can get the 4X8 for $100, at Lowes. HD, here, didn't have the 4X8.

If I ever want a smaller work surface, I don't have to open it up all the w ay. It's just as stable opened all the way, as half way... and points in between, as long as you secure an appropriately sized work surface/sheet go od, using the holddowns. I can posibly foresee wanting more holddowns. F our may not be enough for multiple goings-ons on the worktop.

Opened all the way, it's 30" high. Opened partially, the height is taller , which suits me a little better than 30" high. But 30" high is fine, too .

Someone posted a Lowes reviewer review, about the 4X8 self leveling itself. Well, yes it stays level, but the feet that don't touch, a dip in the gr ound, need shims under them, for them not to "wobble".

The foot pads don't slide on the ground, as you're opening/expanding it. Easy fix to that is lift one end and it opens easily. Same with closing/f olding it, just lift one end and it collaspes easily.

Once folded up, don't lay it down on its side to place it back in the carry ing case. It's kinna like a slinky, all those legs and elbows wobble, whe n the 4X8 unit is laying on its side. So, once it's folded up, stand it o n end and slip the bag over the top, then flip it over and pull the rest of the bag over the other end. Since the 2X4 unit has less elbows and legs, it may be easier to bag when laying on its side, rather than standing on it s end.

When one worker is utilizing the unit, a 4X8 sheet good needs to be gingerl y tilted/leaned onto the top "points" of support.... you can't just easily plop a ply sheet onto all those individual points of support. Two people can simply lay a sheet good on top. In that initial video, that Mike post ed, the guy says "after initial set up....". Yep! For one person to lay a sheet good on top (for a work surface): I lifted the sheet good, stepped into the maze of centipede legs and rest the ply edge onto several points o f support, then laid the sheet down, as I stepped from the maze of legs. I adjusted the ply onto all points and secure the ply with the supplied ho lddowns. That setup took 60-90 seconds. Setting up other tools (chop sa w, etc.) on top, is probably what the video guy refers to, as to additional time "setting up".

With some good effort, I leaned on the sheet and tested lateral movements. It's pretty darn stable. The 4X8 unit support 3000 lbs. I think this tool will be a good helper. This weekend I hope to do some heavy work on/ with it, give it a better testing.

I haven't tried the four 2X4 (stud) braces (called "X-Cups"), that come wit h the unit, and I have some ideas about adding custom X-cups. To use the cups that came with the unit, I surmise a situation, for my specific needs, and I may need additional cups, so I have in mind how to make additional c ups.

So for, I like what I see. Stay tuned for further reviews.

Sonny

Reply to
Sonny
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Sonny, Thank you for that "actual use" review!

Reply to
Leon

Nice review, Sonny. Just a word of caution, however. You'll see on the website FAQ that they do not recommend using it in any position except fully open. The legs won't actually be touching the ground unless fully open. That's what actually stops it from opening further: the legs bottoming out in the feet tubes.

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I've also found that, like a truss, when one foot isn't touching the ground, the whole apparatus sort of take its place and holds it stable. I wonder how many legs could be off the ground and still be stable. I'm sure with a massive load sitting on it, you'd want to have all the legs on the ground.

Reply to
-MIKE-

Edward Adkins, the inventor, said during a podcast with the annoying 'Mr Question Mark' the plastic parts are actually spewed forth from a 3D printer.

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Interesting success story for sure.

Are the X braces riveted together or screws w/nyloc nuts?

Reply to
Spalted Walt

They are riveted with what looks like pretty hefty steel rivets. The rivet bodies, one on each side of the X brace connection/junction, are almost as thick as the X braces, themselves.

Sonny

Reply to
Sonny

I suspect, in part, that fully open recommendation is to avoid any gripe (l iability type crap) from someone. Common sense should preval in using it. I'll further test fully open vs partially open. Once I laid the ply on top and installed the holddowns, the whole bound unit was stable, period. I will test a partial sheet of ply on the partially opened unit, apply th e holddowns and see how stable it is, compared to the fully extended unit. I suspect the holddowns will help maintain the stability of a half-opened unit. And likely more than four holddowns would help even more.

When partially open, all feet are the same height. They remain planor as i t opens.

Right. It seems to be that way.

Even with light weight, it's still easy to shim any feet that are off the g round

Some of the sections of this FAQ page are under maintenance, so I haven't r ead what they say about fully vs partially opened units.

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Sonny

Reply to
Sonny

And thanks for that link. I see there are accessories, specifically the X cups. Rather than making custom cups, buying extras may be better, depend ing on price. The product catalogue won't download for me, at the moment, to check the price. I'll checkum out later.

We're still busy assisting Mom, health-wise. I probably won't get to more diligent testing until Fri., Sat. & Sun.

Sonny

Reply to
Sonny

Sonny, I'm not trying to be argumentative here. This is a safety issue, not a "who's right, who's wrong" issue. Unless there is some major design difference (and I mean major), unless it's fully extended, the legs are NOT touching the ground. The *feet* might be, but the legs (that which bears all the weight) are not. Take a close look at the design. The feet are attacked to tubes, into which the steel legs insert and slide freely up and down. Those tubes are only there to facilitate folding up/collapsing of the apparatus. They allow the legs to travel without having to disengage the X-bracing. Only when fully opened up are the legs actually toughing the feet and bearing the weight of whatever is on top.

Yes, those bench dog clamps will hold some weight. But I would hate to have to have to ripping a piece of plywood and all a sudden those bench dogs slip and the thing immediately slides out into its fully open position dropping you and the plywood down with a running saw.

Again, please take a look at those legs and their design again, if only for your own safety.

Reply to
-MIKE-

t the 4X8 for $100, at Lowes. HD, here, didn't have the 4X8.

way. It's just as stable opened all the way, as half way... and points i n between, as long as you secure an appropriately sized work surface/sheet good, using the holddowns. I can posibly foresee wanting more holddowns. Four may not be enough for multiple goings-ons on the worktop.

er, which suits me a little better than 30" high. But 30" high is fine, t oo.

f. Well, yes it stays level, but the feet that don't touch, a dip in the ground, need shims under them, for them not to "wobble".

Easy fix to that is lift one end and it opens easily. Same with closing /folding it, just lift one end and it collaspes easily.

rying case. It's kinna like a slinky, all those legs and elbows wobble, w hen the 4X8 unit is laying on its side. So, once it's folded up, stand it on end and slip the bag over the top, then flip it over and pull the rest of the bag over the other end. Since the 2X4 unit has less elbows and legs , it may be easier to bag when laying on its side, rather than standing on its end.

rly tilted/leaned onto the top "points" of support.... you can't just easil y plop a ply sheet onto all those individual points of support. Two peopl e can simply lay a sheet good on top. In that initial video, that Mike po sted, the guy says "after initial set up....". Yep! For one person to lay a sheet good on top (for a work surface): I lifted the sheet good, steppe d into the maze of centipede legs and rest the ply edge onto several points of support, then laid the sheet down, as I stepped from the maze of legs. I adjusted the ply onto all points and secure the ply with the supplied holddowns. That setup took 60-90 seconds. Setting up other tools (chop saw, etc.) on top, is probably what the video guy refers to, as to addition al time "setting up".

s. It's pretty darn stable. The 4X8 unit support 3000 lbs. I think thi s tool will be a good helper. This weekend I hope to do some heavy work o n/with it, give it a better testing.

ith the unit, and I have some ideas about adding custom X-cups. To use th e cups that came with the unit, I surmise a situation, for my specific need s, and I may need additional cups, so I have in mind how to make additional cups.

Thanks for the review.

This guys lifts it by 2 center hubs and almost "throws" it open.

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Do the hold downs get in the way? They extend above the top of the work surface, so I can see them getting in the way when trying to put large objects on the surface. It may not be an issue, just curious.

This guy built a torsion box top for his Centipede Saw Horse *on* his Centipede Saw Horse. :-)

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Reply to
DerbyDad03

I looked at the .pdf for the accessories yesterday, Sonny. The current and projected offerings seemed to me to be quite reasonable. Pair of the hold downs for something like $7, etc.

Thanks for the nice review.

What's your feeling on using this indoors on a finished hardwood floor? Appears that the feet are made of the same material as the tops. Any metal projecting on the bottom? Obviously, you can beat the crap out of any tool and get stones, etc. jammed where you don't want them, but out of the box with reasonable care and/or cleaning, would you sit this up on a bare wood floor?

P.S. shame on recommending the 4x8, I almost had my mind made up to head north to HD to pick up the 2x4 and you now have me rethinking that. The blue box is south of me.

Reply to
Unquestionably Confused

I'm not Sonny, but.... The feet are plastic, so no scratching. However, one might consider some of those stick-on felt chair feet pads if it's a concern.

Consider your main use when choosing a size. While I see great advantages to the 4x8, I like the 2x4 because it *is* small. I'm often working in areas where a 4x8 would be too big to work around.

Just some thought to help you decide. :-)

Reply to
-MIKE-

Thanks for the review ... very helpful.

Reply to
Swingman

No metal on the feet. Just flat composite/plastic pads

I can understand your concern for space, and Karl comments, too. Having t wo 2X4 units would have its advantages, also.

I further tested a partial extension of the 4X8 unit. It's pretty stable, as well, enough for a chop saw, CMS or similar.

Also on this partial extension setup, I hand sawed the birdhouse pole, from 15' long to 13'. The support was stable, but a very slight wobble of the whole... I think more so because of the awkward pole. In this operation, the holddowns weren't that great, but I didn't/don't expect great things f rom plastic holddowns. A few more would help, though.

Partially extended with half sheet of ply. This height is 37":

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When I get home, I plan to toss a bunch of sawdust on the feet, see if they jam or clog up, preventing the legs from closing/folding properly. The j oints appear to have enough space to prevent any glogging/jamming, that way .

Sonny

Reply to
Sonny

Oh, and don't leave your carry bag hanging around just anywhere or your Mom's puppy will pee on it.

Sonny

Reply to
Sonny

I'm telling you that is not safe. All the weight is on the cross braces which aren't designed for it. They are designed for tension, not compression. They are acting the same as a cable would in a suspension bridge and were never meant to take the force of being compressed. I'm trying to warn you now. If those bench-dogs slip while you're cutting something, you'll be sorry. That thing was designed to only be used with the legs touching the ground. Unless it is fully extended, they are not.

Reply to
-MIKE-

not a "who's right, who's wrong" issue.

I understand completely. I didnt take anything you said as offensive or c hallenging.

You are correct regarding the cross pieces and the legs not touching a firm base, when partially extended. The cross pieces are metal bars and do su pply some rigidity. They aren't "loose" as dangling (sic) cable. For a small project, as my "test" birdhouse and pole use, both not being very hea vy, the partial extension was fine. If the support was to collapse, it wo uld collapse as a whole, not on one side. It would simple drop straight d own. With a small or moderate amount of weight, I think any collapse woul d either not happen or be a slow descend, because of the resistance of the feet touching the ground and of the ply top. The "ridgid" cross pieces do supply some support and with a small or moderate weight, on top, there is sufficient stability.

I wouldn't work all day, with lots of weighty goings on, on a partially ext ended support, though. I understand your concern, in that respect and wit h the cross pieces.

Using a little common sense, a partially extended support and small to mode rate weights/projects, as with my birdhouse/pole projects, I think it is sa fe to use partially extended. The initial thought, when Centipede was fir st mentioned, was the limited space one had to work in, hence the smaller 2 X4 support was considered/preferred. To me, this meant the project, for t he limited work area, would be somewhat small, also. My testing/review in cluded the partial extended methods, also, to accommodate a limited work ar ea, yet using the larger 4X8 support system.

During the sawing of the birdhouse pole, one of the holddowns did disengage . The holddowns aren't that great. There was no effect on the sawing jo b, the ply remained in position and the support didn't readjust or falter/f ail, in any way.

I certainly wouldn't be comfortable with tossing something like a 100 lb sa ck of corn on top of a partially extended support. I would be comfortable with working on a smaller sized project, though. Those metal cross pieces do have some rigidity, to them, and will support smaller projects, in a li mited/small work area, without failure.

None of my work areas are limited. I would likely always fully extend the support, when using it. I can see using it as a 30" tall scaffold/platfor m, to stand on, say when painting a ceiling or something just out of reach, yet too low for a regular size scaffold.

I think this support will suit me well, often, in place of the 3 sets of wo oden saw horses I regularly use (and build new ones annually, as older ones become unusable), especially as to hauling the bulky wooden saw horses fro m one place to another.

Sonny

Reply to
Sonny

Yep, easy to open/extend. Just lift one end and spread it open.

They do extend above the work surface. I haven't done anything to report on their getting in the way. If they are tapped by *anything-of-significa nce, they'd probably disengage from their holddown job. They don't grasp and hold, firmly, the ply that well, at all. Rather than grasp the ply, t hey might end up (after they disengage) performing as bench dogs, keeping t he ply within their perimeters. I would need more experience with this/th em to report otherwise or further.

Sonny

Reply to
Sonny

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