PVC pipe engine test stand

[Dennis Toth]

Guys,
Anyone have a design for a PVC pipe engine test stand? I want to build something that can be left outside that I can more or less use when I have time to run various engines. I'd like it high enough to stand to start.

Best,    DennisT

[Doug Moisuk]

Do you have a Work Matt? Works great easy to move out and set up.

[Dan McEntee]

  I got a kind of cheapy version of the Black and Decker Work Mate from the Sears close out outlet store while it was still open for 20 bucks on sale. Not more that a glorified saw horse really but it is actually pretty nice for 20 bucks. I sue it a lot, including holding my test stands when running engines. I just clamp the board or what ever I have the engine mounted on into it, then weight it down with what ever is handy that's heavy. It not any where near the size of the more elaborate Work Mate, I have one of those that I fished out of  a neighbor's trash one night. It's REALLY stout with a wide base and would not need any weighting down. I don't know how well it would stand up to weather every day. You could simply find a plan for some kind of simple potting bench that is built out of treated lumber and add you requirements for running engines, and probably not cost more than PVC pipe and last as long as you will.
  Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee

[John Leidle]

  I reworked an old ironing board for that purpose while we were locked down in April.
       John L.

[Wayne Collier]

$20 vice and scrap lumber.

[Dennis Toth]

I've used the WorkMat and also a plywood box, works fine but I'm looking for something I can just leave outside, I plan to run diesel and don't want to bring the "aroma" in the house. The PVC could just be glued and screwed together I'm thing a flat top "A",  then U bolt a mount board to the top. Maybe use 1 1/2" PVC pipe. Could add some front extension pieces to keep it from overturning. Or a cheap Home Depot saw horse and urethane paint?

Best,   DennisT

[Peter in Fairfax, VA]

For $20, hard to beat a Work Mate.  I guess some varnish on the wood and grease on the metal would help for weather.  Or, possibly, a cover, such as a piece of a tarp.

https://www.harborfreight.com/folding-clamping-workbench-with-movable-pegs-47844.html

[John Rist]

For $20, hard to beat a Work Mate.  I guess some varnish on the wood and grease on the metal would help for weather.  Or, possibly, a cover, such as a piece of a tarp.

https://www.harborfreight.com/folding-clamping-workbench-with-movable-pegs-47844.html

And on top of that at $20 it's expendable.

[Wayne Collier]

May be more complicated than you want, but strategically filling some of the pvc with concrete mix can add some stability. Also if you aren’t going to move it around, you could set a mailbox post in the yard put whatever is going to hold the engine where the mailbox would be

[Steve Helmick]

I like Wayne's idea for a permanent fence post. The VGMC site in Richmond, BC has a permanent ETF setup that I think is made from railroad ties or something similar...huge & heavy, it's capable of holding multiple engines at once. Steve

[Tim Wescott]

I'd go with anything but PVC -- it's good for conducting water around, but as a structural material it's wrong in about every other way.

I'd go with the sawhorse or the fencepost, or swing through the garden section of Home Depot or Lowes or whatever and look for a small potting table.

[EricV]

Guys,
Anyone have a design for a PVC pipe engine test stand? I want to build something that can be left outside that I can more or less use when I have time to run various engines. I'd like it high enough to stand to start.

Best,    DennisT

Hey Dennis,

Well, you said something you could leave outside...meet my "Bucket of Bricks Engine Stand" .

The only problem for your criteria is stand and start, but there is a solution for that... put it on top of something else sturdy. You could fill with water, sand, cement or whatever I guess, mine is full of bricks.

Screw the plywood with mount to the lid, throw a couple screws around the edges for extra insurance to keep the lid down and you are good to go.

Stop laughing...  it works.    Even with piped rigs. Red Green would be proud to own such a high tech rig.  And I never worry about it being stolen, I mean, who in their right mind would want it? 

EricV

[Tim Wescott]

The high tech, "stand and start" version of that would be a garbage can.  You could even fill it with garbage, for verisimilitude.