I'm about ready to start work on my car again, and I'm thinking about how to best set the car at a reasonable height to work on. I've got the usual set of short Halfords-type axle stands, but they don't go high enough to get the car, a Sprite, at a sensible height. So I'm thinking of making some out of the 2" CDS I have lying about going spare and some plate for the base/supports. The idea would be for the main section to be fixed, and then topped by a threaded section, possibly just a great big bolt and rubber pad combo so it can be adjusted to suit.

The main idea I'm happy with, but I am unsure if it's worth building any other features into it, such as greater adjustment in the main tube section or fold away legs for more convenient storage. I'm also not sure how high I should make them. Anyone got any thoughts before I cut any steel?

I have some commercial ones, go to around 20" high and have big feet, are very sturdily built, 3/8" angle and tube, nothing like a flimsy halfords set made from folded steel.

Higher you go, the better they need to be, you do not want them flexing or loading a corner and collapsing.

I would not build any features, unless it's something like chopping off the to of a building Acro to have a screw thread rather than pins, big, strong fully welded so design for a lorry!

Regards Mark

Keep it simple. Heavy duty wheels are nice (need a smooth floor) if your workshop is small and the stands are not too tall . Also consider how the car can be lifted safely onto the stands. Mine are about 20" high as that's the maximum lift of my trolley jack.

I'm using these for my Midget build:
http://www.cjautos.eu/MOBILE_AXLE_STAND_STEEL_WHEELS_p/cm05a.htm

Ok, they're more than the axle stands you're talking about but being able to move the car around gives me more space on the side I'm working on.