Bench Building / Wood Buying Question

[Noah Barfield]

Hi all,

I'm in the planning process of building my first workbench. This week, I contacted several local lumber suppliers for prices on Doug Fir. Basically I need 8-10 pieces of 2x8x12' to make both the top and the frame (I'm using the $175 Workbench plans).

One small independent wood mill quoted me a price of $256 for all straight grain, quarter sawn clear doug fir.

Another lumber yard had premium doug fir at $7.65 per board. However, when I went to check it out, all of the boards were plain sawn with the rounded ring patterns visible at the ends of the boards. The boards were all straight and true and reasonably clear.

So, I'd like to buy the ones at the lumber yard and save nearly $200. However, how much of a difference does the plain sawn vs quarter sawn really make? Is it really worth it to spend the $256?

Noah

[Tim Sproul]

Rip the construction lumber and when you laminate the top, orient the board so the lamination resembles a QS slab.

[Frank Drew]

Noah,

Following up on Tim's answer, if your intent is to rip the 2x8s then face-laminate the rippings, buying quartered material might defeat your purpose because you'd end up with flat-sawn faces up (which, I think, is not what you want.)

[Matthew Hills]

Another lumber yard had premium doug fir at $7.65 per board. However, when I went to check it out, all of the boards were plain sawn with the rounded ring patterns visible at the ends of the boards. The boards were all straight and true and reasonably clear.

Flat-sawn is probably what you want for the lamination.
Take a quick look at the photo below from Randy Bonella's bench building thread (Mostly Neander Work Bench Build (Pic Heavy)). If these were 2x4's, they would be flat sawn, but when turned on-edge, they present a quarter-sawn surface that is now the top of the bench.


Matt

[Frank Drew]

One picture worth thousand words.

[Randy Bonella]

Matt,
Couldn't have said it better than myself . Also note that the wood I used was pretty heavily checked but once the glue up was done I don't think I have much to worry about. That bench isn't coming apart any time soon. There are also a number of knots buried in the stack but tried to keep them as far away from the top as possible.

Randy...

[Noah Barfield]

Thanks all--this really helps (especially the picture)!

Noah