Ripping 2x12s

[David M Peters]

In my workbench build I first used 2x10s ripped down the middle and I can confirm that they will likely want to bow on you. A few of mine pinched the riving knife badly enough to need wedging. And then they continued to bow after cutting making for a pretty uneven glueup. I scrapped those top sections and used 2x6s instead which made the glueup a lot more uneventful. And I did special order "#1" wood so it was quite straight with each piece only having a few knots.

[Bobby O'Neal]

I think acclimation and planning is key. Let things stabilize with plenty of room for any movement that will occur and you'll be good. I have a 9 foot long Roubo that weighs well over 400lbs made from SYP...no fuss, no headaches, no sticky glue ups. It can be done.

[Jim Dwight]

The reason I would use a track saw is safety, ease, and precision. Track saws are realtively safe because your hands should be well away from the blade, most have riving knives and mine (DeWalt) also has a separate anti-kickback system. The blade retracts as soon as you stop pushing it down too.

It is easier to push a ~10 lb saw through a heavy board than it is to guide a heavy board through a stationary saw blade.

The long track will straighten the edge of a board and the saw will make glue ready cuts (at least glue ready in my shop).

A guided circular saw lacks kickback protection but shares the advantage of moving the lighter saw instead of the heavier board. Mine never gave me close to glue ready cuts regardless of blade (but I understand others may have better results). It also requires more skill because you have to push the saw against the guide. The track is captured by a dado in the baseplate of the track saw so less skill is needed.

[Todd Roseberry]

Well, you've all given me quite a bit to think about. The lumber yard is not going to be accessible to a week or so; I've got some time to think about things. Merry Christmas1

[David Eisenhauer]

You can successfully build a workbench out of construction grade, Borg supplied 2X SYP. I used 2x12 and 2x10 pieces in 10' and 12' lengths after looking at my various width and length requirements. I feel the key to the thing is let the wood sit in your shop for a few months to let it air dry as much as it is going to and also to let it stabilize. Pick the straightest ones, do not pick the "heavy" (wetter) ones and avoid the ones that look like they were cut from the center of the tree. Cut to rough (a few inches over-length) length and stack the results with stickers between the layers so they can get air flow around all sides. A bandsaw is nice, a hand-held circ saw works and you can safely rip them with a table saw if you pay attention to your body positioning and watch for the cut pinching closed behind the blade. I used my 3 hp TS and had no problems. After the initial rough length cut, I stacked/let dry for a few months, then ripped the pieces down the middle. I then let them sit another week or two (not a planned time frame, just worked on other stuff meanwhile) before ripping the original rounded edges off to get closer to my final width.

[Jim Andrew]

Lumberyards here in Kansas do not handle SYP
so I built my bench from some 2" burr oak. Only had enough wood to make the top 3" thick, but find it sufficient. Used threaded rods to help glue it up, marked where the dogs go, and put the rods between the dog holes. Left the rods in the finished bench.

[larry senen]

Two pieces of 3/4 ply are not thick enough for use as a hand tool bench, which is what the OP seems to want to build.

Acclimatize the lumber before you start dimensioning, but you could likely rip to width without much grief. If you do not have tools available for dimensioning you will need to either borrow them or their use to dimension. You can work by hand or machine.

I've Dim'd work for light timber projects by hand, it can be done and doesn't really take very long.

Anywho the basic process is jointing, which means making one face straight and true then cutting the opposing face to 'thickness' using the jointed face as a reference. At that point you'll want to glue up the benchtop then repeat the process on the benchtop.

If you want better lumber then skip the home center and buy high quality wood from a specialty lumber yard. If you make a large enough order then you may be able to have them do the rough prep.

i didn't say ply specifically. 2, 3 as many sheets as he thinks of particle or mdf is more stable and flater than 2 by.

[Dan Rude]

$175 Workbench By: Christopher Schwarzr http://www.popularwoodworking.com/pr.../175_workbench may give you insight on this build. The Plans for the New Fangled bench by FWW are on sale today too.Dan

[Art Mann]

I try to keep some 2 X 6 and larger white pine on hand to build jigs, shelves and other shop projects. I hand pick the lumber for straightness and lack of knots. I have an attic over my shop in which I store lumber, among other things. In the summer, the temperature will get up to 125 or more degrees F for most of the day. I dry the lumber under these conditions for a couple of months before I use it. I have very few problems with warping or twisting. I always machine the wood down to a precise dimension - say 1-3/8" thick and 5-3/8" wide - before using it because sawmills aren't able to accurately dimension partially damp material. I need better precision than that.

[Robert Engel]

1) 6" is WAY too thick for a bench top. It may be massive but there will be drawbacks like trying to use bench hooks, which is integral to most benches.

2) I would give it a try to look for some straight 2x4's. I usually have better luck in the 16' rack. If you're looking for the vertical grain lumber , then you can go 2x10 or 2x12 but just rip 4" off each end leaving the pith in the middle. Knots are a big issue in SYP.

3) Generally speaking, construction lumber is not the best choice for any kind of furniture making because of the moisture and tension in the wood from kiln drying. You have to sticker the lumber for at least 2-3 months before even thinking about using them.

4) If there is a local saw mill around you I would see what they have for hardwoods like maple. You may be surprised buying rough lumber may not cost that much more.

I made a bench from a section of SYP bowling alley lane a friend of mine gave me. Apparently they infuse the wood with a hardener and boy does it work!

[Thomas Canfield]

I did not see anyone mention that when ripping you often release some internal stresses that cause the wood to bow and can bind the blade against the fence. I have often needed to go to jointer to true up edge on a longer (3' even) to get a straight edge to work with in resizing lumber. The round edges and often pith in center of the 2x lumber often eliminate almost 2" of original board actual width or 2-1/2" off the nominal width, but you can end up with some better quality boards approaching quarter sawn often.

[Brian Holcombe]

i didn't say ply specifically. 2, 3 as many sheets as he thinks of particle or mdf is more stable and flater than 2 by.

Larry traditionally one uses a solid wood bench for hand tools. There are key advantages, the major one being that it ensures your mallet or hammer swings are efficient. Similar to using a dolly bar or anvil when working iron, a solid foundation is very important and allows for effective hammer blows when chopping.

[Ole Anderson]

While ripping dimensional lumber is a always a crap shoot, (can I say that?), because the lumber is heavy (2x12's) you are much less likely to get a fast kickback rather than just stalling the blade. Light smaller pieces are more likely to kickback, not that it can't happen with big pieces...just get a firm grip on it.