Reality check before diving into a workbench build

[Chris Hachet]

My whole bench is BORG 2x6 construction lumber, knots and all ... My only regret is that I used this BORG construction lumber wood on the FRONT section of my split top Roubo. This section takes the most abuse and needs to hold up to the stresses from workholding and clamping, dog holes, etc... the construction lumber doesn't really do that.

So my advice, go ahead and make the whole bench with the wood you have BUT the first 6 inches (of front section if you do a split top) from some kind of cheap hardwood (around here is Ash and maple). Also make any vice chops or faces with hardwood (another place I regret using construction lumber)

This could work, or you could also make the bench a split top bench. If you get it built and find that you don't like the front being softwood, simply replace the front half of the top at a later time.

In the mean time, this would avoid paralysis by analysis.

[Roger Green]

Ian, Welcome to the Creek. I don't see where you are located. If you live near me (Vancouver, Washington- -just north of Portland, Oregon) I'd be happy to help you through this bench build. I've helped another local woodworker build a Douglas fir bench.
Roger Green

[Ian Guy]

Thanks to everybody for the replies. I appreciate the comments and advice. I am going to stay on the course I am currently on and proceed with my DF lumber and pick up some hardwood for vise leg and chop. I think this a good compromise. I am not overly concerned with dings and dents to the work surface--it is a bench after all so it will be used for work. I'll just take a hand plane to it every year or two to flatten/smooth it out. I just want a bench that I am not going to chase around the workshop when trying to plane and use hand tools. I want a proper place where I can become better at making things. It is a hobby for me and I guess if I get five or ten years down the road and want to upgrade to another bench then at least I'll have the experience and good vise hardware to take with me. I am in the Kansas City area, so maybe l'll run into some fellow KC'ers on this forum.

Thanks again, Ian.

[Ian Guy]

Mark, This is great information. I was thinking of going down this path, but I am happy to hear that it worked out for someone else and is a viable option before I get started with the sawing and planing.

Thanks,
Ian

[Prashun Patel]

In all of the bench builds I've read here, I can't once recall anyone regretting their choice of soft wood over hard. We obsess about this decision, but in the end, the dimensions, work holding, and mass choices are what people seem to appreciate or regret.

As long as you make sure the lumber is thick enough and stabilized enough to stay stout, flat, and true, you will (I suspect) be happy with whatever wood you choose.

(As others have posted) one of my benches had a 2x4 apron which did tend to get beaten up - mostly by my young son and his affinity for my rasps. Just this year, I solved that by rotating that edge to the rear, and adding a new ash board to the front of the new apron.

[Reinis Kanders]

You could just laminate a 3" wide front from some harder wood for the dog holes. Also watch out for sap coming out of the fir, mine was bleeding for a while where sun was shining on it. If you can then laminate in a way that it is all rift sawn, it looks very good if grain is tight.

[Pat Barry]

The biggest issue regarding Doug Fir is that the stuff from BORG is full of knots. If you can work around those you will be fine. Keep the knots off the top surface as much as possible. Knots become a pita when you need to level the top lamination and knots always stand a good chance of becoming unintended holes when the lumber dries fully.

[Nicholas Lawrence]

(As others have posted) one of my benches had a 2x4 apron which did tend to get beaten up - mostly by my young son and his affinity for my rasps. Just this year, I solved that by rotating that edge to the rear, and adding a new ash board to the front of the new apron.

Mine seem to have an affinity for hammers, screwdrivers, and my hand drills. The result is the same though.

[Jim Koepke]

(As others have posted) one of my benches had a 2x4 apron which did tend to get beaten up - mostly by my young son and his affinity for my rasps. Just this year, I solved that by rotating that edge to the rear, and adding a new ash board to the front of the new apron.

Wouldn't have been easier to just put the rasps on a higher shelf?

Rasps can cut into ash with ease.

jtk

[Phil Mueller]

Ian, my bench is BORG pine as well. As already suggested above, I did use hard maple for the leg vise, as well as a 3/4" wide piece as the outside face board for the front and back, and the front of the front legs. I also used hard maple for the deadman runner on the bottom stretcher.

It's been in use for a little over a year and I don't have any regrets on using pine. By the way, when you do the big oops like I did and run a drill down into the top (several, as a matter of fact) you can then relax and view it for what it really is...just a workbench.

[John Crawford]

I built a generic Schwarzbench out of DF, and don't regret the wood choice. It is plenty stable, and is holding up fine after a couple years. Maybe I would have gone with SYP had it been available in my area, but it isn't. The surface does dent, but I see it as a shop fixture, and I don't worry when I accidentally nick it with a tool.

DF isn't a pleasure to work with; the construction grade stuff of course shrinks more than you expect, and I lost a certain amount of wood to twists and cracks as it was drying. Still, no problems with the finished bench.

[Stewie Simpson]

Racking or movement within a freestanding work bench can be resolved in 2 ways. Diagonal cross bracing, or a sheet of 1/4"plywood that's affixed to the long side of the bench at the back, below apron height, covering both upper and lower levels of horizontal stretchers and including the support legs. Flat head nails hammered in at 6 inch centres should be more than adequate. Its not a bad idea to include bracing 1 short end of the bench. Not always pretty to look at, but we discussing a work bench, not an elaborate piece of furniture.

[Mark Fisher]

That is what I did. The only thing I was disappointed with was the top. The grain on the BORG boards go every which way (and I was very careful in selection) and I ended up with a bit of tear out on the top. Is that a big deal? Not really, but it was annoying.

[Matthew Hills]

My bench is made with reclaimed doug fir.
I used a toothed blade in a low-angle jack to tame some of the issues from knots and reversing grain.
I left the top with the light texture from this blade; I did not smooth the top.

You would give up the visual refinement of a hardwood bench.
But, works well with holdfasts, and has been very stable.

Matt

[Chris Hachet]

Racking or movement within a freestanding work bench can be resolved in 2 ways. Diagonal cross bracing, or a sheet of 1/4"plywood that's affixed to the long side of the bench at the back, below apron height, covering both upper and lower levels of horizontal stretchers and including the support legs. Flat head nails hammered in at 6 inch centres should be more than adequate. Its not a bad idea to include bracing 1 short end of the bench. Not always pretty to look at, but we discussing a work bench, not an elaborate piece of furniture.

Exactly, as I have said before, a lot of beautiful work gets built on ugly work benches.