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Thread: Proper way to flatten a workbench top

  1. #1
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    Proper way to flatten a workbench top

    I have a 16 year old Ulmia brand workbench, European Beech, and the top hasn't been smoothed or flattened for about 6 years. I have a nice assortment of hand planes, but not certain what is the best procedure to obtain a smooth and flat top. Smoothing plane, Jack, Jointer first or last? I presume a high angle frog is best for Beech. My last attempt got it flat but with considerable tear-out. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

  2. #2
    Dennis,

    A little tear out on a bench isn't a big problem, in fact makes the top a little gripper. I would start with winding sticks and a Jack with a fair amount of camber to get rid of any wind. After that use the same Jack to take down any high spots. Once almost flat and true change to a longer plane to get it flat and finally the smoother if you feel the need. I would hate to think about pushing a high angle frog over a slab the size of a work bench while taking anything but the thinest shavings.

    ken

  3. #3
    I use a No. 5 length plane with a toothed, or toothing iron in it. The length of the plane helps isolate and remove the high spots and the toothing iron removes wood quickly and allows me to plane in any direction, which makes the job easier and faster. I leave the slightly rough texture as is and unfinished to provide better grip of workpieces. I can do the same thing with my No. 7 and a toothed blade.

  4. #4
    I just did initial flattening of my first real bench, built of beech, about 2 weeks ago with a LN #7. It could have used a dose of sharp when I started, but I liked the surface it produced. Angled at 45deg, #7 left a surface comparable to 80-100 grit sandpaper. Even with 2 coats of thinned BLO, the top still has a good 'grip'.

  5. #5
    I re-flattened my maple and ash benches.

    I planed across grain with a jack, then at 45 with the jack, then at 45 with the jointer.

    On my maple, I stopped there. On my ash, I used a #4 to smooth.

  6. #6
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    A scrub plane is what I would would use. I have a 1 5/8" iron (from Lowe's) that I ground a radius on the cutting edge. After sharpening it, I put it in a #3 Bailey and the plane becomes a scrub plane.
    Identify the high spots by shading then with a pencil lead. You scrub the high spots, and when your through, you can plane the top flat again.

    The top should then be flat.

  7. #7
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    I personally would only use a jointer for the entire operation. Where it is such a large surface I go cross grain with the jointer set for a heavy cut, then go with the grain, then at a 45, then with the grain. Once the bench is flat I set the jointer for a very light cut and go across the grain on the entire bench. This leaves a slightly rough surface that is still tearout free. I have found this surface to be much more pleasurable to work on without stuff sliding around than a smoothed out surface. To each their own.

  8. #8
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    I do 95% of the work cross grain then knock off the highs with a smoother...good for another year.
    Bumbling forward into the unknown.

  9. #9
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    What would be insightful would be to know how much it is out of flat and where the problems are before you start willy nilly falttening. Use a straightedge to go across the table top and note the high points. Best would be to do this procedure both front to back at regular intervals (2 inches for example) and then right to left (assuming you have a long enough straightedge to span most of or preferably all of the top. Use a feeler gage under the low spots to see how much variation there is. Scribble some pencil marks on the high spots and work your way down using whatever plane you have at hand. Usually, for final flattening, longer is better but even a number 4 can get the job done well enough.

  10. #10
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    I would just skim my bench top using my 607 Bedrock. That would bridge the low spots while taking down the peaks.

    I would shade the top with a #2 pencil so I would know what progress I was making.

  11. #11
    I would first locate high spots and mark them. Take care of them with a 5 or 6, then use winding sticks and check every foot or so along length.

    After tuning out any wind, finish with a jointer.

    I don't get too anal with it just get it close.

  12. #12
    I'm finding this thread helpful as I intend to build a laminated work bench top. Not trying to high jack the thread but I was wondering if all I have is a LA jack would that be sufficient?

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Scott Archi View Post
    I'm finding this thread helpful as I intend to build a laminated work bench top. Not trying to high jack the thread but I was wondering if all I have is a LA jack would that be sufficient?
    Yes - that would get the job done but a scrub blade might get things started better depending on your lamination quality. Note - don't forget to make sure the grain is all running the same way on your laminations. This is the single most important thing to minimizing tearout during flattening.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pat Barry View Post
    Yes - that would get the job done but a scrub blade might get things started better depending on your lamination quality. Note - don't forget to make sure the grain is all running the same way on your laminations. This is the single most important thing to minimizing tearout during flattening.
    X20 what pat said.
    I ignored that advice and have some serious tear out issues, that I'm trying to deal with right now.about to just call it good enough.

  15. #15
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    Thanks guys, all helpful hints and good suggestions.

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