Want to build a workbench but limited wood selection?

[Steve Mathews]

Google says Las Vegas is an hour and 42 mins drive....pick up whatever hardwood you need, play a few slots and head home same day. Peterman Lumber says it carries a large selection of hardwood.

We go to Vegas about once a month for shopping, entertainment, etc. I'll look into Peterman Lumber but I'm not optimistic about getting decent prices. Spellman in Flagstaff is also a possibility but I've been told they are expensive. I already checked with Woodworkers Source in Phoenix and their prices were the absolute highest. I think my best bet is to look east as mentioned before. My baseline is the price received from Bell Forest Products for 220 bd. ft. at about $1200 delivered.

[Steve Mathews]

Update - Thanks to member Chris Hachet's suggestion I contacted Yoder Lumber in Ohio and their hardwood prices were the best I've found. Shipping from their Ohio location was much more reasonable too. I created another thread with an alternative approach of buying a used woodworking bench as that thought came to me last night. I intend to balance that possibility with the cost and effort of making a new one. Decisions, decisions .....

[glenn bradley]

Blasphemy! I once built a bench with an MDF top due to a few factors, one being that the location was temporary. The MDF with a BLO and paste wax finish performed so well I built my next bench out of 4 layers of MDF.

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When I wanted a smaller bench with a little different configuration, I used two layers of 13-ply birch plywood and two layers of MDF on top, all laminated.

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Couldn't be happier. I'd do it again.

[Steve Mathews]

Blasphemy! I once built a bench with an MDF top due to a few factors, one being that the location was temporary. The MDF with a BLO and paste wax finish performed so well I built my next bench out of 4 layers of MDF.

vises 002.jpg

When I wanted a smaller bench with a little different configuration, I used two layers of 13-ply birch plywood and two layers of MDF on top, all laminated.

TNNW (69).jpg

Couldn't be happier. I'd do it again.

Glenn - Nice looking benches! Yes, I felt a little sheepish suggesting a bench purchase instead of making one but it is tempting to go that route, especially if the price and availability is right. There are so many things I want to do that having a bench already made would help.

[Peter Kuhlman]

Some random thoughts
Woodcraft occasionally has sales on their laminated style bench tops - have a few different sizes. Have seen free shipping too.
Grizzly sells similar tops also.
Much faster and easier but limited in thickness to around 2 1/2".
Benches have been made from salvaged solid core doors to great success.
Reclaimed bowling lanes are another source.
Reclaimed 2by from demo jobs would be great for hard pine. Pine gets harder the older it gets. Just try to pull a nail out of 40 year old lumber.

[Jim Andrew]

I see ads locally on craigslist where guys with a bandmill advertise their wood for sale. Some is pretty reasonable. There are farmers who saw some wood in their spare time. In my neighborhood here in Kansas I personally saw and have 4 neighbors who also saw lumber.

[John K Jordan]

I see ads locally on craigslist where guys with a bandmill advertise their wood for sale. Some is pretty reasonable. There are farmers who saw some wood in their spare time. In my neighborhood here in Kansas I personally saw and have 4 neighbors who also saw lumber.

I have a Woodmizer and hardwood is free or cheap around here. Following Steve's other posts I believe he indicates a different problem - living in a part of the country where no hardwoods grow! There is evidently nothing to saw unless it is hauled in.

I'd be tempted to relocate. Or take up rock collecting or gem mining instead of woodworking.

JKJ

[johnny means]

I know some will consider this blasphemy, but I think laminating plywood is the way to go. It's readily available, easily milled to size and stable. Just rip plywood strips to the thickness you want, glue and clamp.

[Steve Mathews]

I have a Woodmizer and hardwood is free or cheap around here. Following Steve's other posts I believe he indicates a different problem - living in a part of the country where no hardwoods grow! There is evidently nothing to saw unless it is hauled in.

I'd be tempted to relocate. Or take up rock collecting or gem mining instead of woodworking.

JKJ

John - Not a bad suggestion. LOL Despite what's alongside my shop/barn (pic below) I have no interest in rock collecting or mining. There are gold and turquoise mines all over this area. They don't call our local newspaper the Daily Miner for no reason.

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[Steve Mathews]

I've been thinking about what others here have suggested regarding alternative materials for constructing a woodworking bench and was wondering if more modern materials would be more suitable, especially for the top. Rob Cosman mentioned in one of his videos that MDF was very stable and certainly dense enough for a top. The budget one he made had 3 layers for the top. The frame was made out of layered plywood as another member also suggested. So, setting price aside are there modern materials better suited for a woodworking bench?

I recall also in another video where the support structure for a woodworking bench was made out rectangular tube steel. It seems that would be better than wood for its weight and strength.

[John K Jordan]

...Rob Cosman mentioned in one of his videos that MDF was very stable and certainly dense enough for a top. The budget one he made had 3 layers for the top. The frame was made out of layered plywood as another member also suggested. So, setting price aside are there modern materials better suited for a woodworking bench? I recall also in another video where the support structure for a woodworking bench was made out rectangular tube steel. It seems that would be better than wood for its weight and strength.

I built a several workbenches - one has 2x6 construction lumber for legs with a laminated maple counter top for the top - very sturdy. One has two layers of 3/4" MDF - quite stout although it is only 48"x18" Another uses a layer of ply and a layer of MDF - it holds my milling machine and after a few years it is still flat and strong. I painted that one since it would be exposed to oil/cutting fluids. One is made of steel with a sheet of 3/8" steel for the top - heavy and strong and perfect for my weld shop. Another uses a 2.5'x7' section of bowling alley floor (full of nails, BTW) and has been sitting for 13 years on an some pieces of 2x4 on old kitchen base cabinet - I didn't even fasten it down.

I built all these from materials I had on hand. (OK, I have a lot of "stuff".)

I think you can make a workbench out of what ever kind of material you can get. If using sheet goods, just use sturdy cross members to support the top. Use strong fasteners - I like lag screws and carriage bolts. "Pretty" is not a priority for me.

JKJ

[Steve Mathews]

Admittedly I'm having some fun with this workbench research. To further that effort I ordered the following books yesterday.

The Workbench Book by Scott Landis
The Workbench Design Book by Christoper Schwarz

I spent a little time sprucing up and strengthening my existing U-shaped workbench surfaces so it can be used more effectively with current woodworking projects as well as other tasks. That takes some of the pressure off of needing or wanting a proper woodworking bench. Moving forward I plan to do some more research, reading and looking for materials or a used completed bench. In other words I'm no longer committed to one plan of action.

[Alex Burkhardt]

The usual dilemma for building a first workbench is that, well, you almost need a workbench on which to build your workbench! Since you already seem to have some quality horizontal surfaces, you've overcome that obstacle, and as you mention, you can afford to be a bit more patient with your build while still being able to complete some projects. I would encourage you to build a few small projects during this planning phase -- it will help you better understand what you need in a bench based on what you like to make, how you want to hold your work, etc.

My current bench is build entirely from HD 2x12's and 4x4's for the legs. I build the base prior to owning my tablesaw, and despite some questionable construction methods with a circ saw and a router, ended up with a decent foundation. I threw 3 layers of MDF on top of it, and worked like that for the better part of a year. I eventually purchased more 2x12's, ripped out the center of the boards, and laminated up a 26" wide top @ ~3.5" thick after flattening. I added in an quick release vise scoured from craigslist, and haven't looked back.

I will never regret using soft, big box lumber for my first workbench. Building ANY workbench is a great experience, and immensely satisfying.

If I've ever heard anyone complaint about their current bench, it's always relating to height, maybe too long, too wide, or wanting for a different or additional vise setup. And to be honest, most of those parameters can't be fully known until you've worked on a bench. I can't recall anyone ever regretting the type of wood they chose.

Focus on function, enjoy the process, and use your new tool to keep woodworking.

Best of luck.

[Pat Barry]

I would go with the best HD construction material you can find -- ie - best is straightest, clearest, best grain direction and then I would get it home and laminate the top ASAP, before it gets a chance to warp, bow, twist, etc. When laminating I would try as best as possible to 1) get the grain direction the same so that it is easier to plane, and 2) get the grain growth rings alternating as much as possible to mitigate the tendency of the boards to differentially shrink. After lamination, the boards will be bound to each other, constrained, and won't be so liable to warp, bow, twist etc.. I see no benefit whatsoever in letting the construction lumber acclimate as has been recommended by others. Same for the legs - laminate a couple 2x4's to make each leg using the same basic procedure described above. Tie everything together before it can move on you.

[Steve Mathews]

Had a lot of fun today beginning the process of reorganizing and beefing up my U-shaped work area. What started out just putting a layer of Masonite over the worn plywood surface led to adding some additional supports, which were doubled from what existed before. All of this is temporary so I didn't want to tear too deep into the bones of it. I plan to also remove the the delapidated structure above the right side bench and build a wall similar to what exists on the left side. The front facing stuff will also be removed and replaced with plywood for some cabinets and shelves on all three sides. Just about everything shown in the pics was in place when we moved in. Rather than tear everything out and start from scratch I decided to let it be a continual work in progress and make modifications when needed or probably better put, when I'm convinced what I want. The pics also show the old Columbian woodworking vise that I spruced up and installed. That's what I'll use for woodworking for the time being. On the other side of the U will be a machinist vise.

While I'm at it and the pics are posted I planned to put my proper workbench in the center of the U shape or just in front of it. What do you think of that arrangement? There is just over 8 ft. in the opening.

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Here are also a few pics of the small loft I constructed below the stair landing to store small pieces of wood for mostly woodturning.

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