benchtop

[Steve Wargo]

Don,
You made a very good point about the sag. The top of the case of my workbench is braced lengthwise 3 times and width wide 5 times, so about 11" squares. There is no way that you could make a workbench top the size of mine resting only on the outside frame. MDF must be braced properly. Great point. I actually wish I'd have taken a picture of the carcass before I put the top on, but with the top weighing in at over 300lbs with the vise I'm not moving it for a photo op.

[James Mittlefehldt]

How would a top laminated from 2x SPF spruce work? Looking to make a workbench without spending a lot. I havn't been able to find any construction grade SYP or DF aound here. Would the spruce really be too soft?

Thanks.
~Matt

Matt welcome to the Creek and the cave therin. I have tried to find Douglas Fir, and the only source I came up with was A & M wood supply in Cambridge, but they wanted a really high price for it. I can't understand why so much is cut in BC, but so little finds it's way here.

I can get some decent White pine 2x 10 finished four sides for $3. a linear foot, nut if construction grade 2x12 or 2x10 spruce would work then maybe I could use that, though that stuff really moves a lot.

I once saw a bench at an auction sale that the top was made from old telephone pole cross bucks, he had inverted them so the holes for the pegs that held the insulators were on the bottom.

[Dan Barr]

i put together the numbers on making myself a woodworking bench and i decided to put that project off for a while. im moving to england in a few months anyway.

but, if i were going to make a bench to get me by, i would do the SYP top as well. it doesnt matter if you beat the thing up. that alone would allow me to woodwork normally without being nervous about putting dents in a perfected hardwood top.

i would definitely go for it. even if you build the hardwood version later, so what. you'll have two benches. that would be great!!! i would reserve one for jionery; probably the pine and use the hardwood bench for plane work.

ciao,

dan

[Billy Chambless]

The benchtop that I built came right out of Popular Woodworking, and is 4 layers of birch plywood. It holds dog holes well, and is very durable.

I've been going back on forth between that and SYP for a Roubo-style bench. The ply would certainly be faster/easier, and the cost would be about the same.

[Thomas Knighton]

The ply may be faster, but now easily can you reflatten it? Things will get out of whack through normal use, but using something like SYP will let you reflatten it pretty easily with a jointer plane. I honestly don't know if that's an option with ply.

Tom

[Billy Chambless]

The ply may be faster, but now easily can you reflatten it? Things will get out of whack through normal use, but using something like SYP will let you reflatten it pretty easily with a jointer plane. I honestly don't know if that's an option with ply.

Good point. I suspect this falls under the heading of "take the time to do it right the first time.

And you certainly can't beat the coolness factor of a solid wood top.

[Chris Padilla]

Good stuff, Everyone. I think with the high-quality glues we have access to, sagging of various materials will probably be kept to a minimum to not happening at all.

Laminations get their strength from the glue...hence my reasoning for using 1/2" MDF over 3/4" MDF to build up some layers/thickness/bulk for my shop bench. I would even be willing to use 1/4" or 3/8" assuming I can find it and it is reasonble cost.

And, Steve, I think an end-grain top will barely move in the lateral direction so I don't see a need to "waste" matching that material on the other side of my bench top. Thoughts?

[Don C Peterson]

Good stuff, Everyone. I think with the high-quality glues we have access to, sagging of various materials will probably be kept to a minimum to not happening at all.

Laminations get their strength from the glue...hence my reasoning for using 1/2" MDF over 3/4" MDF to build up some layers/thickness/bulk for my shop bench. I would even be willing to use 1/4" or 3/8" assuming I can find it and it is reasonble cost.

And, Steve, I think an end-grain top will barely move in the lateral direction so I don't see a need to "waste" matching that material on the other side of my bench top. Thoughts?

Yes the laminations would be more stiff than non-laminated MDF, but think of plywood, the strength and stability don't come from the glue, but rather from the alternating grain patterns. MDF obviously has no grain and very little stiffness. The reason MDF will tend to sag is because given the constant pull of gravity the particles aren't bound together strongly enough to support its own weight. The particles in effect move away from each other. Putting glue on the surface might add SOME stiffness, but won't change the basic fact that the bulk of the boards particles lack the necessary strength. I think laminated MDF would only be marginally stiffer than MDF stock of the same thickness, but I could be wrong there... I'm pretty sure though that a 4" thick piece of SYP or DF will be much stiffer (along the grain) than a 4" thick piece of MDF regardless of how you build up the MDF. Some pretty easy experiments come to mind, maybe I'll do some and post results.

I'm not saying that MDF can't be made into a suitable bench, only that you would need to provide support for it.

[Dave Lehnert]

Matt welcome to the Creek and the cave therin. I have tried to find Douglas Fir, and the only source I came up with was A & M wood supply in Cambridge, but they wanted a really high price for it. I can't understand why so much is cut in BC, but so little finds it's way here.

I can get some decent White pine 2x 10 finished four sides for $3. a linear foot, nut if construction grade 2x12 or 2x10 spruce would work then maybe I could use that, though that stuff really moves a lot.

I once saw a bench at an auction sale that the top was made from old telephone pole cross bucks, he had inverted them so the holes for the pegs that held the insulators were on the bottom.

I am in the process of figuring out what kind of bench I would like to build. I happen to Live in Cincinnati, Ohio. The home of Popular Woodworking and Chris S. I was in lows today looking at SYP and it was only about $13 for 2x12. Looked very good a mostly clear. Wish I was ready to buy.

[James Mittlefehldt]

I am in the process of figuring out what kind of bench I would like to build. I happen to Live in Cincinnati, Ohio. The home of Popular Woodworking and Chris S. I was in lows today looking at SYP and it was only about $13 for 2x12. Looked very good a mostly clear. Wish I was ready to buy.

Hi Dave;

Wish we could get SYP here, but the construction stuff here is white or black spruce, I think a 2x12 here would cost about that as well I assume you are talking 8 foot. The trouble with the spruce is it is soft, though not bad as a structural material, but it moves a lot.

[Lee Koepke]

Hi Dave;

Wish we could get SYP here, but the construction stuff here is white or black spruce, I think a 2x12 here would cost about that as well I assume you are talking 8 foot. The trouble with the spruce is it is soft, though not bad as a structural material, but it moves a lot.

curious.....what kind of lumber do they use there for floor joist framing or stairs ?

I am a southerner, and we use SYP for that, so I am curious what other framing is used.

[glenn bradley]

MDF! I've had it as my bench top for 3 years now and it's great. I know its not traditional, but it is durable and very heavy. Here's a link to it.

http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=20844

I'm with Steve; 3" of laminated MDF sheets. Dog holes have held up no problem (these were my biggest concern). I just hit it with BLO and paste wax. It has held up great. I called it my "next" workbench in the thread but it may turn out to be my last bench. I just need to re-do the trim someday as I used construction grade and despite 2 months acclimating in the shop before use; it has continued to shrink and is no longer level. It's here: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=57879

And a picture here in it's natural habitat: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachme...8&d=1197145899

[Matt Martyn]

Matt welcome to the Creek and the cave therin. I have tried to find Douglas Fir, and the only source I came up with was A & M wood supply in Cambridge, but they wanted a really high price for it. I can't understand why so much is cut in BC, but so little finds it's way here.

I can get some decent White pine 2x 10 finished four sides for $3. a linear foot, nut if construction grade 2x12 or 2x10 spruce would work then maybe I could use that, though that stuff really moves a lot.

I once saw a bench at an auction sale that the top was made from old telephone pole cross bucks, he had inverted them so the holes for the pegs that held the insulators were on the bottom.

Thanks for the welcome to the forum. I have been lurking here now for maybe 6 weeks, and this seems like such a great forum, loads of good info and people. I do especially like this neander section.

I went shopping again looking for some of that harder pine, but can't find it anywhere, so I just picked up some spruce instead. I guess I'll see how it stands up. I'm just trying to make a relatively affordable bench, since it is my first one. If it turns out decent, I'll post some pics of it. One day I'll make one of those furnature grade benches, and be too afraid to use it.... haha Thanks for the info.

[Thomas Knighton]

Matt,

If you haven't already, check out Workbenches: From Design and Theory to Construction and Use By Christopher Schwarz. In my opinion, it's really the workbench book and it has lots of great advice for building workbenches, especially wood.

It may help you out. If not, get it anyways...it's a pretty good book even without needing it

[James Mittlefehldt]

curious.....what kind of lumber do they use there for floor joist framing or stairs ?

I am a southerner, and we use SYP for that, so I am curious what other framing is used.

White or Black Spruce, actually the stuff has I believe a fairly high strength to weight ratio, and the better mills usually take the =tiwisted stuff from the kilns after drying amd make pulp for paper out of it. It has been used for years and is the material of choice, or should I say availability hereabouts.

MAtt;
If you are in a part of Ontario that has sawmills and such nearby, you might be able to get red pine which is harder and better suited for a workbench than Spruce construction lumber, you might even be able to get it in 16/4 size, I am thinking particularily of North Bay and environs.