benchtop

[Mike Steinhilper]

I have the old solid core door benchtop, and while it's been terrific up until now, it's not working so well for dog holes and vises. I'm thinking of keeping my base, and replacing the top. I can't afford the amount of hardwood it would take to do it. Can someone give some feedback on using construction grade stuff? I would imagine moisture would be my biggest concern? What else?

[Thomas Knighton]

Chris Schwarz actually suggests Southern yellow pine for workbenches in is book and his blogs...construction grade stuff.

Tom

[Sam Yerardi]

I would use southern yellow pine as well. Extremely hard and will take a beating. And it's readily available at places like Lowes and HD.

[Mike Steinhilper]

Ok, good news. I rarely see it mentioned so I wasn't sure.

[Sam Yerardi]

The secondary wood of some of the finest furniture ever made is southern yellow pine.

[Hank Knight]

Mike,

Some of the benches I've seen made from construction grade Southern yellow pine look very nice. If you decide to use SYP, go to a lumber yard and look for wide stock, like 2 X 10s or 2 X 12s and rip it down to size. Narrow 2X4s and 2X6s are generally very knotty and most from the BORG look like prezels. Sawyers save the clear stuff for wide boards that are used for stair stringers and such. It's more expensive but there's lot less waste involved.

My $.02

Hank

[Greg Cole]

Hi Mike,
FWIW, I am working on making a temporary bench to use to make a real bench, I think that makes sense. The current bench is no where flat enough for making a flat surface like a bench on (and no feasible way to flatten the existing).
Anyway, I am using borg SYP for the temporary bench top (will be used for an assembly station after its commissioning usage). I bought the material about a month ago, stickered and put a bunch of weight on the stack in the shop. Make sure you are buying SYP, not fir or spruce. Word of wisdom... buy at least 25% more than you'll need... as that stuff dries-acclimates.. it moves like crazy. A few of the sticks in that pile are good for nadda now, although they would be a good start on a kayak or canoe.
I've seen some very nice benches made from construction grade lumber, but I am only wanting to make one "real" bench, so the lifer will have a hardwood top.

Greg

[Steve Wargo]

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

[Greg Cole]

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

Steve has a good point here. But for me the useage of SYP for an initial bench top is an exercise in practice for the nex hard wood one.

Greg

[Mike Steinhilper]

Steve, how many sheets of MDF? Did you laminate them with regular yellow glue? And why the hardboard on top? MDF did not occur to me, but it does seem ideal.

[Sam Yerardi]

Make sure it's a dry area before you commit to MDF. I built several guitar-building forms once out of MDF (which I still do) but if it resides in a high-humid area, you will see the effects of it eventually.

[Mike Steinhilper]

even if sealed with watco or something? i definitely do not have a dry shop.

[Greg Cole]

Steve, how many sheets of MDF? Did you laminate them with regular yellow glue? And why the hardboard on top? MDF did not occur to me, but it does seem ideal.

Mike,
The hardboard is replaceable "just in case"..... and the hardboard saves the MDF substrate from direct abuse as MDF isn't known for being "tough" that way.
Usually 3 layers of MDF are laminated with contact cement & screws... just need to place the screws so as not to interfere with dog holes, vice mounting etc. Also edge band the MDF with whatever wood ya have laying around to protect the edges from disappearing over time with use.
I am making a "war chest" for storage with a 1 1/2" thick (doubled 3/4 MDF) and will top it with 1/4" hardboard. The top will serve as an assembly station and a place to apply hand rubbed finishes etc... with a coat of wax on hardboard it's great for assembly (i've been using a piece on my TS for a good long while for this), there's no mess after a glue up as it all wipes off or scrapes off very easily.
If you are concerned about moisture, seal it with shellac.

Greg

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

If you want dog holes you can make them and insert them or build 'em in.

Make the torsion box or 2*4 bench top and in it you can install hardwood cores that will receive the dogs.
You can make 'em square or rectangular one or two piece or you can make 'em round and simply bore holes where ever you want on an existing benchtop.

If the bench is too slim for dogs you can still do it by simply adding beef underneath where you need it.

[Don C Peterson]

I'm building a bench out of Douglas Fir. In my area the only Southern Yellow Pine I can find is pressure treated... Douglas Fir is actually stiffer than Southern Yellow Pine but it isn't quite as heavy or durable. Douglas Fir is easy to find and cheap, I just pick out the best 2x10 lumber In can find. At about $8 for 8 footers I have more than enough for a 7'x34"x4" benchtop for less than $100. I figure a 4" thick top of Douglas Fir will take quite a few flattenings before it's used up (it will probably out live me) and for the price, I can build several of them for the price of one Maple top.