[OP]
Member
Probably a dumb question, but:
I am in the process of designing a woodworking bench. I'm looking at two options:
1) 2-3 layers of MDF/plywood with a hardwood top layer of some sort.
2) SYP boards glued up along the lines of the Schwarz design.
I'm leaning toward option 2, but may have a problem in that I don't own a planar or jointer. My plan was to rip 2x6s in half and glue them together. But can I do that with the boards as they come from the lumber yard?
Any advice is appreciated.
Tim
Contributor
Well, I can real you that option #1 it's a bad idea. You would definitely have expansion issues. Option #2 It's tricky without the ability to properly mill your lumber. Have you considered just laying up a top made from sheet goods? There's is no real reason that a work bench needs any sort of solid lumber on top. My favorite material for work surfaces is melamine. Glue, Sharpie, paint, stain, grocery lists, all wipe off with ease. Plus, since it is just melamine, I don't feel bad when I want to nail or screw a jig or fixture right to it. Then when it starts showing its age, I flip it and get another 10 years of use.
Member
I'm new (again) to woodworking and my first workbench this time around was an old solid wood door ($15 at my local ReStore)
used up some old dimensional lumber that I had laying around, bought a vise from the big box store ($25, nothing fancy)
a shelf beneath the work surface, a few hooks to hold frequently used items and voila! I was using my workbench in about 3 hours time.
I will eventually get around to building a nice heirloom quality bench but for now I found it more beneficial to have a workbench I could use to
start making sawdust and put a few quick, simple projects together.
This is just my opinion and how/why I went the direction I did, as always your mileage may vary but there's an option 3 for you to look in to.
Contributor
Between the two choices you listed, the second sounds better. Can you please state what tools you have that might aid in ensuring the boards end up straight? Do you have a track saw, etc.?
Member
In option 1 you will have take care with the fact that the solid top layer will expand and contract with seasonal moisture changes whereas the underlayment layers will not. This will make the top warp and/or crack over time. Option 2 is better because the materials aren't unbalanced like that. But...Originally Posted by Timothy Barker
There are two difficulties with using construction lumber for plan 2. This lumber is very rarely perfectly straight or flat, and it is not fully dried so most of its shrinkage and warping is yet to happen. So, you should be ready to do some serious flattening after it is glued up and should allow for the fact that it will shrink quite a bit over the first year or two (i.e. fasten it to the legs in a way that will let it move).
None the less, with some effort you can build the top without a jointer or planer.
If you are into hand tools, planes are the traditional answer. If you are a power tool guy, you can get most of it done with a belt sander. The one thing you should not expect is that you can just rip them, glue up, and be on your way!
Steve
[OP]
Member
My only real power tool options are the table saw and a router table. Of course I could joint the narrow sides of the 2x?, but I don't imagine it will help much with the wide faces that will be glued together.
Regarding option 1 above, I was wondering how something like Melanine would handle bench dog holes.
Contributor
You don't list your location, you might consider sharing that information. Perhaps someone would offer to do some milling for/with you on their equipment. Rather than 2x6's, You would be better off going with 2x10's or 2x12's. Get long, clear boards, buck them down to length and rip out your pieces. If the boards are straight and true, you may get by without milling the pieces. Flattening the top once you've laminated everything can be done using a router. The woodwhisper has a video cast on how to do this.
[OP]
Member
Oh, I'm in St. Louis.
It's funny. I checked with a local lumber yard. They told me their shorter lengths are more likely to be straight and free of knots. (which is different than other suggestions I've seen in online forums.) They say all of their SYP is grade 1, if that matters.
Contributor
Solid core door with MDF overlay makes a great "first" bench. Mine is 20+ years old, resurfaced every couple of years. Inexpensive and dead on flat.
Member
As already said, option #1 is a no go. You can't glue a solid wood top to a composition (MDF or plywood) subsrtate. The solid wood will want to expand and contract while the composition material remains stable. Warping, splitting and other damage will result.
However, you can put a 1/4" hardboard (masonite) top over the MDF or plywood and have a nice tabletop.
I don't know what a Scwarz design bench is. Any pictures or a drawing?
Howie.........
[OP]
Member
Regarding the schwarz design, it's something I've come across a lot in researching workbenches.
Here is a link.
Member
I think you can do well enough with 2X4s glued together. Once you rip a wider board you are going to have to joint and plane it as they tend to move. I think you can cull enough straight 2X4s to get a pretty flat glue up. That's what I did although I did plane them down to 3". I planed the top flat with a #7 Stanley.
Dennis
Member
That first picture of the glue up looks like my bench top in progress.
Dennis
Member
I would hold of on building a bench and make due w/ a simpler option.
Fine a solid core (office) door on craigslist for < $50 and put it on 2 saw horse.
Skip building lousy bench now and wait until you have more equipment and skills
Member
I built my workbench using 'tom's torsion box work bench' plan (google it) using a tablesaw and a cordless drill. It's pretty close to option 1. Mine is in 3/4" birch plywood and construction 2x4s.
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