Workbench upgrade

[Anthony Whitesell]

I am thinking of upgrading my workbench. Currently I have a piece of countertop as a workbench. The formica top is nice because the glue and finish spills scrape right off. I did a search for the posts on workbench designs and did some reading. Now I could use some professional opinions and options.

The bench will be 24-28 inches deep and secured to one wall in the shop (which is only 8x12), I'm really just looking to replace the workbench top. Though the countertop is nice and free, the countertop has a spill edge. A rise just before the edge so spills are as likely to drip onto the floor. The spill edge makes things a little tough to clamp things flat when the bench isn't flat.

My first thought is a 2x4 glue up. I'd like to use hardwood but it's just way too expensive. I woudl let 2x4s dry 4-6 months, then mill them square and glue them together. I'm thinking of flattening the top using the router jig I've seen around. For the router bit I was thinking of using either a 1/2" spiral down bit, or 3/4" or 1" straight bit, or possibly a 1-1/4" dish carving bit. The dish carving bit as a nice large radius (5/8" and a flat bottom).

The second option was two or three pieces of MDF glued (contact cemented) together. Less steps to this method, but I wonder about durability of the MDF over the 2x4s.

Any thoughts, comments, or suggestions?

[Mike Wilkins]

Based on benches I have seen in magazines, books and other shop photos, I would go with the softwood/pine material. The magazine Popular Woodworking has shown a pine bench, made from 2 X 4 dimension framing lumber, jointed and planed square. And one its authors, Christopher Swartz has a book on workbenches, with a pine bench inside.
To mount to a wall, just use some angle iron bolted to the studs and under the bench top, and legs on the front. Would make a nice, sturdy setup.

[Greg Cole]

I like 4 side access to work surfaces.
Milling the construction grade lumber is a PITA, but can be done. Let the 2x's acclimate and dry out some, do some initial milling & let it acclimate some more. You'll find this material moves drastically & you'll wind up with alot of waste and or quite a few unusable sticks too. I'd buy at least 25% more stock to account for the milling and waste.
I have a MDF topped war chest of drawers I store stuff in and use the top for a glue up & finishing station. 3 layers of 3/4" mdf all glued n screwed together topped with a 1/4" piece of tempered hardboard. Ya abuse the hard board and replace as needed (FYI, a coat of wax on the hardboard makes glue very easy to remove and keeps the mess from finishing from acculumating too badly as well). I also wrapped the MDF & hardboard with walnut to protect the MDF corners & edges, as that's MDF's weak link per say.
Here's my $0.02....If you ever plan on building a more traditional style work bench, I'd say go with the 2x glued up top for practice in building a laminated top. If you don't plan on building a traditional bench, go with the MDF version for speed of construction.
Either way you get a hefty top, can add vices & accessories to the bench.

Cheers.
Greg

[Anthony Whitesell]

I'd like 4-sided access, even 3-sides would be good, but in an 8x12 room, a 2' wide table 2' from the wall (to allow you to walk around it) takes up a lot of floor space.

In terms of bench dog holes and attaching vises (Ie., driving in screws), I would think the 2x construction would turn out to be sturdier than the MDF construction. Do you concur?

[Casey Gooding]

I'd go with 2x8 or 2x10 Southern Yellow Pine. It's great for a bench top and inexpensive. Get the straightest pieces you can with the fewest knots.
Wider lumber tends to be made from higher quality boards.

[Anthony Whitesell]

Why an 8" or 10" thick work bench? I thought at 4" thick would be enough weight and strength.

[mike holden]

Anthony,
the 2X8 or 2X10 will be ripped to about 4 inches. The wider boards generally have less knots and straighter grain.
Mike

[Chase Gregory]

I also recommend the 2x pine top. The Chris Schwartz table has some great features. I've got a magazine that has his updated table as well as some other nifty workbenches - all with materials lists and so forth.

One of the things he recommends is buying 2x8x12's and ripping your material out of those. 2x8's are cut closer to the center of a tree and often have straighter grain and less knots than narrower boards - you still need to pick your boards out of the stack.

He ripped two boards out of the 7 1/4" width, but you could cut three boards out of each and still have a 2"+ thick top. Just depends on how thick a top you need.

Chaser

boy was I slow in typing...yeah...what the others said!

[Anthony Whitesell]

And the light bulb goes on. I follow you now. That's very analogous to buying a 2xXx16' and cutting it in half for 2 2xXx8's to gt straighter boards. I'll keep that in mind. Thanks.

[Greg Cole]

Ah... me thinks I skipped over the shop dim's the first time through.
The MDF monster is plenty strong, there's quite a few quick n dirty benches made that way. You can use carriage style bolts to attach vices etc if you sink the heads flush with the top MDF layer in the sandwich and then still put on the hard board topper. Best part is for about $90 and a day & it's done.
If you go with solid lumber, go to a true lumber yard for the material as it will most likely be better quality than the Borg offerings. Also take your time picking out the sticks..... you can find pretty clear material to make the ripping easier, safer and have less milling.

Greg

[James K Peterson]

[snip] Chris Schwartz [snip] recommends is buying 2x8x12's and ripping your material out of those[snip]
Chaser
[snip]

I'm working on a bench top with SYP... still It was much easier getting straight, clear, good grain boards from 2x12x12 than even 2x10's. I had less waste and *much* clearer boards. I ripped mine down to about 3-1/2". I'll have to get some shots to post but it came out pretty good so far

Thanks
James

[Thom Sturgill]

Another vote for SYP ripped from wide boards. That's what I used last year when I built my bench. Plenty heavy and stable.

On the other hand, or as a temporary fix, rip the drip edge off the current top and glue on an edge piece. Oak would be nice, and since its just a facing, not too expensive. You may have to beef up the edge with another board to give you enough thickness to attach a hardwood edge strip.

Also look at Norm's 'back bench' with a covering of hardboard. Easy to replace, takes a beating, and glue generally comes up fairly well. Substrate can be laminated boards, plywood or MDF.

[Anthony Whitesell]

I ALWAYS hit the real lumberyards for my construction lumber. I gave up on the borg for lumber long ago...too much time wasted trying to find anything resembling straight. I'd love (or hate) to see what a house looks like built only from borg lumber.

I'm not sure I can find SYP construction lumber up here in the northeast. I've only gotten fir in the past. Most of the SYP I see around here is for flooring. I'll give it a shot and see if anyone has SYP construction lumber.

[mike holden]

Anthony,
Ash or Douglas Fir might be more available to you (especially ash) at a decent price.
either would make a good workbench.
Actually, I would HIGHLY recommend that you get the Chris Schwarz book on workbenches before you go much further.
LOTS of good info there, will really help your planning.
BTW, if you buy from Schwarz's website, Lost Art Press, you will get a signed copy (yippee - if you care) AND a CD with an Adobe acrobat version of the book and some slide shows of the build of two of the benches in the book. I used the adobe version to look up the alternative timber for recommending.
Mike

[Burt Alcantara]

My local CostCo has an 8'x2' workbench with steel legs for a very low price. Can't remember the price it but if I had the room I would have bought it in a second. Hardwood top.

Burt