Member
SYP is a bargain and reasonably clear if you buy the wide widths and pick through the piles, but I have found it to be difficult to work with. Some parts are hard as a tropical wood and others are soft as basswood. Grain direction is very unpredictable too.
If I were doing it again, I'd probably do the same. But if I could afford clear hardwood, I would go that way next time, at least for the top.
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I just wanted to point out. If what you want is a Hard Maple top then go for it. It is a very good choice. SYP is just a cheaper option you may have not know about.
Member
Ron
Just like any other workbench top, you need to secure the workpiece to the top with dogs or clamps. It is not much slicker than a hard maple top. When I route items on the bench, I lay down a rubber mat like they sell at Woodcraft or at Wal-Mart. It keeps the item stationary. I have had mine for two years and being too slick has never been a problem. As I said earlier, cleanup is soooooo much easier and the top remains dead flat.
Last edited by Tommy Emmons; 08-28-2008 at 10:01 PM.
Member
I built my benchtop out of a used, solid core door ($19.95) with a 1/4 hardboard topper ($14). This baby is solid, very heavy, and doesn't move. Base is scrap wood from some of the homes being built around here. Legs are 2x6 and OSB panels. There are 2x4 cross braces under the OSB shelf. Vices are from Harbor Freight, bought on sale. Belkin surge protector is from BORG. I have exactly $148 invested in the bench.
Lon
Last edited by Lon LeBlanc; 08-29-2008 at 2:37 PM. Reason: Additional Picture
Member
I used a scrap piece of "Advantec" T&G flooring for the insert on this bench. The outside of the top is 3x4 ash and walnut.
Cannon
Member
Hum, I would of thought SYP wouldn't be hard enough. Interesting.
Well, I used Ash because I wanted something heavy and solid, and it was half the price of maple. I used poplar for the legs, mainly because I never worked with it before and wanted to give it a shot.
Its held up well.
Contributor
Mine is made out of 2 layers of particle board topped with laminate. Cleans up great with a scraper or lacquer thinner. I use C-clamps or quick clamps to secure my work.
Member
Maple is a great choice. However, as Chris Swartz points out, sooner or later you will need to reflatten your bench top. Planing a hard maple top flat will be a lot of hard work compared to SYP or Doug Fir.
Member
Another choice is American Beech. It is not as hard as Maple, its European cousin, or White Oak for that matter, but it is a clear, straight and tight grained wood.
Contributor
Charles, noticed that you have dog holes in your top. What are you using under the Advantec plywood for support. Does the Advantec do OK with the dogs?Originally Posted by Charles Cannon
Moderator
Lots of great ideas. If I were building a bench surface today, it would likely be built from three layers of 3/4" MDF, edged with "available" hardwood and covered with a replaceable 1/4" hard-board sacrificial top. Hardwood inserted into the layers where vice hardware bolts on for better holding power. Lot's of mass, and very stable with proper support.
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The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...
Contributor
I recently picked up some birch at NFP and used it for a bench top I was doing for someone and for drawer fronts. Very closely grained, machines really well and it is not a whole lot more expensive than spending hours sorting through SYP. It also, IMHO, finishes much better than maple.
While I have a maple top, the next top I make will be from birch. I typically seal birch with dewaxed shellac and put that hard coat stuff on top of it (or a water based poly) and it looks pretty to boot. Also, I tell anyone who asks that I do not intend to build any more bench support stands, tables, etc., but will use Noden Adjust a Bench because the ability to move the bench up and down is wonderful when changing from routing, to planning, assembling, etc. It is still a job to install the vises, but they work fine. (Folks do sell workbench tops - including Grizzly and other folks even sell thicker ones.)
Re smooting a bench top flat - I cheat. There is a mill with a nice 37" sander nearby and a guy with a 50" sander. Other than a minimal charge, the most expensive thing about that is the gas back and forth. I agree that pushing a jointer plane across a birch or maple top is not something you really want to do if you have a choice.
One thing about a SYP top I did not notice mentioned is that you really do not feel so bad about dinging it.
Member
Jim...I think you hit the nail on the head.
My workbench is 20 years old. Very similar in construction. It uses particle board in lieu of MDF because MDF was not available to me back then. It's banded with soft fir because I wanted the edge to dent instead of my project when I'm clumsy.
When the top layer gets tired and beat, I either flip it over or drop a new sheet inplace. I don't care if I spill paint, or if I fasten jigs directly to the top, or route grooves in it. It's disposable, and stable.
-Jeff
Member
In addition to the suggestion about a disposable top. I recommend a workbench that has dust free storage too. Also, consider that you may be using it for other things like hobbies, fixing appliance, etc. The last thing I would want is a piece of furniture instead of a workbench.
The following CAD pictures show my workbench that was made from decent douglas fir 2x4s (ripped and planed to 1 1/2" x 3") with half lapped joinery. The center panels are 1/4" luan plywood rabbeted into the 2x4s. It's extremely solid and has lots of storage for hand tools and portable tools.
The radial arm saw table in the background was made the same way. I'm using CAD pictures because my shop is still in shambles from a recent bath renovation project.
Something more to think about.
-Jeff
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