For years I have been threatening to build a legitimate work bench. I have
been using fold up ones and steel ones but I want a wood top with dog holes
and a couple of vices.
Because there is a rather large investment in the "TOP" I have kicked around
using several different less expensive materials. In recent years the
replaceable MDF top has been popular with many magazines. I forget what I
was building several months ago but I ended up having several pieces of 1/2"
Baltic Birch plywood stacked up and noticed that they looked quite
substantial.
I am wondering if any one has used Baltic Birch ripped in to "lot's" of
strips and glued up on the faces to make a bench top. Basically the edges
of all the Baltic Birch plywood would be facing up and down to form the top
of the top.
Ideas appreciated
Leon
"Leon" wrote
> For years I have been threatening to build a legitimate work bench. I
> have been using fold up ones and steel ones but I want a wood top with dog
> holes and a couple of vices.
>
> Because there is a rather large investment in the "TOP" I have kicked
> around using several different less expensive materials. In recent years
> the replaceable MDF top has been popular with many magazines. I forget
> what I was building several months ago but I ended up having several
> pieces of 1/2" Baltic Birch plywood stacked up and noticed that they
> looked quite substantial.
>
> I am wondering if any one has used Baltic Birch ripped in to "lot's" of
> strips and glued up on the faces to make a bench top. Basically the edges
> of all the Baltic Birch plywood would be facing up and down to form the
> top of the top.
>
I am not sure if this applies or not. But I knew somebody who lived down
the street from a waterski factory. They had some monster 17 ply board. He
used to haul the scrap away. If I recall correctly, they were about 1 1/8"
thick and about 18" wide by about 5' long. He had hundreds of these things.
All of them very heavy, thick and straight.
He used them for everything. His shop floor was made from these. He made all
kinds of benched for himself and others from this. Big, heavy and thick. He
often used harboard as a replaceable top.
I wouldn't cut them on edge. If youhave enough plywood to make a tope, do
that. Lay it flat and cover it with hardboard. I have build a number of
shop benches and cabinets out of scrap. When there was enough materials, I
would build something else. This sounds similar.
"Leon" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:VWW3l.10766$x%[email protected]:
>
> "Larry Blanchard" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> Somewhere recently I read about a woodworker that equipped his bench
>> with T-slots instead of dogholes.
>>
>> I haven't really considered all the pros and cons of it, but the idea
>> is interesting. Anyone here done this? Any opinions?
>>
>
>
> IIRC I saw that too. WoodWhisperer maybe.
>
>
I remember seeing some discussion about it here on the wRECk. Maybe
that'll give you a starting point for further searches?
Puckdropper
--
On Usenet, no one can hear you laugh. That's a good thing, though, as
some writers are incorrigible.
To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm
On Mon, 22 Dec 2008 12:00:32 -0600, "Leon"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>For years I have been threatening to build a legitimate work bench. I have
>been using fold up ones and steel ones but I want a wood top with dog holes
>and a couple of vices.
>
>Because there is a rather large investment in the "TOP" I have kicked around
>using several different less expensive materials. In recent years the
>replaceable MDF top has been popular with many magazines. I forget what I
>was building several months ago but I ended up having several pieces of 1/2"
>Baltic Birch plywood stacked up and noticed that they looked quite
>substantial.
>
>I am wondering if any one has used Baltic Birch ripped in to "lot's" of
>strips and glued up on the faces to make a bench top. Basically the edges
>of all the Baltic Birch plywood would be facing up and down to form the top
>of the top.
>
>Ideas appreciated
>
>Leon
>
Any wood will work. My benchtop is glued up 2x4 pine studs, finished
with danish oil. Spent lots of time flattening the top. I redo the
top every 3-4 years. A good bench should be large, sturdy and
heavy.
On Dec 22, 7:06=A0pm, Larry Blanchard <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Somewhere recently I read about a woodworker that equipped his bench with
> T-slots instead of dogholes.
>
> I haven't really considered all the pros and cons of it, but the idea is
> interesting. =A0Anyone here done this? =A0Any opinions?
I don't know if this is going thru twice or not as my ISP connection
went berzerk once I sent the message.
Could htis be the plans you may have seen for a benchtop with T-slots?
http://www.bobsplans.com/FreePlans/DNLD/Workbench.pdf
It seems somewhat intriqing to me but I am also afraid of the top that
is made entorely of MDF. I was wondering if a piece or two of MDF
sandwiched between pieces of plywood would be better for a top.
I can see where the T-slots could be extremely helpful and you
wouldn't get the wear teh dog holes would probably cause in the MDF
but I am afraid there may be other problems specific to the T-slots
that may even be worse then screwed up dog holes....
ray
On Dec 22, 1:18 pm, "Lee Michaels" <leemichaels*[email protected]>
wrote:
> I wouldn't cut them on edge. If you have enough plywood to make a top, do
> that. Lay it flat and cover it with hardboard. I have build a number of
> shop benches and cabinets out of scrap. When there was enough materials, I
> would build something else. This sounds similar.
Yeah, if they aren't big enough on their own get a sheet of 1/4" then
piece together your scraps on top of that. Run them through the drum
sander first to make sure the thickness is consistent on each layer.
Then flip the sucker over or put another 1/4" layer on top.
Or they'd be good for building drawers to go under it.
-Kevin
[email protected] wrote:
> The problem I see is you'd need a knob sticking out. If you want to
> hand plane something you need to set the dog below the surface of the
> stock. Unless you made your stop really long with the knob at the back
> end it would be in the way, and that would effectively reduce the
> length of your bench. Plus in the course of resurfacing the top
> eventually you'd get to where you had to remove it and make the slot
> deeper, even if you started with it recessed a bit
I think the people who install t-tracks in a bench don't do much hand
tool work.
That's not a knock, we all have our favorite methods, but an observation.
<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:c7cb910f-a4f0-4967-81eb-eeae466bab6f@u18g2000pro.googlegroups.com...
On Dec 22, 10:00 am, "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:
> Leon
I take it none of the plywood pieces are large enough to glue up flat
to make the top. Given that, I think you could laminate what is
essentially a 2"-3" slice of a very, very thick piece of plywood. It
should make a reasonable top, at minimal cost, mainly the cost of the
glue, of which you will probably use a lot. I can only think of two
drawbacks which are probably easily worked around.
I'm thinking buying a sheet or two for the sole purpose to rip in to 3 or so
inch wide strips. those turned on edge and the faces glued together. It
would be like a 360-400 on edge ply top when considering that 1/2" BB comes
in 9 ply to start with. Thicker pieces would actually save me some glue up
time and would use less glue.
1) Since plywood is generally made of veneers glued up perpendicular
to each other, half of the grain of your bench top will be end grain,
oriented vertically, and the other half will be side grain, oriented
horizontally. This means that your bench top may be a bit less stiff
than a solid word version. If you are concerned about the stiffness,
especially if you don't make the top thick, you should be sure to
incorporate some support in the leg structure under the top to stiffen
it up.
Right, but I am considering at least 3" thick so I don't think that the
possibility of sag would ever be a problem. And unlike regular plywood
Baltic Birch is all hardwood with no voids if you can get the real stuff.
2) The grain of the top will be half end grain, and half side grain.
You may be unsatisfied with the texture of the top with its varying
grain. You could work around this by applying some kind of uniform
thin top layer, such as a sheet of masonite, to be replaced when it
wears unacceptably.
Other than those two caveats, I say, "Go for it!" Recycling is the
way of the future, and we should try to appropriately use all of our
scraps instead of merely tossing or burning them. I just built a very
heavy bench out of some glulam beams from our neighborhood gas station
that were headed for the landfill (someone who can't read ran his too-
tall truck into the canopy). Now I have a really beefy bench and the
landfill has 600 pounds less wood in it, and it only cost me a bit of
glue and labor. My last bench was made of recycled 4x4's and oak
flooring. I used bolts I have gleaned from garage sales, keeping them
out of the landfill, and even made some barrel nuts for the stretchers
out of some scrap aluminum. I painted it with the tag ends of paint
that I am not allowed to put in the landfill, and that our county no
longer recycles. About the only way I can think of to have made the
bench "greener" might have been to use some kind of glue not made of
petroleum products, such as hide glue.
Good luck!
Thanks
I got lucky when I worked for a builder.
We had some glue lamb beams that were ordered wrong and couldn't be
returned ,they were 2 ft' x 10 ft' ,it made one hell of a work bench.
You can even glue up 2x 4's with P L 400 construction glue.
Jerry
http://community.webtv.net/awoodbutcher/MyWoodWorkingPage
http://community.webtv.net/awoodbutcher/1974Tryke
Leon wrote:
> >
> That bit of information probably would have been helpful. ;!) I am wanting
> a "flat" work bench to shape wood and or use for assembly of furniture. I
> really want to get something bigger than my TS top. LOL
>
I built a very flat assembly torsion box, with a melamine top, that sits
on my hand tool bench, outfeed table, painter's steps (for tall
projects), or even the floor.
When I'm not assembling, I really prefer an unfinished wood top, with
end and face vices, a board jack, and surface dog holes. In addition
to hand tool work, the "hand tool" vises and dogs easily clamp router
dovetail and pocket hole jigs, and even nicely (and QUICKLY) holds
boards for biscuiting!
Whatever you build, don't forget pop-up planing stops, as they work as
well with belt sanders as they do with hand planes. Mine are just 4/4
white oak boards mounted in strategic locations with hanger bolts and
wing nuts through slots. With the proper screw tension, I can pop them
up and push them down without touching the screws.
While you're building stuff for yourself, I also like the mini-bench I
built a few years back that brings the work to chest level. I followed
a FWW article to build it from 8/4 maple and some veneer press screws.
It's nice not having to bend over to use paring chisels and the like.
If you end up doing a hardwood top, you could probably build the
mini-bench for free.
I've been thinking of building a copy of Popular Woodworking's "21st
Century Bench", the Bob Lang bench unveiled last fall. Check that one
out, too.
In article <[email protected]>,
zxcvbob <[email protected]> wrote:
> Best thing I have found for the top is a used solid interior door. I
> bought a discarded hospital door for about $5 or $10 a few years ago.
> Would have cost me at least 10x that much to build a hardwood slab like
> that.
The top for my new bench came from Ikea - see Pronomen or Numerar.
I chose the Beech option. 6ftx 2ft
--
Stuart Winsor
For Barn dances and folk evenings in the Coventry and Warwickshire area
See: http://www.barndance.org.uk
On Dec 22, 12:00=A0pm, "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:
> For years I have been threatening to build a legitimate work bench. =A0I =
have
> been using fold up ones and steel ones but I want a wood top with dog hol=
es
> and a couple of vices.
>
> Because there is a rather large investment in the "TOP" I have kicked aro=
und
> using several different less expensive materials. =A0In recent years the
> replaceable MDF top has been popular with many magazines. =A0I forget wha=
t I
> was building several months ago but I ended up having several pieces of 1=
/2"
> Baltic Birch plywood stacked up and noticed that they looked quite
> substantial.
>
> I am wondering if any one has used Baltic Birch ripped in to "lot's" of
> strips and glued up on the faces to make a bench top. =A0Basically the ed=
ges
> of all the Baltic Birch plywood would be facing up and down to form the t=
op
> of the top.
>
> Ideas appreciated
>
> Leon
I think it's going on four years ago that I built mine with a three-
layer MDF top. Someone had given me two really nice vintage quick-
release vises, I had a load of rough-cut oak 2x4's (two inches by
four, real measurement) I got cheap, and I had some MDF from some
shelves I'd taken down. I finally decided if I didn't make it out of
what I had, it wouldn't get built for years, so I laminated three
sections of MDF together, and edged it all around and built the bottom
frame with those oak two by fours. Round dog holes and retractable
casters. Finished it with Waterlox.
I figured the dog holes would deteriorate but when they did I'd drill
a bigger hole, plug it with hardwood and drill a new hole. Turns out
so far I haven't needed to. Maybe because I don't pull the dogs in and
out a lot. They've held up pretty good. The whole bench has. I thought
I'd have built another by now but this one keeps doing what it's
supposed to.
It's nice and heavy. Stays put when it's not on wheels. (It's kind of
frustrating when I forget that) It sure has stayed flat. But if it
ever goes out of flat I won't try to fix it. I'll make a hardwood top
now that money's not quite so tight and I've found a couple good
suppliers.
On Dec 22, 3:18 pm, "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:
> ;~) My whole idea of using Baltic Birch over solid stock is to hopefully
> speed up the preparation of the materials for glue up. I am not really
> looking for a cheaper way out although it seems it would be significantly
> cheaper with new Baltic Birch plywood over solid stock.
> My thinking is if I buy solid wood stock and rip it to width for glue up
> there is going to be some bow in some of the pieces after being cut and that
> will have to be dealt with. Baltic Birch on the other hand should stay
> straight after being cut and should eliminate some of the problems that
> solid wood present from the equation during assembly. It's the stability of
> the product that I am interested in more so than saving on expense.
Well if its about saving time and effort, not money, it's hard to do
better than when the wood has gone to the trouble of already
assembling itself into a top for you.
http://www.grizzly.com/catalog/2008/Main/270
But I really can't see where ripping the plywood into strips and
gluing up is going to save you time. There is no way you're going to
get it all aligned perfectly to be *flat* without surfacing it after
glueup anyway, versus just stacking three 3/4" sheets together which
will be plenty thick and heavy and flat and stable. You could even do
ply-MDF-MDF-ply if you want to get it silly thick and heavy, and the
ply at the top and bottom will take most of the abuse in the dog
holes.
> That bit of information probably would have been helpful. ;!) I am wanting
> a "flat" work bench to shape wood and or use for assembly of furniture. I
> really want to get something bigger than my TS top. LOL
Assembly tables usually want to be bigger than workbenches, but don't
need to be as sturdy or heavy.
-Kevin
B A R R Y wrote:
>> Yup, eliminating that little bit of stooping saves a back-ache later
>> in the day. I also picked up room for another shelf under the bench
>> just by raising it a few inches, and there's no such thing as too
>> much storage space.
>>
>
> Not to mention how stored items help keep a bench in place!
Exactly, loading up those shelves really stabilized a fairly small bench. I
even used that to rationalize buying some heavy tools to put on the shelves.
;~)
"zxcvbob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Leon wrote:
>> For
>
>
> Best thing I have found for the top is a used solid interior door. I
> bought a discarded hospital door for about $5 or $10 a few years ago.
> Would have cost me at least 10x that much to build a hardwood slab like
> that.
Hummmm, I'll keep that in mind.
Leon wrote:
> For years I have been threatening to build a legitimate work bench. I have
> been using fold up ones and steel ones but I want a wood top with dog holes
> and a couple of vices.
>
> Because there is a rather large investment in the "TOP" I have kicked around
> using several different less expensive materials. In recent years the
> replaceable MDF top has been popular with many magazines. I forget what I
> was building several months ago but I ended up having several pieces of 1/2"
> Baltic Birch plywood stacked up and noticed that they looked quite
> substantial.
>
> I am wondering if any one has used Baltic Birch ripped in to "lot's" of
> strips and glued up on the faces to make a bench top. Basically the edges
> of all the Baltic Birch plywood would be facing up and down to form the top
> of the top.
>
> Ideas appreciated
>
> Leon
>
>
Best thing I have found for the top is a used solid interior door. I bought a discarded
hospital door for about $5 or $10 a few years ago. Would have cost me at least 10x that
much to build a hardwood slab like that.
Bob
"Leon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "StephenM" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> I'm kind of with Lew on this one. If you shop for relatively cheap wood
>> (common rather than select and 5/4 rather than 8/4 stock) you will have
>> alot less invested in a top than vises.
>>
>> Not to say that there is anything wrong with a bench made from recycled
>> material, I applaud that. It just seems a bit inconsistent with the
>> premise:
>>
>> "For years I have been threatening to build a legitimate work bench."
>>
>> -Steve
>
>
> ;~) My whole idea of using Baltic Birch over solid stock is to hopefully
> speed up the preparation of the materials for glue up. I am not really
> looking for a cheaper way out although it seems it would be significantly
> cheaper with new Baltic Birch plywood over solid stock.
> My thinking is if I buy solid wood stock and rip it to width for glue up
> there is going to be some bow in some of the pieces after being cut and
> that will have to be dealt with. Baltic Birch on the other hand should
> stay straight after being cut and should eliminate some of the problems
> that solid wood present from the equation during assembly. It's the
> stability of the product that I am interested in more so than saving on
> expense.
>
I'm preparing to re-top my primary workbench in the spring. It is 2' by 6'.
I'm going to extend the top by a foot. I'll be using a layer of 3/4" ply
and then a 1 1/8" thick butcherblock countertop from Ikea. The 1 foot
extension will give me a place to install at least one vise (that I already
own) and probably a 2nd going the other way and allow a cutout for tools at
the opposite end. It'll start out with a good solid flat top and I'll be
able to resurface it at least 2 times (and probably a couple more). It'll
be easy to remove that countertop layer and replace it if and when the time
comes.
Ed
zxcvbob wrote:
>
> Best thing I have found for the top is a used solid interior door.
I think the first order of business is to determine what the bench will
be used for...
For instance, a door or replaceable MDF top might make a good assembly
bench or machine table.
If you're going to flatten faces of boards with a hand plane, flatter
than the thicknesser leaves it, you're going to need a surface than can
be trued up on occasion with hand planes or cleaned with a cabinet scraper.
A surface used for lots of hand work is usually better without a
slippery film finish. On the other hand, the right film finish will
protect against glue, sharpening oils and water, etc...
I have surfaces ranging from melamine to urethane coated MDF to
unfinished pine and ash, depending on the use.
Lots and lots of very nice old benches have pine or fir tops that still
survive today. The surface doesn't have to be a hardwood.
Leon wrote:
> For years I have been threatening to build a legitimate work bench. I have
> been using fold up ones and steel ones but I want a wood top with dog holes
> and a couple of vices.
>
> Because there is a rather large investment in the "TOP" I have kicked around
> using several different less expensive materials. In recent years the
> replaceable MDF top has been popular with many magazines. I forget what I
> was building several months ago but I ended up having several pieces of 1/2"
> Baltic Birch plywood stacked up and noticed that they looked quite
> substantial.
>
> I am wondering if any one has used Baltic Birch ripped in to "lot's" of
> strips and glued up on the faces to make a bench top. Basically the edges
> of all the Baltic Birch plywood would be facing up and down to form the top
> of the top.
>
> Ideas appreciated
>
> Leon
>
>
I've built a couple of benches over the past 20 years and the best top
was made from a hunk of bowling lane I picked up when one of the local
establishments went out of business. I regret the day that I decided to
leave that bench in the basement of a house we were renting.
Regards,
Larry
I haven't seen it mentioned yet but I'd suspect that plywood won't
wear very well. I think you'll find the intermixed grain in the plies
will wear differently and leave you with lines and dips. The only way
to resurface will be taking the whole thing to a drum sander.
I've seen a lot of benches made from 2x4 studs and they've worn pretty
well. Mine was made with recycled wood. The wood came from a
subdivision that was being fitted with utilities. When steel pipe is
hauled in for sewers, it's racked with 4x4's of different species. A
few minutes with a power planer to clean off tar, rocks and dirt is
all it takes to get some usable wood. Then it's a matter of sizing,
squaring and glue up.
I'd also recommend putting a square of old car/truck tire under each
leg of your bench. It keeps the bench from vibrating back when you
pound on it. It's so much nicer to use a bench that absorbs impact
and responds like dead weight. Wood legs on a wood or concrete floor
will vibrate.
On Dec 23, 12:28 am, Puckdropper <puckdropper(at)yahoo(dot)com> wrote:
> "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote innews:VWW3l.10766$x%[email protected]:
>
>
>
> > "Larry Blanchard" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >news:[email protected]...
> >> Somewhere recently I read about a woodworker that equipped his bench
> >> with T-slots instead of dogholes.
>
> >> I haven't really considered all the pros and cons of it, but the idea
> >> is interesting. Anyone here done this? Any opinions?
>
> > IIRC I saw that too. WoodWhisperer maybe.
>
> I remember seeing some discussion about it here on the wRECk. Maybe
> that'll give you a starting point for further searches?
The problem I see is you'd need a knob sticking out. If you want to
hand plane something you need to set the dog below the surface of the
stock. Unless you made your stop really long with the knob at the back
end it would be in the way, and that would effectively reduce the
length of your bench. Plus in the course of resurfacing the top
eventually you'd get to where you had to remove it and make the slot
deeper, even if you started with it recessed a bit.
-Kevin
"B A R R Y" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> zxcvbob wrote:
>> Best thing I have found for the top is a used solid interior door.
>
> I think the first order of business is to determine what the bench will be
> used for...
>
> For instance, a door or replaceable MDF top might make a good assembly
> bench or machine table.
>
> If you're going to flatten faces of boards with a hand plane, flatter than
> the thicknesser leaves it, you're going to need a surface than can be
> trued up on occasion with hand planes or cleaned with a cabinet scraper.
>
> A surface used for lots of hand work is usually better without a slippery
> film finish. On the other hand, the right film finish will protect
> against glue, sharpening oils and water, etc...
>
> I have surfaces ranging from melamine to urethane coated MDF to unfinished
> pine and ash, depending on the use.
>
> Lots and lots of very nice old benches have pine or fir tops that still
> survive today. The surface doesn't have to be a hardwood.
>
That bit of information probably would have been helpful. ;!) I am wanting
a "flat" work bench to shape wood and or use for assembly of furniture. I
really want to get something bigger than my TS top. LOL
I'm kind of with Lew on this one. If you shop for relatively cheap wood
(common rather than select and 5/4 rather than 8/4 stock) you will have
alot less invested in a top than vises.
Not to say that there is anything wrong with a bench made from recycled
material, I applaud that. It just seems a bit inconsistent with the
premise:
"For years I have been threatening to build a legitimate work bench."
-Steve
"Lew Hodgett" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Leon" wrote:
>
>> Because there is a rather large investment in the "TOP" I have kicked
>> around using several different less expensive materials.
>
> Since you are in the "Biz", you can appreciate that material is maybe
> 30%-35% of the final project cost.
>
> Given the "top" represents maybe 80% of the material cost, the "top" is
> maybe 25% of the project cost.
>
> If you save 50% of the "top" cost by using inferior material, you only
> save maybe 15% of the total project cost.
>
> For a "one shot", personal, last a lifetime project, is saving 15% worth
> it?
>
> Inquiring minds want to know.
>
> Lew
>
>
>
>
"Jack Stein" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Leon wrote:
>
> Personally, The only clear surface in my shop that I can use for furniture
> assembly is my table saw and small parts of the floor. If you really need
> a flat surface, really flat and really stable, then you need to build a
> torsion box with plywood on both sides and an optional easily replaceable
> hard board top.
>
> My work benches all have 2x6 tops made out of cheap, construction grade
> 2x's. They look good (like wood) and are strong enough for anything I've
> ever done. My main workbench is 30 years old, and has been used to build
> fine furniture, junk furniture, repair electric motors, rebuild gas
> engines, sharpen chain saws and about every other task one can come up
> with over a life time. I look at all the fancy "cabinet makers" work
> benches with the 3" hard wood tops, tool trays and what not and I shake my
> head... If I made one of these things I'd be afraid to use it, and
> besides, they generally have no storage in them and I would never build a
> bench, work bench, tool stand etc. without storage. I don't really care
> how big your shop is, you need more storage.
>
> Is my main bench top beat up? Damn right it is, but it looks better to me
> than the day I built it. I planned on having to refinish or replace it
> periodically, but no way, no how. This is cheap, soft construction grade
> pine. Whats nice about that is I was never afraid to use it, I could
> always replace it easily and cheaply if I wanted too, just never found the
> need.
>
> I might add I haven't seen much of the top in a few years, it is
> habitually covered in "stuff" If my memory is working, you are the guy
> that posted a picture of your bench in a once in a blue moon
> semi-uncluttered condition?
Thanks Jack, I keep you comments in mind. The torsion box idea might be a
good alternative. On the other hand I am not afraid of using a bench. ;~)
Few of my tools or equipment look pristine. If I posted a picture of my
bench it was a steel automotive work bench. Other than that I have a B&D
work table about 3' square that I have had for almost 30 years.
I would really like to remove the steel top from my current bench and hang
it on the back side of a mobile "wooden" work bench so that I could fold it
up and make my work surface area larger if needed.
"Leon" wrote:
> Well there is that to consider and one of the reasons I am not sold
> on a sacrificial top. Having said that however the Baltic Birch
> plywood top would be all solid hard wood. I think ultimately it
> would be stronger than the same sized solid wood slab and less
> likely to be affected by climate changes.
Baltic Birch harder than vertical grain maple pieces laminated
together??????
> ;~) Being in the "BiZ" I have a lot more labor in the price than
> 65-70% of the price. Typically on the skinny side my labor is at
> least 75% of the total price and more often closer to 80%. And then
> again it all depends on whether I am building fine furniture or a
> fence. ;~)
Which makes any material savings achieved by material substitution
even smaller.
>I am really not trying to save money in this situation so much as
>building a top that would be just as strong as a top with all the
>wood grain running in the same direction, and perhaps easier to
>actually cut up and glue.
>
> Thanks for the reality check.
Don't know what size table you want to build, but consider a 2'x6'
table.
Make the primary surface from 3/4" x 2-3/4" maple vertical grain
laminations.
Surface both sides of the glue-up with a drum sander to about 2-1/2"
finished.
Rip a 5 x 5 x 3/4 BB panel into two (2) 24x60 and two (2) 11-3/4x60
pieces which get laminated on bottom side providing a 4" finished top.
Epoxied together, be tougher than a bull's pecker in fly time.
Lew
B A R R Y wrote:
> While you're building stuff for yourself, I also like the mini-bench I
> built a few years back that brings the work to chest level. I
> followed a FWW article to build it from 8/4 maple and some veneer
> press screws. It's nice not having to bend over to use paring chisels
> and the like.
When I got my first bench not too long ago I realized it had been designed
for users half a foot shorter than me. So the first thing I did was make a
riser for the base to bring it up to a more comfortable level, and I was
pleased that the finish on my addition was good enough to make it
indistinguishable from the original. Of course that's because nobody can
see the snapped-off screws etc. on the underside of the riser, but hidden
(and nonfunctional) incompetence is more or less tolerable at this stage.
"MikeWhy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> Right, but I am considering at least 3" thick so I don't think that the
>> possibility of sag would ever be a problem. And unlike regular plywood
>> Baltic Birch is all hardwood with no voids if you can get the real stuff.
>
> The high price for BB gives you quite a few options. For example, 4/4 hard
> maple for < $2/bft:
> http://www.woodworkersshop.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=10. (250 bft
> minimum for that price, though.)
Yeah that would depend on where you live. LOL.. I'm betting there would be
a pretty good shipping charge on tat liquidation price. I just referbed a
kitchen with Maple and it was a tad more than $3 per linear foot in S4S 1x6.
I paid premium but I did not want to go through milling the stock on a
paying job aside from the veneer that I made for the cabinets. IIRC s2s
was around $4.50 per BF. I can get 5'x5' 1/2" BB for just under $30 per
sheet. If my top is going to be 3" thick 24" wide and 60 " long I would
need a bit more than 30 BF considering waste. Basically $135.00 for s2s.
Baltic Birch would be about $45.00 cheaper.
"Leon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Right, but I am considering at least 3" thick so I don't think that the
> possibility of sag would ever be a problem. And unlike regular plywood
> Baltic Birch is all hardwood with no voids if you can get the real stuff.
The high price for BB gives you quite a few options. For example, 4/4 hard
maple for < $2/bft:
http://www.woodworkersshop.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=10. (250 bft
minimum for that price, though.)
"Lew Hodgett" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Leon" wrote:
>
>> Well there is that to consider and one of the reasons I am not sold on a
>> sacrificial top. Having said that however the Baltic Birch plywood top
>> would be all solid hard wood. I think ultimately it would be stronger
>> than the same sized solid wood slab and less likely to be affected by
>> climate changes.
>
> Baltic Birch harder than vertical grain maple pieces laminated
> together??????
Not harder, stronger.
>
>> ;~) Being in the "BiZ" I have a lot more labor in the price than 65-70%
>> of the price. Typically on the skinny side my labor is at least 75% of
>> the total price and more often closer to 80%. And then again it all
>> depends on whether I am building fine furniture or a fence. ;~)
>
> Which makes any material savings achieved by material substitution even
> smaller.
Yeah but this is for me. ;~) I think I am stering back away from the
plywood however.
>
>>I am really not trying to save money in this situation so much as building
>>a top that would be just as strong as a top with all the wood grain
>>running in the same direction, and perhaps easier to actually cut up and
>>glue.
>>
>> Thanks for the reality check.
>
> Don't know what size table you want to build, but consider a 2'x6' table.
I am using a 60 inch table now and like the length but am also considering a
telescoping end.. The problem is the steel top.
>
> Make the primary surface from 3/4" x 2-3/4" maple vertical grain
> laminations.
>
> Surface both sides of the glue-up with a drum sander to about 2-1/2"
> finished.
>
> Rip a 5 x 5 x 3/4 BB panel into two (2) 24x60 and two (2) 11-3/4x60 pieces
> which get laminated on bottom side providing a 4" finished top.
>
> Epoxied together, be tougher than a bull's pecker in fly time.
>
> Lew
Thanks Lew.
"Bob S." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
>
> Here's one I did a few years back and Bernie Hunt kindly made it available
> on his site.
>
> http://www.huntfamily.com/work_bench.htm
>
> Bob S.
>
>
>
Thank you Bob.
DGDevin wrote:
> When I got my first bench not too long ago I realized it had been designed
> for users half a foot shorter than me. So the first thing I did was make a
> riser for the base to bring it up to a more comfortable level, and I was
> pleased that the finish on my addition was good enough to make it
> indistinguishable from the original.
I know what you mean. I'm 6' tall, and mobile bases usually add just
enough to machines to be right for me. Even if I'm not wanting a
machine to move, I like the extra height.
To make matters worse for taller folks, lots of traditional style
benches are low to better facilitate face planing.
"Larry Blanchard" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Mon, 22 Dec 2008 13:53:52 -0600, Leon wrote:
>
>> My concern with a hardboard or MDF top is that the holes for the dogs
>> would
>> eventually deteriorate. AND while I would make the MDF of hardwood top
>> replaceable I think I would want something a bit more permanent.
>
> Somewhere recently I read about a woodworker that equipped his bench with
> T-slots instead of dogholes.
>
> I haven't really considered all the pros and cons of it, but the idea is
> interesting. Anyone here done this? Any opinions?
>
IIRC I saw that too. WoodWhisperer maybe.
"Lew Hodgett" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Leon" wrote:
>
>> Because there is a rather large investment in the "TOP" I have kicked
>> around using several different less expensive materials.
>
> Since you are in the "Biz", you can appreciate that material is maybe
> 30%-35% of the final project cost.
>
> Given the "top" represents maybe 80% of the material cost, the "top" is
> maybe 25% of the project cost.
>
> If you save 50% of the "top" cost by using inferior material, you only
> save maybe 15% of the total project cost.
>
> For a "one shot", personal, last a lifetime project, is saving 15% worth
> it?
>
> Inquiring minds want to know.
Well there is that to consider and one of the reasons I am not sold on a
sacrificial top. Having said that however the Baltic Birch plywood top
would be all solid hard wood. I think ultimately it would be stronger than
the same sized solid wood slab and less likely to be affected by climate
changes.
;~) Being in the "BiZ" I have a lot more labor in the price than 65-70% of
the price. Typically on the skinny side my labor is at least 75% of the
total price and more often closer to 80%. And then again it all depends on
whether I am building fine furniture or a fence. ;~) I am really not
trying to save money in this situation so much as building a top that would
be just as strong as a top with all the wood grain running in the same
direction, and perhaps easier to actually cut up and glue.
Thanks for the reality check.
"B A R R Y" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Leon wrote:
>> I'll look into all of that , Thanks.
>
> Ping me if you'd like pics or article references of anything.
Yeah, thanks, I'd like any thing you could send that would not be a bother
to you. I am also thinking about adding a fold up/down extension on the
back side of the bench to increase work area. I now have a 30" x 60" steel
table top that I would like to use.
DGDevin wrote:
> B A R R Y wrote:
>
>> I know what you mean. I'm 6' tall, and mobile bases usually add just
>> enough to machines to be right for me. Even if I'm not wanting a
>> machine to move, I like the extra height.
>
> Yup, eliminating that little bit of stooping saves a back-ache later in the
> day. I also picked up room for another shelf under the bench just by
> raising it a few inches, and there's no such thing as too much storage
> space.
>
Not to mention how stored items help keep a bench in place!
On Dec 22, 10:00=A0am, "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:
> For years I have been threatening to build a legitimate work bench. =A0I =
have
> been using fold up ones and steel ones but I want a wood top with dog hol=
es
> and a couple of vices.
>
> Because there is a rather large investment in the "TOP" I have kicked aro=
und
> using several different less expensive materials. =A0In recent years the
> replaceable MDF top has been popular with many magazines. =A0I forget wha=
t I
> was building several months ago but I ended up having several pieces of 1=
/2"
> Baltic Birch plywood stacked up and noticed that they looked quite
> substantial.
>
> I am wondering if any one has used Baltic Birch ripped in to "lot's" of
> strips and glued up on the faces to make a bench top. =A0Basically the ed=
ges
> of all the Baltic Birch plywood would be facing up and down to form the t=
op
> of the top.
>
> Ideas appreciated
>
> Leon
I take it none of the plywood pieces are large enough to glue up flat
to make the top. Given that, I think you could laminate what is
essentially a 2"-3" slice of a very, very thick piece of plywood. It
should make a reasonable top, at minimal cost, mainly the cost of the
glue, of which you will probably use a lot. I can only think of two
drawbacks which are probably easily worked around.
1) Since plywood is generally made of veneers glued up perpendicular
to each other, half of the grain of your bench top will be end grain,
oriented vertically, and the other half will be side grain, oriented
horizontally. This means that your bench top may be a bit less stiff
than a solid word version. If you are concerned about the stiffness,
especially if you don't make the top thick, you should be sure to
incorporate some support in the leg structure under the top to stiffen
it up.
2) The grain of the top will be half end grain, and half side grain.
You may be unsatisfied with the texture of the top with its varying
grain. You could work around this by applying some kind of uniform
thin top layer, such as a sheet of masonite, to be replaced when it
wears unacceptably.
Other than those two caveats, I say, "Go for it!" Recycling is the
way of the future, and we should try to appropriately use all of our
scraps instead of merely tossing or burning them. I just built a very
heavy bench out of some glulam beams from our neighborhood gas station
that were headed for the landfill (someone who can't read ran his too-
tall truck into the canopy). Now I have a really beefy bench and the
landfill has 600 pounds less wood in it, and it only cost me a bit of
glue and labor. My last bench was made of recycled 4x4's and oak
flooring. I used bolts I have gleaned from garage sales, keeping them
out of the landfill, and even made some barrel nuts for the stretchers
out of some scrap aluminum. I painted it with the tag ends of paint
that I am not allowed to put in the landfill, and that our county no
longer recycles. About the only way I can think of to have made the
bench "greener" might have been to use some kind of glue not made of
petroleum products, such as hide glue.
Good luck!
zxcvbob wrote:
> Leon wrote:
>> For years I have been threatening to build a legitimate work bench. I
>> have been using fold up ones and steel ones but I want a wood top with
>> dog holes and a couple of vices.
>>
>> Because there is a rather large investment in the "TOP" I have kicked
>> around using several different less expensive materials. In recent
>> years the replaceable MDF top has been popular with many magazines. I
>> forget what I was building several months ago but I ended up having
>> several pieces of 1/2" Baltic Birch plywood stacked up and noticed
>> that they looked quite substantial.
>>
>> I am wondering if any one has used Baltic Birch ripped in to "lot's"
>> of strips and glued up on the faces to make a bench top. Basically
>> the edges of all the Baltic Birch plywood would be facing up and down
>> to form the top of the top.
>>
>> Ideas appreciated
>>
>> Leon
>>
>
>
> Best thing I have found for the top is a used solid interior door. I
> bought a discarded hospital door for about $5 or $10 a few years ago.
> Would have cost me at least 10x that much to build a hardwood slab like
> that.
>
> Bob
Have to agree ,Thats what I used ,two laminated together would make a
very substantial bench top.
--
Kevin (Bluey)
"I'm not young enough to know everything."
[email protected]
On Dec 22, 1:00=A0pm, "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:
> For years I have been threatening to build a legitimate work bench. =A0I =
have
> been using fold up ones and steel ones but I want a wood top with dog hol=
es
> and a couple of vices.
>
> Because there is a rather large investment in the "TOP" I have kicked aro=
und
> using several different less expensive materials. =A0In recent years the
> replaceable MDF top has been popular with many magazines. =A0I forget wha=
t I
> was building several months ago but I ended up having several pieces of 1=
/2"
> Baltic Birch plywood stacked up and noticed that they looked quite
> substantial.
>
> I am wondering if any one has used Baltic Birch ripped in to "lot's" of
> strips and glued up on the faces to make a bench top. =A0Basically the ed=
ges
> of all the Baltic Birch plywood would be facing up and down to form the t=
op
> of the top.
>
> Ideas appreciated
>
> Leon
I picked up a used kitchen table with an Oak top and put two layers of
plywood underneath.
The table top was the standard country style top with running bond
blocks of Oak. Cut the table to width and used the remainder to edge
band everything, if you didn't look underneath you would think it was
3" thick Oak.
I used cauls to clamp the layers flat using the TS as a backer and
ended up with a damn flat top.
On Dec 22, 9:44=A0pm, [email protected] wrote:
> > >> Somewhere recently I read about a woodworker that equipped his bench
> > >> with T-slots instead of dogholes.
> The problem I see is you'd need a knob sticking out. =A0If you want to
> hand plane something you need to set the dog below the surface of the
> stock.
Well, think about it some more. Any size or shape dog of any
material (wood, plastic, aluminum) can be mounted to a
small shoe that rides in the bottom of the T slot, with a setscrew
through the shoe to clamp the dog. There's no need for the
T-slot to be accompanied by a stick-up bolt, of the
metalwork milling holddown style.
How about a dovetail slot instead of T slot? It doesn't need metal
parts,
and a wedged dovetail dog would be easy to build.
I'll look into all of that , Thanks.
"B A R R Y" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Leon wrote:
>> >
>> That bit of information probably would have been helpful. ;!) I am
>> wanting a "flat" work bench to shape wood and or use for assembly of
>> furniture. I really want to get something bigger than my TS top. LOL
>
> I built a very flat assembly torsion box, with a melamine top, that sits
> on my hand tool bench, outfeed table, painter's steps (for tall projects),
> or even the floor.
>
> When I'm not assembling, I really prefer an unfinished wood top, with end
> and face vices, a board jack, and surface dog holes. In addition to hand
> tool work, the "hand tool" vises and dogs easily clamp router dovetail and
> pocket hole jigs, and even nicely (and QUICKLY) holds boards for
> biscuiting!
>
> Whatever you build, don't forget pop-up planing stops, as they work as
> well with belt sanders as they do with hand planes. Mine are just 4/4
> white oak boards mounted in strategic locations with hanger bolts and wing
> nuts through slots. With the proper screw tension, I can pop them up and
> push them down without touching the screws.
>
> While you're building stuff for yourself, I also like the mini-bench I
> built a few years back that brings the work to chest level. I followed a
> FWW article to build it from 8/4 maple and some veneer press screws. It's
> nice not having to bend over to use paring chisels and the like. If you
> end up doing a hardwood top, you could probably build the mini-bench for
> free.
>
> I've been thinking of building a copy of Popular Woodworking's "21st
> Century Bench", the Bob Lang bench unveiled last fall. Check that one
> out, too.
> Not to say that there is anything wrong with a bench made from recycled
> material, I applaud that. It just seems a bit inconsistent with the
> premise:
>
> "For years I have been threatening to build a legitimate work bench."
>
> -Steve
>
LMAO!!! I peed a little.
No offense to the OP, because we are all like that are sometimes, but it
reminds me of the posers in Nashville who post ads for "professional
musicians" who inevitably have no budget to pay them.
--
-MIKE-
"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com
[email protected]
---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply
"Leon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> For years I have been threatening to build a legitimate work bench.
> I have been using fold up ones and steel ones but I want a wood top
> with dog holes and a couple of vices.
>
> Because there is a rather large investment in the "TOP" I have kicked
> around using several different less expensive materials. In recent
> years the replaceable MDF top has been popular with many magazines.
> I forget what I was building several months ago but I ended up having
> several pieces of 1/2" Baltic Birch plywood stacked up and noticed
> that they looked quite substantial.
>
> I am wondering if any one has used Baltic Birch ripped in to "lot's"
> of strips and glued up on the faces to make a bench top. Basically
> the edges of all the Baltic Birch plywood would be facing up and down
> to form the top of the top.
>
> Ideas appreciated
>
> Leon
>
Here's one I did a few years back and Bernie Hunt kindly made it
available on his site.
http://www.huntfamily.com/work_bench.htm
Bob S.
[email protected] wrote:
>>>> Somewhere recently I read about a woodworker that equipped his bench
>>>> with T-slots instead of dogholes.
>>>> I haven't really considered all the pros and cons of it, but the idea
>>>> is interesting. Anyone here done this? Any opinions?
>
> The problem I see is you'd need a knob sticking out. If you want to
> hand plane something you need to set the dog below the surface of the
> stock. Unless you made your stop really long with the knob at the back
> end it would be in the way, and that would effectively reduce the
> length of your bench. Plus in the course of resurfacing the top
> eventually you'd get to where you had to remove it and make the slot
> deeper, even if you started with it recessed a bit.
>
Plus, I don't want anything that is making up bench top to be harder
than any tool I'm using on it. Even aluminum can put a good ding in
a freshly sharpened chisel.
And no foam, either. :-p <--- [inside joke from another thread]
--
-MIKE-
"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com
[email protected]
---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply
Leon wrote:
> That bit of information probably would have been helpful. ;!) I am wanting
> a "flat" work bench to shape wood and or use for assembly of furniture. I
> really want to get something bigger than my TS top. LOL
Personally, The only clear surface in my shop that I can use for
furniture assembly is my table saw and small parts of the floor. If you
really need a flat surface, really flat and really stable, then you need
to build a torsion box with plywood on both sides and an optional easily
replaceable hard board top.
My work benches all have 2x6 tops made out of cheap, construction grade
2x's. They look good (like wood) and are strong enough for anything I've
ever done. My main workbench is 30 years old, and has been used to
build fine furniture, junk furniture, repair electric motors, rebuild
gas engines, sharpen chain saws and about every other task one can come
up with over a life time. I look at all the fancy "cabinet makers" work
benches with the 3" hard wood tops, tool trays and what not and I shake
my head... If I made one of these things I'd be afraid to use it, and
besides, they generally have no storage in them and I would never build
a bench, work bench, tool stand etc. without storage. I don't really
care how big your shop is, you need more storage.
Is my main bench top beat up? Damn right it is, but it looks better to
me than the day I built it. I planned on having to refinish or replace
it periodically, but no way, no how. This is cheap, soft construction
grade pine. Whats nice about that is I was never afraid to use it, I
could always replace it easily and cheaply if I wanted too, just never
found the need.
I might add I haven't seen much of the top in a few years, it is
habitually covered in "stuff" If my memory is working, you are the guy
that posted a picture of your bench in a once in a blue moon
semi-uncluttered condition?
--
Jack
Using FREE News Server: http://Motzarella.org
http://jbstein.com
Phisherman wrote:
> Any wood will work. My benchtop is glued up 2x4 pine studs, finished
> with danish oil. Spent lots of time flattening the top. I redo the
> top every 3-4 years. A good bench should be large, sturdy and
> heavy.
Thats what I made my first bench out of but I ripped the things into
2x2's and glued them up. Still going strong after 30 years but that was
my very first wood working project. I've since learned it's much better
to use 2 x 6's as they are about as cheap, easier to find higher quality
boards than the studs, and glue up is simple and fast.
--
Jack
Using FREE News Server: http://Motzarella.org
http://jbstein.com
Did the same thing, 2x4's on edge, but I drilled holes through each every
18" and used long all thread and torqued them together.. That was 25 years
ago, still going strong
Phisherman wrote:
> On Mon, 22 Dec 2008 12:00:32 -0600, "Leon"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>For years I have been threatening to build a legitimate work bench. I
>>have been using fold up ones and steel ones but I want a wood top with dog
>>holes and a couple of vices.
>>
>>Because there is a rather large investment in the "TOP" I have kicked
>>around
>>using several different less expensive materials. In recent years the
>>replaceable MDF top has been popular with many magazines. I forget what I
>>was building several months ago but I ended up having several pieces of
>>1/2" Baltic Birch plywood stacked up and noticed that they looked quite
>>substantial.
>>
>>I am wondering if any one has used Baltic Birch ripped in to "lot's" of
>>strips and glued up on the faces to make a bench top. Basically the edges
>>of all the Baltic Birch plywood would be facing up and down to form the
>>top of the top.
>>
>>Ideas appreciated
>>
>>Leon
>>
>
> Any wood will work. My benchtop is glued up 2x4 pine studs, finished
> with danish oil. Spent lots of time flattening the top. I redo the
> top every 3-4 years. A good bench should be large, sturdy and
> heavy.
--
"You can lead them to LINUX
but you can't make them THINK"
Running Mandriva release 2008.0 free-i586 using KDE on i586
Website Address http://rentmyhusband.co.nr/
>> I think the people who install t-tracks in a bench don't do much hand
>> tool work.
>
> I'm not going to get rid of my dogholes, but I very well might add a row
> or two of T-trak as an adjunct.
>
I guess I don't see the point, IF one already has the clamps and
everything to go with dog holes.
--
-MIKE-
"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com
[email protected]
---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply
Leon wrote:
> "TD Driver" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> I've built a couple of benches over the past 20 years and the best top was
>> made from a hunk of bowling lane I picked up when one of the local
>> establishments went out of business. I regret the day that I decided to
>> leave that bench in the basement of a house we were renting.
>
>
> I bet that worked out well, did you find any nails in the wood?
>
>
Of course. Some nails were found in advance of the cut, some were found
during it. The former were removed with a great sense of satisfaction.
The remainder not so much.
Stuart wrote:
> The top for my new bench came from Ikea - see Pronomen or Numerar.
>
> I chose the Beech option. 6ftx 2ft
I almost went the same route until I found a bench kit that had everything I
wanted including vises at a reasonable price. It would be tough to beat
Ikea's prices on laminated hardwood tops even if they intend them for
kitchen cabinets rather than work benches.
"Lee Michaels" <leemichaels*nadaspam*@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
Snip
>
> I wouldn't cut them on edge. If youhave enough plywood to make a tope, do
> that. Lay it flat and cover it with hardboard. I have build a number of
> shop benches and cabinets out of scrap. When there was enough materials,
> I would build something else. This sounds similar.
>
>
>
My concern with a hardboard or MDF top is that the holes for the dogs would
eventually deteriorate. AND while I would make the MDF of hardwood top
replaceable I think I would want something a bit more permanent.
"StephenM" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm kind of with Lew on this one. If you shop for relatively cheap wood
> (common rather than select and 5/4 rather than 8/4 stock) you will have
> alot less invested in a top than vises.
>
> Not to say that there is anything wrong with a bench made from recycled
> material, I applaud that. It just seems a bit inconsistent with the
> premise:
>
> "For years I have been threatening to build a legitimate work bench."
>
> -Steve
;~) My whole idea of using Baltic Birch over solid stock is to hopefully
speed up the preparation of the materials for glue up. I am not really
looking for a cheaper way out although it seems it would be significantly
cheaper with new Baltic Birch plywood over solid stock.
My thinking is if I buy solid wood stock and rip it to width for glue up
there is going to be some bow in some of the pieces after being cut and that
will have to be dealt with. Baltic Birch on the other hand should stay
straight after being cut and should eliminate some of the problems that
solid wood present from the equation during assembly. It's the stability of
the product that I am interested in more so than saving on expense.
On Mon, 22 Dec 2008 13:53:52 -0600, Leon wrote:
> My concern with a hardboard or MDF top is that the holes for the dogs would
> eventually deteriorate. AND while I would make the MDF of hardwood top
> replaceable I think I would want something a bit more permanent.
Somewhere recently I read about a woodworker that equipped his bench with
T-slots instead of dogholes.
I haven't really considered all the pros and cons of it, but the idea is
interesting. Anyone here done this? Any opinions?
On Wed, 24 Dec 2008 11:55:09 -0600, -MIKE- wrote:
>>> I think the people who install t-tracks in a bench don't do much hand
>>> tool work.
>>
>> I'm not going to get rid of my dogholes, but I very well might add a row
>> or two of T-trak as an adjunct.
>>
>
> I guess I don't see the point, IF one already has the clamps and
> everything to go with dog holes.
Dogholes provide clamping every N inches - 6" on my bench.
T-traks provide clamping anywhere (linearly).
B A R R Y wrote:
> I know what you mean. I'm 6' tall, and mobile bases usually add just
> enough to machines to be right for me. Even if I'm not wanting a
> machine to move, I like the extra height.
Yup, eliminating that little bit of stooping saves a back-ache later in the
day. I also picked up room for another shelf under the bench just by
raising it a few inches, and there's no such thing as too much storage
space.
"TD Driver" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
>>
> I've built a couple of benches over the past 20 years and the best top was
> made from a hunk of bowling lane I picked up when one of the local
> establishments went out of business. I regret the day that I decided to
> leave that bench in the basement of a house we were renting.
I bet that worked out well, did you find any nails in the wood?
"Leon" wrote:
> Because there is a rather large investment in the "TOP" I have
> kicked around using several different less expensive materials.
Since you are in the "Biz", you can appreciate that material is maybe
30%-35% of the final project cost.
Given the "top" represents maybe 80% of the material cost, the "top"
is maybe 25% of the project cost.
If you save 50% of the "top" cost by using inferior material, you only
save maybe 15% of the total project cost.
For a "one shot", personal, last a lifetime project, is saving 15%
worth it?
Inquiring minds want to know.
Lew
"-MIKE-" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>> Not to say that there is anything wrong with a bench made from recycled
>> material, I applaud that. It just seems a bit inconsistent with the
>> premise:
>>
>> "For years I have been threatening to build a legitimate work bench."
>>
>> -Steve
>>
>
> LMAO!!! I peed a little.
>
> No offense to the OP, because we are all like that are sometimes, but it
> reminds me of the posers in Nashville who post ads for "professional
> musicians" who inevitably have no budget to pay them.
Yeah he got me there.. ;~)) I guess legitimate was probably not the
correct description. I am actually trying to steer towards a bench with
less steel than wood. ;~)