I have one of those ready-made "construction site" type workbenches made out
of dimensional lumber screwed together. I bought it to get something up
quickly, and cheaply, and it has never been particularly well-suited to
woodworking.
Now that I'm getting into Neandering, and now that I have a front vise, I'm
really seeing the need for a few things.
* needs to be a few inches higher, so I don't kill my back stooping over to
get up close to the work
* a *flat* top instead of a bunch of boards at slightly different heights
and levels of twist
* dog holes
I currently have one end of the bench given over to metal working. I used
to use it a lot, but I don't use it much anymore. I've swapped out my nice
big piece of track with "Illinois 1966" cast onto it for the short cutoff
left over from making the counterweight for my trebuchet. That gives me
48" from the edge of my anvils to the far end of the bench for my retrofit
top.
I definitely want to keep my shop vise on the bench. I've seen ideas for
mounting it so that it can be clamped in the front vise, but I don't think
that would be very stable for the sort of abusive beat the hell out of
rusty things work I do with the vise.
So I'm thinking about building a 2'x 4' supplemental top, fastened to the
existing top. That would leave a ~6" recess at the back at normal
workbench height, and that could serve as a tool gutter.
Sound reasonable so far?
That begs some questions. First, how to level it? I can't readily flatten
the existing top because it's impregnated with swarf and little pointy
sheet metal cutoffs. I could use some thoughts for how to attach the new
top so that it's flat, instead of following the irregular contour of the
top below it. I could also consider replacing the entire top, or turning
the boards over so I can plane the relatively clean bottoms flat. The
thinking behind the add-on top is that it adds weight, and adds height,
both of which I need.
Now on the top itself, I'd rather spend my wood budget on something else
right now. A pre-made $200 maple deal is out. Buying maple and doing it
myself is out too. I really don't want to spend that much on a retrofit of
a bench that was never really designed to do this job in the first place,
and would rather save all that for some eventual day when I have a bigger
shop and can build a well-planned bench for it from the ground up.
I don't particularly want to buy plywood or MDF or such like either. All
are expensive, unwieldy, and did I say expensive and unwieldy?
I have a waterbed frame I've been trying to find something to do with for
years. It's "hard yellow" pine. Probably ponderosa. I have two pieces
48" x 8.5" x 1.75" and two pieces 108" x 8.5" x 1.75.
I realize that pine isn't as good as many other things, but it's free. I
think using it is a good plan. I can always face it with something harder
eventually if I have to, like maybe a layer of hardwood flooring for even
more height. (Or actually, that might be worth considering from the
get-go. It wouldn't be that expensive to buy eight square feet of
unfinished hardwood flooring.)
So with wood of the above dimensions, finished on all six sides, what would
be the best way to glue up a top approximately 24" x 48"?
The easy thing to do would be to cut a couple feet off of one of the 9' long
boards, joint the edges of that one and the two short boards, dowel them,
and glue the three of them into one panel. That might not be the strongest
thing to do, or it might be OK. These boards are all cut from the center
of trees, so the rings wrap around on either side of the center line, with
a little bullseye of heartwood running down the middle. Is that good or
bad?
Ripping that stuff straight on my little Skil 3400 or trying to come up with
a 48" straight edge guide for ripping with a circular saw are not exciting
prospects, incidentaly. If I *could* get by without doing that, I'd prefer
it.
Thoughts so far?
Currently my big vise with the pop-up dog isn't in service. I've got a "dog
block" clamped to my little $12 front vise, and my "dog" for holding work
is a butcher knife stuck into a gap between two boards. This works, but it
sucks. I need a new top soon.
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
On Tue, 28 Oct 2003 01:27:26 -0500, Silvan
<[email protected]> wrote:
>A door could work, but I have no idea where to get one, and no budget.
There are three of them in garages near me, all of which came as
scroungings for free from construction work. Keep your eyes open -
they're out there.
--
Die Gotterspammerung - Junkmail of the Gods
Mon, Oct 27, 2003, 9:29am [email protected] (Silvan)
mumblles:
<snip> I'm really <snip>
Used, solid core door. Section of bowling alley.
JOAT
Make my shorts. Eat my day.
Life just ain't life without good music. - JOAT
Web Page Update 23 Oct 2003.
Some tunes I like.
http://community-2.webtv.net/Jakofalltrades/SOMETUNESILIKE/
Silvan wrote:
> I have one of those ready-made "construction site" type workbenches made out
> of dimensional lumber screwed together. I bought it to get something up
> quickly, and cheaply, and it has never been particularly well-suited to
> woodworking.
A lot of bench angst, a subject not wholly unfamiliar to myself. Yo Michael,
You say you already have a decent face vise. That's a sold start. I just this
weekend put the finishing touches on my "bootstrap bench," seeing as my good
bench is "in jail," pending a property settlement. I invested maybe $150 in
materials (not including the vise) and 16 hours. the only prep-work I did on
the timbers (green douglas fir), was to make sure to pick real straight ones at
The Borg.
The Saga:
http://www.klownhammer.org/proto-bench
O'Deen
--
http://www.klownhammer.org/ - Home of the World-Famous Original Crowbar FAQ
T. wrote:
> Mon, Oct 27, 2003, 9:29am [email protected] (Silvan)
> mumblles:
> <snip> I'm really <snip>
>
> Used, solid core door. Section of bowling alley.
Better yet...
I assessed the old top and measured against my vises to see what would be
the best way to go. I needed to raise it 5/8" or else replace it. Getting
the waterbed frame to the right size with the technology and skill I can
bring to bear would have been a lost cause.
So I looked on the pile for another discarded piece of furniture that has
been sitting in my shop for years. The top from a table. Lo, it's 5/8"
thick. I was thinking to maybe use part of it for a router table some day,
but this is more fitting.
I planed the high spots off the bench and got it reasonably flat. Still a
lot of hollows, but the hollows don't matter so much as long as the top can
span 3.75" without sagging appreciably.
The table pieces were weird, two ends and part of a hinge with what looks
like maybe room for a drop-in leaf. I cut the curvy parts off, which
wasted a good bit of wood, but it was worth it to keep things square.
My top is in three pieces. Two of the pieces are making use of a
complicated table hinge joint for attachment. I can't really afford to
lose the size by cutting it off (I was shooting for 24" and only wound up
with 22" as it is), and I can't really dowel it, so I'm just going to use
it as it is. I'm going to lag screw the three pieces down tomorrow, as
soon as I finish laying out the dog holes. If that proves unsatisfactory,
I can always do something different later. Replace the whole thing if I
have to--maybe with a 1/2" sheet of 2'x 4' birch plywood faced with 1/8"
hardboard to get my 5/8", or I could just replace the entire top if I have
to.
The table is a poplar core with what looks like walnut faces. I guess you'd
call it veneer, but it's pretty thick veneer. Maybe 3/32". Other than the
yellowish green patches where I've exposed the core, it's fairly pretty,
and will encourage me not to make a mess of the top. I might even stain
the holes.
It may prove to have been a completely stupid thing to try, but the price
was right, and the surface is passing the granite test right now. It's
been in the shop for four years, so it ought to be well-adjusted. My
largest concern is just being afraid to use it because it's so pretty.
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
"Silvan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> No money either, really. I need lots of other things more than I need to
> build a new bench from scratch. That's why the idea of making this one do
> a little better job on an extremely limited budget is so appealing.
I like JOAT's idea of a door. If that is not suitable, how about a sheet of
hardboard to smooth out the top? Easy to replace when it get banged up.
Ed
[email protected]
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome
On Mon, 27 Oct 2003 09:29:41 -0500, Silvan
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I have one of those ready-made "construction site" type workbenches made out
>of dimensional lumber screwed together.
How much space have you got ?
If you have lots of space, why not make a new smallish bench from
scratch or recycled timber, and keep the old one as an assembly table?
If you're really just using your new bench as a clamping and chiseling
rest, then it can be pretty small. This also helps with reducing
timber consumption and improving stiffness. Construction softwood and
a sandwich top of 2 x 3/4" ply and 4mm MDF is enough, then a cast iron
face vice and plenty of dogholes. Add a screw-worked tail dog(s) if
you wish.
--
Die Gotterspammerung - Junkmail of the Gods
Silvan <[email protected]> wrote:
> Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
> >> do a little better job on an extremely limited budget is so appealing.
> >
> > I like JOAT's idea of a door. If that is not suitable, how about a sheet
> > of hardboard to smooth out the top? Easy to replace when it get banged
> up.
> A door could work, but I have no idea where to get one, and no budget.
Check out the local Lowe's and Home Depot for damaged doors that they
sell off cheap. I was at the Lowe's near you just yesterday and they
have damaged stuff near the door by the treated lumber. I don't
remember seeing any flat doors there, but worth asking. Check with
Reed Lumber also. Just go in and ask them if they have any damaged
doors that would be suitable for a bench top. It will cost you
something, but a lot less than a perfect door. I have a bench
made from a door I got from Heavener's years ago.
Bill Ranck
Blacksburg, Va.
Silvan wrote:
>
> A door could work, but I have no idea where to get one, and no budget.
I have a hollow core door taking up space in my single-car garage shop in
Bowie, MD. I got it from a neighbor's trash during his remodeling, and it's
been used across sawhorses for an assembly table. My plan has been to put a
top on it & make it a workbench but I don't have the space. If you want to
drop by & pick it up it's yours. One corner is slightly bunged up but that
hasn't been a hinderance.
My email address is easily unspamified. Drop me a note if you're
interested.
-- Mark
Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
>> do a little better job on an extremely limited budget is so appealing.
>
> I like JOAT's idea of a door. If that is not suitable, how about a sheet
> of hardboard to smooth out the top? Easy to replace when it get banged
up.
A door could work, but I have no idea where to get one, and no budget.
Hardboard wouldn't help my existing bench much because I have other problems
to solve. It needs weight, and I could really use some extra height. I
could just raise the legs, but then I'd have to totally re-do my pegboard.
If I put a thick, heavy supplemental top on, and drill dog holes, then I
solve three problems at once.
I like my waterbed frame idea just fine. It's pine, but it's a lot more
durable than the "white wood" stuff the current top is made out of. I
can't not use it for something some day (the McIntyre gene prevents me from
throwing something away that could be put to some use), but I want to get
rid of the stupid thing because it's heavy, and I'm tired of moving it
around to get to the wood I do want to use.
I just don't know what the most suitable way to use it to accomplish this
would be. I've never glued any sort of table like thing together before.
I've always bought pre-glued-up stuff at the BORG.
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
Mark Jerde wrote:
> Bowie, MD. I got it from a neighbor's trash during his remodeling, and
> top on it & make it a workbench but I don't have the space. If you want
> to drop by & pick it up it's yours.
Mighty nice o' ye, Sir... :)
I'm not too likely to end up in your corner of the world with extra time to
spare anytime soon though, and I live about 10 hours away from you, round
trip.
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
Andy Dingley wrote:
> How much space have you got ?
None left. My shop is *tiny*.
No money either, really. I need lots of other things more than I need to
build a new bench from scratch. That's why the idea of making this one do
a little better job on an extremely limited budget is so appealing.
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/