Butcher Block Workbench Top Installation on HF 44" Box

GCncsuHD · Apr 21, 2014

So I have a 44" HF box, with a 7 drawer side cabinet and a half height side locker. Total length is 73" and it is 18" deep. I have a Sears 24"x96" butcher block workbench top I'd like to put on it. I was thinking have a 1" lip all around, so cut it down to 20"x75". I will also be installing a small 3.5" vise on the top.

My question, is how should I attach the top? It needs to be attached well enough for the vise to be useful, though it is not an overly large vise so I will not be too rough on it.

The HF box and each side cabinet has a 5/8-3/4" deep lip all around. I was thinking MDF to make a spacer from under the butcher block. Is there any other material I should consider? Should I just make a solid "plate" of MDF on top of each box section? Or should I run strips of MDF?

From what I have read, an edge grain top like this tends to do most of it's expansion and contraction in the width rather than the length. I was thinking make the front edge, where the vise will be mounted, the "fixed" end, running lag screws through the box top, through the MDF and into the butcher block. (As well as the vise bolted through the top, MDF, and box). Then have the middle, and back end of the top "floating" with a slotted hole through the box top and MDF then into the top with a lag screw and fender washer. Any thoughts on this method?

Or am I over thinking this, and should I just attach the top to the MDF spacers, bolt the vise to the top and let the whole thing just float on top and use it's own weight to hold it down? (Won't be doing any serious work with the little 3.5" vise, have a 6" Wilton bullet mounted to a 800lb steel table in the farm shop)

And because we all like pictures...
The box in question:

Untitled by wrfalcon75, on Flickr

Untitled by wrfalcon75, on Flickr

And the top:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00914965000P?adCell=MC_to_Product

Stephenw · Apr 21, 2014

Just set the butcher block on top of the box. Drill holes for the vise through the butcher block and through the top of the tool box. Bolt the vise through both the tool box and butcher block.

GCncsuHD · Apr 22, 2014

Stephenw said:
Just set the butcher block on top of the box. Drill holes for the vise through the butcher block and through the top of the tool box. Bolt the vise through both the tool box and butcher block.

Don't think I will be just setting it on top due to the top of the box not being flat, there is a 3/4" tall lip all around the box and around each side cabinet.

Any other input?

c4cruiser · Apr 22, 2014

GCncsuHD said:
Don't think I will be just setting it on top due to the top of the box not being flat, there is a 3/4" tall lip all around the box and around each side cabinet.

Any other input?

Why not use some 3/4" plywood as a filler?

Dugan · Apr 22, 2014

You could use some heavy epoxy or such glue. Or just do slots on the underside and slide square headed bolts into them and put a nut and lock washer inside the box.

Id glue it though, no drilling required.

67carl · Apr 22, 2014

I'm in the same boat and am watching this thread with interest. My thought was to position the top where you want it, trace the outline of the tool box lip on the top from underneath, then route out a thin channel along the line. Top should just slip down over the box edge. What do you guys think? Pic below is mine...

GCncsuHD · Apr 22, 2014

c4cruiser said:
Why not use some 3/4" plywood as a filler?

In my first post above I suggested 3/4" MDF as a spacer, I was looking for input on that material and idea, whether I should make one solid "plate" for each section, or strips of MDF to leave the top free to expand/contract.

Dugan said:
You could use some heavy epoxy or such glue. Or just do slots on the underside and slide square headed bolts into them and put a nut and lock washer inside the box.

Id glue it though, no drilling required.

I'm not sure how I feel about epoxy or glue as the wood and metal will have different expansion rates, especially in a dynamic environment like the garage. The last thing I want is a warped workbench top.

GCncsuHD · Apr 22, 2014

67carl said:
I'm in the same boat and am watching this thread with interest. My thought was to position the top where you want it, trace the outline of the tool box lip on the top from underneath, then route out a thin channel along the line. Top should just slip down over the box edge. What do you guys think? Pic below is mine...

67 Carl, I had the exact same idea at first, and still may consider it, though my router seems to have grown legs and went missing from my parent's shop. But I also worry about routing 3/4" into a 1-1/2" top, that would be removing 1/2 of the material and potentially creating a weak spot for a crack to start.

MrJabels · Apr 22, 2014

This is my first post so take with a grain of salt. I would use a spacer, but not MDF. MDF can be susceptible to water damage and expansion, especially when sandwiched to another material. I would use ply or osb as filler than if you want a seamless top(no holes) I'd tap holes through all three from the bottom, not going all the way through. Then use t nuts set in the bottom of the butcher block with bolts coming from underneath, just measure twice, then twice again. Good luck.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

willbrown82 · Apr 22, 2014

I had a plywood top on my HF box when it still had wheels on it. I used some scrap 1x3s as spacers under the top. To secure the top I ran plywood down the sides and bolted it to the box where you have your side boxes bolted on. I then screwed through the top into the plywood pieces on the sides. Didn't look the greatest but it gave me a place to work on and bolt my vise too. You could possbily run some metal L brackets from the top down to the holes in the side cabinets and bolt it on that way.

csp · Apr 22, 2014

Use whatever material you want at your filler and screw it from below into the top. Set it on the toolboxes and let gravity and the edges hold it in place. It's not like we're going to experience zero gravity and it's going to float away.

Bolt the vise through the top and the box though just for additional bracing.

chipper · Apr 22, 2014

I bet I have the same top as you I got mine at sears too but mine was on clearance for $40 from $200... mine is on a HF 56 I cut it down and and bolted it from underneath..the 56 already has holes on top not if the 44 is the same...I wish I waited now I have added the 7 drawer side box with no top

beck3906 · Apr 22, 2014

I have a similar setup where I used 3/4 plywood cut to fit just inside the lipped edge. I then used double sided carpet tape to attach the top to the plywood. Weight of the top keeps it in place. I also used angle brackets to attach the top to the studs in the wall drilled from underneath.

dumper · Apr 22, 2014

[QUOTE=GCncsuHD;391515

Or am I over thinking this, and should I just attach the top to the MDF spacers, bolt the vise to the top and let the whole thing just float on top and use it's own weight to hold it down? (Won't be doing any serious work with the little 3.5" vise, have a 6" Wilton bullet mounted to a 800lb steel table in the farm shop)

you said it yourself, you are not using the vise for any HD use, so I would do as you are thinking here, except I would t-nut the vise to the top, so it can be removed if not needed, or in case you want to use the vise somewhere else. The weight of the mdf and the top should provide enough weight to make a stable enough work surface.

rick carpenter · Apr 22, 2014

I wouldn't worry too much about different expansion rates myself with that butcher block depth/thickness... but if you want to... consider fastening the top down solid in the middle (longitudinally) and letting the front and back edges float with slotted holes through the metal top. Voila, half the expansion each edge. An MDF spacer will swell with water contact though you can treat it to minimize that risk. But I'd go with a ply spacer if you want to use clamps on the top lips.

I have a little metal surface "fab" table with a 1" lip on the top layer of 3/4" ply. I wish now I had made the lip 1-1/2".

GCncsuHD · Apr 23, 2014

Ok guys, thanks for all the suggestions. I think I have come up with my plan.

I think I will substitute the MDF for some ply, it will be sealed with the same sealer I use on the top. I'll cut them as a full slab for each open section of the top of the box approximately 17x18, 42x18, and 14x18 going left to right.

Then use a forstner bit to make a recessed hole for the fasteners and use 1/4x1-1/4" lag screws and fender washers. Front and center I'll make the holes for a tight fit, then spreading out from there I'll probably oversize the recessed hole and the through hole to about 1/2" so it has some expansion room.

As for the vise, assuming the top is made from birch or beech, it should weigh about 80lbs for just the top, another 35 or so for the ply spacers, and another 20 or so for the vise itself. I think I'll use recessed T-nuts in the ply and bolt the vise through the top and the ply. I think the weight should be sufficient to keep it in place, the only direction I am afraid of it moving is lifting the back. The 44"/42" cabinet has a ~3/8" hole in each corner of the top, I'll probably run a lag screw through each of those holes and make those the only bolted connections to the box itself.

I think this should be sufficient. It might be a few weeks before I get around to it, but I'll post process and finished pics when I do.

Rick, thanks for the suggestion, I think I may be happier with a 1-1/2" lip like you said, at least on the front and sides.

JasonJ · Apr 24, 2014

I have two 44's that are side-by-side and ran into the same problem. I used MDF that covered the entire surface area, I figured it would help distribute weight. I then have two more 8' long pieces of MDF on top of that and then a 10gauge steel top.

jfish · Apr 27, 2014

I did the same configuration as the OP two weeks ago. HF boxes on feet into a bench. I cut ply sheets to fit snug in each recess, a few dabs of liquid nails per piece between the ply and the box. On top of the entire thing is a 2" thick ply countertop. On the right corner I'm mounting my vise. Just going to drill through the ply into the top of the box and run bolts through with lock nuts. If the bolts are cut down, the 1/2"" they stick out in the underside of the box won't hurt.

ebmiller88 · Apr 27, 2014

OP, where did you get the half height side locker? I can assume it's not a HF piece as it's not on their site and the paint shade is a hair off. Thanks!

Ed

Hpozzuoli · Apr 27, 2014

chipper said:
I bet I have the same top as you I got mine at sears too but mine was on clearance for $40 from $200... mine is on a HF 56 I cut it down and and bolted it from underneath..the 56 already has holes on top not if the 44 is the same...I wish I waited now I have added the 7 drawer side box with no top

Can you take a pic from farther back. I like that top and want too see the whole thing. I have a 56" too.

GCncsuHD · Apr 28, 2014

ebmiller88 said:
OP, where did you get the half height side locker? I can assume it's not a HF piece as it's not on their site and the paint shade is a hair off. Thanks!

Ed

It is International brand, part number vrs-4200rd. It is on Amazon for $155 with free prime shipping. I actually special ordered mine at Home Depot for the exact same price since I was buying something else at the time. It's not the best locker, but since HF no longer produces one, it was the best deal I could find. With a few slight mods it should suit my uses nicely.

Here are a couple posts about the mods it took to work.

http://garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3898895&postcount=239
http://garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3901206&postcount=246

ebmiller88 · May 1, 2014

Thank you Sir!

Ed

chipper · May 1, 2014

Hpozzuoli said:
Can you take a pic from farther back. I like that top and want too see the whole thing. I have a 56" too.

Not sure how far back you want but here is one I just had in photo bucket...I have since put a coat of poly on it

jpr278 · Nov 22, 2014

Any updates OP?

GCncsuHD · Nov 24, 2014

jpr278 said:
Any updates OP?

No, sorry, the top is still leaning against the wall, other projects have taken precedence lately.

GCncsuHD · Jun 26, 2015

One year later...I finally cut the top down to size and mounted it on top. Went with 3/4" plywood under the top, poly sealed, laid a bead of caulk on the front edge before I set the top to stick it together a bit. I have about 1.5" of overhang on the front and sides, enough to grab material with a clamp if needed.

Haven't fully fastened the top down yet. The vise is just sitting there, I may cut a 24x18 stainless plate to go under that area so I have a work surface to hammer on without denting the wood top. I will fasten it across the front with lags, then through slotted holes with lags in the rear.

IMAG0818 by Garrett, on Flickr

67carl · Jun 26, 2015

GCncsuHD said:
One year later...I finally cut the top down to size and mounted it on top. Went with 3/4" plywood under the top, poly sealed, laid a bead of caulk on the front edge before I set the top to stick it together a bit. I have about 1.5" of overhang on the front and sides, enough to grab material with a clamp if needed.

Haven't fully fastened the top down yet. The vise is just sitting there, I may cut a 24x18 stainless plate to go under that area so I have a work surface to hammer on without denting the wood top. I will fasten it across the front with lags, then through slotted holes with lags in the rear.

IMAG0818 by Garrett, on Flickr

Looks good! Mine is still sitting there, undone, like 1/2 dozen other projects I haven't gotten to yet. Feel free to stop by and knock mine out in your free time. I (at this time) have 4 different beer types in my refer!

:beer:

67carl · Jun 26, 2015

GCncsuHD said:
One year later...I finally cut the top down to size and mounted it on top. Went with 3/4" plywood under the top, poly sealed, laid a bead of caulk on the front edge before I set the top to stick it together a bit. I have about 1.5" of overhang on the front and sides, enough to grab material with a clamp if needed.

Haven't fully fastened the top down yet. The vise is just sitting there, I may cut a 24x18 stainless plate to go under that area so I have a work surface to hammer on without denting the wood top. I will fasten it across the front with lags, then through slotted holes with lags in the rear.

IMAG0818 by Garrett, on Flickr

Looks good! Mine is still sitting there, undone, like 1/2 dozen other projects I haven't gotten to yet. Feel free to stop by and knock mine out in your free time.

I (at this time) have 4 different beer types in my refer. But you better hurry, may not last long, it's supposed to be 103f again today.

:beer:

GCncsuHD · Jun 28, 2015

67carl said:
Looks good! Mine is still sitting there, undone, like 1/2 dozen other projects I haven't gotten to yet. Feel free to stop by and knock mine out in your free time.
I (at this time) have 4 different beer types in my refer. But you better hurry, may not last long, it's supposed to be 103f again today.

[emoji481]

Sounds good, if you'd watch the two rugrats, 20mo. and 5mo. that have given me a backlog of projects for years to come.

67carl · Jun 28, 2015

GCncsuHD said:
Sounds good, if you'd watch the two rugrats, 20mo. and 5mo. that have given me a backlog of projects for years to come.

Pass. I just spent fathers day with my niece and nephew. I've been taking this week as recuperation and quiet time. Sorta gave myself a long time out after the trauma that is a 7 year old who, I suspect, mainlines caffeine when no one is looking. Good luck to you.

:willy_nil

Butcher Block Workbench Top Installation on HF 44" Box

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