Hardwood tops for Snap-On Box
- Thread starter tampascl
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Adam McLaughlin
Well-known member
Hummm... I too would be interested in seeing this!
Adam
Adam
I looked around for alternatives, but ended up going the Ikea route as nothing that I could find was cheaper.
Im putting an Ikea butcher block top on my Vidmar Cabinet this weekend. I bought the top at Ikea 61 x 31 (or so) for $79. I'll cut it in half double it up and trim it to exact size, and I'll end up with a 2.5 inch thick top. Thing weighs about 60 pounds.
Im putting an Ikea butcher block top on my Vidmar Cabinet this weekend. I bought the top at Ikea 61 x 31 (or so) for $79. I'll cut it in half double it up and trim it to exact size, and I'll end up with a 2.5 inch thick top. Thing weighs about 60 pounds.
Slip_Kid
Well-known member
You could get oak 3/4" tongue and grove flooring for $50.00 a bundle. Glue them together and cut to fit your top. Or get the 1-1/2" thick pre-made oak stair treads ($25.00 each) at 4' long, glue them together and cut to fit.
I was going to say the same thing, I have heard nothing but good things about these and will be the way I go when I build my workbench. But depending on how you are planning on using it the IKEA version would work too.
rsanter
Well-known member
home depot and lowes can order different sized butcher blocl tops for cabinets and islands.
you can also order them through the internet or go to a cabinet shop
bob
you can also order them through the internet or go to a cabinet shop
bob
Vinko
Well-known member
I didn't know about this from McMaster. Good idea. Probably a lot more reasonably priced than SO.
Burgerkong
Well-known member
McMaster wants $274 for a 60" x 30" x 2 1/4" thick (radiused or straight-edged) maple top.
Still pretty pricey. Not enough of a savings for me, given that I have to cut it and it isn't SO-branded.
nate379
Banned
How about just a sheet of nice plywood? Can get oak or birch. Sure it won't be "as nice" but $50 for a sheet of ply is nicer!
Burgerkong
Well-known member
I'd actually go for several layers of Baltic Birch.
Mickey O
Well-known member
That's really not a bad price, but the Ikea idea sounds very interesting, looking forward to the pictures (someone better post some pictures).
Just keep in mind the thickness of each one also, I'm not sure how thick the SO top is but the IKEA top is 1.5" while the Mc Master is 2.25" so dependig on what you are doing on this top you may like the extra 3/4" thickness. But like I said not sure how thick the SO top is so it is hard to compare prices.
moronmountain
Well-known member
Plywood is however a LOT stronger than regular hardwood, and baltic birch cleans up really nice.
66HertzClone
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I can vouch for the quality of the McMaster Carr top, it is beyond any doubt a high quality piece. I have one on my first bench and one from another supplier on my new bench. There is no comparison, the new top weighs half the McMaster top, the wood has a much finer and tighter grain than the new one. My tops are 1 3/4 thick.
As we often have said, "if I had only known", I would have spent the extra cash and bought another.
As we often have said, "if I had only known", I would have spent the extra cash and bought another.
If you are a bit of a woodworker, you should be able to make something serviceable in your shop. Below are a few tops made from scrap wood that was originally brought home to burn in my stove. The tops range in thicknesses of about 1 to 2", but could have been built up thicker. The first two are finished with "Spar" (marine) varnish. The material is both hard maple and white oak, the 4 X 4" sticks are hard maple awaiting future projects. All this material started off as crates and skids. Not all the wood is suitable, but it is always sorted and saved, as I cut it up for firewood.
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nissan_crawler
Well-known member
I used a solid core entrance door. A 36" door will give you plenty to cut the keyhole off for a 30" box. The lip keeps tools from rolling off, a big issue I have with any of the truck store tops.
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nate379
Banned
Even a softwood top would work too.
My Dad's shop countertop is a butcher block top he made out of ripped 2x4s. He built it back in the early 90s... I would say around 91 or 92 and it's still in great shape.
My Dad's shop countertop is a butcher block top he made out of ripped 2x4s. He built it back in the early 90s... I would say around 91 or 92 and it's still in great shape.
I made one for my box out of left over maple flooring. The grade is actually called "rocky mountain", which includes pieces with mineral staining, knots, and other defects. In essence I took some dimensional lumber and ripped it into strips to make a frame under the maple. Then I just laid the flooring across it just as you would on a floor using a flooring nailer. For the end pieces I ripped the tongue side off, mitered the corners and biscuit/plate joined them to the top. Here is the result, which is way better than having that lip sticking up and getting chipped when you lay tools and other items on top of the box.
I made one for my box out of left over maple flooring. The grade is actually called "rocky mountain", which includes pieces with mineral staining, knots, and other defects. In essence I took some dimensional lumber and ripped it into strips to make a frame under the maple. Then I just laid the flooring across it just as you would on a floor using a flooring nailer. For the end pieces I ripped the tongue side off, mitered the corners and biscuit/plate joined them to the top. Here is the result, which is way better than having that lip sticking up and getting chipped when you lay tools and other items on top of the box.
That looks great. I may have to snag that idea from you.
I've got a solid core door above my (Chinese-made) tool box. I've got the Ikea 72.5"x39"x1.5" birch top on a bench in the middle of the garage. I've got a 2" maple top that I got second hand off of a Lista bench on top of my own steel frame on another bench. I've got plywood doubled up on a fold down bench along one wall. (The rest of my work surfaces are steel, between 1/8" and 1" thick.)
The maple from the second-hand Lista bench is possibly nicer than the birch from Ikea. But I can only say possibly. I don't really notice a difference in everyday use. Neither holds a candle to the solid core door, honestly -- and it was only $40.
(And for heavy pounding, there's no beating the inch-thick steel.)
Here's the Ikea piece before I stained it:
Here's the bench with the Chinese tool box and the solid core door:
This picture shows the Ikea one stained, as well as the Lista one in the background and the steel top in the foreground.
Opposite angle of the whole place:
One good Snap On tool box would cost more than my whole garage.
The maple from the second-hand Lista bench is possibly nicer than the birch from Ikea. But I can only say possibly. I don't really notice a difference in everyday use. Neither holds a candle to the solid core door, honestly -- and it was only $40.
(And for heavy pounding, there's no beating the inch-thick steel.)
Here's the Ikea piece before I stained it:
Here's the bench with the Chinese tool box and the solid core door:
This picture shows the Ikea one stained, as well as the Lista one in the background and the steel top in the foreground.
Opposite angle of the whole place:
One good Snap On tool box would cost more than my whole garage.
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Slip_Kid
Well-known member
I've got a solid core door above my (Chinese-made) tool box. I've got the Ikea 72.5"x39"x1.5" birch top on a bench in the middle of the garage. I've got a 2" maple top that I got second hand off of a Lista bench on top of my own steel frame on another bench. I've got plywood doubled up on a fold down bench along one wall. (The rest of my work surfaces are steel, between 1/8" and 1" thick.)
The maple from the second-hand Lista bench is possibly nicer than the birch from Ikea. But I can only say possibly. I don't really notice a difference in everyday use. Neither holds a candle to the solid core door, honestly -- and it was only $40.
(And for heavy pounding, there's no beating the inch-thick steel.)
Here's the Ikea piece before I stained it:
Here's the bench with the Chinese tool box and the solid core door:
This picture shows the Ikea one stained, as well as the Lista one in the background and the steel top in the foreground.
Opposite angle of the whole place:
One good Snap On tool box would cost more than my whole garage.
That setup looks sweet, nice job on the garage.