Need quick work bench ideas

[JoeFin]

I'm out of time - have to go back to work Monday - but not before moving 10 - 12 ton of machines and building some shelving to hold all the small items,

Has anyone tried a polyester resin (fiberglass Resin) on a work bench ?

Was thinking to bolt 2x4s together like a butcher block top, sand it in together, and then coat it with a generous amount of polyester resin

Any ideas pictures would be appreciated

 

[rice rocket]

Don't use polyester resin for anything, ever.

#1, it's way inferior to epoxy. It's not has hard, it's porous and absorbs water, and delaminates from wood much easier than epoxy.
#2, the fumes degrade your central nervous system.

Yeah, it's more expensive, but I'd rather spend a little more than lose brain function and become a vegetable.

 

[JoeFin]

Go buy a bench if you're in a hurry.

If I could find one that would hold the weight - I would go that route

By small items I mean like

Dividing Head - 150 lbs

Grinding Fixture +100 lbs

Rotory Table + 150 lbs

Spare vises 100 lbs each

Spare chucks 70 - 100 lbs each

Right angle Head off the horizontal +200 lbs


Got any ideas ?

Stainless top isn't out of the question but any suggestions as for the rest would be appreciated

 

[LeeG]

Get a used solid core door and build a solid frame of 2x4's to hold it with maybe 4x4 legs. Pretty sure you could park a truck on my dad's old bench that he made that way.

If you had more time and access to some woodworking machinery, you could face join a bunch of 2x4's to make a real solid top.

Take a look at the small bench with the 3 vices hanging from the side in the first photo of my garage in the link in my tagline.

 

[nicksnothereman]

I'm out of time - have to go back to work Monday - but not before moving 10 - 12 ton of machines and building some shelving to hold all the small items,

Has anyone tried a polyester resin (fiberglass Resin) on a work bench ?

Was thinking to bolt 2x4s together like a butcher block top, sand it in together, and then coat it with a generous amount of polyester resin

Any ideas pictures would be appreciated

Probably cheaper just to buy the butcher block man. Depends on the length though.

When I use studs for furniture I don't usually finish it with anything crazy (besides minwax) so I can repair it easily when I inevitably drill into it. If you ain't drilling then this should be fine.

 

[jetnow1]

2x4's make a lousy top, they are not perfectly straight, they move quite a bit, and they
will usually shrink. Add to that the time to put together and plane flat and you would be better off with many other options.

 

[Firebrick43]

2x4's make a lousy top, they are not perfectly straight, they move quite a bit, and they
will usually shrink. Add to that the time to put together and plane flat and you would be better off with many other options.

As long as they are dry the work excellent. Won't be fast though as it takes time to dry the glue. I have built 3 benches with laminated tops. Cut 2x4 to rough length and run a pass or two on each side. Predrill holes in each 2x4 (on the 3 1/2 face) in the center every 6". 1/2 of them should be offset 3" to the other half. Spread a thick coat of pva wood glue and use good construction screws 2 1/2" long. Put a piece of wax paper down to keep glue squeeze out in check and glue and screw the boards together. I usually do two boards each morning while drinking my coffee. I remove the screws the next morning and use in the next layer but if you never want to drill/mount something to the top you can leave them.

When every thing is glued up the hand power plane is used to hog the top and a jack plane to finish. And knot holes of defects are filled with a fumed silica thickened epoxy and after hardened. If you alternate growth rings while glueing up and seal its stable and I have not seen a wood work bench as solid, similar to 3/4" steel in stiffness. A piece out 1/4 Masonite on top give a good slick surface that's cheap and disposable if things are scarred up.

Also I can build a stout bench for less than 100$. Yes it takes more time but is much cheaper than several inches of laminated ply/mdf.

The bases I make out of 2 2x4's laminated together for legs and top/bottom fore and aft stretchers. In the back a 2x6 is the x axis stretcher. All are mortise and tenndon construction. Lay out and cut rabbet in the legs so when laminate the legs the rabbets form the mortise.

http://www.picnicpark.org/keith/woodworking/workbench/BobAndDavesGoodFastAndCheapBench-ne.pdf