Revisiting a new workbench build.

[decableguy2000]

So I'm trying to plan out a bench build. I already have a set of Tennsco bench legs https://www.zoro.com/tennsco-flared-leg-3-12-w-x-30-d-x-32-h-gray-l-3230-med-grey/i/G5442543/

I have ruled out using an old solid core door, butcher block would be nice but out the price range. A piece of bowling alley is possible, but would be a trip to go get, and would have a lot of waste due to my space. I'm leaning towards 3 layers of plywood glued together. IF I use the plywood what kind of fastener?

 

[M635_Guy]

What tools do you have access to? What about laminating some 2x4's? I'll probably do that next time. I only have a hand-plane and a router [edit - I have a lot of tools, just not a jointer/planar/etc.] - have seen some cool tricks on YouTube where the router is used to level the top.

 

[k1rodeoboater]

I'm planning on building my next bench top out of laminated SYP. I had one previously from laminated SPF 2x4's which exceeded my expectations. Buy a gallon of titebond, you'll go through most of it.

 

[snickers muncher]

Like the above posters my next bench will be laminated. Either 2x4s or ripped down SYP joists.

 

[k1rodeoboater]

Like the above posters my next bench will be laminated. Either 2x4s or ripped down SYP joists.

Yeah you get way nicer lumber from 2x10s and 2x12s than you do anything smaller. Way more knots in the smaller stuff and often twisted/cupped/bowed significantly.

 

[RTM]

So I'm trying to plan out a bench build. I already have a set of Tennsco bench legs https://www.zoro.com/tennsco-flared-leg-3-12-w-x-30-d-x-32-h-gray-l-3230-med-grey/i/G5442543/ ?

What are your plans for the bench? Serious woodworking, homeowners stuff, engine rebuilding?

I would have different thoughts for each.

 

[decableguy2000]

What are your plans for the bench? Serious woodworking, homeowners stuff, engine rebuilding?

I would have different thoughts for each.

General purpose, a little bit of everything. But want some mass to it to help keep it place.

 

[RTM]

What SSdave said. Whatever you do, you face it with something replaceable.

Plywood is generally soft, as are 2x material. A harder top will prevent wear, but may be too slick.

I have a 2x and 4x laminated top under my lathe, friend left it when he moved. It was a PITA to build even with a power planer, the material he bought was so inconsistent.

If you use screws, mark them so you don't drill into them later.

 

[M635_Guy]

I have a 2x and 4x laminated top under my lathe, friend left it when he moved. It was a PITA to build even with a power planer, the material he bought was so inconsistent.

Yeah - selection of boards is a key part of the process.

There's a great lumber house not too far away from me, and I do think about trying to get some good maple lumber and having them get it nice in their shop, but at $4.50 a foot on sale before they square things up, that's a really expensive top...

I made my workbench out of 4x4 legs with 2x4's that have dado cuts allowing 3/8" threaded rods to go in between and it's seriously stout.

I found a butcher block top on sale at Woodcraft and grabbed the only flat one. It's pretty easily removed - there are clips that are screwed to the bottom of the top that go into a groove cut into the edge of the frame.

I forget what those three sections of wood are that I put in there to make sure there was zero play/movement - something really stout/hard, and in retrospect probably unnecessary. But it's one beefy mofo. I could probably throw it out of a second story window into the yard and it might survive - lol.

 

[lardy1]

I've made several tops from structural lumber. I square the edges then glue them up with biscuit joints every foot or so. You really only need one good side. They're a cheap and fairly durable top that can be easily replaced. I've done it with different widths and, as you'd expect, the narrower the pieces, the easier to keep it flat.

 

[Mr_B]

I'd go with the ply .
top it with tempered hardboard or rubber.
I use ply and rubber in my auto shop and ply last decades if edged with hardwood or alloy trim, the rubber gets cleaned/replaced as needed .
It low cost, easy fabricate and strong .
Some of these benches while a masterpiece of effort and devotion are totally over engineered, over complex and over expensive for more functional and cost efficiency build perspective .

 

[allinon72]

One of the more expensive bare tools I’ve purchased, for something I’ll use once, maybe twice a year Who can help me justify this purchase

 

[Wamsutta]

Check out this link:
http://www.eaa1000.av.org/technicl/worktabl/worktabl.htm

There's two subsequent links on that page.
Click on "Work Table Plans" and "Building Instructions"

 

[M635_Guy]

Some of these benches while a masterpiece of effort and devotion are totally over engineered, over complex and over expensive for more functional and cost efficiency build perspective .

You say that like it's a bad thing

Seriously - it depends on what you're trying to do. If you're trying to be purely functional, what you're describing will work fine of course.

Mine is absolutely everything you described - I'm completely fine with that. It's not exactly furniture, but it is entirely functional and strong. I wanted something I enjoyed making, something I knew would hold up and something that makes me feel good to look at. It didn't really cost that much money (under $200 not including the woodworking vise), and would have been even cheaper if I'd laminated the top myself. But it was an opportunity to use my skills and tools, I learned a lot, and I ended up with a great thing one of my spawn might want someday.

 

[Maddog1337]

I also have some Tennsco legs and I'm not sure on the top material. I'm OK paying a premium for hardwood if it lasts a lifetime. Walnut out of the question... Maple pretty expensive, birch maybe a step down in price? Oak I read splinters too much even though it's relatively high on the Janka hardness scale.

 

[JR 42]

Red oak is the benchmark for domestic hardwoods on the Janka scale IMO, and it's not that hard as far as wood goes. Birch might be a slight step up, hard maple is a definite step up, but it's all still wood. Walnut is a step down. Cumaru and ipe are a big step up, but still wood.

 

[RTM]

Beech is some people’s choice, reasonable hardness.

Some are opposed to anything real hard for a WW bench, or vise jaws, as you don’t want to mar your workpiece. A friend learned this when he dropped an almost complete table top onto his bench top, unintentionally, and had to plane out a scar from the edge. Pine dropped on maple.

 

[rick carpenter]

I made two of these benches back in 12. They're 1-3/4" industrial particle-board doors with sacrificial 1/2" mdf work surfaces. I slobbered about 4 coats of equal part BLO, kerosene, and danish oil over all sides of the mdf. I fully expected to have to replace them every 2-3 years but these are the originals. The inset hardwood block was intended for a small vice, but that went elsewhere. If you wanted to re-consider the solid core door, these have held up better than I ever thought they would.

 

[orangeblood]

my $0.02:

laminate two pieces of 3/4" BC plywood to create a 1.5" thick bench (make the B sides the top/bottom). Top the surface space where you plan to do non-woodworking with a piece of sheet metal with an edge lip (and back splash if needed). a fab place can make this out whatever you want or budget allows.

if you dont have clamps and cauls for the glue up, you can glue and screw the pieces together from the under side. there are youtubes showing how to do this.

a 1.5" thick plywood bench can be made quick and cheap. it will be strong and FLAT. i have two 8 foot benches like this. the woodwork (non mechanic) bench is finished with 3 coats of poly. the other bench is topped with sheet metal. both are 16 years old and still in good shape.

 

[M635_Guy]

Beech is some people’s choice, reasonable hardness.

Some are opposed to anything real hard for a WW bench, or vise jaws, as you don’t want to mar your workpiece. A friend learned this when he dropped an almost complete table top onto his bench top, unintentionally, and had to plane out a scar from the edge. Pine dropped on maple.

I went back and forth on that topic when I was building my bench, and came down on the side of pine. I'd rather protect the stuff I'm working on than the bench, it absorbs vibration well, it's cheap, etc.

 

[M635_Guy]

(I can't believe there's not a central Workbench topic here - I couldn't find one anyway).

I was searching for other things and came across the plans for my bench:
https://www.finewoodworking.com/membership/pdf/164529/GSIW_workbench.pdf

I deviated from it in a few ways - I used a butcher-block top that Woodcraft had on sale, and I dropped some seriously beefy wood under the top with bracing wood for it... for reasons I don't exactly remember. I didn't want any play from the clips, and I think I was worried it would warp - I'd wandered into the store for something else, and saw them on sale for $79 or $89. I think mine was the only one that wasn't warped or twisted.

The threaded rod running through the frame makes it really (really) sturdy, and of course you could use beefier stretchers and thicker rod to make it even more so. I like the S-clips that hold the top to the frame - they hold well and if I ever need to replace the top it should be quite fairly easy.

As it happens, in today's mail I noticed a similar kind of sale was on again:

$110 isn't bad at all if the thing is flat, and mine has stayed very flat (though it did swell where some oil/ATF leaked on it and sat a while - I dried it out as well as I could and then planed it flat again).