Seville workbench question?

[Chez]

Hey just picked up the Seville workbench but I noticed on the bottom side of the wood top is 3 parallel 1/4" saw cuts which run the length of the wood. Is this normal and what's it for (expansion?) Can someone check theirs and see if they have the same thing, so I can continue putting mine together. Thx.

 

[higXtech]

prevents the top from warping (cupping)

 

[junk4dummies]

Your bench is fine. As psoted it keeps it form cupping.

Wood expands and contracts. When you bolt it down it can swell and push against the bolts causing it to buckle. In furniture they make the screw wholes slotted. They pin or screw the center then the screws that go out form the middle on the ends are slotted. This lets the top expand and contract. They never glue the entire end piece on a table top. They do but it does not work. There is a real art to furniture making.

I have seen this on other bench tops. If they just made a slot in the steel so the bolts or lag screws could slide on the metal legs would be just fine. They are not using top grade lumber and they know it will expand and contract so the cut the kerf's. A kerf is a small cut.

I got old bowling alley lanes and made my tops out of them. You can't find them anymore like you did 30 or 40 years ago.

Put your bench together and put you coffee down and leave a wring. You got to break it in right. LOL