Worktop - Nice or Cheap

[MFGENG]

I'm torn between making a new workbench top with a:

Nice butcher block, with in-laid american flag and epoxy on top covering it all

Or

Two sheets of ply glued together

On one hand, the first option would be super sweet, but I could never really do anything on it. The second option I could do whatever I wanted including screwing projects down, painting, staining.....

Or do I make a cover to do that for me....

 

[Stuart in MN]

It wouldn't be an official US flag, but even so I'd feel funny about putting the image on a workbench - do you really want to be hammering on stuff or getting grease and dirt all over it? Hang a real flag on the wall, and leave the bench top for dirty work.

 

[Hubscrub66]

If it's like mine it's covered with **** most of the time lol. If you want to make something nice hang it up to display.

 

[fourjeepin]

Plywood for me. I try not to drill, cut, or grind into the top but it happens. As do spills and burns weld splatter.

 

[OneOfEm]

Mine has an inset for a piece of tempered hardboard which I then hit with a couple coats of poly. When it gets too chewed up, I'll flip it. When that side goes, I'll replace it and have a brand new top.

 

[ssdave]

The last bench I made I put a top on it that was made out of two 3/4" thick particle board sheets with 1/2" of mdf sheet on top of it. The intent was the mdf was sacrificial. I occasionally screwed stuff into it, wrote on it, sanded it off when it got dirty. In about 8 years of use, I didn't have to replace it; it was a lot more durable than I expected.

A workbench is made to be used. I'd put whatever top on it that you'd feel comfortable pounding on, nailing on, maybe even putting hot things on. I wouldn't put a top on it that you'd be mad if your young son broke a jawbreaker on it and made a dent. (see this thread for how worked up some guys can get over a workbench being used as intended)
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=359967

If you want to make a piece of artwork, do that and hang it on a wall somewhere.

 

[Mikeybc]

The last bench I made I put a top on it that was made out of two 3/4" thick particle board sheets with 1/2" of mdf sheet on top of it. The intent was the mdf was sacrificial. I occasionally screwed stuff into it, wrote on it, sanded it off when it got dirty. In about 8 years of use, I didn't have to replace it; it was a lot more durable than I expected.

A workbench is made to be used. I'd put whatever top on it that you'd feel comfortable pounding on, nailing on, maybe even putting hot things on. I wouldn't put a top on it that you'd be mad if your young son broke a jawbreaker on it and made a dent. (see this thread for how worked up some guys can get over a workbench being used as intended)
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=359967

If you want to make a piece of artwork, do that and hang it on a wall somewhere.

My bench is also an MDF top screwed to 2x4 slats running front to back...it's very solid. The MDF is holding up suprisingly well to oil spills and other abuse. No worries of splinters either and it's cheap.

 

[Ditch]

function > form

 

[finn]

I'd go with butcher block, given your two choices, mainly because the surface is denser and harder, so it will be easier to clean up spills.

Bench tops are consumable, with the possible exception of stainless or mild steel plate.

 

[Falcon67]

I used a 3/4 ply base plus 7/16 OSB glued as a unit. Topped with 1/8 hardboard attached with daubs of RTV so it could be replaced if needed. Trimmed the front to hide the layers and painted the top with gray garage/porch paint. going on 6 years, still in good shape. Even after building 60 lb cast iron cylinder heads on the surface.

 

[kTHREE]

Just 3/4 in plywood here, the minute something pretty for a garage work surface would cross my mind is the day I hire others to do my bidding.

 

[Richard Cranium]

your choice, it is either a show bench or a work bench.

 

[-Brent-]

Make the workbench surface to be worked on. Save the epoxied flag for a coffee table or the like.

 

[kbs2244]

Mine is sacrificial.
Cheap white Masonite that is replaced as needed.
They sell it as bathroom paneling.
Since I don't care about pattern and don't need a full sheet I often get a damaged sheet for dimes on the dollar.

 

[77thor]

Are you just gonna look at it or are you gonna actually use it?
No brainer.

 

[bobcatdan]

1/4" steel plate. I hate wood top benches.

 

[isb cornbinder]

I am Canadian. The American Flag Code is a good read. It is easy to disrespect your flag and a person should know the rules or possibly face prosecution and maybe anger from friends and neighbours. I was reading some history of violations of the flag code. In one case a person got so angry over what he felt was another persons disrespect of the flag and he killed the violator.
Canadian are more relaxed about our flag. I would like to see more passion on these things, north of the 49th.

 

[DC73]

I'm torn between making a new workbench top with a:

Nice butcher block, with in-laid american flag and epoxy on top covering it all

Or

Two sheets of ply glued together

Do the nice one. Anyone can glue two sheets of plywood together. You'll have something no one else has. You can always make the epoxy layer thick enough to be able to repair the surface when needed. And, you can keep a rubber mat around to protect the surface when the going gets tough. Even if the top gets worn and roughed up, it will have character two sheets of plywood can never match.

DC

 

[rburke65]

I'd do the flag and I would use it. Who ya going to save it for.? Enjoy it.

 

[Mikeybc]

Deleted

 

[driftpin]

I ripped a 3/4" 4' x 8' lengthwise, glued & screwed it together, and bought a 24" x 96" piece of 3/16" mild steel from the local steel supplier I visit. That was through-bolted to the steel frame. A very durable surface, I use mineral spirits and wax to keep it clean, and no worrying about pounding on it and damaging anything. It should outlast me.

 

[James-W]

It's a workbench. A workbench is a place to do work. It doesn't need to be "pretty", it just needs to be practical and fairly durable.

 

[lowbucktruck]

A solid-core door. I ripped one down to the right width, and it was functional and cheap. A little treatment with some linseed oil (or something else not too flammable) does the trick. Or just spill enough oil on the work top, haha.

 

[isb cornbinder]

Spelling corrected. Thanks.

 

[evintho]

A workbench is just that.......a bench for working on. Mine is two sheets of 3/4" plywood glued/screwed together and covered by a sheet of 1/4" hardboard which is screwed to the plywood and bordered by furring strips.

After 15 years of abuse it started to look a little ragged. So, I simply removed the old hardboard and furring strips and replaced 'em with new ones. Took about a hour and cost next to nothing.

 

[cvairwerks]

Dirty bench gets plywood or MDF tops. Electronics bench get butcher block or solid surface tops.

 

[Matt M PA]

My work bench (used to be my Dad's) is the typical particle board with a thin layer of Masonite. It's what my Dad liked....

Anyhow...I keep it covered with white vinyl...like they make banners from. It's easy to clean, easy to see things on...and easy to replace when it's beat up and worn...

 

[timbitca]

Look on craigslist or whichever classifieds works for you.

I was going to do two sheets of 1/2" ply laminated for mine. The night before I was going to do go buy the stuff, I ended up getting 5 slabs of roughly 4'x28" of 3/4" ply laminated for 25$. It had a bunch of small nail/staple holes since it used to be some sort of store display, but for a workbench top and at that price I wasn't too fussy.

I've got all the holes filled in, now I just need to stop being lazy/putting it off and throw some stain and poly on it so I can use it properly.

I'm currently looking for some sort of steel plate I can use on a section of the bench though.

 

[bczygan]

 

[jbibler]

I just picked up (4) solid wood doors on craigslist in the free section. They are obviously used and have hardware on them. I'll remove everything and sand them down. Nice, heavy, solid wood tops for free. You can obviously buy these slabs too, but just another idea. I got two 30" and two 36" which can be cut or modified. Good idea for workbench tops.

Josh B.

 

[66Caprice]

If you are using a raw wood surface. Then you should seal it with some sort of sealer to keep it from soaking up any spilled fluids. Once wood gets oil and grease or any other flammable liquids soaked into it. It will burn just like a candle and make it that much more difficult to extinguish. Your daily public service announcement! 66.

 

[rharman]

A number of years ago (maybe 20?), my wife bought cabinets for my garage as a gift. A local closet company did them. I could have built them but there are times when a credit card is the best tool.

A LOT of cabinets all around the garage and drawer bottoms for my 10' workbench. She insisted on a butcher block top. I was leery of the price but, as usual, she was right. That top is awesome.

I have a piece of ~3/32" steel plate that I've used for probably 40 years on my bench top at one end. Approx. 24" x 24" and I mount the vise on that end. Worked great on the butcher block.

I disagree with the line of thought that says "plywood = work" and "butcher block = show".

Granted, I won't screw anything into it, but that has never stopped me from accomplishing any task.

 

[thatguysb]

Plywood does a good job, but i dont have my vice mounted to the table, thats mounted to a solid steel table with a 5/8 steel top.

 

[Falcon67]

Here is one more perspective - new benches start out like this:

Because it's new and cool and man, look at all the space I have to do stuff. Then the natural attraction between "stuff" and flat surfaces takes over and...

You can't even see the bench top anymore unless you scrape everything off on the floor.

 

[Farrier]

Don't dis-respect the flag

 

[MFGENG]

Made a little progress. Decided on a laminated plywood top, and throwing the flag on some nice cherry ply and some clear to hang on the wall.

 

[GTO]

The flag is for display purposes only,not to perform work on.
Like the Canadian poster said.....read the Flag Code,probably a good idea.
Just my .02

 

[Rich+]

It sounds like the decision has been made, but on my benches I build them a standard size of 2'x4' and will cut a sheet of OSB into 2x4 sheets. There is a decent bench top that I never see, and on top I screw down the OSB which gets changed out a couple times a year.

 

[ndnchf]

FWIW - I have a bench made from old 2x6s, been using it for 25+ years. But I got tired of stuff falling between the cracks. Last month I did a workbench makeover. I cleared it all off and screwed down a sheet of 5/16" tempered hardboard, then gave it a couple coats of sealer. If it gets beat up, its maybe a 1 hour job to change it out for a new one. But I'm very pleased with it for the time being.

 

[MFGENG]

@GTO, it will stay on the wall as it should. Got asked to make a few for some friends too.