New Workbench !

[Greg Scull]

Well Since SMC was down today and I had nothing else to do I headed out to pick up the wood for my "new" workbench.

Many have discounted its merits as a bench top and what a royal PITA it is to make it work for you but I wasn't going to let that stop me. Wood is the maple approach of a bowling lane.



When I got there we had a about an hour flipping these approaches over finding ones that weren't water damaged.

I picked out one with 9 feet x 2 ft with no damage and we loaded it up!

[Leigh Betsch]

How thick is it. Looks like a good way to save some work!

[Greg Scull]

How thick is it. Looks like a good way to save some work!

Its about 2 3/4 in thick.
Unfortunately it isn't going to save any work!! Its nailed together ( with an ridiculous amount of nails) and I am planning on wedging the boards apart, aligning the grain and gluing back together with titebond III to make a proper, stiff flat top. I am also thinking that after the power planer there will be a fair amount of hand flattening that will need to take place.

It saved a chunk of $$ as I picked up 16 FT x 42" of 2 3/4" thick rock maple for 50$ but it will be a LOT of work to get it to be the top of my first real bench for hand work.

I was really hoping they had some that had seen less water to make into butcher block counter tops for the kitchen, but that will have to be for Next time! he is getting more in a few weeks!

[Jim Koepke]

It saved a chunk of $$ as I picked up 16 FT x 42" of 2 3/4" thick rock maple for 50$

Dang, if I had $50 and gas money I would almost be compelled to drive down and pick one up myself.

Nice gloat.

jtk

[John Eaton]

I don't know if I would bother taking it apart - I've seen one that was handled that way and after planing there was quite a bit of wood loss. It might be better if you used it as a temp on your bench until you can make one, then remand to a secondary bench. JMHO.

-- John