Benchtop from 2x material?

[Rob Horton]

I'm thinking of building my first bench. Well one that's not made out of plywood anyway. I'd like to have a traditional workbench but I'm not really ready to shell out the big bucks for a maple top just yet.

So I'm thinking of using 2x4s and laminating them together for the top. Basically for a couple of reasons.

1) It's cheap.
2) It should be fairly durable.

Am I way off on any of this? Has anyone ever done it and if so, would you do it again?

Thanks,

[lou sansone]

dear Rob

Since this is not a "keeper" bench, and you don't want to spend a lot of money, you could simply use a solid core door for the top. A lot of times you can find them at a salvage place for about 10-20 bucks and they are really pretty flat and stronger in my opinion then some of the 2x4's now.

good luck

[Russell Svenningsen]

I built the bench featured in one of PW's articles. I used 2X material from HD. Jointed it, planed it, glued it together. I love it. It works great. Yes, it's much softer than maple, but I don't feel badly when I drop a chisel on it, or some varnish drips onto it. It is easy to flatten periodically and works just fine for my needs.

On the positive side, it doesn't damage softer woods, poplar springs to mind, like maple would.

All in all, I would do it again.

Best,
Russell

[John Hemenway]

Take a look at http://www.terraclavis.com/bws/beginners.htm

To quote Mr. Key, "Key’s First Law of Bench Building states: Any woodworker who builds a bench will want to build a second one."

Seems like the first one should be cheap!

[everett lowell]

Rob, go for it! I just comleted my bench top and Im now starting the trestle. I made the top out of 12 jointed and planed kiln dried 2x4's from home depot.the outside of the bench made from 2x6's. It has a front vise and a tail vise, both I bought from lee valley,the vises together cost me $115.00 with the handles.The complete bench when Im done should cost me about $225.00.Not bad!It has a single row of dog holes spaced 5" apart and 2" in from the front edge.I coated her with boiled linseed oil and she looks great if I say so myself!Im going to post pics in a couple days.:)

[bill walton]

How are you drilling the holes perpendicular to the top. When I built mine, I hand drilled the holes and not a one of them is square to the top. My fault and technique error was to blamebut I want to do better the 2nd time around.
TIA

[James Carmichael]

I'm thinking of building my first bench. Well one that's not made out of plywood anyway. I'd like to have a traditional workbench but I'm not really ready to shell out the big bucks for a maple top just yet.

So I'm thinking of using 2x4s and laminating them together for the top. Basically for a couple of reasons.

1) It's cheap.
2) It should be fairly durable.

Am I way off on any of this? Has anyone ever done it and if so, would you do it again?

Thanks,

Rob,

OK, I haven't built one myself yet, but I've sure read a lot about it...

I think a lot of folks are intimidated by cost when they see laminated hardwood benchtops selling for $300+. Yes, some do include vises, to be fair, but a 60x24x2 benchtop consists of 20 board feet of hardwood. Around here, I can get 8/4 maple for around $3.25 pbf. Adding the 20% factor, that's only about $80 for your benchtop if you've got a jointer, clamps, etc. I've been eyeing 8/4 ash, which is even cheaper ($2.40 pbf). A 9" Shop Fox QR vise can be had for around $60 from A&I Supply.

The only reason I'm hestiating is too many irons in the fire and not enough space, I already have a sturdy 72x24 plywood/masonite-topped bench my dad built as a reloading bench back in the 70s. I'd never part with it, so I may have to make it into a multi-function WW bench/table, or, trim off some of the top and give it a hardwood skirt with dog holes.

I can't imagine a project much more fun than building your own ww bench.

[everett lowell]

Bill, I drilled my holes with a 3/4'' spade bit just eyeballing it.This may come back to haunt me but I put in my brass benchdogs I got from lee valley and clamprd a couple of boards on it,i think Ill be o.k. I was going to clamp a framing square between two blocks of wood to use as a guide but didnt bother sometimes I rush too much!:rolleyes:

[Dan Mages]

It will be more economical to screw or nail a .75" piece of Melamine to a 2x frame and legs. It also has the advantages of being lighter weight and having a flat, smooth top. Melamine is also good because it is easy to remove glue that ends up on the bench.

Dan

[Rob Horton]

Take a look at http://www.terraclavis.com/bws/beginners.htm

To quote Mr. Key, "Key’s First Law of Bench Building states: Any woodworker who builds a bench will want to build a second one."

Seems like the first one should be cheap!

This is a great site for what I'm doing! Thanks!

[Rob Horton]

Well this certainly is a popular topic - more so than I would have thought. I'm gonna go for it.

I'm wondering though if I even need to joint the wide faces of the boards or not. Seems like they would glue up okay to me but maybe not.

[Maurice Ungaro]

Rob,
This is the same bench that I built as my first woodworking project. It taught me a lot of skills, not the least of which was how to use my hand planes to smooth out and flatten the top, as well as chopping mortises, etc. I loved the process, and actually got so addicted to using the #7 jointer plane that I got tendonitis in my right elbow!

I think you'll find that the heft and mass of a bench like this one will serve you well when working on projects, as it doesn't tend to move when you don't want it to. Two tips for you:

make sure to relieve the edges of the top and legs - they can be rather sharp, and can splinter if whacked;
to drill the dog holes (I use the round brass ones from LV), make a simple jig with at least 2 holes, spaced the way you want them, and attach another piece at 90 degrees, in order to register the jig against the leadeing edge of the top. Clamp it in place, and drill the first set of holes. Unclamp, and slide the jig aling the top, using the last hole drilled as a reference (place a dog through the jig into the bench top), and continue like this until you've placed all your holes.
Good luck with it, and have fun. Remember, you'll probably do a good bit of sharpening of chisels and plane irons, but that's part of the fun. BTW, the only thing I used a power tool for was to drill the dog holes. HAVE A BLAST!

Maurice

[Peter Gavin]

Okay. This thread has convinced me to build a first time 'cheap' bench. What vises do you recommend (and where is the least expensive place to get them). And is there any way to figure out the requirements for mounting the vices before you recieve them (I'll go mail order but I may as well get started while SWMBO is out of town for a week). And I suppose I'll need 'dogs' and 'hold down' so you may as well just tell me where to get those too. Maybe I should just send a check to SMC and wait for everything to be delivered:D .

Thanks for the help.

Peter

[Tom Scott]

Rob,
You can make a really great bench by laminating 2x (Southern Yellow) pine for the top. I've been using mine for a couple of years now. I may eventually build a beautiful show-off bench one of these days, but it will be because I want a beautiful bench not because I need one.

Regarding dogs and dog holes...consider using square dogs. You can route / dado these prior to laminating and it is a lot easier. Then you can make your own wooden dogs out of whatever scrap hardwood you have.

A couple other comments...
1) Think about what type work you will be doing and adjust the height accordingly. Will you be doing a lot of hand-planing, or just sanding?
2) Instead of 2x4's, consider ripping 2x8's in half. 2x8 material is usually has fewer knots, is straighter, and has less chance of twist. Check over all the boards carefully when you purchase...it will make your life easier later.
3) Buy your vice(s) before you start construction. These can affect where your dog holes go, how much overhang is required at the ends, and size of the base.

Now the big question...Toolwell or not?

Tom Scott

[Rob Horton]

Rob,
You can make a really great bench by laminating 2x (Southern Yellow) pine for the top. I've been using mine for a couple of years now. I may eventually build a beautiful show-off bench one of these days, but it will be because I want a beautiful bench not because I need one.

Regarding dogs and dog holes...consider using square dogs. You can route / dado these prior to laminating and it is a lot easier. Then you can make your own wooden dogs out of whatever scrap hardwood you have.

A couple other comments...
1) Think about what type work you will be doing and adjust the height accordingly. Will you be doing a lot of hand-planing, or just sanding?
2) Instead of 2x4's, consider ripping 2x8's in half. 2x8 material is usually has fewer knots, is straighter, and has less chance of twist. Check over all the boards carefully when you purchase...it will make your life easier later.
3) Buy your vice(s) before you start construction. These can affect where your dog holes go, how much overhang is required at the ends, and size of the base.

Now the big question...Toolwell or not?

Tom Scott

Tom,

I'm going with a toolwell. I've done some study on that and I think the benefits outweigh the negatives (for me anyway).

The biggest benefit for me is that, not having a huge shop, I can't easily lay a tool "off to the side" without it being on the benchtop. Inevitably, I then need to lay something flat on the bench top - which means clearing tools first - then putting them back when I need to work them again. Well, you can see how that would go.

Again, that's just me.

The big question for me on the toolwell is, side mounted like a classic European style or center mounted?

I've read that the center mounted basically allows for a work surface on either side of the toolwell and then the toolwell can even be open on the ends for easy sweep out of chips and debris. And interesting thought, I thought ;)

[Tom Scott]

Tom,

I'm going with a toolwell. I've done some study on that and I think the benefits outweigh the negatives (for me anyway).

The biggest benefit for me is that, not having a huge shop, I can't easily lay a tool "off to the side" without it being on the benchtop. Inevitably, I then need to lay something flat on the bench top - which means clearing tools first - then putting them back when I need to work them again. Well, you can see how that would go.

Again, that's just me.

The big question for me on the toolwell is, side mounted like a classic European style or center mounted?

I've read that the center mounted basically allows for a work surface on either side of the toolwell and then the toolwell can even be open on the ends for easy sweep out of chips and debris. And interesting thought, I thought ;)

If space is critical, then the center tool well may not be for you as they tend to result in a wider bench. You also don't get as large a surface to work on from any one side. I worked on one in a class setting and they were fine for that, but don't think I would like it full time. See attached link and scroll to the bottom Homestead Heritage (http://homesteadheritage.com/woodworking/woodworking.html)
However, if your bench can sit in the center of your shop, then there may definitely be benefits.

Tom

[Jeff Sudmeier]

I have seen both a center tool well and a rear tool well. I personally like the rear tool well best, except in a classroom setting. In a classroom setting, it is nice to have a center well, so that students can work on both sides.

[Jeff Sudmeier]

Also, If you have not seen the current post on the 2x4 benchtop completed thread (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=16908) check it out.

[Kelly C. Hanna]

I did exactly that but using 2x6's...edge jointed them and so far it's working out great!!