Doug Hobkirk
12-15-2011, 7:20 PM
I am making a workbench for a shared workshop for a non-profit that recycles household goods on a big scale - the building is about 7,000 square feet, the workshop is about 25x30. We repair donated furniture, salvaging parts out of furniture that cannot be saved.
I am building the bench out of wood we have on hand.
I built the carcass out of 3/4" plywood with some extra bracing - it's rock solid.
The 30x60 top is 2 layers of 3/4" plywood glued and screwed, with a longitudinal and 2 cross braces made of some magnificent plywood (1" thick, 5 or 5" wide, about 14 plies - I didn't see what piece of furniture they came from, but maybe fancy bunk beds).
I added a 20" wide clamp on the end (1" proud, allowing for the top layer described below)
The edge will be faced with 3/4" maple, 2 1/2 wide, matching the top thickness
I want to use 1" of solid oak for the top that I made from left-over table extensions.
I have planed the oak (I have a DeWalt planer in my home shop).
The oak is not continuous strips - I have two 11" wide pieces (40" and 32"), three 9" wide pieces (38", 11", and 11"), and two 10" wide pieces (42" and 30").
Everything is cut square and it all fits together properly.
I plan to layout the wood so the joints are staggered as best possible (I cut the 9" wide boards [They will be in the center] into 3 pieces rather than two at 42" and 30" to improve the stagger effect)
How should I attach the oak to the top? I have access to both sides of the plywood substrate (the beamed top can be lifted off the base carcass).
Glue each piece to the plywood and them screw it from the bottom, screws every 5 or 6inches?
Just screw it to allow for seasonal change? The shop is inside, the building temperature is at least 60 in the winter and never above 75 in the summer.
I plan to put biscuits every 9-10" - or is that a waste of time?
I do have a Kreg setup, so I can also join that way also.
I plan on sanding the top to about 120 and finishing with oil.
Thanks!
PS - A shared workshop (about 10 regular users and 6-8 occasional users, as many as four simultaneously) is quite a different experience than my personal workshop!
I am building the bench out of wood we have on hand.
I built the carcass out of 3/4" plywood with some extra bracing - it's rock solid.
The 30x60 top is 2 layers of 3/4" plywood glued and screwed, with a longitudinal and 2 cross braces made of some magnificent plywood (1" thick, 5 or 5" wide, about 14 plies - I didn't see what piece of furniture they came from, but maybe fancy bunk beds).
I added a 20" wide clamp on the end (1" proud, allowing for the top layer described below)
The edge will be faced with 3/4" maple, 2 1/2 wide, matching the top thickness
I want to use 1" of solid oak for the top that I made from left-over table extensions.
I have planed the oak (I have a DeWalt planer in my home shop).
The oak is not continuous strips - I have two 11" wide pieces (40" and 32"), three 9" wide pieces (38", 11", and 11"), and two 10" wide pieces (42" and 30").
Everything is cut square and it all fits together properly.
I plan to layout the wood so the joints are staggered as best possible (I cut the 9" wide boards [They will be in the center] into 3 pieces rather than two at 42" and 30" to improve the stagger effect)
How should I attach the oak to the top? I have access to both sides of the plywood substrate (the beamed top can be lifted off the base carcass).
Glue each piece to the plywood and them screw it from the bottom, screws every 5 or 6inches?
Just screw it to allow for seasonal change? The shop is inside, the building temperature is at least 60 in the winter and never above 75 in the summer.
I plan to put biscuits every 9-10" - or is that a waste of time?
I do have a Kreg setup, so I can also join that way also.
I plan on sanding the top to about 120 and finishing with oil.
Thanks!
PS - A shared workshop (about 10 regular users and 6-8 occasional users, as many as four simultaneously) is quite a different experience than my personal workshop!