Which boards based on end grain direction should I pick for my workbench?

[Steven Lee, NC]

I hope the pic isn't as small as it appears in the editor otherwise I'll have to re-upload them from work tomorrow.

A lumberyard has these 2"x6"x16' yellow pine boards. I plan on buying 5-6 of them, cutting them into 8' lengths and then ripping them in half to about 2.75 - 3 inches for my workbench.




274083




3
6


13
16


2
5
8
10
12
15


1
4
7
9
11
14



Which ones would work the best? I was thinking the ones with the least amount of curve like the one in position #1 would be the best

thanks

[Doug Herzberg]

They're going to move when you rip them, maybe a lot. They will cup in a curve opposite that of the growth rings. If you can find boards with the pith of the log at the center, you can rip the pith out and end up with quarter sawn lumber (growth rings going straight up and down in the position shown in your picture), which should be more stable, but you'll lose the width of the pith.

There is a way to stack the boards so the movements offset to some extent, but I don't have a lot of experience with that. I'm assuming you're planning to glue them face to face so the edges of the boards are the top and bottom of the bench.

Someone will chime in who knows a lot more than I do about this, so hang on.

[John Lanciani]

3,4,11,13,15,16. My priority is the tightest grain that is closest to flat sawn for your application. this will give the finished top the most uniform appearance.

[Dave Zellers]

1,4,7,8,11,13

Or just buy #1 and clone it 5 times.

I'd buy at least one more than you need because of what Doug said about movement.

Is this stuff kiln dried?

[Steven Lee, NC]

thanks. they should be kd and I'll be bringing a moisture meter to double check.

[Art Mann]

No matter which boards you choose and even if the boards are kiln dried to 7%, some of them are going to bow and warp when ripped. You just have to be prepared to deal with it.

[Jim Matthews]

If you've got end grain patterns in opposition, won't the resulting "pair" be very stable?

I make spars by putting ripping the same board in half (lengthwise) and gluing
it closed like a book. The resulting piece is very strong, resisting movement.

()() and so on...

[Prashun Patel]

If you are ripping them in half and then laminating them so the edge-grain is up, I don't know that it'll matter much over the wide span. Just alternate the growth rings as best you can. Also, I'd skip #6 and anything else that looks like it might be close to the pith; pick the ones with the flattest rings. Ripping and stabilizing in your shop for a while is how I'd do it.

[Brian Tymchak]

If those are 2x6 nominal, then they are likely really 1 3/8 x 5 3/8. You are likely to get at best a 2.5" finished thickness, assuming of course edge-grain up.

[Steven Lee, NC]

I'll try and remember to watch the grain orientation when I start to glue them up. I always plan too but then more often than not forget. I was planning on a top about 2" thick so if I am left with 2.5 instead of 2.75 or something even less, I will be happy.

[Mazrim Taim]

Don't trust just what you see on one end. Look at the whole length of each board. You may be surprised how the grain changes across the length. The keys are to have as consistent a grain as possible and make sure you have the same cut type consistently across all of the boards. I like plain sawn boards with as few knots as possible for the top. Stay away from heartwood. This way the top will shrink and swell along the width of the top. I alternate the direction of the rings so they face something like ()()()(). I haven't tested nor researched a pattern similar to ((((())))), though I may give it a try on my next laminate top.