Thinking of updating my Red Oak Finishing workbench.

[Clarence Martin]

Built a Red Oak finishing workbench about 10 or so years ago, and would like to update the top. Yes, it still is serviceable , but would like to make the top better looking. Thinking of gluing up and Biscuit joining a Hardwood top and then gluing and Biscuit Joining that top to finishing workbench top. Want to do something fancy. Possibly Curly Maple boards from the various BORGS or East Indian Rosewood.

Anyone do this sort of project ?

[Jon Nuckles]

A couple of thoughts. Check the seasonal wood movement of your red oak, including whether it is flat, rift or quarter, against any wood you are considering for your new top and try to choose something that is close. You can use biscuits if they help you with alignment, but they won't add any strength (nor is any additional strength needed) for your new top or gluing it to your existing one. Both the new top and the old will need to be pretty flat to glue them together. I might just use screws from the bottom side to attach the new top, with a double thickness edge on the new top to hide the old one. Keeping the old top and adding another over it will make it a heavy table, which can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how you use and/or move it. Good luck.