Workbench top made of 2" thick pine slabs

[Rafael Herrera]

Hello,

I've the opportunity to get some wide slabs of pine, 2" thick. I'm thinking of using them for a bench top. Do you guys have any thoughts about the feasibility of this?

Rafael

[Frederick Skelly]

My benchtop is pine. It works fine.
Depending on how wide your slabs are, you might get some warping. There's ways to reduce that though.

[Paul F Franklin]

Certainly it's feasible. But there are many varieties of pine. Southern Yellow Pine in particular is very hard and dense and makes a great benchtop. Some other varieties of pine are a lot softer and less dense, and so are less ideal for a benchtop, but can still be serviceable. Do you know the specific variety?

[Rafael Herrera]

The tree was felled in Western Pennsylvania. The seller does not know. Here are pictures of the slabs, can you tell what species it is?

[Mel Fulks]

Looks like yellow pine. Rings are pretty close,so it's been around for a while. I'd use it if the price is good. My preference
would be to make the top of two layers of it.

[Jim Koepke]

Another way to make the top would be to cut it into strips as wide as you want the the thickness of the top. Then laminate them together to make the top. This might give better stability and a thicker top.

2" isn't too bad for a top if you just wanted to use a single piece. My Sjoberg bench is less than 2" in the center and can still work with a holdfast.

jtk

[Paul F Franklin]

Yellow pine is not very common in Western PA. Most common there is Eastern White Pine, also called Northern white pine, but there are other varieties it could be.

[Robert Engel]

Another way to make the top would be to cut it into strips as wide as you want the the thickness of the top. Then laminate them together to make the top. This might give better stability and a thicker top.
jtk
This is exactly what I would do. Slabs are too prone to cracking and warping it can take many years for them to totally acclimate.

[Laurent Marshall]

I made my Nicholson bench out of spruce construction lumber, and wouldn't be afraid to make another out of even softer white pine, as long as it didn't have too many knots. Yellow pine is much harder than either of those, it will work fine, and would last better.

A lot of new woodworkers get hung up on building a bench before they even get to making any furniture, as there's a lot of literature and conflicting opinion to wade through. Material choice is one of those areas where opinions diverge. If you're constrained by time or money, you're better off building something simple that works rather than letting the whole process of decision making, materials search, and build (a big challenge when you might not yet have the know-how) drag out. You can build your dream bench later when you have a better idea what kind of woodworking you want to do. After working with my 7ft Nicholoson for awhile, all I want extra are some hold fasts, and more length!

[andy bessette]

...cut it into strips as wide as you want the the thickness of the top. Then laminate them together to make the top...

This would be the best way to use that cheap material.

[Jim Koepke]

A lot of new woodworkers get hung up on building a bench before they even get to making any furniture, as there's a lot of literature and conflicting opinion to wade through. Material choice is one of those areas where opinions diverge.

One comment often seen in discussions on bench building is to use wood that is local and inexpensive.

To me it seems the best advice might be that used in a particular TV commercial, "just do it."

jtk

[Tony Shea]

Looks like eastern white to me

[Gerald Schram]

hi rafael i just put the last coat of oil on this bench. it is all pine the top is 2x12 and 1x12 under the 2 by. its a beast cant wait to use it! looking forward to using a viseless bench. jerry

[Jim Koepke]

hi rafael i just put the last coat of oil on this bench. it is all pine the top is 2x12 and 1x12 under the 2 by. its a beast cant wait to use it! looking forward to using a viseless bench. jerry

Just my opinion, but it needs more holes! :eek: :D

jtk

[Gerald Schram]

jim i was going to drill the holes in the top as needed. the new bench is 3" higher than the other one. my eyes aren't what they were 20 year ago when i made the other one. jerry

[Gerald Schram]

jim i was going to drill them as needed. this bench is 3" taller than the other one, my eyes aren't what they were 20 years ago when i made the other one. jerry