Workbench Top - A Grainy Question

[Nick Saunders]

Hi there woodworkers of the world

I have a very sturdy workbench with a 2m long top that is made from a reclaimed laminated radiata (pine) beam. I think it's called "glulam" over here in NZ and it has done OK, but aside from being very soft and easily damaged, it seems to be sagging in the middle.

My budget does not stretch to buying something like hardwood (for a workbench top), and I have just been given enough timber for a replacement so I am thinking it is time to replace it. I just wanted to ask the community for some opinions on the suitability though in case I am jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire...

The beam was pulled out of a house renovation a number of years back and is Oregon (100mm x 290mm). It looks to be flatsawn and the rings are pretty tight.

I am wondering if anyone out there has experience of using Oregon for a (budget-conscious) workbench top and I am also wondering if I use the beam as is, with the flatsawn faces up, or rip them down and laminate them using the side-grain as the top instead.

Any thoughts or advice greatly received.

Cheers
Nick

434992434993

[Rick Potter]

Depends on what type of work you are doing on it.

A 'woodworking' bench with end vise, dog holes etc is one way to go, and I will let others discuss them. They are wonderful, but for my use they are kind of a one trick pony.

A 'general use' bench that just needs to be flat, sturdy, and maybe has an inexpensive woodworking vise is the type I use for both DIY and woodworking. Mine has a sturdy framework with the top made of three layers of MDF, and a replaceable work surface of 1/4" masonite, or melamine coated MDF.

This type works best for me, as I also do a lot of OTW (Other Than Woodworking) stuff on it. You can frame up a cabinet on the flat top, beat the hell out of something with a hammer, or solder connections on a special extension cord, and it stays flat and sturdy. In my case, all done recently.

For years my bench top was a used solid core door, installed on a strong framework. Even the door knob hole was handy for drilling something without drilling holes in the bench top.

[Michelle Rich]

I would use them in the orientation of how they were used as beams..that is where the strength lies.

[Jim Becker]

Not sure what the actual species is for that timber... "Oregon" doesn't cross to anything in my searches. Maybe that's a local name for some kind of softwood like Douglas Fir. At any rate, there's no rule about what you can use to build your workbench and using what you have is a perfectly valid method. One thing about using reclaimed timber, however, given the nature of a workbench and the tools used with it...beware of embedded metal.

[Brian Tymchak]

Hi Nick,



I have a very sturdy workbench with a 2m long top that is made from a reclaimed laminated radiata (pine) beam. I think it's called "glulam" over here in NZ and it has done OK, but aside from being very soft and easily damaged, it seems to be sagging in the middle.pop


Seems odd for a short gluelam to sag. It is used in construction for long spans. Was it oriented sideways by chance?




I am wondering if anyone out there has experience of using Oregon for a (budget-conscious) workbench top and I am also wondering if I use the beam as is, with the flatsawn faces up, or rip them down and laminate them using the side-grain as the top instead.


No experience with Oregon, but it looks somewhat like Southern Yellow Pine (SYP) here in the U.S., although that Oregon has much tighter rings tha SYP. Many bench tops have been constructed from SYP. My belief is that a bench top will be sturdier by laminating flatsawn lumber face to face so that the edge grain is the working surface. I would recommend ending up with a 3" thick top if you have enough lumber. That will be very sturdy for any work you do and also provide plenty of material to relevel the top many times over the next 50 years (or so). Use plenty of glue ( I recommend TB III) when laminating the boards together and you will not need to use any steel rod, bolts, etc in the top.

[Dave Mount]

From both the look and geography, I assume this is what would be called (even in Oregon) Douglas fir. I assume the name Oregon arises from Oregon being a major source of it. It is moderately hard for conifer.

Relative to strength/sturdiness and grain orientation, vertical grain would technically be a tiny bit more so, but this is irrelevant for this timber used as a workbench top. Folks, this is a 4" x 12" timber. Strength and rigidity of a 4" thick workbench top is a non-issue, regardless of species or grain orientation.

There would (again, in theory) be a difference in seasonal change in width, with a vertical grain orientation slight less so. But you need to take that into account in the construction either way, so again, not a primary concern.

If you were to change the grain orientation, the main reason would be for flatness over time. The earlywood (lighter bits) and latewood (darker bits) in Doug fir are of different hardness, and a flatsawn grain orientation provides the largest continuous exposures of each. With time and wear, the earlywood will wear away faster than the latewood, giving a texture to the surface. Changing to an edge grain orientation is better for maintaining a smooth flat surface, but saying this does not mean it's what you should do. Whether this is an issue for you depends on how you intend to use the bench.

Another issue is your tools -- do you have the tools to rip something 100 mm thick and joint the faces for regluing? That's no small task.

That's a nice timber -- my gut hunch is that you should just edge glue and get on with it, but go ahead and turn the grain if you feel like it. I'm guessing you'll be happy either way.

Best,

Dave

[Nick Saunders]

Sorry, Oregon is what we refer to it over here as and you are correct and I believe it is Douglas Fir... At least that is what I understand.

[Nick Saunders]

Thanks for all the replies team :)

Apologies as it seems that I may have confused the masses with my local "slang"... A quick search has confirmed what I thought though in that it is highly likely that it is Douglas-fir (New Zealand Oregon) or Psudotsuga menziesii and for those who like the details and a back-story (according to the same search result) ... Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) is North American conifer, first imported into New Zealand in the early 1900s. The area of Douglas-fir in New Zealand is currently around 104,000 hectares. The New Zealand Douglas-fir industry has set a target of an additional 40,000 hectares by 2050.

Here is a quick-pic after it has been through the planer

435101

I was wondering if the original orientation of the radiata beams may have been the reason for the sagging. I have also read that pine is much softer and more prone to warping and twisting than Douglas-fir and all this is why I was thinking about ripping down the fir and laminating it. Looking at the replies (if I want the extra work) it might be best to rip it to 3" widths and laminate the flatsawn faces together. I have around 12 lineal metres to play with so should have enough and still have some leftovers...

Anyway, thanks again for the responses and advice. It is much appreciated.

Cheers
Nick

[Wes Grass]

I'd vote for vertical grain. If its flat, the cupping that occurs with changes in humidity will warp the surface. I'd also oppose the growth rings when laminating it. 'Should' be more stable that way. Maybe.