Glued-up Plywood as Work Table Legs?

[Eric Gagnon]

Hello:

I want to make two long workbenches to sit on either side of my radial arn saw to serve both as worktop surfaces and as extensions for the saw. I have some extra 3/4" plywood around, so I thought I could make the entire project using glued-up double and triple thicknesses of plywood (about 1-1/2 and 2-1/4 final sizes) as needed for parts of the frame.

Wanted to ask the group here is you thought if glued-up (laminated, or stacked) plywood would also work for the legs for these benches. I am planning on using 6 legs for each 7' long bench. I thought that at least three 3/4" pieces for each leg, glued and clamped to create 2-1/4" thicknesses for each leg, would work. What do you guys think?

Thanks,
Eric

[John D Watson]

Sounds plenty strong, as long as you work in some cross support. A great use for all that usless ply that we all seem to collect. Show us your finished product when your complete.

[tod evans]

eric, for strength don`t glue the ply flat to eachother, instead use four pieces glued into a hollow box that way the plys will stiffen eachother...02 tod

[Sonny Porter]

Tod, how would you do this square tube thing? Any special joint? Will plain glue hold up? Do you screw the edges together?

[tod evans]

sonny, but joints-n-gunnails for shop fixtures works well, don`t forget glue..02 tod

[Terry Flowers]

There was an article in Fine Woodworking (I think) not long ago about building an entire workbench, including the legs, from plywood. Maybe someone else can identify the issue.

Terry

[Del Williams]

Another approach might be to use the leg style from Norm's assembly table. These are "L" shaped legs that adapt very nicely to stretchers glued/screwed between them. Table seems to be pretty strong. Joints are simple butt with glue/screws using 3/4" plywood.

[Per Swenson]

Just being helpfull.

http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/Workshop/WorkshopPDF.aspx?id=25186

P.

[Frank Fusco]

eric, for strength don`t glue the ply flat to eachother, instead use four pieces glued into a hollow box that way the plys will stiffen eachother...02 tod


I had an idea I was going to toss out. But Tod's suggestion makes eminently good sense. And, with hollow legs, you could fill them with sand for additional mass and weight. (don't forget to put something on the bottom :p ). Small nails or screws would be the way to fasten IMHO.