Bally Block Maple Top

[charlie kapper]

I am considering purchasing a Bally Block maple slab for a bench top.
Are they reasonably flat and where do you purchase them?

thanks in advance,
Charlie

[Jim Becker]

Charlie, I can't comment on the slab, but welcome to SMC!

[Hank Knight]

Charlie,

I purchased a 3" X 24" X 72" Bally Block slab for my benchtop. It was flat, but, oddly enough, one edge was not straight (curved). I had to straighten it with hand planes before I could glue on my dog hole strips. No big deal, but I didn't expect to have to deal with a curved edge. I assume this was an anomaly you won't find every day. Otherwise I was very happy with the slab. It sure beat struggling with a huge glue up - especially in my small shop.

You can pickup seconds from the plant in Pennsylvania for very little money, like 10% of the retail cost of a first quality one. Many of their slabs are marked seconds because of off-color laminations. People who are paying the big bucks for a maple countertop want a perfectly color-matched lamination. Of course, an off-color strip doesn't hurt a thing as far as benchtops are concerned. They only sell seconds from the plant, you can't order them.

If you live too far away to get to the plant, like me, you have to buy Bally Block products through a local distributor and pay full price. I don't think Bally sells direct to the end user. You can find a local distributor on Bally Block's web site: http://www.ballyblock.com/ As long as you're ordering, order it to your specifications. I ordered an unfinished slab with square edges because I planned to glue on my own dog hole strips and finish it with tung oil. It worked fine. My slab was expensive, but by the time I bought enough 8/4 maple to make one and hassled with the glue up and planing and the rest of it, I think it was well worth the expense. I'd do it again if I were to build another bench - which I don't plan to do anytime soon.

Good luck with your bench.

Hank

[Scott Brihn]

I bought a 2.25"T x 30"W x 60"L Bally Block bench top through my local Woodcraft back in 2004. I'm not sure if they still distribute these tops. Mine is dished just a smidge along the entire length, though not enough to bother me. At the time, buying the top was less expensive than buying the rough maple to mill and laminate myself. I built the base.

[Jamie Buxton]

You might look into maple butcher block slabs at Ikea. I believe they're considerably less expensive than Bally.

[Matt Guyrd]

There is a remodel job of a chemistry lab at the research facility I work at...all new floor cabinets with Bally Block maple tops. I would say there are about 16 tops appriximately 3' x 5' x 1.5". Sadly, none of the tops were flat...dished (cupped?) along that entire length as Scott pointed out with his.

Matt

[Ken Pywell]

Not sure how thick the Bally is, but check out Grizzly and also Perfect Plank!
Ken

[Ken Garlock]

Not sure how thick the Bally is, but check out Grizzly and also Perfect Plank!
Ken

Hi Ken

The Perfect Plank website sounds interesting. Have you or anyone you know bought one of their tops for a workbench???

[Ken Pywell]

It just so happens I do have one of their tops. I went with there "B" grade. The top measures 96 X 34 X 2 7/8." I think it was $350? or so. I am about 90 min. from there shop, so didn't have to pay for shipping. Very nice tops.
Ken

[Brian Hale]

I wish Perfect Plank was on this coast! I shudder to think what shipping from the left coast to the right coast would cost me. :eek: Otherwise their prices look pretty good!

Brian :)

[Robert Mahon]

I bought a Grizzly 30" by 72" Maple top and am pleased with it.
Althought the advertised thickness is a bit proud of reality, it is made with long strips of Maple rather than a series of shorter blocks.
Regardless, it appears to be a pretty flat and a good item that will see a lot of use.

[scott spencer]

Hi Charlie - I found one that was a little beat up on the side of the road. It had some water damage and some separation, but it was repairable and it fixed up pretty much like new. It sold in less than a week. I'm not sure how many versions of tops BB offers, but this one was just straight up ~ 1-3/4" square strips laminated in 5-6' sections (can't remember how long it was).

I guess my point is that it was just a maple top. Seemed well enough made, but nothing fancy. If you can get a good price, go for it, but I don't think I'd pay a premium seeking out the brand name, unless they offer other models that employ special techniques that you're looking for.

Sam's Club offers a maple workbench with steel legs for ~ $200. Not sure if that's priced low enough to buy it just for the top, but it's food for thought. A friend at work bought one and was very pleased with it. It was heavy, but I never saw it setup.

http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=329601

[Robert Waddell]

Just to throw another name out there, Boos Blocks sells them. Google them. They have pricing on the website.
Rob