Bench Apron and Top question

[Jared Cuneo]

So thanks to everyone's advise, I was able to crosscut a clean, square benchtop, though one of my subpanel assemblies is a little warped (I'll hand plane it a little). Now I have two questions. One, what is the best way to attach the top to my base? I've seen something about a 'soft' mount? What's that?

Second, I need some advise on proper apron procedure. I bought some 4/4 Maple and will laminate it up to 8/4 (8/4 is WAY too expensive in South Florida) for use as some 3" aprons. My question (other than the wisdom of the above), is what is the best way to attach them to the bench?

Do I glue the long ones to the benchtop and use a long tenon and groove for the endcaps? I've seen some that were dovetailed at the ends, but not sure if I'm ready to tackle that just yet. Looking for something fairly simple, but moderately attractive.

Thanks for everyone's help thus far!!!

JC

[John Thompson]

So thanks to everyone's advise, I was able to crosscut a clean, square benchtop, though one of my subpanel assemblies is a little warped (I'll hand plane it a little). Now I have two questions. One, what is the best way to attach the top to my base? I've seen something about a 'soft' mount? What's that?

Second, I need some advise on proper apron procedure. I bought some 4/4 Maple and will laminate it up to 8/4 (8/4 is WAY too expensive in South Florida) for use as some 3" aprons. My question (other than the wisdom of the above), is what is the best way to attach them to the bench?

Do I glue the long ones to the benchtop and use a long tenon and groove for the endcaps? I've seen some that were dovetailed at the ends, but not sure if I'm ready to tackle that just yet. Looking for something fairly simple, but moderately attractive.

JC

Your top is 1.75" birch and heavy as stated. I would simply install a 3/4" dowel into the top of the 4 legs, Round over the top of the dowel to form a "bullet head". 4 appropriate holes under the table top to mesh with the "bullet heads" and let gravity do the rest.

I assume your base is made in a way that it will not rack without the top being a design component? If that's the case (and it should be), it will make it easy to remove the top if you decide to move the bench for whatever reason. Again.. if the top is heavy and the base it self-supportive alone, there is no real reason to tie the top to the base. The dowels I mentioned won't allow the top to shift even with heavy hand planing.

If you used birch for the top.. is there any particular reason you need a maple apron? Is the maple apron just for show on a "Work"bench. :)

If I went with the maple on the outside, I would glue it just like the laminated birch and leave the ends open. A low angle block plane can smooth the open end grain. And if I did cap it, I would use nice fitting box joints, but... I would not glue or pin them. Just a tight fit to allow the top to expand and contract as it's wood and it's going to expand and contract. That's a fact.

Sarge..

[glenn bradley]

I also just glued my apron. If you are worried about it you could dowel around the outside edge and let them show as an asthetic touch. My top is man made material so I scewed into it from underneath. I still left stightly oversized holes for the screw shanks for movement of the fir base parts. At 200lbs the dowel 'bullet' method would have been fine and I wish I would have thought of it.

[Jared Cuneo]

I like the dowel idea....

The maple was my idea to make a more durable and wider surface for the vise to clamp with, but it may be overkill....I may still use it for aesthetics...

Thanks!

JC

[John Thompson]

I like the dowel idea....

The maple was my idea to make a more durable and wider surface for the vise to clamp with, but it may be overkill....I may still use it for aesthetics...

Thanks!

JC

Morning JC..

The dowel idea thanks should go to Mr. Ian Kirby who at one time had a shop about 13 miles up the road from mine. An experience just walking through his shop and observiing as he keeps things "simple" IMO. He's a pretty clever guy and not a bad wood mechanic as well... ;)

Regards...

Sarge..