workbench top

[charlie kapper]

I purchased a workbench top that is 2 1/2" thick and is now 29" wide by 7' long. Just checked the flatness of the top and the first 20" is flat and then gradually drops off by 1/32" for the last 9". The top is hard maple and is not planning to easily (lots of tearout). I am wondering how flat... flat should be. The other side of the top is not in great shape so flipping it would require allot of planning also. Is 1/32 of an inch all that much?

regards,
Charlie

ps... this top weighs a ton so I am not all that thrilled to carry it upstairs and take it to a shop with a big drum sander.

[Greg Funk]

1/32" would be good enough for me. Stop putting straightedges on it and you'll stop being bothered by it.

But seriously the question can really only be answered by you. Why do you need it to be flatter than 1/16" or even 1/8"? If you don't have any good reasons then it is fine the way it is.

Greg

[Bill Huber]

IMHO I think that as a bench that is flat enough, now if you are looking to use it as an assembly table that is different.

I think a lot of people build a tension box for and assembly table and just use the bench as a bench to work from.

[glenn bradley]

I pushed my top a little more than that not because it was necessary for working. I also use it as an assembly table; it's taller than I would like for assembly so I should at least have it flat-flat. If I had room for a separate, lower, 'flat' assembly table, I would have been perfectly happy with 1/32" on the bench top.