Walnut O.K. for Workbench?

[Andy Haney]

Years ago I put together a maple bench top and set it aside until I got a round tuit. Just dug it out yesterday, and I didn't do a very good job back then. I've got to take it apart and start over...and FINALLY, the question...

Since I don't have any more maple right now I was thinking of laminating the maple with some walnut I have. Striped!?! Is walnut stiff enough for a workbench top, and similar enough to maple for such a lamination? I expect most hardwoods would be alright/compatible, but prefer to have experienced opinions.

Thanks for any responses.

Andy

[Bob Smalser]

Is walnut stiff enough for a workbench top, and similar enough to maple for such a lamination?

Sure.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/7297605/271071449.jpg

My current top is laminated 1X3 maple, madrone and Doug Fir, lives outdoors in an occasionally-wet tent or unheated shed, and is used almost as much for doing mechanical work on logging and marine equipment as it is for woodworking. It's holding up just fine.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/7297605/126773382.jpg

[Andy Haney]

Thanks Bob...and I've since seen another poster that incorporated walnut in the top. I like it.

I've settled on a modification of the plan in Woodsmith No. 173, which illustrates a top over 30" deep. Most of what I've read indicates that about 24" is ideal. I've never had a REAL workbench, so I don't have any experience. My tendency would be to go with the 24" depth for clamping and working all sides of a project, but would like input from others.

Thanks again.

Andy

[dan grant]

i have a 32x72 and i enjoy the space think 24 may be a bit on the thin side, just my opinion though.dan

[Alan Schwabacher]

Stripes of walnut in maple make me feel right at home. No, my bench is not that nice, but the house I grew up in had maple floors with 3 walnut stripes near the walls. It looks great.

[Danny Thompson]

From what I understand, David Marks's workbench is Walnut.

[john dennis]

i am going to be getting some pecan from a mill. I was thinking of using that for a top for my old bench. Any thoughts about this? I understand pecan is a very hard wood.

[Don C Peterson]

Pecan is very hard and stiff, it is often sold as Hickory (Pecan being a sub-species). The only problem with Hickory or Pecan for a workbench is that it is hard to work, particularly with hand tools. But if you do manage to get the bench made, it should be about as durable as anything out there.

[Chuck Nickerson]

if you bench is up against a wall, your reach, and whether or not you have tools hanging on the wall behind your bench. People whose bench is against the wall and who have tools hanging behind the bench that they want to easily grab, need to avoid a bench that's too deep.

[Barry Vabeach]

I am sure different people have different needs but Chuck hits a critical issue - do you intend to have it near a wall or do you intend to have it 3 feet or more from walls on any side. I have my bench about 8 inches from the wall ( so I can put clamps on the far side ) and it is 21 inches wide. My tool cabinet and other tools hang on the wall so 30 inches would be too big for me to easily reach the tools. I use the bench for hand work and nearly all the work I do is on the near side of the bench - even if I made it bigger, I still couldn't reach the far end so it wouldn't help me any except when it comes time to glue up . I use an assembly table for that work, which is much bigger, though it has folding leaves and is not built for tough work. Good luck Barry

[Kevin Murdock]

So when laminating a workbench top, growth rings horizontal vs vertical.. is there much of a difference/benefit one way compared to the other?

[Bob Smalser]

So when laminating a workbench top, growth rings horizontal vs vertical.. is there much of a difference/benefit one way compared to the other?

Ideally, the boards should match so there is equal stress on the glue lines. In practice, if you keep the lamination less than around 4" in depth, you won't have a problem.

[Andy Haney]

Thanks to all of you. I'm learning a little more with each post, and tending towards building mine about 27" deep. My wife feels the need to park in my shop every night, so space is at a premium. I've already built a torsion box about 3' x 5' that works well as an assembly table when on sawhorses. Otherwise, it stays tucked into a corner.

Andy