Grizzly Maple bench and counter tops

[Paul Simmel]

Folks et' all,

We've decided on solid maple counter tops for the kitchen and island.

Griz sells 1.5" 25" maple in various lengths.

Griz also sells 1.75" 36" wide work bench tops in various lengths.

I really want to use the 36" WB top for the island, but have no idea about the quality of wood. I'm assuming the counter tops are of better quality, but I hope I am wrong about this. IN any even, even if there were a slightly lesser grade maple in the work bench tops, so long as they are solid, smooth, and flat, the island would look awesome in my scheme of design.

Anyone have any of these WB tops? ANy pictures? Any comments?

Papa Griz? Any comments?

(My shop is nearly all Griz machinery).

Paul

[Charlie Barnes]

Paul,

I used the maple benchtop slab from Grizzly a couple of years ago when I built my workbench for my shop. I thought it was of very good quality and haven't been disappointed. The corners were rounded, so I did have to trim them off to make a square edge for the "skirt".

Good luck with the project.

Charlie

[Dave Verstraete]

Paul

I'm not sure about the Griz but here is a picture of an kitchen island that I built from a workbench top that I bought at Grainger.

http://70.169.135.35/attachment.php?attachmentid=80002&d=1201209269

[Greg Hines, MD]

I am glad to see that I am not the only person to put retractable casters on my workbench like you did. Have you had any problems with the wheels? Mine seem to be of a rather soft material, and scratch easily on the cement.

Doc

[Charlie Barnes]

I am glad to see that I am not the only person to put retractable casters on my workbench like you did. Have you had any problems with the wheels? Mine seem to be of a rather soft material, and scratch easily on the cement.

Doc

The mechanisms are fine (Woodcraft), but I'm getting ready to install my 3rd set of casters. The bench is pretty heavy when loaded and they keep bending/deflecting. The original ones only lasted a couple of months. The next set was from HD and seemed to be sufficiently sturdy, or so I thought. They lasted about 2 years. I just purchased some larger and heavier duty ones from Woodcraft that they had on sale a while back. I'll have to remount the retracting mechanisms higher to accommodate them, but I think they'll work out OK. Haven't had any problems with the wheels themselves.

[Greg Hines, MD]

The mechanisms are fine (Woodcraft), but I'm getting ready to install my 3rd set of casters. The bench is pretty heavy when loaded and they keep bending/deflecting. The original ones only lasted a couple of months. The next set was from HD and seemed to be sufficiently sturdy, or so I thought. They lasted about 2 years. I just purchased some larger and heavier duty ones from Woodcraft that they had on sale a while back. I'll have to remount the retracting mechanisms higher to accommodate them, but I think they'll work out OK. Haven't had any problems with the wheels themselves.


I agree that the mechanism seems to be fine, but while I am still on the original casters, I worry that I will have to replace them like you did. I think when I need to do that, I will just scrap them and put my bench on casters like Norm did for his assembly table.

Doc

[Shiraz Balolia]

Folks et' all,

Papa Griz? Any comments?

(My shop is nearly all Griz machinery).

Paul

Here's my "totally unbiased" opinion:

1) The product is made in USA.
2) The maple is Eastern "rock" maple.
3) The factory that makes it grows their own maple trees.
4) Every maple top in my shop is the stuff we sell (I have over a dozen maple topped, steel angle iron benches in my shop)
5) I absolutely love the stuff and make jigs etc.. with any cuttings left over.
6) My son just built his kitchen counters using these tops, inlaid tile in them and the job looks terrific and professional.

It is fantastic stuff. Should I go on?

Some technical info. The factory does a great job on the top of the maple slab which is wrapped in thick cardboard. However, they do not do a good job of finishing on the bottom of the slabs and any defective portions will be on the bottom. The cardboard does not wrap all the way around the slab and the center of the bottom part of the slab is visible when the trucker delivers it to you. Some people freak out when they see the bottom (which is not as nicely finished as the top) and reject the shipment. The good side is the wrapped side, so pay attention to that.

Have fun with your project.

[Paul Simmel]

Here's my "totally unbiased" opinion:

1) The product is made in USA.
2) The maple is Eastern "rock" maple.
3) The factory that makes it grows their own maple trees.
4) Every maple top in my shop is the stuff we sell (I have over a dozen maple topped, steel angle iron benches in my shop)
5) I absolutely love the stuff and make jigs etc.. with any cuttings left over.
6) My son just built his kitchen counters using these tops, inlaid tile in them and the job looks terrific and professional.

It is fantastic stuff. Should I go on?

Some technical info. The factory does a great job on the top of the maple slab which is wrapped in thick cardboard. However, they do not do a good job of finishing on the bottom of the slabs and any defective portions will be on the bottom. The cardboard does not wrap all the way around the slab and the center of the bottom part of the slab is visible when the trucker delivers it to you. Some people freak out when they see the bottom (which is not as nicely finished as the top) and reject the shipment. The good side is the wrapped side, so pay attention to that.

Have fun with your project.

Dear Shiraz,

Thank you so much for your detailed and informative response to my request. I find that your honesty, not only here, but in your business practice, is most refreshing. I've read your occasional responses to people here and on other forums, and I must say it is this honest and factual attitude of yours which I am sure lies at the foundation of your enormous success with Grizzly.

It's been a pleasure Sir. I will continue to look to Grizzly for whatever machinery I may need, as well as other items for both my shop and our new home construction project.

Sincerely,

Paul Simmel

[Paul Simmel]

Paul

I'm not sure about the Griz but here is a picture of an kitchen island that I built from a workbench top that I bought at Grainger.

http://70.169.135.35/attachment.php?attachmentid=80002&d=1201209269

Dave, I can't get that link to work.

Thanks for the response, though.