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Thread: Workbench Wood Selection and other questions

  1. #1

    Workbench Wood Selection and other questions

    Hi y'all this is my first post on SMC, and I'm not particularly sure if this is the correct forum to post on, but I guess I'll find out. I have a few questions I'd like to ask you guys.

    I plan on making a split top roubo style workbench and have to subsequently get lumber. I found a person selling wood for $1 a bf (I know, crazy cheap). I have a variety of options, it's the same price for everything. They've got White, Red, Black, Pin, Burr, and Kennedy Oak, Hickory, Ash, Hackberry, Black Locust, Osage Orange, and Camphor available. It's been drying for at least 5 years. My question is, what wood/combination of woods would you suggest? I'm currently thinking of using Black Locust and White Oak because Black Locust is extremely stable, dense, and resistant, and you know, White Oak is White Oak. I know I can work with White Oak, because I have before, but I'm not sure about Black Locust because I've read a lot of different opinions on the workability of the wood. Any thoughts or input is heavily appreciated. I do have a thickness planer, hand planes, a table saw, band saw, drill press, and other accoutrement. Don't have a jointer though. If that information helps.

    I have a question regarding vise hardware. I'd love to use Benchcrafted Hardware, but have nowhere near the budget to do so. Subsequently I'm thinking about using the Lee Valley vise screw for my leg vise.
    https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop...ail-vise-screw
    And the Lee Valley tail vise
    https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop...1136-tail-vise
    I'd love any input or opinions about this hardware. I haven't been able to find much about them. There is also what seems to be similar, if not the same, hardware produced by Yost for a cheaper price. Is it worth it buying from Lee Valley, or should I just go for the cheaper Yost?

    Is it fine if the outermost lamination on my workbench top is figured? I'm asking because I know the general consensus is to get the straightest lumber you can for a workbench. Also same question goes for the end cap and the leg vise chop. Figure looks nice, and I'd like to know if that is a viable option.

    What glue would you suggest? I've read that Titbond 3 is just fine, whilst others have said to go with Titebond extended.

    I'm sorry about the long post. Thank you so very much if you read this, or gave your opinion or any input.

    Yours- Andrew

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Elmodel, Ga.
    Posts
    798
    I am not an expert on benches, nor much of anything for that matter, but here's what I've been told by one who is. A workbench is a tool like most things in the shop and not a "show piece". That being said, it can still look nice and be kept as such with work. This individual told me it depends on what you are going to do with the bench. If you want it mainly for assembly and some planing, go with a hardwood. If your are purely a hand tool worker (neanderthal), and do a lot of hammering such as chisel work, i.e. dovetails for example, then you may opt for a softer top, one where the striking blow from a mallet won't jar your hand. He said that it also helps control your cut and deadens the blow. Woods such as douglas fir and southern yellow pine come to mind. Some use those two because of cost too. But if you can get any wood for $1 a bf, your options are endless. I think of a hardwood, I would lean towards one that isn't the hardest of the bunch. To me, that would rule out hickory or such tor the top.
    I realize that I didn't answer your question, but just gave a consideration for a few things you may need to think about before proceeding.
    Good luck, and send some pictures of the build and finished bench.
    My Dad always told me "Can't Never Could".

    SWE

  3. #3
    It’s really a matter of personal taste. My approach to a workbench is pretty utilitarian. I figure it’s going to get beat up, gouged, stained and dented, so I used a wood that is not extremely hard, that I can scrape or plane without fear of tear out. White oak might not be the best choice, especially quartersawn. Whatever you choose, be sure you’ve got the grain direction the same for every board and you’ll be ok.


    For both the reason stated, personally I wouldn’t use anything unusual in the top but again, personal choice. White oak would be a good choice so would ash.

    Im sure whatever you choose will work. The hardware looks fine to me.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Columbus, OH
    Posts
    3,063
    Beware of the $1 bf lumber. It might be crazy cheap for a reason. Make sure the boards are straight grained and dry.
    Brian

    "Any intelligent fool can make things bigger or more complicated...it takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." - E.F. Schumacher

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    2,758
    That wood is most likely not dried at all. Buy extra and plan to dry it.

    Also, can you share that source? Some of us would be willing to take a chance on some of that.

    An open grained wood like Oak will suck in stains and will not let them go. Sugar Maple or similar will clean up better with a little sanding.

    Steve, your suggestion of a softer wood is interesting. Had not considered that. I do find my Maple benches slick.

  6. #6
    Hi guys, thanks for replying. I realise that I should have probably replied sooner, just hadn't really crossed my mind till now, at 1:48 in the morning. I personally want to make my bench for use with power tools and hand tools. So a softer hardwood may be good. I am probably not going to be making the top out of oak seeing as it's very porous and might be annoying. I have read and do intend to make the grain orientation of the boards go the same way for ease of planing, thanks for the advice though. She did have a large stack of ash, which I may go for. I checked out the wood and it seems good to me. The wood that I have checked out is all generally straight and dry. Infact, a decent amount of it has apparently been drying for like 15 years, which is about as many years as I've been alive. I did end up buying a few boards of Birdseye Maple, ambrosia maple, walnut, and red oak, though I didn't end up buying wood for my bench because we didn't have enough room in our car, and we didn't bring a saw to cut it. Tom, the wood is in Earlville, Illinois. It's by Yorkville and Plano. I found it on FB Marketplace under the title of "sawn." This is kind of irrelevant but, they still had like 3 massive stacks as tall as me of black Walnut, but all of that had been claimed. It would have been so cool to make a bench out of walnut. Anyway, thanks for your time. Cheers.
    -Andrew

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