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Thread: Increasing thickness of a premade beech benchtop

  1. #1

    Increasing thickness of a premade beech benchtop

    Tried searching for previous posts without success, but more due to my lack of skill with search engines than anything I suspect.

    I have a 24x60x1-3/4 beech commercially made glued-up benchtop from Woodcraft that am considering making into a rather stout, somewhat smallish bench for handwork. My work is mostly small items, and I have space limitations.

    I would like to add some more weight to the benchtop by increasing the thickness to 3-1/2 to 4 inches. Assuming the idea isn't flawed on its face (which might be why I couldn't find any references) I am wondering what material might make the most sense to use given the possibility of movement in the pre-made benchtop. I did think that its construction might make this less of a concern, but better to ask.

    Thank you.

    Dave

  2. #2
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    There was actually a recent thread about this very thing...

    If it was necessary to continue to use the same benchtop surface, I'd consider gluing up several layers of MDF into a hefty, but flat slab, mount that on whatever supports your bench and then mechanically fasten the existing benchtop to that so that wood movement is accommodated. Obviously, you'd need to deal with dog holes, etc. so that you can continued to use them and also not have "stuff" get trapped in them. You'd also be raising the bench by whatever the thickness of your base layer is which may or may not make things uncomfortable. The better all-around solution is to build a new benchtop with the thickness and mass that you want. IMHO
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Opsahl View Post
    ... have a 24x60x1-3/4 beech ... by increasing the thickness to 3-1/2 to 4 inches. ...
    I wouldn't presume to claim the "best" way, but my first thought was to score a 2nd pre-made benchtop and laminate them together. A huge vacuum bag would be best for clamping them while the glue dries, but I've seen many projects where screws from the backside were used for clamping (and removed, so there's no metal in the top, once dry.)

  4. #4
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    I used two 24x72” IKEA beech countertop slabs, each made by laminating strips to simulate quarter sawing. I fused them together as David Bassett suggests. First I marked the locations of my 3/4” dog holes on a 6x6” grid. I used a heavy layer of Titebond III on both slabs, then clamped them together with some stout cauls. Then I screwed the slabs together at points 1” away from the dog hole locations. That held them good and tight. After it cured, I went through and bored the dog holes. In the end I only needed to trim a scant 1/16” edge to remove the tiny offset that resulted.

    Since the slabs were already laminated, the slab-to-slab laminate has been remarkably dimensionally stable. Bench thickness is 2-1/4”. It’s supported on frame members across its front, back, and width. Weight is around 200 pounds.

    This was a while ago. I don’t remember what they cost, but it was pretty economical, and of course it saved me countless hours of laminating from scratch. I had done that before on a smaller piece, but just didn’t feel like going through the process again.

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Becker View Post
    There was actually a recent thread about this very thing...

    The better all-around solution is to build a new benchtop with the thickness and mass that you want. IMHO
    Thanks Jim. I don't know what search term would have raised that up but I'll continue to do my best to locate it. I suspect you are right about the better solution.

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by David Bassett View Post
    ... my first thought was to score a 2nd pre-made benchtop and laminate them together....
    Thanks David. That is what I had been thinking too. The screws ought to apply enough clamping force.

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Jones 5443 View Post
    I used two 24x72” IKEA beech countertop slabs, each made by laminating strips to simulate quarter sawing. I fused them together as David Bassett suggests. First I marked the locations of my 3/4” dog holes on a 6x6” grid. I used a heavy layer of Titebond III on both slabs, then clamped them together with some stout cauls. Then I screwed the slabs together at points 1” away from the dog hole locations. That held them good and tight. After it cured, I went through and bored the dog holes. In the end I only needed to trim a scant 1/16” edge to remove the tiny offset that resulted.

    Since the slabs were already laminated, the slab-to-slab laminate has been remarkably dimensionally stable. Bench thickness is 2-1/4”. It’s supported on frame members across its front, back, and width. Weight is around 200 pounds.

    This was a while ago. I don’t remember what they cost, but it was pretty economical, and of course it saved me countless hours of laminating from scratch. I had done that before on a smaller piece, but just didn’t feel like going through the process again.
    Thanks Bob. The idea about the position of the screw holes in relation to the dog holes is an interesting idea. Much appreciated.

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