Replies

1. 
   Samson | Oct 15, 2009 06:49pm | #1

   Beech is a terrific wood to use.  Most European ready made benches are beech I believe. 

2. 
   Jimma | Oct 15, 2009 08:01pm | #2

   Watch out for instability of American beech. European beech is another matter.

3. 
   ring | Oct 15, 2009 09:23pm | #3

   In theory, beech is a great wood for a workbench. Hard, heavy, uniform, and very little grain pattern (which can be a distraction in a work surface). One of my benches is European Beech and it's been just fine for about 15 years already. But you do need to take into account the expansion and contraction across the grain in your worktop, because beech is pretty "volatile" and reacts strongly to humidity changes.

   David Ring

   http://www.touchwood.co.il/?lang=e&id=1

4. 
   HowardAcheson | Oct 15, 2009 10:35pm | #4

   American beech is not a good choice. It is the king of warpers when subjected to changes in moisture content.

   Howie.........
1. 
   rnease | Oct 16, 2009 12:48am | #6

   Thanks. I have a very controlled environment, as far as humidity changes. Dehumidifier in the shop. Perhaps I'll pick a different wood for the workbench. Ash, or maybe Cherry. They are all roughly the same price at my procurement site. I wanted hard maple, but they are out right now. I appreciate the responses, and if there are more responses, would like to hear those, as well.

1. 
   chuckh | Oct 16, 2009 07:20pm | #8

   I've never worked either variety of beech, but I came across this article a while back.

   It sounds like you may want to figure for more waste when using American beech in a large project, but still good stuff.

   http://www.thefreelibrary.com/No+day+at+the+beech:+despite+its+tendencies+to+warp+when+dry,...-a0161597164

    

5. 
   Samson | Oct 15, 2009 11:03pm | #5

   Listen to these guys.   I'd (apparently mistakenly) understood that American and European beech were very similar in their properties.  I've never personally built any large furniture or anything beyond a tool handle or two out of American beech.

6. 
   Marsupial | Oct 16, 2009 07:13pm | #7

   A face-glued workbench top expands and contracts through its thickness. This is why you face glue tops. Expansion through the thickness of a top is not nearly as problematic (if at all problematic) as orienting the wood as a slab top which will cause the expansion and contraction to occur across the width.

   Rip the Beech into three inch wide strips, face glue the wood, and you'll have a three inch thick workbench top for which you'll never notice any movement at all most likely.

   A glue line three inches wide running the length of the bench top multiplied by the number of laminations in the top is beyond strong.

   
   

   ---

   Edited 10/16/2009 1:51 pm ET by Marsupial

1. 
   rnease | Oct 16, 2009 08:13pm | #9

   Thanks so much. That is what I was thinking, too. Plus, it has air dried for over a year, and I will let it acclimate to conditions in my shop for about a month before milling. Once mortised, tenoned, pegged, bolted, and finished, it should be fairly stable. I think most problems must occur when trying to use with a high moisture content to begin with.
   At any rate, at a buck a board foot, it's a good value, even if it does distort a little. That's what jointer planes are for!
   Thanks again

1. 
   Marsupial | Oct 16, 2009 08:48pm | #10

   It should work out just fine.

2. 
   HowardAcheson | Oct 16, 2009 10:20pm | #11

   What makes American Beech a problem is that is wants to twist warp as is changes moisture content. It does not evenly expand/contract across the grain like most other woods.Twisting is a difficult thing to overcome and can be a real problem in a workbench top.Face gluing thicknesses of boards does not change to propensity to twist or affect the expansion/contraction of a glued up laminated top.Howie.........

1. 
   Marsupial | Oct 16, 2009 11:14pm | #12

   It can't twist if it's face glued - especially the inside laminations. That's why workbench tops are face glued.Laminated lumber makes a strong, stable slab.

   Edited 10/16/2009 4:19 pm ET by Marsupial

1. 
   JeffHeath | Oct 16, 2009 11:29pm | #13

   Large glue ups, like workbench tops, are NOT free from the affects of wood movement, especially in a species which moves as much as american beech. The inner sections can, and will, twist and cup badly, causing the workbench to literally crack, split, and come apart.Workbenches look like simple projects to build, but in fact they are quite a bit of work to construct. It makes sense to choose a timber species which has good working properties for the build. Otherwise, alot of work can go into a failing project.Jeff

1. 
   Marsupial | Oct 17, 2009 02:07pm | #14

   I stand by my recommendation - a laminated slab made with 3" wide face glued Beech strips will be fine.  It won't blow apart. 

    

   Edited 10/17/2009 7:08 am ET by Marsupial

2. 
   rnease | Dec 27, 2009 05:47pm | #15

   Mr.Marsupial, I decided that of the responses I got to my question, I believed yours the most. My 3" beech strips, approximately 2" thick, have been stickered now for over two months, with a fan blowing through the stack constantly. There has been almost no movement of the pieces, and the moisture content is now below 10%. I'm very glad you supported me in my choice of woods, as I will have a rock solid top and trestle for a fraction of the cost of hard maple. I ended up being able to purchase all the wood for 60 cents a board foot, and have thoroughly enjoyed the milling process and watching it finish drying straight.

3. 
   DonStephan | Dec 27, 2009 07:47pm | #16

   If you have had a fan continuously blowing across the boards, you might consider turning it off and allowing a few weeks of further acclimitization, as the bench won't be constantly exposed to moving air after construction.

   According to Bruce Hoadley, "Understanding Wood", beech has a radial expansion rate 12% greater than that of white ash (5.5 to 4.9) and 14.6% greater than sugar maple (5.5 to 4.8) so you might consider allowing for more movement across the width of your laminated bench than one made of ash or sugar maple. Otherwise, the beech might work out very well. Once built, you might also consider sealing all surfaces to minimize seasonal humidity changes in the wood.

   Good luck!

4. 
   AZMO | Dec 27, 2009 07:52pm | #17

   I have no personal experience with Beech. I would suspect that the movement depends on the tree and where it was grown. It could have a bad rap for those reasons. Hillside trees have lots of internal stresses, smaller trees will cup a lot more as well. Good to put some of your pieces through a mill asap, and observe them in your shop or heated home for movement. Building a bench is a big investment, really would be a waste to have it twist itself into firewood. AZMO