Replies

1. 
   Samson | Jan 26, 2006 06:45pm | #1

   I think it depends upon what you want out of your bench and how you want to use it.  Most any stable wood will make a decent bench.  Soft maple is, of course, well ... soft.  It will get dinged and scratched much faster than hard maple or beech, etc.  That may be a good thing to some extent because it will be kinder to your project parts - i.e., it won't ding them. 

    

2. 
   Buster2000 | Jan 26, 2006 10:13pm | #2

   Hard maple seems to be popular.  It has the advantages of being hard, heavy, available, and reasonably priced.  I built a 'standard' bench using hard maple, no regrets at all.

   I think 'ideal' is a bit subjective.  If you just want a bench to beat up and use, MDF and plywood fit the bill.  If you want to go the hardwood way but remain standard Maple or beach is great.  If you want a bench to showcase your skills, and give a wow factor to your shop...  You can pretty much use any hard wood.

   I've seen some great benches made from 'non-standard' bench hardwoods.  Oak, ash, soft maple... the list goes on.  As the previous poster stated, when you go to softer hardwoods the tops gets scratch and dinged a little more.  But from time to time you have to flatten the top anyway...

3. 
   Pondfish | Jan 27, 2006 12:19am | #3

   Soft maple will work and is cheaper than hard maple, but as others have pointed out, it will ding up quicker.

   A light color wood is preferable.  I made my current benchtop out of black walnut, because I got a few hundred bf at an auction for $25.  It's nice, but the dark color means less light for seeing what I'm working on.  My next benchop will be hard maple, or some light colored wood.

   Recommending the use of "Hide Signatures" option under "My Preferences" since 2005
4. 
   BG | Jan 27, 2006 01:13am | #4

   HH,

   I built my bench three years ago and used soft maple. As I was trying to level the top, I remember thinking...so where is the soft part? gees what a work out.

   Perhaps is does ding easier, but, quite frankly, there is little opportunity for that to happen. Chopping dovetails would be the biggest risk but I hold my stock in the shoulder vise vertically so it's not an issue. 

5. 
   Knotscott | Jan 27, 2006 02:11pm | #5

   I like hard maple.  The grain is tight, it's very strong and stable, the color is light, and it resists dings better than most.

1. 
   HoustonHeights | Jan 27, 2006 08:04pm | #6

   Thanks to all for your replies.  Sounds like hard maple may do the trick for me.  I hadn't even considered why having a light-colored wood for the top would be advantageous.

   I've been working on an improvised plywood bench for the past couple of years and am sick of struggling to hold down a board for hand planing.  I want to make a bench that will hopefully meet my woodworking needs for many years to come. 

   Thanks again.

6. 
   Troy | Jan 28, 2006 02:43am | #7

   I made my bench top out of old dougfir roof rafters (true dem. 2x4) these where from a house built in the 1930s. I ended up with a top that is about 3" thick. The top has stayed flat and is very hard. A factor to consider is cost. These where salvage so the cost was low. Most of the tops I see are maple.

   Troy

7. 
   philip | Jan 28, 2006 10:41am | #8

   My ideal bench top would be Heavy, Stable, Hard, Light in colour- in that order.You guys in A merica have lots of choices fitting those criteria.

   Philip Marcou