Replies

1. 
   USANigel | Jan 01, 2007 06:48pm | #1

   Should be fine, just seal the underside to stop it moving to much.

2. 
   highfigh | Jan 01, 2007 08:04pm | #2

   Shouldn't be a problem but if it's like the ones I looked at, the bottom wasn't very even, flat or smooth so the way it lays on the base may be an issue. If you'll be adding a skirt, you could place a layer of sheet goods on the bottom with some kind of self-leveling material. It'll add stiffness and you'll have a very flat bottom to work with. You could run it through a wide-belt sander if you have access but the owner of that may not want to run it through if there are any nails close to the surface.

   I looked at alley cut-offs for my bench, too. I may still buy some for other uses.

   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
1. 
   Ray | Jan 01, 2007 09:58pm | #3

   Thanks,

   The ones I looked at have pieces of angle iron screwed across the bottom to keep them straight.  I was considering shortening them to fit inside the bench aprons, and a healthy coat of shellac on the bottom. 

   The price is right (free), so I guess it won't hurt to experiment.  One bowling alley will cut down to quite a few 6-ft pieces :-)

1. 
   highfigh | Jan 01, 2007 10:28pm | #4

   I wish I could find some free ones here, The ones I looked at are $100/section (not terrible, really) but they need work if they're going to be a bench top.
   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."

1. 
   Ray | Jan 02, 2007 12:28am | #6

   Where are you?  Anywhere close to South Alabama?

1. 
   highfigh | Jan 02, 2007 12:36am | #7

   Wisconsin. Milwaukee, home of the ABC (American Bowling Congress), where bowling is dying off.
   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."

3. 
   ring | Jan 02, 2007 12:26am | #5

   My dad had a bench with bowling alley maple as the work surface. He used it for 40 years, and I grew up sitting on it.

   David Ring

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

4. 
   kenshep | Jan 09, 2007 12:17am | #8

   Well people might call you "turkey" if you make three great projects in a row, but you may "strike out" more. I know, "spare" me any more of this "gutter" humor, before I "split". I thought i would have you "rolling" but apparently I "approached" this post with "high" intentions that hit on the "low" side. Don't "pin" me down, I'll try to "frame" my future responses more in the "pocket" and to "follow through" better.
   OK, enough of that. I saw gents in an Army workshop tear apart several sections they were given of a bowling lane board by board. They punched out the nails and rough cut the boards to a jointer/planer ready state. They squared everything up and then they built themselves some beautiful workbenches out of this "free" hardwood. They didn't have a reciprocating saw with an all purpose blade. It would have been a useful tool. They used crowbars and nail pullers. This distressed the wood a fair bit. I presumed lanes were glued together, but the one they got was not.

    

   Regards,

   Ken

   "Do as you would be done by." C.S. Lewis

1. 
   Ray | Jan 09, 2007 12:50am | #9

   Thanks Ken,

   I'll keep that little tidbit in mind.  I'll be picking it up Thursday, have to cut it into 6 - 8 ft. sections to fit it on my trailer.......  I assumed a reciprocating saw would be the best bet for sectioning it.  I'll let you know what I find. 

   Ray

1. 
   RippySkippy | Jan 09, 2007 07:18pm | #10

   Hi Ray,I've been there and done that...and would do it again in a heart beat. Cut it first with a carbide tipped construction 7-1/4 saw blade then finish with a recip saw...you'll be there forever.If you search over on google groups, for bowling alley work bench <http://groups.google.com/groups?as_q=bowling+alley+workbench&num=100&scoring=r&hl=en&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_ugroup=rec.woodworking&as_usubject=&as_uauthors=&lr=lang_en&as_drrb=q&as_qdr=&as_mind=1&as_minm=1&as_miny=1981&as_maxd=9&as_maxm=1&as_maxy=2007&safe=off>
   you will find a boat load of trial and tribulations, and I've posted some notes there as well (different name though)A couple of things...the nails used originally during construction are a bear to pull, but worth doing. By the time I got mine home it was all floppy loose...not falling apart thought. It had a modified tongue and groove, that wasn't at the same height from left to right, planed it off, which not only remove the tongue, but cleaned the years of crap off the sides, and trashed a set of blades. I started with a piece about 48" x 10' and ended up with a bench about 36"x 7'.When I reassembled, I added a masonite spline about 3/4 of an inch from the surface to keep everything aligned during glue up. I glued the bench up in 3 sections about a foot wide just so it's easier to handle and to transport. After the glue dried, I hauled the 3 pieces to a shop with a wide belt sander, and they made the top that was splined smoother, and the bottom taller pieces the same height, and the shorter ones are still a bit shorter. (sorry hard to explain, the bottom is NOT smooth, but it's mounting points are flat as in nothing hangs below the lowest point of the table.I ended up with some cracks on the surface, and filled them with 2 part epoxy and scraped smooth. The finish is nothing more than a light stain, and wax.I added a 1x skirt to the perimeter, and a record quick release vise. The trussle base has a 12 drawer maple ply storage unit.Now the downside, I'm in the process of moving...and well this thing is just a beast to move around. The good thing is the top is fastened to the trussle with the brass threaded inserts, and the stringers fastened to the ends with the same and alignment dowels...VERY solid and VERY heavy, but still portable.If I can be of help, drop me a note,Rip

5. 
   windwood | Jan 10, 2007 01:30am | #11

   Sounds great - where do you find used lanes ?

    

   Scott

1. 
   Ray | Jan 10, 2007 04:04am | #12

   Don't really know, my neighbor owns a woodworking business - builds Church Furniture.  I fixed his computer and we were discussing workbenches & he said he still had a couple of bowling lanes stored in his warehouse - did I want one??  Well, duh, what a silly question.  He had bought an old bowling alley & gutted the building for something else.  Most of the lanes were worthless and he sole most the good ones - except one or two.

   I'll ask him about them, but I'm sure you'll just have to make friends with someone refurbishing a bowling alley :-(