Getting Started Workbench – Wrong Dimensions?
Hey All –
I’m very new to woodworking… I just purchased a drill, a circular saw, and am about to get a router to build the workbench featured in GSIW’s article:
http://s3.amazonaws.com/finewoodworking.s3.tauntoncloud.com/app/uploads/2011/02/27133619/gsiw_workbench.pdf
I looked over the plans, and watched the videos, but I’ve noticed that the drawing appears to show 3.5″x3.5″ legs, whereas the materials list says to purchase 4x4s for the legs. The video seems to gloss over this portion, which makes me assume they’re using 4×4’s in the video as well, right?
Am I missing something? With the complications already involved in trying to build this bench with no experience, I’m getting a bit discouraged with having plans that seem…off.
Help?
Thanks,
keldren.
Replies
Construction lumber
keldren, the plans specify construction grade lumber.
A 4X4 measures ~3.5 X ~3.5 inches and a 2X4 measures ~1.5 X~ 3.5 inches. These dimensions are not exact.
Steve
Just seeing if you are paying attention, Keldren. Surfaced lumber, such as 4x4s, 2x4s, etc. may have started out at those dimensions when first sawn from the log but material has been removed from the initial rough sawn piece. Its often refered to as D4S, meaning dressed on four sides. A 2x4 doesn't measure 2x4 after it has been surfaced, they generally measure 1.5" x 3.5", a 4x4 D4S measures 3.5" x 3.5" ( "nominal" size) but we call it a 4x4 since that is what it originally was. Its the same if you buy a 1" x 10" x 8' pine board that is surfaced. It will actually measure .75" x 9.25" x 8'+. This has been standard for a long time although years ago a 2x4 typically measured 1 5/8" x 3 5/8". Just to add to confusion, pieces that are 8" wide or larger measure to the quarter inch after surfacing 7.25" (8"), 9.25" (10"), and 11.25" (12"). Pieces 6" wide and less fall on the half inch, 5.5" (6"), 3.5" (4"). Think of it as squeezing an extra piece or two out of a log.
When you buy lumber in the rough, something you may not see at a typical building supply, its often a bit generous. A 1" x 10" x 8' will often measure 1 1/16" x 10 1/8" x 8' 2". Woodworkers prefer to buy their lumber in the rough and have to find it at suppliers that cater to cabinet and furniture makers, not at a lumber yard that caters to carpenters. By buying in the rough, a woodworker can control the final surfaced piece, taking milling steps that will insure that the piece is straight, flat and equal in thickness. By contrast, D4S lumber is run through machines that cut all surfaces at the same time. The rough stock is not flattened or straightened, if a crooked or twisted piece goes in the four sider machine it comes out crooked or twisted. Not the best for making furniture and cutting accurate joints.
I would assume that the plans are talking about using standard D4S construction lumber. Another issue with this type of lumber is that it isn't dried to the same standard as cabinet grade lumber. The moisture content can be as high a 20% where cabinet grade will be closer to 8%. Standard construction 4x4s can be much higher. This may mean that they will shrink and may even twist or warp as they dry out. I wouldn't worry about it too much on your first projects. There is a bit of a learning curve and the need for special tools or machinery to surface your own lumber from the rough. You will soon discover that lumber purchased at Home Depot isn't suitable for furniture work. Even the red oak and poplar they carry isn't finely surfaced and there are often slight discrepancies in the overall thickness. Not enough to bother a carpenter but a big issue for cabinetmakers cutting fine joinery.
Don't be discouraged, woodworking takes time and experience. Employers often require 5 years of full time experience for an entry level position. It simply takes that long to gain enough experience to get past the beginner stage. If you stick with it, you won't be needing any plans, you will be able to make your own and probably much better and more accurate than those you can buy and half of it will be in your head. After 50 years, you will still find there is a ton of things you don't know and haven't done. Its a challenging pursuit and there is another higher mountain to climb after each one.
Thank you.
This is an amazing wealth of information that otherwise did not present itself immediately. I think you've both saved me a great deal of embarassment.
I'll be going to Home Depot this weekend to purchase some of that bad construction stuff, as it sounds like it should work fine for this beginning project, though I'll need to start researching some lumber yards in my area to find good stuff for post-workbench-projects.
Thank you again for the help!
-keldren
Learning curve.
One way to learn about the stock you buy at a home depot type store is to just take along your own tape measure and measure boards as you shop. When the bin says 1X10 put the tape across it and you will see that it isn't 10 inches wide or 1 inch thick, it helps with the learning curve and at times you will find that the wrong boards are in the bin. Good luck. Be safe. Have fun.
Since the work bench is the heart of the shop, a bit of time locating the real lumber yards even for the first project will be well spent.
Where ever you shop, look carefully at the lumber you buy. In particular avoid boards that contain, or almost contain, the center of the tree, as shown by the growth rings at the ends of the board. This center (the pith) is "juvenile" wood and board that contain it are MUCH more prone to warping than boards without the pith.
When you get home with the lumber stack it neatly in your shop supporting it at about 16" intervals with dry 1" x1" "stickers", so the boards can dry evenly. Make sure the stickers all line up over each other, and you can help reduce warping with a couple of concrete blocks weighting the top of the stack. Then let it dry indoors for a couple of weeks. Remember it comes to you with about 19% moisture content, even if marked KD for kiln dried. You would have to work hard to find for lower moisture content constructionlumber, ie. KD14 and pay quite a premium. Avoid lumber marked GRN--that means green, and it can be almost dripping wet, and could mold or rot unless allowed to dry below 20% before it is closed in.
One more new but basic thing to consider. In the local home depot type stores you pay for wood by the linear foot. If it says $1.10 a foot and it is 8 feet long, you multiply 1.10 by 8 =
When you get to buying from a hardwood company, or in the rough, the price per foot is no longer linear, it becomes a price per board foot, which is 1x12x12. Then if you are buying in the rough some places give you the option of having them surface the rough wood for an additional fee. At this type of store you will usually see one inch reffered to as 4/4. When you see 4/4 or 6/4 or 20/4 it means what it says... 4/4 really is one inch unlike in the home depot type where one inch means 3/4 of an inch.
To further confuse you, Lowes, another big box store in this area like Home Depot, just recently started selling a small ammount of 4/4 wood. But now you know the difference.
There is a lifetime of learning ahead in woodworking, but it seems that this basic stuff is almost designed to confuse a beginner. Take heart, you'll get it.
Thank you.
Silly double post...
Hammer, you old dog you! Hows by you these days?
Cheaper way
Keldren, A lot of good advise here and perhaps Ill add to that. If your proficient with your Circular saw you can save some money by buying wider construction grade wood.. If you need 2x4 perhaps get a 2x8 and rip it in half to yield 2x4's. The wider the boards are, I found that the lumber is a lot less knoty and the boards are truer. I made my Bench from CG lumber and the top is 3" thick laminated 2x4's that I ripped (3 at a time) from some 2x10's (course I used a Table Saw to do this but a Circular Saw and a guide should be fine). Just a thought.
Rich
Hello Keldren. I've been reading about your work bench. How is the process going, and at what stage are you at. I'm interested in your project. Don
Keldren,
I made this bench a little while ago and used construction grade lumber for it. As a matter of fact, almost everything on my bench came from my local Home Depot. The only thing I couldn't find was the clips to attach the top (I got mine at mcfeelys.com for pretty cheap.)
Unfortunately for the purists out there, I felt that in order to build a "nice" workbench, I was going to need something to work on in the interim time. Everything worked just fine for me using these lower grade materials and it hasn't moved an inch since I built it. There's enough weight to it that it keeps it pretty solid and this design also allows you to tighten the threaded rods to tighten things up in case things should go out of whack.
I realize it has been a little while since you made this post, but if you have any questions, I would be more than happy to answer them.
Hope all is well,
Brent Prigge
Austin, TX
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