I have a plentyful supply of maple to build a workbench but I need practical advice on how to laminate a maple top-thickness of at least 1.5 inches, maybe 2 inches thick and 6 or 7 feet long for it. I would like to hear from forum members who have actually gone through the process of laminating a top like this. Tips, techniques and details that would give me a flat and true top. I have an 8 inch jointer and thickness planer so preparing the wood would not be a problem Thanks.
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Obviously, joint the wood to start: flat and square and you've got the tough part done. I glued my benchtop up in sections that could be run through the planar (my wood wasn't so nicely jointed).
I found it easier to do three 10-12" sections first, then to glue the three sections to form the bench as a separate step. Then lots of hand planing to flatten it. Again, if you start with nice flat (and square!) stock, it shouldn't require much flattening at all.
I used clamps that use battens/built-in cauls to squeeze laminates flat from the top and bottom while compressing the glue joints from the sides. If you don't have these kinds of clamps, make some good cauls that are slightly bowed in the center, and apply them bow side toward the work.
Hi raimund,
I have actually built a bencjtop with exactly the techniques you're asking about. I also have an 8" jointer and a planer. Made mine out of Ash as I'm poor and was economizing. My stock was generally between 6 and 8" in width. I simply took each board and jointed one face and then ran it through the planer taking it to about 1 and 5/8 to 1 and 3/4 in thickness. From there I ripped strips a bit over 1 and 5/8, allowing for re-jointing this face and all others before glue up. I found that by gluing only two strips at a time and then adding to each section (I made three laminated sections about 6" wide) I could control the flatness quite well. After completing each section, I ran each 6" piece on the jointer and then through the planer again, leaving 1/32 over finished thickness, and then glued the three sections together (again doing only two and then adding the third). The top was reasonably flat at this point and I then hand planed both sides truly flat using my 22" jointer plane and a straight edge. Hope this helps!
I have been considering a bench top of ash, would be very appreciative for more comments on your experience. Especially - would you make the top of ash if you had it to do over? Happy with the results? How thick? How much$$? Other woods considered?
Mike
on the subject of building workbenches, I have a novice question here, there was an article in FWW recently about building a bench out of plywood (with an MDF top). Any comments on the general fitness of this kind of a bench? I'm poor and don't have much in the way of skills or tools yet but I need a bench to move forward so was considering trying to go this route.I ask because this discussion becomes pertinent for me if the plybench is a poor idea.
If i was on a budget and needed a sturdy bench Id use 4x4 ' for the legs and 2X6 fir the skirts and stretchers. Lag screw it all together with glue and you have a sturdy base. As for the top, 3/4" ply ith 3/4 hardwood flooring on top of that. Solid and will last you until your ship comes in and you can buy a Dieffenbach.Wicked Decent Woodworks
(oldest woodworking shop in NH)
Rochester NH
" If the women dont find you handsome, they should at least find you handy........yessa!"
This was how I built my last bench. The only difference is I used a salvaged solid core door as the surface below the flooring scraps. I am going to go a similar route for a bench I'll build this summer. I strongly prefer 4x4s for the legs - I had no qualms about drilling extra holes in the legs after it was done to support a second shelf.I admire the gorgeous all hardwood benches I see pictured here sometimes. They must be a joy to use. For me, I want to feel comfortable drilling/whacking/hacking any part of my bench for modifications. I might even add a 2x4 apron under the top and drill holes in it so I can slide pipe clamps under the top - that way I can clamp a board vertically against the edge of the top.
Hi storme,
You might consider a solid core door as the basis for a solid benchtop. I found one at a yardsale for $10, made a base similar to the materials cherryjohn suggests and it has worked very well, and relatively cheap as well.
Regards,
Bob @ Kidderville Acres
Kidderville, NH
Use whatever tool needed to Git 'r Done!
OK Bob....just where is Kidderville? Or are you just kidding and actually live in Calif. and dream of living in wonderful tax free NH?Wicked Decent Woodworks
(oldest woodworking shop in NH)
Rochester NH
" If the women dont find you handsome, they should at least find you handy........yessa!"
Kidderville is about 6 miles due east of Colebrook and about 3 miles due west of The Balsams (Dixville Notch). Population 68 and getting too damn crowded. I will admit that during some of the winters we have up here I wish I lived in CA, somewhere near the San Diego area especially.
Have seen some of your work and must applaud. Especially liked a table of burl (I think) with the butterfly inlays.
Will be getting about 300 bd.ft. of cherry harvested locally soon.
Did a 2 year stint @ Cabletron back in '98 & '99 and then for Aprisma from '00 to '02 down in your neck of the woods.
Regards,
Bob @ Kidderville Acres
Kidderville, NH
Use whatever tool needed to Git 'r Done!
Edited 3/18/2006 10:47 pm ET by KiddervilleAcres
wow...my wife still works for Enterasys. She is the Executive Admin for the Chief Technonogy Officer/ Chief Infomation Officer . Shes the reason I can lallygag about and not appear to do much except make things for her. I have several hunderd board feet of cherry here at Wicked Decent Wood Works. Added 600 bf of walnut recently ( which the crotch tripod table came from) and I wll be getting another 300 bf of walnut sometime soon. All acquired by barter. You can never have too much walnut, cherry or tiger maple. Stop in if ya get to the city.Wicked Decent Woodworks
(oldest woodworking shop in NH)
Rochester NH
" If the women dont find you handsome, they should at least find you handy........yessa!"
Storme,
Personally, i think the easiest way to go is simply buy a solid core door. You have a ready made flat bench top. Mine works great. I put maple edging around it. Also, since it's cheap, i don't worry about marring it. As for the original posting. Why would you want to laminate a solid maple benchtop? If you're going to laminate, i would suggest using a cheap ready made material for the top, solid core door, plywood, or 2" mdf.
Now don't use any fancy words to explain my stupidness, but how do you make a 3X6 foot bench out of maple without laminating it? I don't think you can find a slab of maple that big. I had a bunch of rough maple 4x4s and 4x6s and since I didn't have a good jointer at the time, I had some of the 4x4s ripped in half so that I could laminate the quarter sawn pieces together giving less expansion. The resulting thickness is about 3½ inches thick. I now have a good 8 inch jointer and will build the base myself.
I built a top that is 120 inches long and 30 inches deep. I used three layers of MDF and then installed 3/4 inch by 2- 1/2 inch rock maple flooring on that. I banded the whole top with Rock Maple 2X3 inch lumber. I put in butterfly inlays into the maple flooring to hide the various defects. The total cost for this extremely heavy and stable top was ~$150.
I bought the flooring from Lumber liquidators. It's their lowest grade and cost about 99 cents a square foot. The flooring and MDF was glued, screwed and nailed along with Poly Urethane construction adhesive. Finished with oil then wax. This top and bench does not move no matter what is done to it. A car ran into it and did not move it. The car had a lot of body damage. The bench was okay. Note there is also a full cabinet in the bench that is weighted down with tools.
The look and feel of Maple with better stability and lower cost. After I resurface the top as necessary over the years, I expect I will have to replace the flooring.
Ton
If you get the chance, please post some pictures. I'd love to see your ideas! To help keep your top from taking too much abuse, you might think about doing what I did.
Between the locking casters, I built a shelf as deep as the workbench, but only 5" high. There, I keep 2 lengths of 1/4" thick Masonite cut long enough and half as wide as the workbench. When the times arrives to use the workbench for repair or maintance of things that are greasy, metal, or oily. The diamond pattern on the back side of the Masonite helps keep the heavy steel from sliding around. You can coat the slick side with a coat or two of finish, and that surface makes a great shield when gluing up...
When finished with the wet, dirty, or greasy projects, just wipe clean the Masonite and slide it out of the way in that thin shelf.
Bill
Bill
great idea. I'd have to probably hang the cover on the back as the base is a full cabinet already. One other thing I did was to have 4 heavy duty swivel casters mounted on blocks that are hinged and attached to the cabinet. At each end of the bench I've mounted a trailer jack that, when cranked down, lifts each end of the bench high enough to swing the casters under. Then I raise the trailer jacks and the bench can roll. My reason for going to this trouble is that even with heavy double locking casters, the bench might move when I was planing something. I wanted to have a bench that was absolutely stable and yet mobile when I needed to move it.
Edited 3/30/2006 8:37 pm ET by TonLoc
I built a workbench about 10 years ago out of MDF and 2X4's.<!----><!----><!---->
Started by going to the home depot and buying two 4X8 foot sheets of 3/4 MDF which I had them cut down the middle to approx 2X8 (because one cut each sheet was included and it makes them easier to carry).<!----><!---->
When I got it home I smeared glue on the MDF and clamped them together to end up with two sheets 1 1/2 inches thick (because this is 1/4 the cost of buying the 1 1/2 inch thick MDF - for some reason they price MDF over 1 inch thick as if it is REAL wood) Just clamp the edges to keep the sheets from slipping. When dry I ran one edge over the jointer and ripped to 23 inches wide and crosscut to 95 inches long.<!----><!---->
I made two frames out of 2X4's edge up and cut a rabbit (3/4 wide and 1 1/2 deep) all around the inside to allow the MDF panels to fit flush. These I glued in place.<!----><!---->
The top and bottom shelf were joined together by screwing and gluing two 2X4 legs to the ends (length to suite your desire). <!----><!---->
I attached a vice and still use this bench today. It has been moved 4 times and I drag it around the shop often.<!----><!---->
For such a simple design it is very durable and has stayed solid (be sure to glue it together and forget about taking it apart later.. If the top gets nicked or glue gets on it ... just sand it.<!----><!---->
Oh ya .. I used the maple for a nice piece of furniture. <!----><!---->
Hope this helps
I recommend using hand tools as practical alternative to machines for beginning woodworkers or woodworkers without a ton of disposable cash or space.If i were you, I'd start with a Nicholson style bench made from construction lumber. You can sort through the racks at your local lumber yard or home center and choose the best, straightest grained boards Two 2x12's glued edge wise would make a fine bench top. The Nicholson bench uses a deep (2x12) apron for stiffness. 4x4 legs and stretchers and a few hold fast holes would complete the design, leaving a very large, stiff, light, cheap bench.Vises are unnecessary. Holdfasts and a few hand screws are all you need. Some of the finest furnitre ever made was built on benches like these. You can see pictures of this bench in "The Workbench Book", Williamsburg's Hay shop, and I drew a bench like this in my column in Pop woodworking's Feb issue about Hand tool shops. In those tiny drawings of mine, you can see pretty much all the tools one needs to do fine woodworking.Adam
Hi Mike,
Yes, I'm actually very pleased with the ash for my benchtop. Would use it again for sure. Very strong, quite stable, good stuff and much less expensive than hard maple. I made mine one and one half inches thick with aprons effectively 3'' thick by 3 and 1/2" wide. I used two 1 and 1/2' pieces glued together on each side for the apron thus giving a 3" thickness.
Hi Mike,
Sorry, just reread your post and realized I hadn't mentioned a couple of things. I bought 8 quarter ash and it's been several years so the price has no doubt gone up. Think I paid around $3.50 a board foot for the 8 quarter. The only other wood I seriously consider was some hickory I had laying around. Would also make a great benchtop I think. Maybe not quite as stable as the ash though. Hope this helps!
Stability is also a function of the climate you are located in. Where I live in Northern California the seasonal changes are pretty mild and I just don't have to deal with much wood movement at all. I would imagine that were I in Pennsylvania or Ohio this would be quite different.PS- Ash is a nice wood, really underrated in my opinion.
Edited 3/18/2006 9:36 pm ET by tangomike
Hi,
Me again. Sorry, I forgot to mention that I added two 1 and 1/2 thick by 3 and 1/2" wide apron pieces on each long edge giving a finished width of 24". Mortised square bench dog holes on inner apron piece on each side. Also I used a Veritas twin screw vise full width on one end. Again hope this helps somewhat.
Raimund,
The bench I made has a top of mahogany border and hem/fir infill.
Hem/fir is not reccommended; too soft but that was what the landfill had lots of.
The top is 96x30 inches; span 72 inches c to c supports and is made up of many 2x2's random lengths with longitudinal plywood splines and glue; joints staggered.
Top took lots of planing at 45 degrees to flatten;
Looks nice BUT! there is a very slight sag at midspan; I attribute this to the thickness or lack thereof; also it looks too skinny for the length.
Reccommend you go 3 inches thick; no sag and aesthetically pleasing.
I built the "Fortune/Nelson" bench from plans outlined in Scott Landis' book, Taunton Press, about 12 years ago using my Dad's tools. But my top is only 1-3/4" thick. I ripped 8/4 hard maple into 1-3/4" (squares) and laminated using Gorilla glue with "planed sides and rough/ripped top" I puchased a set of 6 Jorgensen bar clamps for glue-up (some people like pipe clamps - but bar clamps don't deflect or slip as much).
My Dad has a Delta contractor's saw, so I bought a thin-kerf Freud blade and stabilizers to perform the ripping (and it struggled). I now have a Unisaw for my own workshop and appreciate the available power.
I used recyled Maple and Walnut ripped and glued to a 2-1/4" thickness. I glued the 8' long tops in two 18" wide halves, so they would go through the planer. The weight for the 18" by 96" half was 107 lbs. Luckily, I had some metal tables with those 1" ball bearings, so moving them was much easier.
I used Titebond II with plenty of newspaper below the glueup sections. After about 3 hours, use a scraper and remove the slightly harden squeeze-out and let dry overnight. The more you can keep each glue-up flat and level, the less passes through the planer and less waste you'll have. After planing and gluing the two halves into a full workbench top, be sure to SEAL the back side with several coats of a finish to keep it from absorbing moisture and bowing your top. When you clamp your benchtop to your frame, be sure and allow SLOTS in the framework holes for the top's expansion. Hardwoods can expand up to 1/4" per foot of width, and with that thickness and width, you've got a lot of power and movement.
Three of the vises came from a local flea market for $15 each, one was a Home Dep. closeout, and I added two of the Veritas "Twin" screw vises as I found them on sale. I added a 5" wide wooden apron with a 1/2" center stripe of Walnut. The tool tray bottom was made from end grain strips cut from the ends of the bench tops and glued to 3/4" thick plywood. After letting the glue dry for 48 hours on the tool tray's bottom endgrain, it was sanded flat.
Edited 3/18/2006 10:19 pm ET by BilljustBill
I used planed and jointed 5/4 beech, ripped to 2 inches. I through bored the strips and ran 3/4 inch all-thread to clamp it during gluing. I also used bar clamps but the all-thread kept every thing lined up during assembly and gluing. After gluing I flattened the top with a plane. The all-thread was left in and the entry holes capped. I don't think I would use the all-thread again. I think that it might leave the bench top prone to warping during periods of high humidity.
BJGardening, cooking and woodworking in South'n Murlyn'
Here's another shot of the workbench tops.
Bill
That's amazing!
Thanks for the compliment, Tim.
The nice thing about building the workbench is that I gathered the materials over several years, when and where I found them, so the final cost didn't dent the monthly/yearly workshop budget. Finished, and with 3 Wiltons from "flea market shopping" and 1 Columbian vise on Home Depot's closeout, the workbench cost me a total of $450. Those twin screw Veritas kits, and the Maple for the jaws added another $400.....but I couldn't buy a rolling storage workbench that size for even the total amount....
Bill
I did exactly what other members of the forum have done. All the boards I had were 8/4 flat sawn. I wasn't so worried about the final dimensions as long as the top was bigger then 6' x 24". In the end it was 6'x30". I like a big bench top. I have a 6" jointer, and 13" planer
I ran all the boards through the jointer and planer, removing only enough material to make the faces flat and parallel. As I said I want a big bench, and didn't want to waste material. I then ripped them into 1.5 (+ a bit) strips. The maple moved quite a bit when ripping, it closed enough to pinch onto my splitter. I had to joint it after to flatten it.
I aligned the grain so that it was up down, giving it a quatersawn effect. Then glued them up into 6" strips. Use lots of clamps here. I used some clamps, and extra maple as cauls. It still wasn't 100% flat. I then scraped off all the glue and ran the boards through the jointer and planer.
Then I glued two sections together so that I had two 12" sections. Scraped off the glue, used my hand planes to flatten one side (not to hard since the two halves were flat), then ran it through he planer. Finally I glued the two 12" halves together.
I then added two 3.5" X3.5" strips to either side, and bolted breadboard ends to it. The idea was from the Lee Valley Bench.
After it was all said and done I still had a little bit of cup to the top which I planed out with a #7 jointer. A bench is a great oportunity to learn to use your planes...
I've built at least 200 benchs, most of them were softwood for manufacturers bench work. Make sure your stock is dry and straight. Flatten each piece on one side using a jointer. Straighten one edge on a table saw or jointer. Plane for thickness,saw for width. Bore holes for all thread, 8" from each end ,space out three more in the middle.The holes should be 7/16" for 5/16" all thread. The outer pieces should be countered bored for nut ,washer and large enough for socket.Use a slow setting glue,gorilla or plastic resin. Gorilla glue is easier to clean up even though it foams.
Bore the holes on a drill press,make sure all holes line up, all thread will bend but misaligned holes will give you problems.Make your glueup in sections that will fit the planer.You might want to make a glue up jig,easily done and you can use it for other glueups later.I'll post a picture of my homemade glue press.
Bore dog holes on drill press before glueing up. If you want square dog holes, dado the pieces first. Most benches that are professionally made with square holes have the holes out of plumb 2° towards the vice.That is the top of the hole is closer to the vice than the bottom.This is supposed to be better than a hole bored square to the top, I don't know myself.
The glue press is made from 2x3's with holes bored 3" on center. The holes have 3/8" tee nuts on the back piece. Put 3/8" bolts in outside press pieces at a comfortable height. Place your maple on the bolts, add the rest of the outside press 2x3's.I space them about 12" apart.Run the bolts up with a cordless drill,snug not tight yet.Place pipe or sash clamps vertically ,snug up. Tighten the press bolts and then the pipe clamps. This is a dry fit. Now your pipe clamps are the correct spacing and your ready to undo the dry fit and apply glue.I forgot to mention, wax the 2x3's so glue does not stick.I shellaced mine first then wax them occaqsionally. Been using this press for about ten years. Mine is hung from a lumber rack with french cleats.When not in use I lift them off and stow them away.
mike
Thanks very much everybody for the tips so far. My question: Threaded rods- are they really necessary? Don't these rods merely resist the natural expansion of the top? What is the purpose of the rods?. Thanks.
Rods can help align things during glue up and can be used like clamps. Due to seasonal movement, they won't do anything helpful down the road.Adam
They may not be necessary, I was taught this way forty something years ago. I still use threaded rods.
mike
I did it with Maple a few months ago (though a bit thicker). It's complete now, but here are few pics I snapped a while ago just before mounting the vises:
http://forums.taunton.com/fw-knots/messages?msg=33603.5
Here's some thoughts I had on building it up, including the top:
http://forums.taunton.com/fw-knots/messages?msg=33603.1
If you're adding square dog holes, this might be of some use:
http://forums.taunton.com/fw-workshop/messages?msg=69.1
Glad to answer any specific questions.
I planed some maple down to 48mm (bear with me, I live in France) and cut it into ten 60mm strips. Glued these up using double rows of biscuits @150mm centres to make two 240mm x 60mm x 2m planks. Made a skirt 48mm thick by 135mm deep (165mm at one end for a Veritas twin screw vice) and dovetailed this together. Grooved the ends of the skirt, and trimmed and tenoned the two glued-up planks. More biscuits betweeen the side skirt pieces and their corresponding planks. Much faffing around dry assembling, then glued the whole thing together. The end skirts are about 760mm long so there's an approx 200mm gap between the two glued-up planks - a loose, thin board goes here for a tool well.
It took ages and cost a fortune - especially with the Veritas and a repro pattern makers vice. The latter is an absolute bastard to fit - i had to remove nearly all of the depth of the skirt, channel half of the underside of the bench and the screw/bolt holes come right on the joint between the skirt and the plank.
But I'm pretty happy with it!
Would you mind posting a picture of the bench you built?
Yes, sureHope this works...
Great work. I'm in the process of building a bench and can only hope it turns out half as nice as yours! By the way, how are the end caps -- or end aprons joined to the bench top?
Thanks! - the tops are slotted into the ends, not glued but there's a barrel bolt to resist the force of the veritas vice pulling the thing apart when used with bench dogs
To All. I might have the best one to tell yet.
Started out with all hard rock maple give to me from a friend that worked in a sawmill, I think I give him $50. for it all, 2" top 6'L X 30"w legs 3" X 4" . Top was doweled with three all thread 3/8 " Bolts to secure the top from never coming apart, Made with top and bottom apron 2" X 4" and in the front made with a 6" wide 2" thick board that would slide in a tongue and grove , drilled staggered holes in this for a peg to support a board or a drawer , So with the vice on one end you could hold what every you working on at bench top height. Lag bolted all the joints and Built it just like Cabinet makers benches in the furniture Factory's .And Without blueprints , 20 years ago and still as solid as the day I finished it. I'm now a furniture builder and still use it everyday
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