Replies

1. 
   Archibald | Feb 12, 2006 09:35am | #1

   Don't use 2x4s for a workbench top if flatness is in any way an issue. A Torsion box is a much simpler, economic and reliable alternative

2. 
   notDusty | Feb 12, 2006 06:39pm | #2

   Hi truck8 ,    A builder I know made a workshop for the homeowners in part of the garage and he used glue lam beams made to order . He said he cleaned them up a bit and bull nosed the edge and they actually looked great . Granted the 2x4s are not as hard as Maple , some of the purists may cringe at the thought of this type of top .

                 He had them taken down in thickness to about 2  1/2"

            Trust me , the projects that get crafted on this bench top will not suffer

                                               good  luck       dusty

3. 
   donm | Feb 14, 2006 06:19am | #3

   I've done benchtops both ways, & found that I had just as good luck without biscuits. If you're really concerned, you can batten across the ends while gluing. I've done several from 2 x 4's (or 2 x 8's ripped in half), & they always stayed flat. As a matter of fact, after I finish the bed I'm building, I'm thinking of making a slightly different top from 2 x 4's, since my needs have changed since I built the one that I have now (my son has his eye on this one). Good luck, & just build it. The good thing is, if your needs change, it's not a whole lot of money to build a new one, & they hold up fine......don

4. 
   KiddervilleAcres | Feb 14, 2006 06:26am | #4

   Hi truck8,

   You didn't mention what material the 2/4's are, but if they are softwood, you'll most likely never get the top perfectly flat without a lot of work.  Not to mention that they will warp and split over time.  Also, do you need that much thickness?

   My first benchtop was made from a solid core birch door.  I added 3/4" plywood, good on one face (facing out) to make the top thick enough to accomodate a front vise from Lee Valley.  I then attaced a front apron 2" x 8" (solid birch) to the benchtop front and each end.  My bench is also lagged to a wall

   The base, sides and top, is simply made from double layers of 3/4" plywood glued and screwed together to make a "table" for the benchtop to rest on.  I rabbited the back top and sides and glued and screwed a 1/2" plywood back to stiffen the table.  On top in the back, I made a tool tray that runs the length of the benchtop, 92 1/2" long, and is attached simply with 2" deck screws.  My bench is against the wall in my shop, so I lagged the base to the studs as well.

   The benchtop is lag bolted to the table from underneath, 2 bolts at each end and 2 in the center, being careful to place them so as not to interfere with the round bench dogs.  The front and rear stretchers are 2" x 6" pine.  I then made two 1/2" plywood carcasses to allow for a cabinet on the left and drawers on the right, leaving space for shelves in the middle.  These are screwed to the stretchers on the bottom and to the underside of the table top.  The shelves in the middle rest on cleats.

   It sounds complex, but is really quite simple.  This bench is rock solid and it cost me less than $350.00 to build!

   Regards,

    

   Bob @ Kidderville Acres

   Use whatever tool needed to Git 'r Done!

5. 
   Troy | Feb 14, 2006 08:28am | #5

   Hi I did a work bench with a top made out of very old salvaged 2x4s. What I did was joint and thinkness each piece and then glued them together to get a section that was as wide as the jointer then ran the sections through a thickness planer. The next step was to glue the planks together when I did this I used biscuts to help align the sections. After the glue set and I removed the clamps only had to do a minimum of work with a jointer plane to get the top flat. The top has stayed very flat so far.

   Good luck

   Troy

6. 
   byhammerandhand | Feb 15, 2006 01:43am | #6

   This may provide some ideas or inspiration
   http://www.popularwoodworking.com/features/fea.asp?id=1069

   Unfortunately, the "Bob Key Workbench" mentioned in the article appears to have fallen off the internet.

1. 
   truck8 | Feb 15, 2006 04:58am | #7

   Thanks for all the great thoughts.  I like the site that byhammerandhand referred to, it looks like what I want.

7. 
   Yogi | Feb 20, 2006 03:50am | #8

   I laminated 2x4's for my work bench, then had a cabinet shop run it through a drum sander-  Cost about $35 as I recall, came out flat as a bowling alley-  Would recommend you make it of 2x4's about 2 ft longer than the final length, as there may be some snipe at each end-  Cheap in the long run, easy and flat-

8. 
   carpenter5 | Feb 20, 2006 06:45am | #9

   Hey Truck8, I built mine with it being durable but cheap to replace. I used framing and (don't think less of me as a woodworker) two MDF 3/4" for thickness, sealed and painted it also. It sits on 4X4 legs so it isn't going anywhere. Now in building it I did not intend to have this as a show piece in my shop but rather as a tough, durable I can beat the heck out of it and I won't cry work bench. Make it however you need and want but don't shed any tears over it.

   crpntr5