Replies

1. 
   bones | May 26, 2005 04:20am | #1

   Could you try bracing to take the sag out? If it's in the middle of a long span, you may be able to take it out easier that way than building up with bondo. Just my two cents worth.

2. 
   billballeza | May 26, 2005 05:15am | #2

   I just today recieved shipment of.. and installed.. a new workbench top from Grizzly.

   It's made of 1 3/4" solid maple and is a thing of sheer beauty. They have them in several widths and lengths. Mine is 30" X 120" and arrived in perfect condition.. straight and flat with a beautiful and durable finish. 

   Check their website if you're interested.  The price is very reasonable. I really don't think you could purchase the maple and build the bench top for a better price.

   My original bench top was ply with tempered hardboard and I was never happy with it because the hardboard gets banged up and ugly with the least bit of use. You can't even set a cold drink on tempered hardboard without an ugly stain. Finishes, glue and other normal spillage.. fuggitaboutit.

   
   

   ---

   Edited 5/25/2005 10:16 pm ET by bill

1. 
   Jellyrug | May 26, 2005 08:06am | #3

   I built one of those too, with the Grizz top, after pricing rough lumber and saving a fortune.

   It's been in service now for 18 months, the finish holds up and it's still flat as a machine table.

   Picture attached.

   
1. 
   forestgirl | May 26, 2005 09:14am | #4

   Looks like you modified it just a bit ;-)  Nice bench!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

2. 
   billballeza | May 27, 2005 11:42pm | #15

   How'd you take that center section out.. and what's at the bottom?

    And what kind of bit did you use to drill the benchdog holes? Is it hard to keep the bit from straying through maple that thick?

   TIA

    

   Bill

1. 
   Jellyrug | May 31, 2005 03:52am | #19

   Bill,

   The Grizzly top got ripped on my table saw, for the two tops, the end vice and the tapered pieces at the ends. The center board between the two tops was made from 4/4 Red Oak and the base below the top with plywood. I drilled the holes with a forstner bit 3/4" on my drill press, prior to assembly.

1. 
   billballeza | May 31, 2005 04:53am | #20

   Thanks. I still don't know how you got those huge slabs onto your drill press.. even after ripping it in half.

   I guess it's one of those things I've have to see to know how it's done.

    

    

3. 
   VomSorb | May 26, 2005 01:58pm | #5

   Bondo over plywood bench top.

   Undoubtedly, we've reached a new low.

1. 
   Sam72 | May 27, 2005 02:19am | #9

   Sorry if I  offended you.....NOT!!!

   Thanks to  all the others who offered some helpful advice.

1. 
   VomSorb | May 27, 2005 01:55pm | #10

   You didn't offend me Sam.  You offended reason.

2. 
   joinerswork | May 27, 2005 04:02pm | #11

   Well, Charles, what do you expect him to do, plane it down level?? 

   I'd suggest a couple wraps of baling twine,  around the underside of the bench, then up to a ceiling joist and over a bent 20d spike.  Adjust by regulating the amt of bend in the nail. ;-p

   More seriously, a couple of diagonal braces from each leg to underside of the top, should stiffen the top sufficiently.

   Regards,

   Ray

1. 
   VomSorb | May 27, 2005 05:58pm | #12

   Your package will be sent next week by the way... still rummaging around for some other goodies that I don't use any more that you might find useful. 

   Yes, bracing is the obvious answer and replacing the plywood top which by this time has probably taken on a permanent set.  Could probably flip it over with the bowed side up and yank it down flat with screws or lag bolts on second thought.

   I'd probably take the time to replace the top.  I'd most likely go MDF with a hardboard skin for this set up.  Maybe two layers of hardboard skin over two layers of MDF.  By God, that ought to be flat and heavy enough.

    

    

   Edited 5/27/2005 1:39 pm ET by cstan

4. 
   Buzzsaw | May 26, 2005 03:11pm | #6

   I purchased a maple top from Lumber Liquidators.  It was 8' X 25" X 1.75" for $180 (no tax in NH). Also after pricing lumber I felt it was a great price. Added a skirt, end caps dovetailed, Veritas vise, and base and you see what the result was...

    

   Regards,

   Buzzsaw

   
5. 
   JohnWW | May 26, 2005 05:39pm | #7

   Sam,

   Even at 3 1/2 inches thick your top is way too thin to be self supporting over a six foot span.  If it is sagging, you need to support it better from underneath.  A 6 to 8 inch wide apron with a couple of intermeciate cross pieces is the typical design.  With that type of base, the top would only need to be 3/4 inch thick.

   John W.

6. 
   HowardAcheson | May 26, 2005 07:04pm | #8

   If it has sagged, it's very liable to continue to sag.

   It would be a much better plan to better support the benchtop. Use some cross bracing every 24 inches or so.

   Bondo would not be a good idea. It is not really that hard and is designed to be somewhat flexible so that it stays adhered to car sheet metal that flexes.

   Howie.........
7. 
   jackplane | May 27, 2005 07:02pm | #13

   sam,

   IMO, John W's suggestion is the best approach- essentially a torsion box. Bracing diagonally from underneath would also work, but take up potentially useful space. Other suggestions while humorous are, uh, luda cris.

    

8. 
   WillGeorge | May 27, 2005 07:24pm | #14

   I liked Bills Idea of the Grizz top...

   However... How good are you with a drill???

   I 'fixed' a neighbors bench built sort of like yours..

   CAREFUL measurements... Drilled some holes in the apron (divided along the length)for 4 each 3/4 inch black iron pipe.. Forced them in the holes.. Small jack helps to lift the top a bit..

   I assume that the aprons have not sagged.. Could be!

1. 
   Sam72 | May 28, 2005 12:00pm | #16

   ok, gonna do what I knew was the right move but didn't want to spend the time doing. Have 400 or so  bd ft of  maple in  the barn loft...add a month or so of spare time. and maybe i'll have a new top. just gotta find the spare time.

1. 
   WillGeorge | May 31, 2005 08:22pm | #21

   400 or so  bd ft of  maple in  the barn loft...

   Yep!  RUB it in to me!  LOL

   EDIT: I got a old bench I got from China or something (one of them).. I'm not sure what wood it is but I put my AIR Nailer on it and it went in about 1 inch???

   Dang nail SHOULD have stuck in the shop floor!

   Edited 5/31/2005 1:26 pm ET by Will George

9. 
   philip | May 29, 2005 12:58pm | #17

   Sam,
   How about a picture of this"bench"-then we will know whether to advise cremation or otherwise. What is this bondo?-it does not sound nice.
   Seriously-sounds like a good excuse to make or buy yourself a decent bench.
   On second thoughts I believe there may be a member out there who would like to plane it flat by hand.....

10. 
    MarkRD | May 29, 2005 07:40pm | #18

    Sam,
    I think bondo would crack eventually - not the greatest material for impact applications...

    Mark

    Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.

    View Image

1. 
   WillGeorge | May 31, 2005 08:23pm | #22

   I think bondo would crack eventually - not the greatest material for impact applications...

   Just usually used AFTER the IMPACT!