Replies

1. 
   JohnWW | Jan 15, 2008 11:39pm | #1

   Beech and maple are the classic choices for bench tops, but almost any hardwood will work.  You don't really want a benchtop to be "smooth sliding", or you will be chasing the piece you are working on all the time.  A hardwood or even a dense softwood with an oil finish works well but isn't too slippery.

   If you mean a plastic laminate they are all about equally tough.

   John W. 

2. 
   YesMaam27577 | Jan 16, 2008 12:32am | #2

   The laminate that you use should be a plastic laminate -- like Formica.

   The substrate should be either particle board, or MDF.

   Trim it with a straight flush-trimming bit. Then add a tiny chamfer -- either with a flush trim 22-degree bit, or with a mill file.

   Politics is the antithesis of problem solving.

3. 
   nboucher | Jan 16, 2008 06:24pm | #3

   I just made a router-table top as YesMaam describes, except I glued together two pieces of flat 3/4-inch birch plywood I had left over from another project instead of MDF or particleboard. You can get plastic laminate (Formica) at the home centers. There are lots ways to cut it, but I used my jigsaw with a very fine downcutting blade.

   Before attaching the laminate to your top, it's a good idea to edge band the top with hardwood to protect and help seal the substructure. I used some inch-thick hard maple I had lying around, mitered the corners and then rounded them with a hand saw, a rasp, and a file.

   Once you've got the banding nice and flush with the substructure, brush on a thin coat contact cement to completely cover your top, and put a similar coat on the back of your laminate. (Use a piece that is slightly larger than your substructure so you can trim it later with a router.) Let both dry until the cement is just tacky to the touch. It's time to put on the laminate, but be careful: as soon as the two cement surfaces touch, they will bind together and you won't be able to move the laminate. Lie some long, thin pieces of scrap spaced about 8 inches part across your top (they won't stick) and carefully position the laminate on top of that. Remove the center piece of scrap, press down, and work your way to the edges, making sure you push outward firmly so no air bubbles get trapped. You can use a rubber J-roller to really bind it down, working from the center out, but any piece of scrap will also do. The idea is to get a good bind between the surfaces. Trim the edge and you're done.

   For a router tabletop you should do this to both sides of the top. If you only laminate the top, moisture can get in through the bottom and warp the substructure.

   Norman

1. 
   davehouser | Jan 17, 2008 08:10am | #5

   Thanks everyone.Formica was what I was after. These table tops are actually for fabricating, assembling and manipulating fish and reptile enclosures. I build them for friends and fun. So it needs to be low friction because some of them are large and can be heavy.Again, thanks

1. 
   mapleman | Jan 18, 2008 04:11am | #8

   Dave,

   These table tops are actually for fabricating, assembling and manipulating fish and reptile enclosures.

   You would happen to be looking for a 16 foot reticulated python by any chance? He's really good around kids and small pets. Make you a good deal.

   He He He

   Lee ;)

1. 
   davehouser | Jan 18, 2008 07:31am | #9

   mapleman my wife would die!!

2. 
   KiddervilleAcres | Jan 18, 2008 06:32pm | #10

   Lee,

   He'll need a 16' warm coat if he comes up here!

   View Image

   Ho Ho Ho, ooops, good thing I'm not in Australia!

   Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres

    

   A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!

   
1. 
   JeffHeath | Jan 18, 2008 07:00pm | #11

   Bob

   It's snowing here right now, and tomorrow, the wind chill is supposed to be -30°.

   My shop heat system is working overtime.

   Jeff

2. 
   KiddervilleAcres | Jan 18, 2008 07:05pm | #12

   Jeff,

   Ugh, that cold air is headed my way for late tomorrow afternoon into Monday.  Should be interesting for the football players on Sunday.

   Go Pats!  Think we'll see a Pats - Packers Super Bowl!?

   Regards,

   Bob @ Kidderville Acres

    

   A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!

   Edited 1/18/2008 11:05 am ET by KiddervilleAcres

3. 
   JeffHeath | Jan 19, 2008 12:23am | #13

   I think you're right about the super bowl.  Pats vs. Pack sounds right to me.  No offense, but I'll be rooting for Favre.  The guy's just one of the classiest athletes around, in my opinion.

   Good luck Sunday.

   Jeff

4. 
   andyfew322 | Jan 17, 2008 07:25am | #4

   I don't know what you specifically will be doing, but I like to have a "junker" board on top of my bench

    

   "I'd rather be a hammer than a nail"

5. 
   JohnWW | Jan 17, 2008 06:02pm | #6

   A lot faster and cheaper is to buy Melamine faced 4' by 8' sheets of particle board for the bench tops.  The Melamine facing is just a thin version of Formica, but it is fairly tough and will last a long time if you don't beat it up.

   John W.

1. 
   davehouser | Jan 17, 2008 06:19pm | #7

   I have a melamine DIY poor man's router table I'm currently using but need total upgrade to the multi-layer table, etc to improve accuracy and precision through overall strength. I actually lightly wetsanded the melamine top to make it even smoother.
   Thanks