# Another workbench



## Lucasd2002 (Sep 12, 2014)

Sorry for rehashing a common topic, but I need to build a workbench.

I have limited skills but hope to improve. Due to inheritance, I have a strange mix of modern and antique tools. I haven't spent much time using chisels, but I have a pile of them in the garage. I may as well try using them.

There is a Record 52 1/2 D sitting on the shelf in my garage that needs a bench built around it. I also have an old craftsman vise that may be worth mounting also.

Whatever I build will be woodworking and multipurpose (i.e., woodworking, beer-stand, a little auto repair, soldering station, etc). I have a swiveling metal-working vise in the garage also (not sure how many vises I could potentially mount onto this bench).

I have a few ideas bouncing around in my head... At this point, I think it will be 30" wide x 90-96" long (with a 6-inch tool tray on the rear side). I plan to build the base out of softwood (SYP, spruce, fir, etc - whatever is available at the local lumberyards).

Bob Lang, Cecil Braeden, and Paul Sellers (with a hint of Chris Schwarz) seem to be influencing my design thoughts.

For the top, I was planning to laminate/stack plywood or MDF with hardwood edging... but I think I have shifted mindset and will laminate/face join boards to make a ~3" thick top.

I am not opposed to using softwood for the top, but I wanted to see what people here may suggest. What do y'all recommend for hardwood for a top?

Maybe I can find ash here in Georgia? Can I do hardwood for the top (90+ x 24 x 3) for less than $200 in materials?


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## nbo10 (Jan 26, 2011)

The top is 45 board feet, so the lumber needs to be less than $4.50 bd-ft. That price only for the top; You'll also need to build a base.


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## Lucasd2002 (Sep 12, 2014)

I went to a local lumberyard over the weekend. They had a pretty good price on 8/4 Maple, which is a tradition bench top material. Another intriguing option was 16/4 poplar. Nearly 4" slabs of poplar would make a nice bench top, I think. (Other potential options were 8/4 pine and 8/4 poplar.)


For the base, this is my preliminary plan (bench top not shown for clarity). The view below is the front left corner. The front apron (drawn as a 2x6) is sandwiched between two vertical 2x4s (so each leg is three laminated 2x4s). The aprons are offset from the top to allow for edge clamping similar to Bob Lang's 21st century bench. 

I have the apron shown with two 3/4" dowels through the entire leg.

The side stretcher is a mortise and tenon joint (mortise would be cut through the entire thickness of the rear 2x4 of the leg) and also supports the bench surface.

OK, what problems do people see?


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

Lucasd2002 said:


> Sorry for rehashing a common topic, but I need to build a workbench.
> 
> I have limited skills but hope to improve. Due to inheritance, I have a strange mix of modern and antique tools. I haven't spent much time using chisels, but I have a pile of them in the garage. I may as well try using them.
> 
> ...


You have the right idea to build a woodworking bench rather than a bench. Tool tray is an excellent asset. Mine has one too. 

I don't recommend MDF. If you do a glue up. At least make it from lumber. I would shorten it and widen it by a few inches. Should be wide enough to set furniture on without falling off. Chairs, Tables and benches.

The picture is for a better leg design. If the long stretcher was lower a set of drawers can be added later. Makes for a strong bench.

Al


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