Needs Pictures: 0
Picture(s) thanks: 0
Results 1 to 12 of 12
Thread: work bench top - ply or HDF?
-
23rd November 2017, 01:01 PM #1GOLD MEMBER
- Join Date
- May 2009
- Location
- melb
- Posts
- 1,125
work bench top - ply or HDF?
My father built a small portable table saw to use on site years ago and used HDF - its really strong top and I thought it would be good to use it for a bench top. However, I cant really find it anywhere? Best I can find is 6mm Masonite type material.
I basically want to build something like Jay Bates on youtube - torsion box with some holes where I an attach clamps/dogs.
Anyone know where I can purchase 1.2x2.4m HDF in a thickness suitable for a workbench?
Another option would be ply - how thick you guys recommend the ply to needs to be?
-
23rd November 2017 01:01 PM # ADSGoogle Adsense Advertisement
- Join Date
- Always
- Location
- Advertising world
- Posts
- Many
-
23rd November 2017, 05:41 PM #2
an alternative would be the pre-sanded pine panels sold by the green shed or a kitchen bench top from Ikea
regards from Alberta, Canada
ian
-
23rd November 2017, 05:54 PM #3
Solid core doors are your friend......cheap, flat (solid timber core with masonite skins), heavy. Check prices at Bunnies.
-
23rd November 2017, 05:56 PM #4
-
23rd November 2017, 05:59 PM #5
Coincidentally, I have a spare kitchen bench top from IKEA - was considering bonding one of those hardwood timber kitchen benchtops from Bunnies on top of this. Result? A timber top surface to work on, and a flat and heavy benchtop with overall thickness around 70mm.
-
23rd November 2017, 06:25 PM #6GOLD MEMBER
- Join Date
- May 2009
- Location
- melb
- Posts
- 1,125
door hmm - is 35mm top necessary for a torsion box design? I like the idea of having the storage holes on the bottom
-
23rd November 2017, 09:22 PM #7Taking a break
- Join Date
- Aug 2008
- Location
- Melbourne
- Age
- 34
- Posts
- 6,127
The benches at work are 32mm MDF, no issues with them
-
24th November 2017, 04:10 PM #8
A solid core door makes a perfectly good benchtop on its own - no need for a torsion box. I have two benches made this way now 10 years old, and still perfectly flat. I have a set of drawers under each bench, deliberately made so the top of the drawer cabinet is about 150mm below the benchtop - that's a useful space to store stuff.
Cheaper than all the ply required to make a torsion box, and a big saving in labour time.
-
24th November 2017, 06:01 PM #9
If the OP wants a torsion box frame, he could build one from 6 mm MDF and screw the solid core door to the top
regards from Alberta, Canada
ian
-
27th November 2017, 09:23 AM #10Novice
- Join Date
- Mar 2009
- Location
- Bellingen 2454
- Posts
- 16
What is a torsion box?
-
27th November 2017, 12:36 PM #11SENIOR MEMBER
- Join Date
- Feb 2016
- Location
- Perth WA Australia
- Posts
- 829
What are you using it for? If its an assembly table or outfeed table either would be fine. However if you're planning on using it as a work bench might be better avoiding the torsion box route. Torsion boxes are great if you need a lightweight workbench that you need to cart around from place to place. Work benches are made of solid wood for a reason, they can take a beating and can be easily sanded flat again when required, they'll generally outlast a torsion box many times over.
-
27th November 2017, 02:43 PM #12
Similar Threads
-
Occre Portable Work Bench ( Work area) build / review
By paulv1958 in forum SCALE MODELLINGReplies: 2Last Post: 22nd March 2015, 12:22 PM -
1942 Bench Plans - Bench and Work Table
By chrrris in forum THE WORK BENCHReplies: 3Last Post: 8th May 2014, 08:27 PM -
work bench WIP
By pjt in forum THE WORK BENCHReplies: 14Last Post: 28th August 2013, 12:38 AM -
Carba tec bench jointer on Mobile work bench
By STAR in forum WOODWORK - GENERALReplies: 4Last Post: 22nd August 2011, 03:24 PM -
Carba tec bench Jointer on Mobile work bench
By STAR in forum TOY MAKINGReplies: 2Last Post: 22nd August 2011, 08:56 AM