Thread: Tips for laminating a workbench?

I'd planned to do the same with some 110x19 reclaimed flooring which is currently 'seasoning' in the shed (read, I've not been off my #### and done anything with it yet). When I asked about threaded rod the advice was only for gluing up. As the top expands and contracts you'll have to tighten the nuts occasionally which will keep pulling the nuts through the timber, or break the rod. So, use it for glue up, but remove it before the laminating the last boards on.

Regarding the width, I think 700mm is perfect. I have a 900mm wide bench now and it's a little to big for most work. Moreover, mixing species in the middle of a bench top it probably unwise. Red Gum can be very unstable, as can Merbau, but who knows if the rates of expansion and contraction will be the same. If you keep only one species your chances of success are greater

The rods are OK to leave in. It's a common practice with butcher's blocks to run some threaded rod through with a nut on each end. Make sure there is a washer under the nut and it will be fine.

Just looking over some numbers regarding seasonal hardwood expansion and contraction, for items left undercover outdoors or in unregulated environments you can conservatively expect 1% seasonal dimensional change. In a 900mm top that's 9mm of shrinkage or expansion.

That's enough for me to avoid leaving the rods in. Smaller items, indoors with relatively regular temperature and humidity are a different kettle of fish I think.

Did I mention it is also a common enough practice in bench tops too? In fact I have a bench here that I bought second hand from a bloke and it had been sitting outside for years before I bought it (according to him). I think the issue is a furphy.

Here is a link to a plan that has a threaded rod running all the way through the http://www.gorillatough.com/Portals/...ch%20FINAL.pdf

I'm going to build this bench, or one like it, one of these days. This plan is in The Workbench Book also, which is a good read if you're planning to make a bench. http://books.google.com.au/books?id=dDbKtdJAZU4C

Scott Landis expresses concern about seasonal movement in regard to the rod, but Frank Klausz says that after 10 years on this bench, it has not been an issue. However, his bench is only 450mm wide.

The bench I have here is 600mm wide. It has threaded rod running right through it in 5 places.

Whether it is necessary or not is debatable. The Klausz bench has it only to reinforce the area around the shoulder vice.

With butcher's blocks, they usually provide access to the rod so that it can be tightened, but I believe this is only necessary at some interval after the block has been glued up. When it settles down it is not necessary to touch it.

Originally Posted by silentC

Here is a link to a plan that has a threaded rod running all the way through the http://www.gorillatough.com/Portals/...ch%20FINAL.pdf
.

Great link

Frank cheated.

He built the bench on another bench.

My bench has quite a few different species laminated and hasn't exploded as yet..

I would say if you think the wood has been well seasoned go for it.

I built a laminated benchtop a few years ago. It does not have rods and so far has held together just fine. Another laminated top I build for a bench near the lathe has also held together well with no movement.

If you intend to use rods make sure you mark out carefully so your bench dog holes do not coincide with the rod holes.

Thanks all!
silentC: lots of good stuff there, and a lot to absorb!
kman-oz: Thanks for being a voice of caution
Wongo: I agree that Frank cheated! I wonder how my fiancee would go with me using our dining table to build a workbench... then again I did build the dining table so she can't complain too much (wishful thinking!)
BrettC: your bench is a cracker, I'm sure that 4 years down the track it wouldn't still have that shine!

I think that I'll have a crack at putting the threaded rods in (in their carefully thought out and planned locations thanks Groggy!). If worst comes to worst and they break (has anyone EVER heard of them breaking?) then the glue should do it's job anyway! I'll be placing a removable capping on the edges anyway so they can be replaced and upgraded if need be!

A couple of additional questions:
Regarding dog hole placement, is there a standard distance? Or is it all determined by the amount of opening of the end vice?
When glueing up the top how frequently should I have a clamp/cramp?
Recommended glue? (Probably just opened up a battle similar to Ford v Holden there)

Originally Posted by bigred74

A couple of additional questions:
Regarding dog hole placement, is there a standard distance?

100mm between centers would give a lot of flexibility with minimum cranking of vises, clamps or bench dogs. They vary up to 200mm depending on who you talk to and what they do with their bench. I like the look of the spacing on the Festool tables but don't know what it is. It looks about 100mm.

Originally Posted by bigred74

Or is it all determined by the amount of opening of the end vice?

That, and bench dogs, spacers, wedges....etc

Originally Posted by bigred74

When glueing up the top how frequently should I have a clamp/cramp?

Think of the pressure from the clamp radiating outward at 45 degrees from the clamp face. Ensure sufficient coverage of the glue lines and you should be right.

Originally Posted by bigred74

Recommended glue? (Probably just opened up a battle similar to Ford v Holden there)

FWIW, I've used Titebond II and the Triton yellow stuff.

This post reminds me of a situation that occurred back in the late 50ies in Sydney when The Reserve Bank of Aust head Office building was being built and being fitted out. The original interior design called for the main Tellers counters to be constructed with the tops made up of laminated Jarrah ex 50mm slates glued up to form the tops. Back in those days Jarrah was relatively new to the NSW sean. The company I worked for in WA at the time actually organized the supply of the seasoned Jarrah for the company undertaking the fitout. Everything went well , the bank was completed and opened, then things started to go haywire, due to shrinkage and movement of the timber, glass panels started to shatter , doors to screens would not shut and all sorts of things started to occur. The problem was in the design of the counter construction which called for the laminated tops to be made up with the laminations running at 90 deg to the length of the tops so that if the top was say 3metres long as each slate shrunk then the cumilative effect was as you can image.
One of the characteristics of Jarrah is it will shrink in width but has minimal shrinkage in length . I guess the Architects and the Joinery Company learnt by their mistakes
The point is allow for movement one way or another.
Regards,
Mac

I did quite a bit of research into glues when designing my new bench (I will get around to building it one day) and based on the lamination of small thickness boards my conclusion was to go with a good aliphatic resin glue. Titebond Original. Titebond II would be the best choice for laminating thicker sections (30mm+), but would probably be overkill for flooring.

Regarding clamping, I use the same principal as Groggy; the thicker the clamping boards you use the less frequent the clamps need to be. For example, over a 2m span clamping directly to the article you would need to have a lot of clamps to distribute the force well. On the other hand if you have a couple of 100x100mm posts you can use as clamping boards you could easliy get away with half as many clamps.

Also, because you don't get a huge amount of working time with most glues, you'd best get a cheap sponge paint roler for the glue, and glue perhaps half a dozen boards at a time. With such large glue surfaces 30 minutes is enough clamp time to make it stable, then you can add the next half a dozen boards. You could have it knocked over in a morning.

Stick with the boards you have and make it 700wide,you'll find that a good size to work on. Sounds like you have a thicknesser available so glue up 5 or 6 at a time till you have 3 planks that will fit through the thicknesser then dress them to size before glueing them together.
I wouldn't bother with metal rods,just making a lot of extra work and the glue available these days is virtually foolproof. I used breadboard ends on my top and glued up with titebond 3.
Use as many clamps as you can lay your hands on and use cauls at each end and in the middle when clamping, it saves a lot of work when flattening the top.

Just finished my bench and have a few pics of the glue up in woodwork pics under "Workbench just finished."Good luck..