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8th September 2016, 04:00 PM #1GOLD MEMBER
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Woodworking Bench with laminated panels of different materials?
Just to set some context I’m a beginner in Brisbane and I tend to overthink projects. Even so, I’d like some feedback.
I don't have a bench. So I have started to think about building a woodworking bench. I thought I'd put one together with pine so it would not be expensive. The problem I have run into is that I don't have a jointer or a thicknesser and the cost of that much DAR pine is over the top. I have a cheap electric plane and I could buy a hand plane.
However: (a) if I dressed all the wood by hand where would I get the pine timber from? Do I just buy some untreated framing pine and dress that?
(b) can I be bothered to dress that much timber by hand on a saw horse? I have a bad back and so I'm not sure about doing that.
I thought about investigating a local men's shed for a jointer and advice but they seem to be open only during working hours. I think I will still do that at some stage but it's probably something I could only visit once in a blue moon.
So now, I'm thinking creatively about how to create the benchtop without using all solid wood. That way I can get a work bench. Down the track I can build a better one or swap out the benchtop if I decide I need to.
So my current idea is to laminate 2 different kinds of panels together. The top one would be FJ hardwood kitchen bench material and the bottom one would be flooring particle board. The FJ hardwood gives me a working surface pre-jointed. The particle board is really to give it more mass and rigidity at a cheap price. The drawback I see with particle board is that I’m not sure it has much lateral strength for any dog holes or vice mounting screws, rebated sections etc. So I might also laminate a ply panel underneath to support any screws for vices etc. Hopefully this should give me a very heavy, strong benchtop, which at least in theory should be flat. I could always buy a router to flatten the top with a sled.
This seems like an easier solution at a realistic cost, since I have few tools and no bench.
Does anyone see any flaws in this plan?
Will it be enough to glue these three panels together or should I also create small dowel joints between the hardwood and the particle board panels?
Is there another option I should be considering?
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8th September 2016, 10:14 PM #2.
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2x18mm ply wil give you a great bench top, If you want to go OTT then 3 x 18 mm.
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8th September 2016, 10:29 PM #3
As BobL said DaveVman 2 x 18mm ply and masonite on top of that to protect the top which you can then replace easily when it gets messed up.
Fit it by edging the sheets of ply which would make it look better anyway and leave a lip all round the top to the same depth as the masonite so it can just drop into the recess and be easily removed and replaced when needed. One sheet of ply split down the middle would be more than enough for a good sized bench top.
Chers mate,
Ian"The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot.. it can't be done.
If you deal with the lowest bidder it is well to add something for the risk you run.
And if you do that, you will have enough to pay for something better"
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12th September 2016, 11:26 PM #4
If you are not in a hurry you can pick up some bed frames from the hard garbage collection. That's what I ended up doing and that took up about a year. There is still a fair amount of cleaning up to get the varnish and stains off ready for the glue up.
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13th September 2016, 08:48 AM #5GOLD MEMBER
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That is a clever idea. I don't have a trailer and I could buy a jointer for the cost of a trailer although I'm starting to get the impression that a trailer is another required tool.
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13th September 2016, 09:31 AM #6SENIOR MEMBER
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Another vote for 18mm ply here. Mine is the bunnings formply 1 x 2400x600 sheet $30 odd brought home on roof racks. No trailer required. Even two sheets of 1200 x 600 would do if you biscuit join or dowel the joint and have a supporting frame. I made my frame nicholson style with ladder like supports underneath and locate dog holes over those supports. Its solid and intended it to last but the top is easily replaceable. In fact i'd probably just add a layer of form ply on top.
If you double up ply as a top just screw them together it will be far easier to replace.
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13th September 2016, 10:24 AM #7GOLD MEMBER
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What price have you been quoted on pine?
I was getting 200x25 DAR Hoop for $10.04 per lineal meter, and that was the top of the line stuff in their largest size. When you are willing to accept a knot here and there the price goes down. It's also cheaper when you get it in narrower widths.
Is that still prohibitively expensive? The place was the Sandgate Timber Mill just up M1.
I'd be careful with particle board in Brisbane. It doesn't like moist climate. It'll last a while as long as it doesn't get direct water contact, but it still degrades faster.
Just something to think about.
Cheers,
Luke
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13th September 2016, 11:00 AM #8GOLD MEMBER
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Do you gents have solid core wood doors? Usually a particle board core with plywood or hardboard faces. Here they can be had at discount door places and from building recyclers at times. Glue and screw a couple together if you want it thick and brutally heavy. Relatively cheap and good enough to get going on until you have the tools and skills to make something better.
Pete
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13th September 2016, 09:16 PM #9
Bunnings sells a 30mm plywood piece (2250 x 600) for $59. I doubt you could improve on that for the money. The stock number is 0390218.
They also sell solid wood (admittedly of odd lengths) 30mm tops made from Karri (8330042) and "pine" -- of unknown type -- (0290007) for $99.
There is also an Acacia top of 26mm thickness (8330032) for $99. This top is 2200 x 600.
I did some research for some non-main woodwork bench tops. I kept the research.
Hope that helps.
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13th September 2016, 09:43 PM #10SENIOR MEMBER
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Mark is on the money, for my money
A 2x4 frame, the 30mm slab of ply on it and you've got a servicable start.
That way you can get to work building things. The next bench should be your keeper, not this first one.
And don't go overboard even then. I built mine out of 2x4 offcuts from Bunnings and am stoked with it, and that was my second after a simple one of steel tubing and oregon fascia timber i started with (a mate snaffled that real quick as HIS first bench)
Keep it simple for now
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13th September 2016, 10:34 PM #11Member
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70x35 framing timber for the frame. Make it a torsion box and 30mm ply ontop or 2 sheets of 15,16, or 18mm ply.
Revolution plywood st brendale were ok for price.
I got 15mm ply for $45 a sheet from coopers plains a mob called decking wood.
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