a workbench to make a workbench

[mic-d]

This Roubo-esque bench I'm working on will have a top made of six 100x100 (nominal) hardwood posts which will be a bit akward to glue up and weigh quite a bit. So over the last 2 days I set myself to making an assembly table on which to assemble the workbench top. It will become my general assembly table too. Photo 1 shows the dressed legs with the mortises for the sliding dovetails. These were done on the horizontal mortiser of the Luna, first by removing most of the waste with a spiral upcut bit and then shaping the walls with a dovetail bit. Also did the mortises for the M&T joints on the Luna. Photo 2, running off the sliding dovetails on the HM. The bed is gradually raised after each pass to gently shave away the waste (it's not the biggest bit in the world actually it's for the leigh jig). So fast and easier than on a router table. Photo 3 running off the tenons for the bottom stretchers on the table saw. I had to do the long stretchers by hand though, the old pool table in a small room problem. Photo 4, closeup of the top sliding dovetail joints - they are 70mm long. Photo 5 and 6, a dry fit of everything. There is a piece of leftover oregon that I used for the job. My mate gave it too me after sitting under his house for umpteen years waiting for a project. I also salvaged a bit from a rotten carport job a while ago too. Tomorrow I'll look at ways to jazz it up a bit then do a glue up. On Monday I'll fit a torsion box top so it'll be light and strong, I'm planing on winching it up to the ceiling for storage.

Cheers
Michael

[mic-d]

The glue-up is complete, was a big job on my own. Tomorrow I will fit the torsion box top.

Cheers
Michael

[mic-d]

Here's the top for my assembly table, it's a product I saw at Sharp plywood about 12 months ago and filed it in the memory back for a suitable project. It's very light and strong and environmentally friendy. Heres some links to it:
http://www.xanita.com/site/about/x-board-plus.html
http://www.indesignlive.com/articles...-x-board-plus-
I've glued and screwed a timber frame to the underside of it to mount buttons, which I'm working on the spacing of at the moment. No need for buttons for expansion, but they are a convenient way to mount the top so it can be easily removed.

until the next installment...
Cheers
Michael

[Woodwould]

I like the look of that Xanita board.

[mic-d]

Hi Woodwould
I'm impressed with how solid the assembly table is. It's got me thinking of using it for the workbench sandwiched between two sheets of armourply from Big River Timbers instead of a 90mm thick solid timber top.

Apparently they ran over some with a forklift, the edges crushed but the centre was unaffected!
Cheers
Michael

[Woodwould]

Aarmourply? That sounds interesting too. Please tell.

[mic-d]

I don't know if I can tell at the moment. I just went looking for a link to it but can't find it anymore I know they were having some problems with the surface finish due to checking in the veneer a while ago, maybe they pulled it. It was Australian hardwood ply with 3mm veneers. Richard Vaughan built a workbench top with it in an Australian wood review several years ago. I'll let you know if I find out more. BigRiver has a product called armour panel which might be the same specs and Revolution wood panels also do one: http://www.revolutionwoodpanels.com.....html#hardwood
If they have thick veneers, they would also be good for a workbench top.

CHeers
Michael

[mic-d]

I've screwed on the buttons, cut their rebates in the frame and mounted the top. Now I just have to beg, borrow or steal some spotted gum decking to use for the edging and put a finish on it.

[Woodwould]

Sound job!

I like the sound of that thick veneer board, but I think I'll stick with MDF for my bench top as it's cheap and I can ask the Purchasing Department Manager to go and fetch it from any number of places.

[jmk89]

WW

Another engineered board that you can use that is available in Australia (and which delivers to the customer) is blockboard. You can buy 1 1/2" board which is stable as bedrock.

If you are interested, I will post a link to the supplier.

Cheers

Jeremy

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Mic, you said you're planning on "winching it up to the ceiling for storage?"

Do you think the buttons will be OK for that? They'll withstand the weight of the legs hanging off 'em?

Or do you plan on removing the top & storing it elsewhere before winching the leg assembly up?

Just being curious...

[Woodwould]

WW

Another engineered board that you can use that is available in Australia (and which delivers to the customer) is blockboard. You can buy 1 1/2" board which is stable as bedrock.

If you are interested, I will post a link to the supplier.

Cheers

Jeremy

I remember blockboard from away back (assuming it's the same stuff). If you have a link, that would be much appreciated.

[mic-d]

Mic, you said you're planning on "winching it up to the ceiling for storage?"

Do you think the buttons will be OK for that? They'll withstand the weight of the legs hanging off 'em?

Or do you plan on removing the top & storing it elsewhere before winching the leg assembly up?

Just being curious...

Hi Skew, the plan was to remove the top first. We've picked it up by the top no worries, but I don't see it being good to store it that way and it's not as easy to fit mounting points with the top on.
The oregon is surprisingly light and strong.

Cheers
Michael

[jmk89]

I remember blockboard from away back (assuming it's the same stuff). If you have a link, that would be much appreciated.

Here it is: http://www.ecocore.com.au/

[Woodwould]

Here it is: http://www.ecocore.com.au/

Wonderful! Thank you.