Workbench top

[burn]

I am seeking advice.

I have about 70 metres of 45 x 35 Spotted Gum (or Silver ash) which I salvaged from a recent renovation - I believe these were roof batterns - well they came from the roof.

I am considering using them to form a new workbench top after cleaning them up to around 42 x 32 (say). Is this a stupid thing to do - glue 22-24 pieces together to get a breadboard like bench top.? Is this a too extreme panelling job?

Thanks in advance

Burn

[bitingmidge]

No.

:D
P

[Dan]

No, and if you have a look at this (http://www.michealconnorwoodwork.com.au/workbenches.html) site you'll see how your top might turn out, only not as thick.

[Harry72]

Not if he doubles up with 2 laminated panels... 64mm or 84mm!

[Harry72]

Hmmm we'll do some maths!
70mtrs of wood 42x32mm, bench top say 2mtrs long
70m/2=35 2m lenghts, 35x42mm=1470mm wide/2m long, 1470mm/2=735mm(double up)
so that gives us a bench top 2m long 735mm(ish allow for saw kerf)wide 64mm thick... just a nice size yes?
Anyone think I got nothing better to do eh!

[echnidna]

Why the heck are so many on this BB building very thick benchtops. It just isnt necessary for a workbench to be any more than about 35 to 45mm thick over a 2 metre span.

[burn]

Guys,

Thanks for the confirmation (and calc's Harry). I was just out, cleaning up some of the lengths. I've got a lot of brushing down to do, before letting any of this timber near the jointer.

I WILL go for the double layer ... should I offset the top layer's joins with the bottom layers?

By the way, is this timber (Spotted Gum or Silver Ash - local timber yard wasn't sure either) suitable for small turning. I am going to have a lot of small offcuts?

Burn

[burn]

Why the heck are so many on this BB building very thick benchtops. It just isnt necessary for a workbench to be any more than about 35 to 45mm thick over a 2 metre span.

I assume it's for the weight. But I am still a 'newbee'.

[Cliff Rogers]

... I WILL go for the double layer ... should I offset the top layer's joins with the bottom layers?

By the way, is this timber (Spotted Gum or Silver Ash - local timber yard wasn't sure either) suitable for small turning. I am going to have a lot of small offcuts?

Burn
G'day.

If you stand them on edge & join them that way you won't have to go to double thickness. It will be very strong & won't flex.
If you really badly want to go to double thickness then yes, overlapping will be stronger & more ridgid. It will also be heavier.

Don't over do it on the top & forget about the legs, there's nothing worse than a workbench that wobbles when you try to work on it.

There's (was) a LOT of garden tool handles out there made out of it.
It makes a good shovel handle.

[bitingmidge]

Why the heck are so many on this BB building very thick benchtops. It just isnt necessary for a workbench to be any more than about 35 to 45mm thick over a 2 metre span.

I agree wholeheartedly, but first let me explain my Fumping Bench is 70mm hardwood spanning 800 (because it was meant for having the poop belted out of it), and my new Finishing Bench (he he, fat lot of good that'll do me!! ) is 70 mm because the top is oregon, and if I'd cut it in half 30 ish mm may be a tad on the bouncy side for oregon.

The oregon top itself will weigh nearly 60 kg's and the balance of the structure almost that again. Once something is immovable, it is immovable, adding another tonne of timber won't make it more immovable!

I surmise that the thickness fad developed in the US where hardwoods ain't all that dense (!). Interesting reading the Workbench book on that account, not all were big and heavy, Tage Frid's certainly have a light look about them, sort of like a souped up workmate!

The Mike Dunbar bench has a hefty leading edge where the vices are mounted and the balance is 3/4 ply (the bench it was copied from had 3/4 solid timber).

The "bench" I have worked off till now when the workmates were busy is a router table with an 18 mm top spanning 600. It moves around, but doesn't rack despite the fact that it's frame is a positively spindly 45 x 35 crapiata with glued M&T stretchers.

So there you go... I think fat tops is all about penis envy.

P
:D :D :D

[TassieKiwi]

Oh well, I guess I'll take my 90mm thick .....benchtop down to the beach. Might just score some Blonde... shellachttp://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon10.gif

[bitingmidge]

Oh well, I guess I'll take my 90mm thick .....benchtop down to the beach. Might just score some Blonde... shellachttp://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon10.gif
You and whose army??

:D :D :D :D :D :D

P

[bitingmidge]

I WILL go for the double layer ... should I offset the top layer's joins with the bottom layers?

See Cliff's post!

You would be better to select the pieces so that the grain runs as close to vertical when installed, that way you'll have a quarter-sawn effect, giving you the best control over movement, and stiffness.

Cheers,

P :)

[journeyman Mick]

Burn,
I don't think much of your timber yard if they can't tell the difference between silver ash and spotted gum! Silver Ash is almost white with the occasional silvery grey patch while spotted gum is brown. Pretty difficult to mix them up - even if you're colour blind :rolleyes:

Mick

[craigb]

I was trying to figure out why anyone would use SG for roof trusses or rafters or whatever.

Bloody heavy roof. :rolleyes:

[burn]

I was trying to figure out why anyone would use SG for roof trusses or rafters or whatever.

Bloody heavy roof. :rolleyes:

The house is in the older part of Garran and is what is known as an ex-govie. A house built to entice people to 'migrate' public servants to Canberra. As I understand it, since it was government money and 'way back when', quality was the issue, not price.

I picked up some Jarrah today, so took a piece of the spotted gum to verify my first attempts of identifying timber (using the Timber Buyer's Guide), they showed me some Silver Ash which, was lighter, but not by much ... perhaps there are grades of silver ash??

Anyway, I have timber to de-nail, clean and dress.

Burn

PS. Thanks for the suggestion on getting a quarter saw effect, will do my best when I 'see' whats beneath the 30-50 years of living in a roof.

[Gumby]

Our new timber floor is spotted gum and it varies from almost ash white to a rosewood light red like colour. That's the beaurty of it, the variation. And bioy, it's as hard as old boots.

[echnidna]

So there you go... I think fat tops is all about penis envy.

P
:D :D :D

ahhh - now I see it, the classic little dik syndrome
Those with little dikks overcompensate with fat tops. :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

[bitingmidge]

they showed me some Silver Ash which, was lighter, but not by much ... perhaps there are grades of silver ash??

Vic Ash perhaps??

P :confused:

[Harry72]

Why the heck are so many on this BB building very thick benchtops. It just isnt necessary for a workbench to be any more than about 35 to 45mm thick over a 2 metre span. Depends if you use the bench for 3D glue ups, mine's 33mm MDF and it bends very easy, when the top gets a bit more rougher I'll be gluing another piece on top!
I get the 33mm MDF from a yearly clean-out sale of a local kitchen mob, the current top cost $5 2.1x1.5m/2piece cant complain. I dont think id ever make a top out of nice wood, seems to be a waste to me rather make something nice with it.
Having the MDF does have its advantages, because its replacable, I can drill holes in it for clamping blocks/dogs anywhere, wack in screws, cover it in stains/glues/paints and not care... Im even known to write and work out my measurements all over it, when it gets to ratty a quick sand with 40 grit and glue a new bit of 3-12mm on top.