River Redgum Slab for a workbench in my shed - phase 1

[Wozar]

Hi All,

I got my hands on two redgum slabs which were being used as bench seats in a garden. The had been bought from a guy in Northern Victoria and as the garden was being landscaped they were going cheap so I grabbed them.

I have always wanted to do something related to woodworking. I work in IT and never really get to make anything physical so this is my big chance.

The first slab is 3400 x 660 x 75 and the second is 2600 x 700 x 75.

I am posting here as I am finished phase 1 which is planning and sanding the surface.

I am now looking use resin to fillin the holes and I am looking to do something interesting that contrasts the red timber. Does anyone have any experience at using coloured resins to fill timber holes?

Images can be seen here:

http://imgur.com/a/6Kkpu

I know it is a bit over the top for a workbench but that is what I like about it.

Your thoughts and guidance would be very much appreciated.

Also a quick shout out to my neighbour Mike, I wouldn't have been able to do it without his advice (and him lending me his tools!)

Regards,

Warren.

[Arron]

Welcome to the hobby Warren. A workbench is a great place to start.

I think there are more of us IT and ex-IT people on the forum then any other occupation.

Looking at the pics, the design looks vulnerable to racking. It might be advisable to put some cross-bracing on the legs. Workbenches come in for a lot of abuse so its worthwhile overbuilding them from the start.

Also not sure whether I would want resin on a workbench. I'm thinking about edge tools bluntening, cracks and bits working loose. Not sure really what my objection is really - i just like the traditional clean wooden surface which I dont have to shelter from abuse.

Cheers
Arron

[Heavansabove]

Welcome to the hobby Warren. A workbench is a great place to start.

I think there are more of us IT and ex-IT people on the forum then any other occupation.

Looking at the pics, the design looks vulnerable to racking. It might be advisable to put some cross-bracing on the legs. Workbenches come in for a lot of abuse so its worthwhile overbuilding them from the start.

Also not sure whether I would want resin on a workbench. I'm thinking about edge tools bluntening, cracks and bits working loose. Not sure really what my objection is really - i just like the traditional clean wooden surface which I dont have to shelter from abuse.

Cheers
Arron
I agree on not using epoxy on the bench. You might want to rout out bigger holes and put in plugs if you are fussy - this is a workbench. You will definitely want to beef up the base! Suggest low stretchers all round (on which you can put a shelf) - and cross bracing on the wall side. This is a looong bench. You may want middle legs as well.

[BobL]

. . . . .I know it is a bit over the top for a workbench but that is what I like about it.
.

Welcome to the forum Wozar.

That sure is a nice looking piece of wood and it must weigh a fair bit?

As far as using whole slabs go, one thing to out for is wood movement as even dry pieces can move and if you require a true flat surface, entire slabs may not remain so throughout the year.
I'm not sure about eastern states river regime but WA redgum moves quite a biy and if they are fixed down they can break joints etc. A friend of mine has a 300 x 100 wide internal window sill made out of WA red gum and it cups 10 mm one way and then the other way during the year.

I've used slabs as bench tops on some side benches.
These are WA Red gum milled from a tree I planted in my back yard many decades ago.
They only 50 mm thick and they are just sitting loosely on the top of the cupboards.
They move about 1mm each way during the year but as they are sitting loosely on top its not a problem.

http://www.woodworkforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=172304&d=1307269549

It looks like black epoxy but the cracks on these are filled with clear epoxy which takes on the colour of the surrounding timber
http://www.woodworkforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=170946&stc=1&d=1306192071

This is a workbench I made for a friend made from slab pieces - might give you some ideas. http://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?t=168059

[Wozar]

Thanks for the tips. It certainly does weigh a lot! It took three of us to lift it onto the legs. Must be close to 180kgs!

I have now got some ideas about the resin side of things. I have been thinking of mixing some colour into a clear resin in order to really make a feature of it but then I remember that I am making a workbench, not art.

Still researching but I think I should have the next part done by the weekend.

Will post more pictures then.

Wozar.

[BaileyBoy]

You can use butterfly pegs which will stop the cracks from developing further. Getting the top flat will be fun with a full slab, hence I use laminated pine for that. Are you putting a vice (woodworking ones) if so you want to make the vice face 90degrees and also flash with the top so easier when you plane long pieces or making doors.

Attached are couple of photos of a work bench I built I over the weekend.
346317

346316

[Wozar]

I love the surface!!! What did you use to get it looking like that!?

over time I would like to add to the workbench such as a vice or other tools but at the moment I am too attached to the surface to add anything to it. That one looks amazing, congratulations.

WB

[Simplicity]

Fantastic looking bench .
It's going to be great .
Only problem like others have said I think the un support span is to great .
You may properly will get movement or least the top sagging over time .
And remember it's hard to build something square and true ,when the surface your building off is not true and square .
That's the reason everyone harps on about work benches ,being heavy and supper flat .
Looking forward to more progress pics.
(And I should finish my own bench and post some pics very soon)

[BaileyBoy]

Its my first work bench and I already picked a few things I could improve on.

The top is laminated beams which I glued together. They are well seasoned and coated top and bottom so I assume moisture ingest will be minimal so it should be ok but time will tell.

What the photo didn't show is that the other side has an apron so it adds rigidity to the top. My intention is to use that side when I'm chiseling. The side with the vice is mostly for plane use. The reason I didn't put apron on both sides is that I like to be able to clamp things onto the top.

I want to make another bench (a nicholson style) but the missus wants me to work on the house (DIY) instead of projects. I also have a much lighter weight but large bench for gluing and light work so another workbench is a bit excessive...




Fantastic looking bench .
It's going to be great .
Only problem like others have said I think the un support span is to great .
You may properly will get movement or least the top sagging over time .
And remember it's hard to build something square and true ,when the surface your building off is not true and square .
That's the reason everyone harps on about work benches ,being heavy and supper flat .
Looking forward to more progress pics.
(And I should finish my own bench and post some pics very soon)