Thread: Work bench

Gumby,

I used oregon for the understructure of my bench, laminated 100x100 legs, 150x50 rails, and found it ideal. I think I'd go for a solid top though, in case you want to do some serious bashing. Also, if you want to put bench dogs in you'lll need something solid.

cheers,

Alex

A solid door top would be OK, but I would make up an oregon top for two reasons.

Firstly, the oregon top will likely be heavier and make it all the more stable. I enclose a photo of a workbench I have just finished - from freebie recycled oregon from a neigbour's pergola. The legs and rails are 90 x 90 (dressed). The top is made out of 120 x 45 glued together. There are additional rails at the top hidden behind the faceboard so it weighs a ton, but its weight is greatly appreciated because it is incredibly stable. Its bolted together with very heavy bolts, the only bits I had to pay for.

Secondly, I know workbenches are primarily functional things - but the oregon top is real pretty - which is much more satifying then looking at a door. That functions as an incentive for me to work neatly and keep the workspace (benchtop) tidy. That sort of discipline doesnt come naturally to me but is well worth cultivating. Inevitably it will get scratched and dirty from time to time, then I can sand it up again. Glue ups, painting etc I do on another bench nearby - which, incidently, has a solid core door for a top.

Arron

Gumby

I knocked up my current bench about fifteen years ago using an early edition of the Triton Workcentre and the plans from the Triton project book. The legs and stretchers are made from oregon. The top is splined hardwood (spotted gum or similar) and has stood up extremely well. My only complaint is the top. I used 38 mm thick planks and since they had not been kiln dried or stickered for more than a few minutes (???) they eventually shrunk leaving 5 mm splined gaps between the boards.

The bench is quite heavy and this has proven useful when using hand tools. It is a simple matter to make another top (just spline some hardwood and attach with half a dozen coach screws, but I always seem to have something else to do.

To sum up it is a good design and heavy enough to withstand hard use without bouncing all around the shed. I would suspect that the design is still in the Triton project book. The stretchers have through bolts that allow some adjustment should the timber shrink.