Thread: Experienced advice required on benchtop building

If it's going to be a general purpose bench and you lack woodworking equipment to true up and surface lengths of hardwood, it is really, really hard to go past a sheet or two of yellow tongue flooring.

Yellow tongue flooring sheet is flat, straight, waterproof (good for 3-6 months outside exposure), tough and cheap. A 3600x900mm length will set you back about $40, so it's cheap enough to use two sheets, with the top sheet considered sacrificial and disposable (after flipping it over and wearing out the other side, that is). As a bonus you get the yellow tongue, which is handy for pulling electrical wires through ceilings 'n stuff.

Add some legs and rails made from 90x45 pine framing (all of $2-something a meter) and a lazy Sunday and you're done.

If you want to kick it up a notch, a secondhand solid core door is a cheap way of buying a slightly fancier benchtop...you can then also think of screwing the bench together using something like a pocket hole jig, rather than coach bolts.

As for gluing without clamps - it's hard to do as generally the clamps are there to combat any springback in the timber. But assuming that the wood is well behaved and hasn't cupped or bowed to any great amount, a marine epoxy adhesive is the most gap tolerant glue. In a pinch you can use duct tape or packing tape as a reasonable clamp to hold the timber together while the epoxy sets (note that that's just 'hold it together' not 'force bowed piece into alignment')

See here for some simple plans:

Woodworking plans
Simple Workbench Plans | The Family Handyman

My multi purpose bench has a melamine top which I find excellent - make notes in pencil then rub them out, liquid proof, glue scrapes off the a paint scraper, AND it's good and bright (white). I laid a sheet 0f 16mm over a sheet of 16mm plain MDF (screwed down the plain sheet, and screwed up through it into the melamine sheet. Because it's screwed down I can replace the top from time to time - due now actually.

I'll be building a proper woodworking bench soonish, but it won't replace this - too useful.

Thanks for the info guys.

I'm not opposed to buying clamps, but i don't want to spend heaps of $$$ on clamps to never use them again, so if there is are any alternatives, then I am open to suggestions.

I've seen some pipe clamps on eBay for ~$30 for a pair (without pipes).

If possible, my first option would be a timber benchtop, as I love the look and feel. Otherwise I may consider laminated/veneered MDF. I have used this for my old bench and it has suited my needs well, and is especially easy to clean up grease.

My bench has a melamine coated chipboard top on which,
like FF, I draw rough plans, write measurements and make
notes.When the mood takes me, or the need arises I clean it
up with very little effort.Chisel to scrape off excess glue,
metho and scouring pad for pencil marks.

I've used it to hold jigs for clamping and alignment and it is
pockmarked with nail and screw holes as a result. Even has
a couple of larger hole saw holes where I can locate F clamps.

Not pretty but well used and damned handy!!

Heartily agree with Master Splinter here; a couple of layers of yellow tongue flooring and some structural pine for the frame. Easily built over a weekend using glue and basic lap joints. Or even nails.

The main reason I endorse this approach is because over the next year or so you may want to fit a vise or two, drill dog holes, fit backing boards etc. A sturdy but cheap bench won't hurt emotionally if you find a need to butcher it in any way. After a couple of years you can then build a nicer one with all the improvements you've identified.

If you do want to go down the solid timber route but with no clamps, drill through all the timber pieces and connect them with some 3/8" threaded bar going across the width of the bench top. You can either counter-bore to make the nuts flush or remove the whole assembly and plug the holes after the glue has dried

Hi guys,

What sort of clamps would be best for gluing the bench top?

Would these be suitable? Can anyone comment on the quality?

4 PCs,Heavy Duty. F Clamp120mm x 600mm | eBay

120mm x 600mm F CLAMPS (2pc) - QUICK ACTION F-CLAMP WOODWORK/METALWORK CLAMPS | eBay

GLUEING PIPE CLAMP 3/4" 2 SETS - WOODWORKING VICE-NEW!! | eBay

SET OF 2, PIPE CLAMP 3/4" - WOODWORKING VICE-NEW!! | eBay

No-name clamps are really hard to recommend without testing them first - there are a number of ways they can work out to be suboptimal (the bar deflects, the serrations are too small meaning the body can jump back, the heads deflect.....)

Maybe buy some reasonable ones (the Irwin Quick Grip ones aren't bad) and then sell them off on here when you've finished??

I've decided to go with the threaded bar option. I'm going to leave the bars in an dress the ends so that the bars are hidden.

Are there any write ups on this method?

-some 2x4's and some ratchet straps could make an ok clamp (you may want to borrow an extra set of hands to set it up)

-use weight

Originally Posted by greens_tuf

I've decided to go with the threaded bar option. I'm going to leave the bars in an dress the ends so that the bars are hidden.

The only problem with this is you will need to be very careful in future, should you ever want to drill holes for dogs, vices, etc.

Are there any write ups on this method?

Easiest method - to my mind - is to cut a circular plug of the same material with a slight taper. eg. with a radius 1mm too large on one side, a mm too small on t'other. Depending on how far in the end of the rod starts, you may need to hollow it out some (with a spade bit) for clearance.

Align it so the grain matches the direction on the bench, apply glue and seat it with a light whack or two from a wooden mallet. Wait until dry and chisel/plane/sand it flush.

Bob's yer uncle...