Thread: Solid-Core Door Workbench - WIP

Steve,

I just realized this is the exact same bench as my first one. However I didn't make the joints as tight as you and the top sagged. So I tore it apart and built a new one. Here are a couple of pics. You will notice is still looks like a garage at this point.

Attachment 214378Attachment 214379

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Bret

Originally Posted by bj383ss

Steve,

I just realized this is the exact same bench as my first one. However I didn't make the joints as tight as you and the top sagged.

Oh. I see. Sort of a shame you didn't remeber earlier to forewarn me, but that's life.
My memory is almost certainly worse.

Actually, one of the main reasons I start threads on these builds is so that if it's something I've never done before and I'm about to stuff up, someone will maybe say something.
In this case, I'd appreciate some constructive criticism.

Don't get me wrong Steve it was a very sturdy bench. My shortcomings was that when I tightened the bolts both ends where about 3/16" higher than the rail. I didn't think it would matter that much because I was using two 3/4" layers of MDF laminated to make the top. But over time it sagged almost 3/16" of inch across the middle. Which is not good if you want to build square furniture. Not a big deal if you are building small projects such as toys and scale models.


Bret

Originally Posted by bj383ss

Don't get me wrong Steve it was a very sturdy bench. My shortcomings was that when I tightened the bolts both ends where about 3/16" higher than the rail. I didn't think it would matter that much because I was using two 3/4" layers of MDF laminated to make the top. But over time it sagged almost 3/16" of inch across the middle. Which is not good if you want to build square furniture. Not a big deal if you are building small projects such as toys and scale models.

Bret

I do need a top without any bowing. Since I don't have a planer or thicknesser, I use a couple of sheets of 100 grit W&D paper glued to a big sheet of perspex to dress boards for my boxes , and especially the slices that will be laminated together. I can't do it on the dining-room table any more.

I can't make another workbench sometime in the future - my health isn't the greatest and I just barely got through this one, so it has to last forever. It's the one and only 'big' thing that I'll ever make.

I've got to jump through some medical hoops for a couple of days, my annual lung tests, but once that's all out of the way I think I'll take the top back off, give both ends of both top rails a few really hard belts with a heavy steel mallet or length of hardwood 4 x 2 and see if they drop below the level of the end-frames. If so, I'll mark everything up to keep it level, then square it up with the belt sander.
Once the frame is really flat on top, I'll re-attach the door and continue with the plywood top.

After putting in this much time, effort and $$$, I don't really mind putting an extra day or two into it if necessary, to ensure that it's done right.
If I'm lucky, neither rail will move, but we'll see. I'll make two new top rails if I really have to.
For $700, I want a 'good' bench.

G'Day Steve, Bret was up early today.
Your benchhas done you proud.
I hope all goes well with the medical people over the next couple of days.
Woodwork & ti me in the shed is great therapy..
Cheers, crowie

Originally Posted by crowie

G'Day Steve, Bret was up early today.
Your benchhas done you proud.
I hope all goes well with the medical people over the next couple of days.
Woodwork & ti me in the shed is great therapy..
Cheers, crowie

Thanks, mate.
Just routine lung capacity, chest x-ray and blood tests. My own stupid fault for smoking cigarettes. I don't any more. I'd like to see them banned.

I've developed a plan for if either rail does drop when I test them. I'll ream the other holes as necessary until both rails drop the same amount and are dead level, then just sand down the end-frames to match with the belt sander. Should be easy.
Bret, your warning didn't come too late.

Hello Steve

Wasn't trying to condone your bench just sharing what happened to me. I think your bench looks great and you did a job well done


Bret

Originally Posted by bj383ss

Hello Steve

Wasn't trying to condone your bench just sharing what happened to me. I think your bench looks great and you did a job well done
Bret

Bret, I know you weren't knocking the bench. Your warning was timely. Thanks. An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure, they say.
I just whipped the top off and belted the rails down with the end of a length of 4 x 2. Harder than I will ever need to hammer on the bench.
They did move a bit, three ends moved about 2mm and one moved 1mm, so I need to ream 1mm from one hole, then take 2mm off the end-frames. When that's done, I'll belt the you-know-what out of it again to make certain they won't drop in the future, then double-check everything's still square and level, before putting the top back on and screwing on the plywood.
I considered just continuing on, then driving in shims/wedges if it did bow, but now I know that it definitely would have, so I'm glad I'm going to the extra trouble to fix it properly. Two hardwood rails weigh 20kg, (44lb), more than enough to pull a bow into a door over time, even with a layer of plywood on top. Almost half my bodyweight.

All done. I was a bit off-colour for a few days, then had a HDD failure that's kept me busy recovering data from the old drive, but pottered along and did a bit each day.
Overall, I'm pretty happy with it. I could have sanded it a bit and cleaned up the stain on the front left leg etc to make it look prettier, but it is a workbench, not a coffee table.

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I was pleased to see that the vice was still nice and tight even when fully open, with no tendency to sag, (yet). With the timber jaws in place, it can still hold up to 310mm. I'm glad I went for a deep one.
Attachment 215311

Well done. Great to have followed this work in progress.

Originally Posted by Hermit

All done. I was a bit off-colour for a few days, then had a HDD failure that's kept me busy recovering data from the old drive, but pottered along and did a bit each day.
Overall, I'm pretty happy with it. I could have sanded it a bit and cleaned up the stain on the front left leg etc to make it look prettier, but it is a workbench, not a coffee table.

Attachment 215309 Attachment 215310

I was pleased to see that the vice was still nice and tight even when fully open, with no tendency to sag, (yet). With the timber jaws in place, it can still hold up to 310mm. I'm glad I went for a deep one.
Attachment 215311

You've done an excellent job of your bench Steve.
Looks nearly too good to use in the shed.
Sorry to hear about all your drama on the computer HDD; I've just been sorting out my daughters external HDD storage.
Ended up getting her another to do a BACK UP COPY; the old I.T. mates would love hearing me say that [1.5TB seagate from Dick Smith for $99].
Back to that beautiful bench; there's a big blank wall behind it waiting for pegboard & shelves.
Thanks for taking the time to walk us through your project.
Keep well.
cheers, crowie

Thanks, guys. I can finally get back to the real stuff, now that the plywood's out of the way and I have room to move.

You're right on track, crowie. I want to put shelves all around the walls, for timber, along with a pegboard over each bench and in particular, a few more lights.

I like the lights partly shown in my earlier pics - an Edison screw table lamp with extension arm. The sockets are much sturdier than standard bayonet ones and either fit in their original clamp bracket or into any 1/2" hole, so I'm thinking of putting a few holes around the edges of the benchtop - one at each rear corner and one it the centre at the rear. I also have one over the spindle sander and one for the bandsaw. With a 20W 'Daylight' CFL bulb fittted, they light things up really well and help compensate for my eyesight.

It would be extra handy and kill two birds with one stone if I could devise or buy a clamp-down system that will fit into 1/2" holes. I'll have to do a little research.

crowie, luckily I keep a cloned copy of my hard drive at all times, so if I have a failure I can fit it and get back on track quickly.
This time, it had been 6 months since cloning, so I have to copy all the catch-up data over from the old drive before wiping it and preparing it for cloning ready for next time.This happens every 6 to 12 months right out of the blue, for some reason.
Another day of rescuing data, then I'll clone the finished drive and pack the clone away for next time.
I'd clone the drive more often, but it takes 14 hours and I can't use the computer during that time if I want a good clean clone.
Keeps me on my toes.

Looks Great Steve. All you hardwork payed off. Only suggestion I have is to put a finish on the top to resist stains. I didn't put a finish on mine for the first year and when I decided too their were stains I couldn't sand out.

Are you going to make drawers to go underneath it? Looking forward to the rest of your shop upgrades.

Bret

Originally Posted by bj383ss

Looks Great Steve. All you hardwork payed off. Only suggestion I have is to put a finish on the top to resist stains. I didn't put a finish on mine for the first year and when I decided too their were stains I couldn't sand out.

Thanks Bret.
I haven't mentioned it since one of my first posts, but the plan is to sand the top lightly and give it a couple of coats of poly, to protect the surface a bit. The cheap spray stuff - satin Estapol, not my precious water-based wipe-on poly.

Are you going to make drawers to go underneath it? Looking forward to the rest of your shop upgrades.
Bret

Nope, no drawers. I want easy clamping access right to the middle of the bench and also will probably cut holes for bench dogs in future along with drillings for a clamping system, so I don't want drawers getting in the way. I already have eight drawers in the other bench, but might also make an extra storage cabinet with drawers in the future, along with heaps of shelves as mentioned. One of the first will be a wall rack for all of my clamps, rather than have them all taking up the edge of a bench.