Thread: Is it Suitable?

One of them would be enough.

If it's good enough for the Schwarz to do something similar I can't see why it wouldn't work for you too!

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/wo...o-bo-workbench

If you keep looking around the stacks you may find some laminated hardwood panels of similar dimensions for not much more, certainly less than Ikea.

My local Bunnings had some in a pile near the doors and dowels, other Bunnings have had them all over the place. You need to be careful as they also sell a heap of fake wood counter tops (laminate over coarse chipboard) and they can all be stacked together at times, plus they are shrink wrapped to death so you can't check the edges.

Originally Posted by MrPete

If it's good enough for the Schwarz to do something similar I can't see why it wouldn't work for you too!

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/wo...o-bo-workbench

Hi MrPete
As you say, if it's good for guru Schwarz, it ill work for me. Thanks for the lead!!
Yvan

Originally Posted by yvan

Walking through my hardware store, I noticed boards of laminated pine (2100 x 900 x 40) produced in Chile. Would two of these glued together be suitable as a work bench top? Expert opinions would be appreciated!

Yvan
.

can't see why not

I'd counter bore the underside of the bottom layer to about 25mm, use a paint roller to spread the glue on the joining surfaces and then use 40mm screws driven from the underside at about 100mm centres as clamps -- you'll need lots of screws

pull the screws out when the glue is dry

or you could go up market and use the acacia from Thailand

Thanks Ian. What a simple but brilliant idea. I was wondering how I could clamp down these two boards when gluing them together...
The rating of "most valuable member" is well deserved
Yvan

An 80mm top on a workbench is way too thick unless you are cold-forming sheet metal and then you need a steel table.

Not to mention the weight of moving it!

I just finished a bench for a client and it's so heavy I can't even budge it. With an 80mm top it would stay with the house when you sold....

Perhaps ripping 300mm off the board and then gluing under/on the front? That gives a very solid area for bashing stuff without too much weight, nor the need to buy another plank, nor the need for lots of screws - could probably be clamped, or at most one row of screws. 900 is too wide (my bench is 800) for most purposes I think.

I'm about to start my bench build & plan to use some sort of laminated panel for the top also. Had a look in the blue shed the other day & they had the following available-
2100 x 900 x 30 Pine - $99
2100 x 600 x 26 Vic Ash - $109
2200 x 600 x 25 Rubberwood - $69

My bench will only be around 1500mm long x 600mm deep, so using one sheet of the pine I can have the whole top double thickness (60mm), one sheet of the Vic Ash I can double up 300mm on each end where the vices will mount or I can spend a bit more & get two of the Rubberwood panels & double the whole top. I'm leaning towards the Rubberwood option, as from what information I can find on the interweb, it looks like it would make a good workbench top. Has anyone had any experience with Rubberwood?

Rubberwood is a medium-hard timber which is easy to work and has no obvious vices - which I guess is why its used so extensively for engineered furniture, treen and kitchenalia.

It would make a good benchtop - firmer then pine, not as hard as Vic Ash but youre doing the environment a favour using it.

Cheers
Arron