Work bench top

[No skills]

Yes, that old chestnut the work bench top (cue groans...).

In storage I have enough reclaim kerruing to make my workbench top (and a few other bits n pieces to boot), however I seem to have been accumulating various bits of mahog-a-like timber without noticing. Its to the point where I nearly have enough to do the top for a small work bench, I wasn't going to build anything big with the other wood as I just don't have the room for a big bench (single garage work area).

So I'm in two minds, go for the harder more durable kerruing top or use the softer but nicer misc hardwood that's been gathering. I'm leaning towards the softer stuff - its going to be nicer and easier to work with and I don't mind it getting dented/nicked in use (its a work bench after all), the kerruing is very hard in comparison and a pain to work with but will last for ever as a bench top.

Whats the consensus from the masses?

8)

 

[G S Haydon]

A coin toss perhaps?

 

[woodiedonald]

Keruing top, harder is better, keep the pretty stuff for fancy jobs.

 

[Steve Maskery]

Yes, I would use the harder stuff.
Traditionally benches are made from beech (over here) or maple (USA), because those materials are hard and plentiful (i.e. cheap). Of course, over here Maple is an imported timber and so is not cheap, but the principle holds. Use something which is plentiful and hard.
S

 

[No skills]

A coin toss perhaps?

The bits of misc brown hardwood are not of fantastic quality (door frames/pallet bits etc) and I wouldn't of used them for any inside the house projects. I have some beech, enough to laminate up a bench top but it needs a hell of a lot of work before I can use it. I also have some oak in a similar state.

After mulling this over between todays various and highly important activities (shopping/entertaining the child/stripping my mitre saw/watching the F1/eating dinner/sorting some ebay stuff/sitting on my arse) I have decided that I'm more the problem than the material. ATM if its not going to be a reasonably quick thing to do then it wont get done, and I do need something to work on other than the 9.99 piece of tat that's rusting away in the garden, and I certainly don't have to use this bench forever.

I think a quick evaluation of the other wood I have stashed round town is in order and I'll see what can be used for what in the shortest order, if its oak for the legs and brown stuff for the top then so be it - better to be working on something than nothing.

In case your thinking 'waste of money' then don't, all the timbers for nowt - just my time/glue/screws and a vice is the cost - I think I have a vice screw somewhere, just not sure if its suitable for a leg vice.

Hmmm..

 

[Paul Chapman]

Don't worry about using the "best quality" wood for the bench top. Lots of people use soft wood or MDF. Here's my bench which has had a lot of hard work over the last 15 years or so. It's made mainly from MDF





As long as it's flat and stable, that's all that matters. As you say, better to have a less than ideal bench than no bench.

Cheers :wink:

Paul