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Thread: building a new bench

  1. #1
    Boolit Grand Master

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    building a new bench

    Im going to be building a new bench soon. I have an idea for a design that may be good. Criteria for this bench is I want to be able to work at it from all 3 sides. 1 shelf and leveling feet. Size is to be 3' wide 8' long and 28" or so high.

    What Im thinking now is a butcher block style top from 2x4s and 2"x 8"s meshed in to form clamps from for the legs. This will be glued and doweled together to form the top working surface. 3/4" dowels for the cross dowels. Top will be roughly 3 1/2" thick 3' wide and 8' long. At each corner will be a half clamp to lock legs in place. Legs will be 2" or 3" sch 80 black iron pipe 25" long. These will slide into clamps and 4 1/2 12 bolts with nuts and washers to lock in place. The shelf will be 1"x 8" glued and pined together 3' x 8' with s"x8" x* half clamps glued and pinned 2 1/2 13 bolts to lock each. A plate will be welded on ends of legs with 3/4" hole and adjusting feet made. This will allow some height adjustment and leveling.

    This is to be a work bench not a reloading bench. I want to be able to work at it from any side setting it in the middle of the shops floor.

  2. #2
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    The laminated and doweled 2x4 top will be super strong, you'll need to either belt sand it flat and smooth or take it to someone who has a planer of sandmaster that is 40 in wide or wider and the top made perfectly smooth.

    I don't think you need the 2x8 "clamps"

    attach 4 of these and bolt them on https://www.amazon.com/Industrial-Gr.../dp/B004KFIW56

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master

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    The 2" X 8" X 8" clamps will be cut from a 2x8 8" long and split in half, one half pinned and the other floating. The tops will be basically the same only 6" deep hole. These will be like a bearing end cap and clamp the legs tightly in place. and allow for "take up" if ever needed. Also will make the shelf adjustable for height if needed.

    The floor flanges in 1/2" would be about right to tap for 3/4 10 and make good feet for the adjusters though. Thanks for that. I was going to make the feet from stock.

    Drilling 192 3/4" holes on location for the bench top will be a chore though, even with the drill press. LOL. then the 32 3/8" holes to lock the end boards in place. The actual bench top isn't bad glue and assemble with 2 dowels then glue and insert dowels every other hole. threaded rods washers and nuts in the open holes for "clamps" to pull it together tight. next day remove threaded rods and insert rest of dowels. Last top I did like this I took laid out the first board and drilled it then fastened a couple plates on top edge and one end. the rest slide under this and 2 3/4 dowels drill one end insert dowel drill far end insert dowel then drill the rest. The last top was a shooting bench and came out very nice. Here on this width I may do the glue up over 2 -3 days to get the bet glue joints. Glue 8 boards and clamp let cure each day. this way the glue hasn't started to set up before I can clamp them tight. I may even get ""fancy" and lay a piece of black card board between the boards for black lines between the boards.

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    Instead of dowels you might consider biscuits. They are a lot easier to work with than dowels and are stronger and more stable in the finished product. If ya ain't got a biscuit joiner, you can find a used one at a pawn shop for bout 30 bucks.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    A shop that I used to work at had benches made with a formed counter top with a lip at the back. The legs were built using 4x4's and 2x6's, those were some strong benches. The counter tops are avalible at most Home Depot stores, and they can handle a lot of abuse!

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    If you use cardboard between the boards for a black stripe you probably will not get a good bond and just be relying on the dowels. Unless the glue saturates the cardboard the fibers in the center will be the weak point.

    I've used a piece of typing paper many times for a release between a board and a clamp block. Even there the paper comes apart and you just have to clean up the joint.

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master

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    The lip will negate wanting to be able to work from all sides. For framing up things its sometimes easier to work around rather than move the work. I use the length of counter top with lip for a reloading bench and it did hold up good. I want this bench to be used as an Island in the shop not against a wall.

    I too am afraid the cardboard might make a weaker joint. As to biscuits Ive considered them along with a key type joint using 1/2" grooves and cut strips. Might be easier to assemble but would have to have more clamps to pull it together.

    With this being a island type bench I think Ill route a 1/2"radius groove 1/4" deep an 1" from each edge to catch things rolling away.


    In the Die room at work we had some very heavy cast Iron benches 3' wide 8' long and around 24" high. Cast iron legs by heavy, I'm estimating the weighed close to 1000lbs each. I would really like one of these but finding one and then moving it is a issue. With the 3 1/2" thick top if I want a steel surface a piece of 1/4" steel plate glued and screwed down would be very strong and stiff.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master slughammer's Avatar
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    Dowels or biscuits for a glue up with that much glue surface will not be needed for strength. May help with alignment during glue up, or may waste your time and fight you.

    Watch the Paul Sellers workbench series on YouTube. (I'm a big fan).

    I have 2 glued up tops in my room. No dowels or biscuits used in tops.

    First was made from 2x6's that I ripped down. Finished out at 2-3/8" thick. This top is 24x60. It is my reloading bench. I flattened it with a hand plane and winding sticks when I made it. It has since dried and to be a joinery bench would need to be flattened again. (But it's a reloading bench, so I don't need to do that).

    https://i.imgur.com/dTHrKsF.jpg

    https://i.imgur.com/3BhPKZj.jpg

    https://i.imgur.com/TyZqMXM.jpg

    The second is a small but SOLID woodworking bench. The top is made from 20 year old reclaimed boards. Hand flattened on the faces, best fit to each other and numbered, glued up and let to cure completely, then flattened. 3-1/8" thick. This top has stayed flat. (Note: 2 x 20mm cans filled with lead for mass).

    https://i.imgur.com/UnNjgPa.jpg

    https://i.imgur.com/oqWUdRc.jpg

    Advice
    Clamps and a solid mallet are better for alignment of heavy members during glue up than dowels or biscuits. (Watch Paul Sellers)

    Unless the wood is very well seasoned; build it and flatten it, then plan on flattening it again in the future.

    Both of these benches are modular. They can come apart to move to a new home. (Mine or my children).
    Happiness is a couple of 38's and a bucket of ammo.

  9. #9
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    I was also going to mention that the dowels shouldn’t be needed. The glue joint is stronger than the wood.

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Watched 2 of the videos Very interesting. I like a rougher surface for the glue up than a plane gives but that's just me. My last I smoothed the boards and then put the coarsest belt on my belt sander and made a pas down each side to roughen them. I also dampen the surfaces before gluing to help aid the bond

  11. #11
    DOR RED BEAR's Avatar
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    Well i will say it should be sturdy enough. Even for loading cannon shells. I thought i made a sturdy one but its got nothing on what you have planned. Hope to see pictures when you are finished. Hope everything goes as planned and you should enjoy it for a very long time.

  12. #12
    Boolit Grand Master

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    My reloading benches are similar to tis in build but with a framed stand under them. I'm in the process of putting in a dedicated shop both metal and wood working. I need a heavy dedicated work bench to use there. I have a couple now but are meant to set against a wall. I want this one as an island so on heavy work I can work from all 4 sides.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master
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    You could also use a sheet of 3/4 plywood ripped in half, then doubled and glued and screwed. And then fully covered in sheet metal would be another option. A good friend that was a machinist loved the style bench, cause it could be cleaned and not transfer dirt or other particles to you're work like wood does! There is more than one way to skin cat!

  14. #14
    Boolit Grand Master

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    I have worked in shops with cast iron benches. These were very heavy and solid. Used mostly for stamping dies and die cast dies. At last shop had heavy cast iron dies in tool room everywhere but the polishing area and gage room. A good heavy bench that's solid makes a big difference when doing hand work, filing, sawing, scraping, and other tasks. With the wood bench top if needed a few nails can be driven to hold a piece in place locking it. One shop had a bench with a series if 3/8" holes drilled in the top and several pins and "cams" in use you set 2 pins on the one edge and side then the cams on other edge and side and tapped them tight this held the part allowing the top of the part to be worked completely. Was handy and quick.

    While I've worked on the steel topped benches I just prefer the heavy wood tops.

  15. #15
    DOR RED BEAR's Avatar
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    Ok i didn't catch the part about using it for metal work now it makes sense. Any vibration in metal working machinery can ruin a finish and wreck tooling.

  16. #16
    Boolit Grand Master

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    The equipment Ive made an offer on is all free standing. as is most of my wood working equipment 1 saw is table top. But trying to file and fit on a weak bench is much harder. Draw filing for final finish and fit is much harder when the piece is moving around lol. You know like trying to cut a 3 year old's hair LOL

  17. #17
    Boolit Master


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    Pine is soft and you can mar the top. I would use something harder but I have access to local sawmills and a large planer.

  18. #18
    Boolit Master 15meter's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by garandsrus View Post
    I was also going to mention that the dowels shouldn’t be needed. The glue joint is stronger than the wood.
    Not only is the glue joint stronger, dowels with the grain running across the width of the bench will break it apart eventually. Long grain as opposed to cross grain has different co-efficients of expansion. A board will move much more across the width of the board than along the length.

    Titebond wood glue will do everything you need. Test it your self, you can get a small bottle at any local Ace/Menards/Home Depot. Take 2, 12" long 2x4's and glue them together following the directions. After 48 hours, take a wood chisel and TRY to split them apart on the glue line. When you're convinced the glue is strong enough go back and buy a gallon.
    I do a fair amount of woodworking and dowels across something like that are just added work that will hurt more than help you.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Both the backbone--the long piece and the runner plank are 4 and 5 layer laminations.

    The backbone is 24 feet long, those are just face glued together, the runner plank is almost 20 feet long, that is a giant wood leaf spring that is held together with wood glue.

    The new hollow mast @ 29 feet that I'm building will be held together with just glue, have not decided if I'm going to use West System epoxy or Titebond 2(water resistant) or Titebond 3(waterproof).

    Glue, it's strong stuff.

  19. #19
    Boolit Master 15meter's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by country gent View Post
    Watched 2 of the videos Very interesting. I like a rougher surface for the glue up than a plane gives but that's just me. My last I smoothed the boards and then put the coarsest belt on my belt sander and made a pas down each side to roughen them. I also dampen the surfaces before gluing to help aid the bond
    Planed surfaces are not a good glue surface 80 grit to 120 grit will give a stronger glue joint, the epoxy manufacturer's recommend 80 for "tooth" for the epoxy to grip into.

  20. #20
    Boolit Buddy
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    I made mine with two pieces of MDF. Unfinished not good but using non building sander sealer it is hard. And does not absorb grease or moisture. I use these in machine shop area, wood working area as well as loading benches and have never seen a problem. One has seen three moves and survived Colorado Louisiana and Alabama. They will barely show a mark when hit with a hammer. The tops were loaded with the sander sealer until no more would be absorbed.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
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LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check