Workbench construction - use of laminated Ash

[Nick Bozovich]

I'm building my workbench using the Frank Klausz's design as shown in "The Workbench Book", with a additional guidance and input from Keith Rucker's book/plan.

The problem I've run into is that these plans call for 12/4 stock for the base legs and feet - which I've found at several suppliers, but oh wow, is it expensive in just about any type of hardwood!! So, I had bought some 6/4 ash from my favorite supplier. I happened to see an article on finishing ash in Wood or some other mag. The light bulb went on (dimly, for sure), and I thought what if I laminate two pieces together on the face? I could get 12/4 stock out of this easily.

Anyway, I've done one "foot" - it came out 2 3/4" and really looks beautiful. I ran the faces on my jointer and planer, and they were nearly a perfect match. The seam is all but invisible. I used Gorilla Glue to bond them. The question is will this lamination hold up? Does anyone have any experience doing this? I'm going to need to do mortise's in the tops (edge grain) of the boards. Will this glue up hold up?

I'm just wanted some input from anyone that's worked with ash before, or who's laminated boards like this. The original stock was 5" wide - after I did the glue-up, I ripped it down to 4" (used a Freud 24T thin kerf LU80 - cut it like butter!!).

TIA for your advice/experience/guidance!

Nick B

[Rkola]

I built my bench entirely of 4/4 Ash. The legs are 5 piece laminations, vice jaws 4, rails and aprons two. The legs are a full 3" square, and the vice jaws (end and face vices) rails and aprons are 5 1/2 inches wide. I used slow set Titebond, and it's held up for several years. I would guess that a poly glue will work just fine. It was pretty time consuming, but the ash was cheap, and the labor free!

Ron

[Nick Bozovich]

Thanks Ron - I just can't believe how beautiful this ash is - it really has a nice grain in it. I'm going to get some more!

What type of plan did you use for your bench?

Thanks again for your help!

Nick B

[Charlie Self]

Nick Bozovich asks:

Yes.

Charlie Self "Facts are stubborn, but statistics are more pliable." Mark Twain

[Glen Duff]

Nick,

I built my workbench out of laminated rock maple about 6 years ago. Both the top two slabs and the legs are all from 1" rough boards laminated together with yellow poly glue. Everything has held up beautifully despite a fair bit of variation in temperature and humidity from one season to another. I would definitely not hesitate to do the legs again but would probably prefer to buy laminated slabs for the top. At least at the time I didn't have a decent thickness planer so I suppose it would be much easier now.

I hope your plan calls for a tool well. These are unbelievably handy if you've never had one before.

Good luck,

Glen Duff

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Nick Bozovich wrote:

[B a r r y]

I've done it with ash and birch. As long as the grain is in the same direction, and both pieces are the same species, you should be fine.

Ash is a wonderful wood to work with and looks GREAT with a clear finish. I find it has a "bright and cheerful" look when left a natural color on shop fixtures.

My shop made router table, outfeed table, and many jigs are made of or trimmed with ash.

Barry

[Joe Helmick]

Nick, the laminated ash will be great for that use. In fact, I've been thinking of doing the same thing. I've done a lot of work with ash and it's a wonderfully tough and springy wood. Very ring-porous, but for your use, a good candidate.