Poplar

[Nick Bozovich]

Chuck - Thanks for the info -

With respect to using poplar for the bench top, I guess I wasn't aware that it was so soft. I've been using the panels as a makeshift bench for a couple of months(sitting on sawhorses). They are a little soft, but I figured that they just needed a finish treatment.

These panels were just too good to pass up when my friend offered them to me - they are actually "seconds" from a shop that makes wood coffins - they were supposed to be the bottoms for the coffins.

Maybe I'll use them for cabinets like you suggested, or I was going to make a bench arrangement for my compound miter saw and my future RAS, so maybe for that.

I'm building a table with maple right now. I REALLY like maple, it works good, and has a great appearance. So I think I'll go back to using it for the workbench.

Thanks for your help -

[Chris Merrill]

I dunno...lots of people make their benches from pine or fir (2x). IIRC, fir is softer than poplar. Put an MDF or hardboard on top and you're ready to go.

[Thomas Mitchell]

I made my bench top out of press board for the same reason. I don't have to care about dinging the top, getting glue on it. If I ever feel the need, I can flip the top over and start dinging a new top, or replace it at a fairly cheap cost.

Thomas

McQualude wrote:

[D.B.]

If I had a pretty bench it would be afraid of me.

Dick

[Nick Bozovich]

Thanks guys -

I think I'm going to use the poplar panels. What's the worst that can happen? I have to replace the top - I plan on making it similar to Frank Klausz's bench (from "The Workbench Book"), with some modifications from Keith Rucker ("Building a Traditional Workbench"), so it should be easy to change out the top. I'll put a good hard finish on it, and not worry about it.

I figure it's kind of like a pick-up if you don't want it scratched, and if you don't buy it to haul wood, gravel, dirt, etc., what's the point? Why not just buy a car instead?

Nick