What would you use?

This one is a no brainer.

There is nothing quite like the look of quarter sawn lumber, IMHO.

Lew

"joeD" wrote in news:42c1d4df$0$19859$ snipped-for-privacy@unlimited.newshosting.com:

Of course, at my shop, glued-up 2x construction lumber, with an oops door from the door shop is traditional.

But I won't be posting any pictures to FWW Current Work of that bench. ;-)

Patriarch

I'm failing to see how 4/4 does not allow the boards to be quarter sawn. It can be quarter sawn just the same as 8/4. Can't it?

-j

Yes, but you often und up with small pieces.

Easier job with 8/4 stock.

Lew

It's pretty easy to make round dog holes - all you need is a drill - but if you use 4/4 at least for the parts of the bench that will have the rows of dog holes, it's even easier to make square ones: just don't put any wood there.

Given what you're looking at... I think I'd go with mostly 8/4, and use 4/4 where I wanted dog holes.

Ahh, they don't know what they are missing. . I'm a proud owner of a door (birch I might add) workshop table. SH

Lew,

I'm all for QS wood. All of the things that are good about it structurally apply to a bench as well. However, if you take 24 flat sawn 1x3 boards and laminte them to make a 3-inch-thick by 24" top, you have created what is essentially one big honk'n QS board.

My point is that to end up with a QS top you need flatsawn boards, because the laminations a turned on edge.

-Steve

One consideration is for glue up, you'll be able to pull in 4/4 stock easier with the clamps if you have any bow, etc. and need to clamp out the gaps. 8/4 will be a lot harder to make behave. If you do it, I'd suggest pipe clamps with crank handles so you can really get some squeeze wher you need it.

When I do edge grain cutting boards or cutting board tops I mix it up with 4/4 and 6/4. I do sort of a random mix just to add interest to the piece. When I am building a wide piece (like the 2 - 2"x24"x36" I just did), I glue up several 8 to 9" wide slabs first. Then the next day I glue up the slabs into the final piece. Maple is notorious for bowing and trying to glue up a 24" wide slab of sticks in one shot would likely end up with some un-closable gaps out in the cenetr; even with the best jointing.

When I did it, I had 5/4 Maple. The boards were as thick as I could make them getting 2 sides surfaced. That is anywhere between 7/8 and 1-1/8 that lent a little bit of randomness.

I glued up 4 6-inch subassemblies, and rejointed those before final glue-up.

A whole top at once sounds insane to me.

-Steve

That works for me.

Laminating 1x stock will yield a better top than laminating 2x stock; however, I was looking past the bench at other possible projects.

Lew

Me too. Mine was part of a closet door from a few moves ago. I have a Sjoberg work bench, but it is always getting buried with stuff. When I need to, I pull down the closet door from its overhead rack, put it up on horses and I have a nice clean work surface. When I am done, it can be put away.

Steve

Now that's a pretty unique idea! Plenty of 4/4 maple around here that is actually