Workbench, Choice of Woods?

[mlingenfelter]

I built my first real bench out of Douglas Fir. I picked my the lumber at my local lumber yard. Total cost of the lumber was about $150, maybe less it's been awhile. The original lumber I would say was "wet", it was construction grade lumber. As the bench dried, I didn't have any issues. If you buy wider boards like 2x12, there seems to be fewer knots to deal with. If you are selective when picking out boards, you can also pass on the really knotty boards.

http://lumberjocks.com/Koonan/blog/5451

I'm planning to build a new bench (Roubo) and I plan to use Douglas Fir again. Douglas Fir is "softer" and the tops does dent, but I really don't have an issue with that.

Mike

[CessnaPilotBarry]

I built my 20th Century bench from ash, and it's been fantastic. Here in Connecticut, ash is currently one of the cheapest hardwoods available.

I like my bench to have a bit of traction to assist hold downs and planing stops, and the simple danish oil seal on ash has worked very, very well. My bench is hard, heavy, durable, stable, and good looking.

[Stephens_Shop]

Mike,

That is one N I C E bench!!!! I am thinking long and hard about Douglas Fir because it is local for me, looks great, priced very reasonably and I understand that it is very stable once dried and is not too soft.

How soft has the bench been and have you experienced any problems because of the hardness?

Stephen

[Stephens_Shop]

Just thought I'd throw this out there. I just recently stumpled across a big old pile of black walnut for free!

Originally I was going to build my Roubo from traditional maple, but then I though... "Hmmmm.... I have this Walnut?"

Would I be the biggest idiot in the world to make my Roubo Bench out of a wood which is as dark in color as Black Walnut?

It is very tempting because I think it would look awesome! Sort of like Frank Klausz's European style workbench. But most people tell me you have to build your workbench of out light colored wood so it will reflect the light.

What do you all think? How important is that really?

I think Walnut wood look great.... not sure about the light thing but it would be one nice looking bench and Walnut is medium hard so a nice top indeed.

[Bombarde16]

I'm nearly finished with my second construction lumber bench and couldn't be happier. Color me part of the Spruce-Pine-Fir-Mystery Whitewood crowd. I took down a small outbuilding and salvaged a pile of rafters to make the top: 96" long, 5" thick and nearly 24" wide. Works easily, it cost nothing but the labor to pull out all the nails before sending it through my machines and all the knots give it character out the wazoo.

One caveat, though: Skip the 2x4 studs and go straight to the floor joist bunks. 2x10's and 2x12's come from better trees and you can rip whatever you need therefrom.

[CessnaPilotBarry]

Salvaged construction lumber is a great idea... It's had YEARS to dry.

[Eric.]

Just thought I'd throw this out there. I just recently stumpled across a big old pile of black walnut for free!

Originally I was going to build my Roubo from traditional maple, but then I though... "Hmmmm.... I have this Walnut?"

Would I be the biggest idiot in the world to make my Roubo Bench out of a wood which is as dark in color as Black Walnut?

It is very tempting because I think it would look awesome! Sort of like Frank Klausz's European style workbench. But most people tell me you have to build your workbench of out light colored wood so it will reflect the light.

What do you all think? How important is that really?

I think that would look killer, and if you have enough light in your shop I personally wouldn't worry about it. Some of the super-old benches you see are very dark from decades of abuse, glue-ups and oily fingers.

That said, if it were me, I'd much rather save that walnut for other projects and go with something less special for the bench...unless you have so much you don't know what to do with it all...a problem I'd love to have.

[Onboard]

I invented a cam-action holdfast I call the Bench Bunny that you might like. I wrote a three page how-to. 1 2 3

Darnell, thanks greatly for noticing my comment and providing such a detailed set of instructions for building what looks like a great pair of hold downs. They must cost significantly less to build than the cost of a single Veritas Surface Clamp. I see why you call them a Bench Bunny. I’m not sure if I’ll ever get to your level of expertise, but maybe one day I’ll think of a good idea like the bench bunnies.

[Dave H]

Higtron, I clicked on the thumbnail of your bench picture, but the bigger picture wouldn’t load. I looked at the URL under the picture properties and it’s pointing to the thumbnail picture itself. Kind of self referencing. Just an FYI. Thanks.

Onboard I believe you clicked on my avitar pic I clicked on the pic that accompanied my post and it enlarged. Here is a link to my work bench post http://woodtalkonline.com/topic/4089-roubo-functional/page__fromsearch__1 sorry for the confusion as I'm not as savy on the computer as I would like.

[Onboard]

Onboard I believe you clicked on my avitar pic I clicked on the pic that accompanied my post and it enlarged. Here is a link to my work bench post http://woodtalkonlin...__fromsearch__1 sorry for the confusion as I'm not as savy on the computer as I would like.

Thanks for the suggestion higtron, however I did click on the thumbnail to the right of your avatar picture. When I click on the thumbnail, the viewer comes up and just sits there showing a wait state graphic and never displays the picture. I think my browser (I.E. 8) is confused for some reason. I can successfully view other thumbnails on the WTO forum.

I’m grateful though that you added your WTO link where you posted your final workbench build. I like your bench very much and I find it encouraging in that it looks like a bench I might actually be able to afford to build. I would use it for hand tool work only. I thought the position of the two knots on the vise chop were great. What kind of pine did you use? Thanks again.

[Bombarde16]

...all of the construction grade lumber that I've looked at is rife w/ knots and I don't want to deal with that.

In fairness, that's the dark side of building a bench out of construction lumber: It locks you into using machines to flatten the top. Crashing into knot after knot after knot with a jointer plane is certainly no fun. A sled and rail system for the router is the usual path. I did mine using a power planer with a long guide.

[Dave H]

Thanks for the suggestion higtron, however I did click on the thumbnail to the right of your avatar picture. When I click on the thumbnail, the viewer comes up and just sits there showing a wait state graphic and never displays the picture. I think my browser (I.E. 8) is confused for some reason. I can successfully view other thumbnails on the WTO forum.

I’m grateful though that you added your WTO link where you posted your final workbench build. I like your bench very much and I find it encouraging in that it looks like a bench I might actually be able to afford to build. I would use it for hand tool work only. I thought the position of the two knots on the vise chop were great. What kind of pine did you use? Thanks again.

I bought the lumber for my bench from BORG in washington state it's called Hem-Fir a mix of hemlock and doug fir but I would wager it's more hem than fir the entire bench is laminated nothing larger than a 2x6 was used for the legs or bench top, the legs are 5"s square the stretchers are 3"x4 1/2", the bench top is 4" thick I used 3 gallons of Tight-Bond 2 glue it's a monster bench 8' long by 3' wide. Thanks hope your computer is OK. Dave

[Onboard]

I bought the lumber for my bench from BORG in washington state it's called Hem-Fir a mix of hemlock and doug fir but I would wager it's more hem than fir the entire bench is laminated nothing larger than a 2x6 was used for the legs or bench top, the legs are 5"s square the stretchers are 3"x4 1/2", the bench top is 4" thick I used 3 gallons of Tight-Bond 2 glue it's a monster bench 8' long by 3' wide. Thanks hope your computer is OK. Dave

Thanks higtron for the additional information. I’m not asking for plans, but this additional information does help my planning process.

[james04]

I would not discourage anyone from using softwoods. Such as D Fur or SYP. However you will need to dry that material for at least six months in order to have a stable top. I suppose you could just keep flattening the top for years to come. But to me that seems the wrong way to go about things. I know If I was itching to build a bench. I would not have the patience to allow the material to properly dry.

James

[Stephens_Shop]

I would not discourage anyone from using softwoods. Such as D Fur or SYP. However you will need to dry that material for at least six months in order to have a stable top. I suppose you could just keep flattening the top for years to come. But to me that seems the wrong way to go about things. I know If I was itching to build a bench. I would not have the patience to allow the material to properly dry.

James

Thanks James, I don't think I want to wait that long for dry wood. If I go with Douglas Fir it will have to be dry. I do understand however that after it is dry, it remains quite stable.

Stephen.

[jpdorn]

i have a nicholson with an 8/4 poplar top and just finished building a roubo with beech (did i beat mark? lol..).

so far i definitely prefer the poplar.

poplar is much easier on tool edges, project parts, don't have to use vices as much (slow) and far easier to plane flat.

i wanted a pretty european bench and now i have one but i wouldn't do it again.

jason

[Stephens_Shop]

i have a nicholson with an 8/4 poplar top and just finished building a roubo with beech (did i beat mark? lol..).

so far i definitely prefer the poplar.

poplar is much easier on tool edges, project parts, don't have to use vices as much (slow) and far easier to plane flat.

i wanted a pretty european bench and now i have one but i wouldn't do it again.

jason

Thanks Jason, I am thinking most seriously between Ash, Douglas Fir and Poplar. good to hear your experience and advise.

[Mister Pants]

I would not discourage anyone from using softwoods. Such as D Fur or SYP. However you will need to dry that material for at least six months in order to have a stable top. I suppose you could just keep flattening the top for years to come. But to me that seems the wrong way to go about things. I know If I was itching to build a bench. I would not have the patience to allow the material to properly dry.

James

You shouldn't require anything close to six months to dry it. Be judicious about choosing boards, not just for twist and straightness, but for clarity (2x12's are better than 2x4's for knots as mentioned above), and weight. Lighter boards are going to be dryer. Obviously if you have a moisture meter that will save a lot of effort. Additionally the wood only needs to acclimatize to your shop's moisture level. For most folks that's going to be a higher moisture content than normal furniture.

As Schwarz indicated in his book on workbenches, you can make smart choices with which woods to use where, such that you can cut your joinery in the same manner chair makers do, with the wetter wood being used where you're placing mortises so when it dries it will shrink onto the joint, making it tighter. And of course, you can do a two step dimensioning for the lumber (rough dimension oversize to allow for movement and quicker drying) and final dimension a little later.

You'll need to season it some, maybe a month or month and a half, but it shouldn't take six, and going to the local lumber yard to pick up some kiln dried hardwood you'd still want to let it adjust to the shop for a few weeks so you don't lose that much time.

I didn't dry the lumber for my current bench for anything like six months. I may have let it sit for two weeks, but I'm not sure if it was even that long and I haven't had any trouble. I've needed to flatten it a couple of times in the several years since I made it (and need to again), but that's more a result of wear and having done some stupid stuff in the past (sharpening with my water stones directly on the bench etc ).

I should note of course, since I've been staunchly advocating dimensional lumber in this thread that while it is a very good cost effective alternative, it's not the be all and end all and does of course have some drawbacks to go along with it's benefits. Personally while my current bench is southern yellow pine and I'm happy with it, the next bench I make will be a roubo with a maple top and purpleheart frame, the maple for the hardness and the purpleheart for the look. I shall call it my anti-Garrett Hack bench .

PS, as for poplar, it will work but it's a fair bit softer than douglas fir/southern yellow pine, light and not as stiff as either as well. So you'd have the same drawbacks as going with either of the others. With respect to ash, I'm curious as to how the open grain in ash would work. Its a good choice in the hardness/stiffness/weight area, but I'm not sure (lack of experience) if the open grain would or could cause a problem.

[Onboard]

I just joined Wood Whisperer.com and thought....

I really need a decent workbench and the Roubo looks perfect! My problem is I priced out the wood and it is a bit on the expensive side. Being new to any serious woodworking I was hoping for a little guidance before I drop the coin.

Eastern Maple (Hard Maple) in Vancouver is $6.25 / BF, is this a good price? Is it a rip off?

This is for rough 8/4 quarter sawn.

Should I be looking for Rift or Quarter sawn wood for stability?

If I choose another alternative for the top of the bench but also want a hard surface what cheaper alternatives are there?

If I want to use something less expensive for the base what would be a good choice?

Hoping to get some guidance and advice before I drop the coin on all this wood.

Stephen.

Stephen, it doesn’t get much cheaper than free. Please read “One Man’s Trash…” for an alternative to the high cost of wood. Here is the almost finished workbench sans leg vise. Just scroll down past the first picture.

[Stephens_Shop]

Onboard Nice bench love the colours and best of all the price. I will have to look into that.

Stephen.

[gardnesd]

3 thoughts: LVL ala the Gluebo bench that Megan Fitzpatrick built<---this is what I did and wouldn't do it that way again.

SYP if you live in the south. Or what I would do is go to my local Wurth Wood and buy up their "paint grade" maple. comparable price to poplar.