# Bench Top: Woodcraft



## Beams37 (Feb 21, 2015)

So, I am just over working off of saw horses. It makes planing and just about every other chore impossible. Now, I'm going to build my first workbench. I have a good idea of what I will build, but have a quick question.

Woodcraft offers a remade bench top. Does anyone have any experience with these? I just feel it would get me up and running faster.

Any thoughts?


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## RockyTopScott (Nov 16, 2008)

Not familiar with the Woodcraft top, but Grizzly has some as well that may fit your needs.


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## Redoak49 (Dec 15, 2012)

Which bench top are you looking at?

The big question is what are you going to do on your bench?

I do not use a lot of hand tools and my first and still using it was 2×6 covered with 3/4" plywood. If drilled holes in it that was OK. I think that I have replaced the top a couple of time

I welded square steel tubes for legs and it is solid.


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## Beams37 (Feb 21, 2015)

This is the bench top: http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/145685/24-x-60-Laminated-Maple-Bench-Top-70-Lbs.aspx

RockyTop: I will take a look at the Grizzly bench tops … And …. GO VOLS !!

RedOak: I plan on doing a lot of things with my bench. This is my first, so I am looking for something flexible. Really want an all wood set up. Not looking for plywood and metal the moment. Thanks for the idea though.


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

The Harbor Freight benches are much nicer for the price than I would have imagined. I don't own one but did check them out for a friend.


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## Beams37 (Feb 21, 2015)

I saw those. I was always curious.

I want to build one, but the top is a concern right now, due to the fear of twisting. So, that is why I am looking at the remade tops from woodcraft.

Has anyone used them?


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## jsuede (Jan 18, 2015)

That is a decent price for that top. I've had my eye on these from menards. There are three sizes available and they do go on sale pretty often. Would eliminate shipping for me which is a big plus. The woodcraft is 1/4" thicker.

http://www.menards.com/main/p-2705098-c-3629.htm


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## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

Looks like a deal.

How about getting two and laminate together into a 3" thick top?


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## Redoak49 (Dec 15, 2012)

They look very nice.

Curiosity is getting to me….I see they are laminated but missed the term "remade". What does remade mean?


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## Beams37 (Feb 21, 2015)

Jsuede: I don't think there is a Menard's near me. I will check though.

Robert: I think this is a great idea. This is my first bench though, so I will probably just go with a single layer this time to save money.


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## Beams37 (Feb 21, 2015)

Remade = Pre-Made.


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

I just replaced a Grizzly top that is 30" x 72×1 3/4". I've used it for 19 years before it started to crack in several places where one of the vises was fixed. It looks all the world like the Woodcraft top, except the pieces within it are full length. I think it (the Woodcraft top) or any of the alternatives would serve you well. I bought mine for the same reason: to get to work more quickly. I did make my replacement, more or less same construction only I made it 3" thick.


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## Beams37 (Feb 21, 2015)

Fred: Thanks. I think I'm sold !!


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## Beams37 (Feb 21, 2015)

Bought it. I will write some form of a review when I get it.


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## timbertailor (Jul 2, 2014)

> Bought it. I will write some form of a review when I get it.
> 
> - Beams37


And lots and lots of pics too please!!


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## Beams37 (Feb 21, 2015)

So, the top came. I opened part of the box, but haven't completely unwrapped (so no pics). From what I can tell, it is made from maple scraps (most 12-24" long) connected by lamination and finger joints. On the underside, the knots are filled with epoxy.

First Impression: Very solid. The top side looks great.

Next Steps: Build a base, skirt, and add vises.

Questions: 
1. What kind of base would you build? How could you attach it?
2. What kind of wood would you use for the skirt? How would you attach it?

All - Thanks for the help and I promise to provide full pictures as I go through the process.


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## Beams37 (Feb 21, 2015)

Thinking about making the base and connecting it in a similar fashion as this … http://lumberjocks.com/projects/137034

Thoughts??


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

Beams…just a heads up. I got a e mail from Woodcraft today saying those tops are 25% off…pretty good savings.


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## Beams37 (Feb 21, 2015)

Fred - Yeah. That's why I decided to pull the trigger. Initial impressions are positive. Will probably spend next week putting it together.


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

Ikea used to have maple tops for very little money. You can also special order solid core doors from local suppliers and lumber yards.


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## kenhouston (Jan 15, 2015)

Nice info here. Been thinking about a new bench top. This info is helpful. Mine is ugly but functional. They say, decide whether you need a *work bench*, or a *woodworkers bench*. Mine is definitely a work bench. Left in this house from previous owner it's an old bowling alley. Different parts of the old bowling alleys had different woods. This section looks to be maple. I can hammer on it all day, and have many times. But it's not for precision layout or glue-ups. I have an MDF topped table for that. AND, I do not necessarily recommend bowling alley sections for work benches. You have to know what you need and what you'll do with it. Old ones are assembled with 16d nails, every 6 inches. You don't want to be drilling holes for bench dogs and hit a 16d nail. That said, bowling alley will work, if you're just looking for something solid, and nothing more.


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

You might want to check out Grizzly. They also sell workbench tops. My son in law's father bought a grizzly work bench a few years back and it was pretty nice.

helluvawreck aka Charles
http://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

Just as a point of reference, my bench top is from bowling lane material. It is maple that was nailed with hardened spiral nails. MAN! Those puppies were a trip to work around.
Bill


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## TimberMagic (Mar 4, 2015)

I have one of the Woodcraft bench tops I bought during last year's sale. They are a good buy, and well made. I didn't really have a need for one at the time, and with other projects pending, it is still sitting unused. Guess I'm a sucker for a good deal!


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## Magnum (Feb 5, 2010)

We don't have a "Woodcraft" in Canada. IF we did. I wouldn't hesitate on this one:


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## bobasaurus (Sep 6, 2009)

I got one of those birch tops from woodcraft last black friday for a good deal. I have it in storage right now, but I plan to either upgrade my crappy HF bench or build a new base for it. It's solid and seems flat, and came unfinished. The maple tops are a little thicker and come with a thick urethane coating.


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## DKV (Jul 18, 2011)

-1 ☆ for not making your own top.


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## Beams37 (Feb 21, 2015)

Just a few thoughts:

Just so we are all on the same page, I already purchased the top and it is in my garage. It looks great. I plan to work on the build this weekend.

I love that there are multiple options for building, but I am not using the grizzly top. Again, I already purchased the woodcraft top off the internet, not in a store. And it was shipped to my house.

Honestly, I love the bowling alley table and I may do that in the future, but right now I just don't have an alley laying around


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## Magnum (Feb 5, 2010)

> -1 ☆ for not making your own top.
> 
> - DKV


Think so EH? At that Price and Quality. You're WAY off the Mark with Your "Rating System"! Why would he, or ME bother making it? THINK about it next time!


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## Beams37 (Feb 21, 2015)

So, I know everyone wanted pictures. Here you go …



















So basically it is a butcher block. Very solid.

For the legs, I am considering redwood. Anyone have any thoughts for or against redwood legs?


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## Mikeha77 (Apr 23, 2015)

Great thread - I'm in the same boat. Just received a Grizzley 72" x 30" laminated maple top. Nice and flat, but slightly out of square - a saw will fix that. I'm planning on building a bench with a front vise and a twin screw tail vise and several rows of dog holes.

My concern is the thickness. Much appreciate the several comments that similar tops have held up for years. I'm thinking of putting a couple sheets of 3/4"plywood on the bottom but am concerned about the possible expansion of the top it warping, or splitting. Any thoughts of how to do this, or am I overly concerned?

One though was to use slilcoje adhesive and a single row of screws down the center. The silicon adhesive may remain playable enough to let the top expand & contract a bit (15" from center line, so probably very minimal)

Thanks,
Mike


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

Mike, for a short while I had a 1/2" piece of MDF on top of mine for a reason I have long since forgot. Anyway, it wasn't fastened, just was a little wider and longer with cleats that dropped down to keep it in place. I was quite surprised at how much the top contracted and expanded under the MDF. At times I'd have 1/4-1/2" of wobble in the MDF piece when the top shrunk….then when I was ready to remove it to toss, it was stuck because the top expanded. I'm not sure what the plywood will add, but I suspect the single row of screws will solve the movement problems. I guess the plywood would be attached to the legs, and that row of screws holds the bench to the plywood?


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## Mikeha77 (Apr 23, 2015)

Hi Fred, Thanks for the input. I just flipped mine over and saw the list of warnings, which said don't put it flat on anything nor put anything ontop of it that would restrict air flow. Said if humid/dry air can get to one side and not the other then it will cup & warp. So I guess my ply idea would seal one side off. I'm outside of Denver, so usually pretty dry, but we do have humidity fluctuations (from comfortably dry to Sahara desert dry).

Good to know how much yours expanded. I'm going to put a 4" skirt around it so will need to build some expansion room into the endcap joints.


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## bobasaurus (Sep 6, 2009)

I plan on adding some thickness to mine with some plywood and maybe my existing benchtop, as the birch tops are only 1.5" thick. Can't wait to have a nice bench built, though. Any recommendations on vises? I need to determine the best setup for my use, but I'm leaning towards a tail vise.


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## Beams37 (Feb 21, 2015)

Not trying to be rude, but very curious. What is you r obsession with making it thicker? I feel like you are just creating problems for yourself.


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## bobasaurus (Sep 6, 2009)

Stability (important for hand tool use) and the use of holdfasts.


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

I like the Jorgensen vises best of the steel models. But that's just me.


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## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

> For the legs, I am considering redwood. Anyone have any thoughts for or against redwood legs?
> 
> - Beams37


Doesn't matter what you make the legs out of, just make sure the timbers are big you need a heavy, sturdy base if its to be a free standing bench.

How are you planning to build it?


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## brtech (May 26, 2010)

Build the base out of laminated 2x.

Make the legs in 3 pieces, with the middle piece cut out to make mortises. I used 2×6s for these, making the finished leg about 4.5×5. That idea for the middle piece only works on one side, but you need mortises on adjacent sides, so you have to cut those out by drilling with a forstner bit or a spade bit and using a chisel to square it up. Make through tenons, so the mortise is cut all the way through the leg.

Make stretchers the same way, but the middle piece is longer, to make a tenon.

Make up an assembly with two legs and the short stretchers, glueing the stretchers to the legs. You make two of these.

I used bed bolts on my long stretchers so I could disassemble the frame, but you can glue them in if you don't need that feature.

I made my top stretchers flush with the top of the legs. Some folks make a through-tenon on the leg and chop a mortise in the top, but I think you are just asking for a wood movement problem that way. Since they were flush, the top mortise comes up all the way to the top (meaning the middle 2x in the lamination is just short), and then the stretcher drops in to the mortise from the top of the legs. The bottom stretcher is in the middle, meaning the center lamination is in two pieces with a gap.

I fastened mine with lag screws. I use three lag screws per end. The middle one has a hole drilled through the stretcher that is just a hair smaller than the diameter of the lag bolt, so it threads up easily. I counter sink and use a washer on the bottom of the stretcher. The end bolts have elongated holes in the stretcher to allow for top movement relative to the base.


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## Beams37 (Feb 21, 2015)

Bob … I absolutely understand the issue of stability. I think a lot of that comes from overall weight and construction too. I'm not sure how much a few pieces of plywood will do. But, it isn't my bench. Good luck!



> Stability (important for hand tool use) and the use of holdfasts.
> 
> - bobasaurus


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## Beams37 (Feb 21, 2015)

> For the legs, I am considering redwood. Anyone have any thoughts for or against redwood legs?
> 
> - Beams37
> Doesn t matter what you make the legs out of, just make sure the timbers are big you need a heavy, sturdy base if its to be a free standing bench.
> ...


Robert: Great thought. That is kind of where my mindset is today. I'm going to go with heavy stock for the legs, apron, and stretchers.

This bench is a place to start for my woodworking life. I will eventually turn it into more of a shop table (maybe add a bench grinder and small lathe). I plan to make mistakes on this venture and then look at building a more permanent fixture in the future (I will build the top too).

Later, I will post a picture of my "plans" for the bench. By "plans", I mean crappy drawings. LOL


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## tomclark (Feb 16, 2010)

I bought my 36×72 bench top around 30 years ago from Grainger. Originally it had steel legs, but they were tossed when I built by own base. It is all 3/4" plywood, very solid, and full of drawers for storage, so all your tools are right at your fingertips all the time. The shelf over the bench is for things that are never put away.


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