"RicodJour" wrote in message
ups.com...
wrote:
I'm not sure if I should post this here or in the woodworking group...

I'm building a workbench out of 2x4 Hem-Fir studs and I want to know
the maximum span I can consider for the rails. I made one 15 years ago
at my mother's house and it still is a very sturdy bench. That one has
57" rails lag-screwed to notched legs. But I have a bit more room in
my garage and I wanted to build an 8 foot bench.

Should I add legs in the middle of the span? Otherwise, I'd have a
nice wide bottom shelf and a wide open space underneath without a leg
getting in the way.

There will be quite a bit more flex in the bench by adding that much
length to the span. It will be up to you to determine if that flex is
acceptable and whether the leg/flex tradeoff makes sense for you.

If you're doing light work on the bench it will probably be okay with
an 8' span and a single layer of plywood for the top. If you wish to
increase the span, keep the stiffness and still get rid of that leg
look into building a torsion box top.
http://www.popularwoodworking.com/fe...32sidebar.html

Why not just use 2x6 for the rails supporting the top? Or add a couple of
steel L-channels bolted to the inside of the rails evey foot or so, to
stiffen them? This isn't a bridge- whatever is laying around, or cheap at
the big box, will work. A third 2x4 down the center of the top would
probably also do what OP wants.

In the garage addition my 75 YO father built, he put a 22' workbench down
one side, hung off wall, supported by triangle stifflegs every 3rd stud
space. Floor is clear, and it doesn't sag when I stand on it.

aem sends...