Ben,

Ernie Hunt still maintains this site where he posted some work bench plans I
made up a few years ago. Someone asked how to make a workbench with
specific tools that they had available to them and these plans, based on a
FWW design, were the result.

http://www.huntfamily.com/work_bench.htm

I've made several workbenches and hobby benches for others and a good
solid - bounce free - top can be made by making a frame ( milled 2x4's),
screwing 3/4" thick MDF to that and then screwing down tempered hardboard on
top of that. A well made frame with cross-pieces every 16", dado'd into the
sides and screwed together will make it rock solid. The MDF adds the heft
and gives a nice flat surface. The 1/4" tempered hard-board can be poly'd
to help it resist absorbing finish materials or water rings from your cans
of ---- soda.

The plans are in both formats for AutoCad or in PDF format. Use them as a
guide and modify as you see fit. Consider them a starting point and adjust
the height of the bench accordingly to suit your needs. You can Google and
get a zillion hits on articles that discuss the height of a workbench. In
the end, it's what suits you but if you make the height the same height (or
slightly lower) than the height of your tablesaw, it makes for a handy
outfeed table too.

Bob S.


"Ben" wrote in message
oups.com...
I'm looking at building a woodworking bench for myself and have
familiarised myself with the plans that are sold on the internet. All
the Kits and commercally availiable, ready built benches feature fine
lumber of 3+ inch thickness for the top - be it birch, beech or other.

Since I am operating on a smaller budget, I was wondering what reasons
are there why a sheet of plywwod - 3/4" or 1" oak or birch supported by
doug. fir (4x) lumber would not be used?

Would the plywood warp over time? Is that the reason? I'd rather learn
the answer from someone knowlegable now than build it and learn the
hard way.

There must be reasons for the choice of real lumber for these
workbenches I see foir sale (other than they are beautiful).