On Tue, 16 Jan 2007 23:03:35 -0500, "Edwin Pawlowski"
wrote:


"Dukester" wrote in message

My question is: will the MDF do alright for using benchdogs, or will the
MDF wear out quickly? I'm thinking of the round Veritas dogs for easy
installation.

I took a course at a Woodcraft store and they had benches made from MDF and
the dog holes were OK. Overall, it was a beefy, low cost bench.

I opted for plywood, two sheets of 3/4". I just like the looks of it better
and the cost was minimal over the MDF.

Just another option for low-cost benches- mine is 100% jummywood. I
got about $50 in framing 2x4s, and ripped a 1/4" off either edge to
make lumber with square corners. Using the 3" x 1.5" lumber, I routed
3" wide by 3/4" deep dadoes at the top and about 5" up from the bottom
of each leg piece, and then glued the halves together to make easy
through mortises that one of my modified 2x4s would slide into.

The long stretchers are slid into those through mortises, and glued in
place, and feet on either end take the place of the short stretchers.

With that done, I made the top by laminating the remaining 2x4s
face-to-face to make a top that is 3" thick. I took the extra step of
boring a couple of holes through the edge and running some threaded
rod through to make extra sure that the top would not delaminate, but
I doubt that is necessary.

While it may not sound like much, being made from framing lumber, it's
really sturdy, and looks quite a lot like one you might see in a
woodworking catalog. It's held up well for quite a while, and a bit
of plywood laid over the bottom stretchers makes for a handy shelf.

Biggest problem in the whole project was hand-planing the top after
glue-up. If I'd have had a handheld belt sander, that would have been
much easier. What I've got described above might vary a little from
what I did, as I've got it mixed up a little with the router table
stand in my head right now, but am too lazy to go check- I figure
that's good enough to give the general idea, anyhow.