Steve Turner wrote on 07/03/2010 23:52:
On 3/7/2010 4:01 PM, graham wrote:
Wow, thanks for all the responses guys, you've been a great help.

I've taken on board the points of simplicity and sufficiency and will go
the build route. I can always change it later..

My plan now is a simple benchtop table, a box made of 3/4" birch ply
(because I have some), with webs from side to side to support the top
(ie. enable me to clamp the top down to it when I fail to make it
properly flat).

For the top I'm uncertain - I could use more birch ply, or go the MDF
route. Either way I'm uncertain of the laminating - surely wide areas
like this require a great deal of force to provide enough pressure on
the glue joint?
And with all that force (presumbaly via curved battens) it seems likely
that the panels will flex and then set non-flat?
Adding the Formica (UK trade name for phenolic sheet) ditto, and that's
not cheap stuff either - though I could always (not) add this later..
For starters I think I might just go with a single sheet of thick
mdf/ply - whatever the yard has in.

If you use 3/4" MDF that's usually pretty damn flat; if you glue two of
them together any warping will almost certainly be canceled out and the
result will be DAMN flat.

I was thinking that under the pressure of my battens I could flex both
pieces in the same direction.. Or have I misunderstood?

snip - Great tips for applying the laminate - thanks

graham.