I was much pondering everything, prices, models, reviewing people's
personally made benches all over the 'net, picking up ideas and so forth.
My
Grandmother gave me her old maple breakfast table top for the exact
purpose
of a woodworking bench, very sweet of her.

That sound Very cool to me. I like the idea of recycleing family furniture

It is a real structure of a quality hard maple that can't be found as
common
like in the days it was new. Layers of wood and under-side boards and a
leaf.
You could go into "Levitt's" or "Wick's" and buy it at a common price back
then.

My then uncle swiped the legs for maple guitar neck when he was learning
to
be a luthier (now at Fender). It had no more use as the space was taken by
a
newly installed kitchen island.

I worthy cause.


The maple is 5/4? (exactly 1" thick) so I have the idea of ripping the
table top
sections into 2" wide boards to be used as standing lamination upon 2x2 DF
planed flat to create about a 3" thick top.

DF = Doug Fir? Idunno'bout that. If I follow correctly, you would have 1"
"veneer" of maple over 2" of DF. That sounds like you are asking for a big
cup as the expansion and contraction rates differ.

Say the 2x2 are length-wise T&G is 60" or 62" x 20" wide for depth as a
base
for a cross-wise laminated maple standing, not T&G... does that sound good
or should I try and put it into a better perspective?

90 degrees to the DF Like plywood on steroids? - Terrible idea :-(. The
seasonal movement will split it it.

Say you are facing the front
of the bench, the maple board laminates are traveling from you to the back
of the bench while glued on top of the T&G 2x2's which travel left and
right.
Just my idea. I think it would be a strong enough top. I have the trestle
designed
in my head, almost. Sorry for the grueling long reply.

Here's what I would (and to some degree did):

1 - invest in Landis' "The Workbench Book", about $20 and really fun read.

2- Most of the beating, pounding and stress that wou will put on a bench for
hand work is within 6-8 inches of the front edge. Build up the beef in the
front where you need it.

3- Suppplement you stock with more maple. I purchased "brown maple". It's
maple, but with some heartwood. Same stuff, not as pretty, half the price.

4 - Keep all the wood going left to right. If you do want bread-board ends
(going front to back) you can only lock the end at one point and let the
rest of the joint move with the seasons.

Thanks for the great reply and encouragement, I appreciate it much!
Alex


Cheers,

Steve