Someday...I hope to build a real classic workbench, ala Christopher
Schwarz, however, just now I wish to explore an intermediate
solution.

I picked up (dumpster diving) a commercial work bench top. It is
stamped "Hallowell Shop Top" It looks (end view) like several wood
strips glued up with the top and bottom surface coverd with a particle
board covering. If I go to the company website

http://www.hallowell-list.com/workbench-adjustable.php

they describe the top as "Layered highdensity particleboard offers
superior screw holding characteristics. The top and bottom layers are
sealed to resist conventional spills. The nonconductive, splinter-
proof top is 30 % harder than maple."

Cosmetically, the top I got looks terrible, however it is very flat,
heavy with no serious gouges. It measures 72" x 30" x about 2" and,
as I said, is heavy. I will probably reduce the width to 27" and hope
that this is solid through and through and not a torsion box.

So, here's my question. I want to cover the top and (if needed) the
bottom with a hardwood to make an attractive work surface. One that I
can re-flatten and renew as needed. My first impulse is to get some
maple flooring, however I am worried about wood movement. If I glue
the flooring to the top, it may break free. I could fasten one edge
and let the other one float, but I'm concerned that if I put dog holes
through the top and benchtop underneath, the top hole may become
offset from the substrate hole. Of course, I could be over-thinking
this whole issue.

I wish to hear recommendations for covering the benchtop and whether
or not I need a layer on the bottom.

Bill

"Bill Leonhardt" wrote:

I picked up (dumpster diving) a commercial work bench top. It is
stamped "Hallowell Shop Top" It looks (end view) like several wood
strips glued up with the top and bottom surface coverd with a
particle
board covering. If I go to the company website

http://www.hallowell-list.com/workbench-adjustable.php

they describe the top as "Layered highdensity particleboard offers
superior screw holding characteristics. The top and bottom layers
are
sealed to resist conventional spills. The nonconductive, splinter-
proof top is 30 % harder than maple."
-----------------------------------------------------
Based on your description above, sounds like you have a laminated top
rather than one described above.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Cosmetically, the top I got looks terrible, however it is very flat,
heavy with no serious gouges. It measures 72" x 30" x about 2" and,
as I said, is heavy. I will probably reduce the width to 27" and
hope
that this is solid through and through and not a torsion box.

So, here's my question. I want to cover the top and (if needed) the
bottom with a hardwood to make an attractive work surface. One that
I
can re-flatten and renew as needed. My first impulse is to get some
maple flooring, however I am worried about wood movement. If I glue
the flooring to the top, it may break free. I could fasten one edge
and let the other one float, but I'm concerned that if I put dog
holes
through the top and benchtop underneath, the top hole may become
offset from the substrate hole. Of course, I could be over-thinking
this whole issue.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I'd repair the top by filling any gouges with epoxy fairing putty,
then
when cured sand flat.

Cut a piece of 1/4" hardboard the size of the top and fit to the top.

Add retaining fiddles around the edges to contain hardboard in place
from some 1by2 strips.

Beat the hell out of the hardboard making things and when it gets so
ugly you can't stand looking at it, pick it up, thow it away,
then replace with the next piece of hardboard.

Have fun.

Lew

If it's layered and heavy, I would think it is not of torsion box construction.... and dog holes should be no problem.

Maybe sand down the "ugly" top and reseal it. Maybe contact Hallowell and ask what it is sealed with, for resealing.

*Sounds like the top is in reasonable shape, just looks terrible. Does the top look terrible because of some sort of contaminate/toxic chemical? Maybe try to find out if the previous shop spilled some toxic product on the surface, making it look terrible (and toxic), and that's why they discarded an otherwise reasonable work top.

Sonny

Lew Hodgett wrote:
"Bill Leonhardt" wrote:

I picked up (dumpster diving) a commercial work bench top. It is
stamped "Hallowell Shop Top" It looks (end view) like several wood
strips glued up with the top and bottom surface coverd with a
particle
board covering. If I go to the company website

http://www.hallowell-list.com/workbench-adjustable.php

they describe the top as "Layered highdensity particleboard offers
superior screw holding characteristics. The top and bottom layers
are
sealed to resist conventional spills. The nonconductive, splinter-
proof top is 30 % harder than maple."
-----------------------------------------------------
Based on your description above, sounds like you have a laminated top
rather than one described above.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Cosmetically, the top I got looks terrible, however it is very flat,
heavy with no serious gouges. It measures 72" x 30" x about 2" and,
as I said, is heavy. I will probably reduce the width to 27" and
hope
that this is solid through and through and not a torsion box.

So, here's my question. I want to cover the top and (if needed) the
bottom with a hardwood to make an attractive work surface. One that
I
can re-flatten and renew as needed. My first impulse is to get some
maple flooring, however I am worried about wood movement. If I glue
the flooring to the top, it may break free. I could fasten one edge
and let the other one float, but I'm concerned that if I put dog
holes
through the top and benchtop underneath, the top hole may become
offset from the substrate hole. Of course, I could be over-thinking
this whole issue.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I'd repair the top by filling any gouges with epoxy fairing putty,
then
when cured sand flat.

Cut a piece of 1/4" hardboard the size of the top and fit to the top.

Add retaining fiddles around the edges to contain hardboard in place
from some 1by2 strips.

Beat the hell out of the hardboard making things and when it gets so
ugly you can't stand looking at it, pick it up, thow it away,
then replace with the next piece of hardboard.

Have fun.

Lew

+1

Benches are to use, not to sit there and look pretty. If it *is* particle
board as opposed to laminated hardwood and if you put a top on it you need
nothing on the bottom. If it is hardwood strips, don't put anything on
either side unless it floats.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race?
Maybe just ready for a change? Check it out...
http://www.floridaloghouse.net

If you have to cover it and cannot work with the existing top, you might try screwing some oak or maple plywood to the top. Then drill your dog holes through the plywood and bench top. Screw it from underneath. Maybe drill oversize holes from underneath halfway through the top and then fit smaller screws into the holes you drilled.




On Thursday, November 15, 2012 11:41:15 AM UTC-6, Bill Leonhardt wrote:
Someday...I hope to build a real classic workbench, ala Christopher

Schwarz, however, just now I wish to explore an intermediate

solution.



I picked up (dumpster diving) a commercial work bench top. It is

stamped "Hallowell Shop Top" It looks (end view) like several wood

strips glued up with the top and bottom surface coverd with a particle

board covering. If I go to the company website



http://www.hallowell-list.com/workbench-adjustable.php



they describe the top as "Layered highdensity particleboard offers

superior screw holding characteristics. The top and bottom layers are

sealed to resist conventional spills. The nonconductive, splinter-

proof top is 30 % harder than maple."



Cosmetically, the top I got looks terrible, however it is very flat,

heavy with no serious gouges. It measures 72" x 30" x about 2" and,

as I said, is heavy. I will probably reduce the width to 27" and hope

that this is solid through and through and not a torsion box.



So, here's my question. I want to cover the top and (if needed) the

bottom with a hardwood to make an attractive work surface. One that I

can re-flatten and renew as needed. My first impulse is to get some

maple flooring, however I am worried about wood movement. If I glue

the flooring to the top, it may break free. I could fasten one edge

and let the other one float, but I'm concerned that if I put dog holes

through the top and benchtop underneath, the top hole may become

offset from the substrate hole. Of course, I could be over-thinking

this whole issue.



I wish to hear recommendations for covering the benchtop and whether

or not I need a layer on the bottom.



Bill

Bill

Can you just flip it over and give it a little sanding and move on? It is a ~work~ bench. You oughta see mine...It's an old stave core door from Cornell U. and I sanded it and slammed some dog holes in 'er. I been working on it for years and ocassionally sand it lightly and put some shellac on it so the glue won't stick. It has plenty of character. My boys are gonna fight over it when I croak.

RP

Bill Leonhardt wrote:

....

So, here's my question. I want to cover the top and (if needed) the
bottom with a hardwood to make an attractive work surface. One that I
can re-flatten and renew as needed.

Several people have made suggestions about hardboard or other tops,
with the idea that "it's just a bench; it's not supposed to be
pretty". And there is nothing wrong with that approach--you certainly
don't want to waste time to make a good looking bench for rebuilding
lawn mower engines or doing rough woodwork. But you asked about using
hardwood to make an attractive work surface, and that is a legitimate
request.

BTW, I have a 20-year-old "beater bench" made from a solid core door
and a 10-year-old woodworking bench that I use solely for hand-tool
work. If I had to have only one, it would be my beater bench--but
that's just me.

My first impulse is to get some
maple flooring, however I am worried about wood movement. If I glue
the flooring to the top, it may break free. I could fasten one edge
and let the other one float, but I'm concerned that if I put dog holes
through the top and benchtop underneath, the top hole may become
offset from the substrate hole. Of course, I could be over-thinking
this whole issue.

I don't think so. You are thinking right. I'd first level the
substrate as Lew suggested. Then attach the top rigidly along the line
of dog holes (I'm assuming a line of dog holes parallel to the front
edge. If they go across the grain, then you might want to slightly
enlarge the holes in the surface layer for those holes that are not
along the rigid attachment line.)

Near the front and back edge, you would want to attach the top in a
way that holds it down, but allows horizontal movement. One way would
be screwing from the bottom, through a slot in the substrate.

I wish to hear recommendations for covering the benchtop and whether
or not I need a layer on the bottom.

In general, that is a good practice. But I think it would be a waste
of wood here. If you "float" the top, it is not creating stresses on
the core, and the difference in moisture movement would probably not
be significant--just slap a coat of shellac on the underside.
--
Alex -- Replace "nospam" with "mail" to reply by email. Checked infrequently.

Thank you to all who gave me different suggestions. I understand your
different approaches as, to some extent, I have experienced them
already.

I inherited a bench from my dad. It was just 3 2x10s laid flat side-
by side and it was pretty chewed up. I covered that with a layer of
partical board and then a sheet of hard board. This served me for
many years but, it became, as some have described, a beater bench. As
I took on more challanging and sophisticated projects, I found not
having an adequate flatness was a real drawback. I also want to hone
some of my hand tool skills and learn new ones, so I drilled some dog
holes and they are a compromise since the current bench construction
didn't allow me to locate the holes in the most efficient place.
Still, I learned a lot and am ready to upgrade.

I will build a new set of legs and under support members because,
after all, my main goal is to get and keep a flat top. I wanted to
avoid (but may still use) a hardboard top since I want to get some
experience in trying to flatten a top with hand planes. I also felt
it best to stay away from plywood since I don't think even the
hardwood plywoods could stand up to pounding. (I could be wrong
here.)

I think, for what I want to do now, I will get some maple 1X boards
and edge glue them. I will then attach them to the top with screws
from below making a tight bond at the front edge and letting the
middle and rear edge "float" horizontally. I will drill round dog
holes (mostly along the front edge) and, if expansion becomes an
issue, I'll ream the holes.

Other things I want to try are (going off topic here) building a leg
vise and a tail vise, although I may use my current quick release
front vise as a tail vise. Also, I will build this bench considerably
lower than my current bench to see if it really helps with hand tool
techniques. I can always add spacers under the legs if needed. I'm
thinking 33" top height (I'm 72" tall).

Thanks again for everyone's input. My fantasy is to have the time
just after Christmas to start this. I'll report back if it turns out
well.

Bill

In article
,
Bill Leonhardt wrote:

I wish to hear recommendations for covering the benchtop

I used a solid core door, and glued maple flooring to the top. It's
going strong nearly 12 years later.

Details at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/balderstone/sets/72157632030400691

--
I used to like fishing because I thought it had some larger significance. Now I
like fishing because it¹s the one thing I can think of that probably doesn¹t. *
John Gierach

On Saturday, November 17, 2012 1:16:23 PM UTC-6, Dave Balderstone wrote:
I used a solid core door, and glued maple flooring to the top. It's going strong nearly 12 years later.

Hah! Nick probably did all the work. ^5 Nick, nice looking work table.

Don't see those (black) Cresent nail pullers too often, the one hanging on Nick's peg board. Good handy tool. My uncle introduced me to that tool 40 yrs ago and I still find reason to use it often, especially lately. One should be in everyone's arsenal.

*Long ago, a favorite girlfriend's son, Nick (age 6), was a real go-getter. Always wanted to help, get involved, etc., etc., and did. aka "Slick Nick"! Your Nick brings back good memories.

Sonny

On Nov 17, 2:16*pm, Dave Balderstone
wrote:
In article
,

Bill Leonhardt wrote:
I wish to hear recommendations for covering the benchtop

I used a solid core door, and glued maple flooring to the top. It's
going strong nearly 12 years later.

Details at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/balderstone/sets/72157632030400691

--
I used to like fishing because I thought it had some larger significance. Now I
like fishing because it s the one thing I can think of that probably doesn t.
John Gierach

Dave,

That looks really good. Can't argue with 12 years experience. Did
you use any special glue? Did you nail as well?

Bill

In article
,
Bill Leonhardt wrote:

That looks really good. Can't argue with 12 years experience. Did
you use any special glue? Did you nail as well?

Good old yaller glue. A few nails to hold things tight while the glue
dried, but just a few.

--
Any government will work if authority and responsibility are equal and
coordinate. This does not insure "good" government; it simply insures that it
will work. But such governments are rare ‹ most people want to run things but
want no part of the blame. ‹ Robert A. Heinlein