Some years ago I used antique oak flooring, flattened and surfaced, to make a workbench top. The actual flooring strips ended up being only 3/4" in width once the tongue and groove was removed. These strips were glued face to face, and yes, it was a lot of strips, so workbench top thickness is only 3/4". However, the surrounding aprons were made of 8/4 red oak planks with floating dovetail corners. Once glued up took to cabinet shop and they sanded topside smooth. All in all looks good.

Now the problem. Fast forward to now, the top is slowing bending, and seemingly due to a heavy, all wood, handmade shoulder vice on the right front corner. A standard vice is attached to the front left corner and that section seems to be holding.

Question is without tearing it all down, how do I reinforce it? Options are to bolt another apron piece on, perhaps 8x6, but that is expensive. Anyone know of a way to reinforce from underneath, knowing the actual top is only 3/4 thick? I can have it re-leveled once it is reinforced..any ideas?

Chris

cc wrote:
Some years ago I used antique oak flooring, flattened and surfaced, to make a workbench top. The actual flooring strips ended up being only 3/4" in width once the tongue and groove was removed. These strips were glued face to face, and yes, it was a lot of strips, so workbench top thickness is only 3/4". However, the surrounding aprons were made of 8/4 red oak planks with floating dovetail corners. Once glued up took to cabinet shop and they sanded topside smooth. All in all looks good.

Now the problem. Fast forward to now, the top is slowing bending, and seemingly due to a heavy, all wood, handmade shoulder vice on the right front corner. A standard vice is attached to the front left corner and that section seems to be holding.

Question is without tearing it all down, how do I reinforce it? Options are to bolt another apron piece on, perhaps 8x6, but that is expensive. Anyone know of a way to reinforce from underneath, knowing the actual top is only 3/4 thick? I can have it re-leveled once it is reinforced..any ideas?

Chris

When you say "reinforce" it from underneath, do you mean AND bend the
top back to the way it was? By 8x6, do you mean an 8-foot, 6 by 2?
Picture is worth a thousand words. You say you don't want to tear it
all down, but it sounds like it needs minor surgery.

On Wed, 21 Jan 2015 21:42:15 -0800 (PST)
cc wrote:

Question is without tearing it all down, how do I reinforce it?
Options are to bolt another apron piece on, perhaps 8x6, but that is
expensive. Anyone know of a way to reinforce from underneath, knowing
the actual top is only 3/4 thick? I can have it re-leveled once it is
reinforced..any ideas?

it's only 3/4 why not put some stiff stringers the length
of it, how stiff and how many depends on what's needed to make and
keep it straight, level it, drill and bolt and glue the stringers
and you're done. 2x4 should be fine but it depends

other option is to add another 3/4 to the top, flip it over so the
weight is on top and glue and bolt on

Get the new piece level on the floor then flip the bench over
glue and clamp then when dry flip right side up and add bolts