In planning my new workbench, the construction of the top is getting a lot of my attention. One option is getting two 26x73x1-1/2 beech counter slabs from IKEA and laminating them together to make a 3″ thick slab. I have yet to inspect the slabs at IKEA but am assuming they will be reasonably flat.
I guess that my primary concern is if the glue joint at mid-depth (of the 3″ thickness) would allow creep or otherwise cause the top to not have the rigidity that I would get from a slab that started with 3″ stock.
Thoughts? Best adhesive to use to avoid problems?
I’ll be interested in your thoughts!
Steve
Replies
laminating "slabs"
Normally, I'd interpret "slab" as being a single piece of lumber cut from an old, large tree. I doubt that is the case with the Ikea counter tops, which are probably face-laminated. I'd have doubts about trying to glue two of them together to gain the thickness you want. Any difference in expansion/contraction would create significant problems.
There are other (probably better) sources for pre-made laminated workbench tops. One you might check is Grizzly (http://www.grizzly.com/), but they don't go to a full 3" thickness.
Steve, I just finished building my custom workbench and I also considered using those laminated tops from Ikea, mainly because they were the least expensive and I could go pick them up at their local store. To avoid the aformentioned problems that could occur by gluing up two separate slabs I used baltic Birch plywood sheets. You can't get it at a big box store. You can find them at any hardwood lumber store and they are running around $60.00 a sheet. I cut the sizes I needed from them and had them glued up at a cabinet shop that had a commercial press. It only cost about $40.00 to have them glue it up, which was way worth all the hassle I would have had getting it flat. For my actual work surface I sandwiched this between two sheets of masonite, since it's going to get chewed up any way. If you have to have solid wood then this wouldn't be for you, but I can tell you that my set up is super flat and super stable. I probably won't ever have to do any releveling of the top. I put some maple on the edges to trim it up as well. Oh and just to be sure it was flat I also had it run through a comercial wide belt sander after my trim and top/bottom sheets of masonite were added. Mine is 3" thick as well and it's a heavy task for two people to handle. After I attached my base, it took four people to turn it over upright. My previous work bench top was made this same way, only about half that thickness ,and it's still as flat as the day I made it 25 years ago. My new bench is smaller, mobile, height adjustable(Nodin hardware), with tail and front vises, none of which my previous bench had so I was somewhat overdue for a new one. Best wishes on your new build !
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled