Workbench Slabs - taking census on who many are interested in

[danmart77]

What woiuld be a ballpark figure for a 2ft x 6 ft x 3" thick plain hard maple bench top slab with no holes or cutouts?

Well
maybe a photo or 2 of the slab you are trying to envision would help. This is laminated hard heavy wood. The top is a combination of hickory, maple walnut oak and a few other hard wood types.

The bench in the photo is 3" thick. The length is 76 inches and it is 30 inches wide when the 18" slab and the 12" slab are pulled together and leveled. This bench when assembled is VERY heavy. What makes this special for me: it is the flattest I bench I have ever worked on and I have worked on a few.

To touch on Ken's question or comment I would add-- you don't want a solid bench top slab. It will not stay flat. The thing to keep in mind here is the slabs are wood that is "off cuts"

If you want a slab all hard maple 2' x 8' x3" you are talking about 48bf final.

If you want to see more bench photos, look in the Gallery under danmart77 workbench

​

 

[DannysBoy]

What Danmart is saying is true, but since you all would be paying for it, versus an accumulation of scraps I saved up over 6 months laminated planed cut laminated planed cut over and over like this bench, your strips would be 1.75 inches wide and then however deep you want your bench to be i.e. 2.5, 3 whatever. The lamination helps immensely with movement and shrinkage. Planks would move and cup all over, and a single solid piece of would in my opinion would never be te way to go.

These bench tops are CNC PERFECTLY flat. FLAT. 0 cupping or bowing.

But I know the word lamination puts some people off. Please do not mistake it for plywood, or #### wood thrown between two prettier boards to make it look nice. I mean lamination in the simple sense that multiple boards are glued up in a series, not jsut a couple planks joined and the hip and call it a day.

 

[JeepsnWood]

This lamination makes the perfect, durable, long life bench top. Let's get the glue flowing! :gar-Bi

 

[danmart77]

This lamination makes the perfect, durable, long life bench top. Let's get the glue flowing! :gar-Bi

Folks just one thing to add to the mix: if you think you will be better served on a bench top with maple or beech, I would ask you to think again. The hickory portion of the bench top I have in front of me did not dimple when I hit the surface with a 12oz hammer. The cherry and maple did.

If you can get someone in the US to make you a hickory ... a dried hickory bench top, get it.

I have worked European beech, New England sugar maple(usually harder than the local maple) and it was not as hard as the hickory. This stuff is like iron. Most of the shops I dealt with in the past would not work it for you as it tore up their blades and bits too quickly.

As a work surface wood that you don't have to mill, hickory is just great. Truthfully, if my bench top was all hickory I don't know if I could have driven in the lag bolts to hold it to the bottom support members. This stuff is really hard.

Think about it.

Dan

 

[Phil S]

Thanks for doing this. I am interested two smaller size tops. PM was sent

 

[mpholway]

I am very interested as well and am still looking for a ballpark on a pricing before I get too excited.

 

[DannysBoy]

Ok update.

I will post a NEW thread when I know the logistics of it all, as well as update this.

There will be probably 2 maybe even as many as three standard sizes offered. You may take or leave that, up to you, but that's the bill. For 'custom' dimensions there will be an extra charge because of having to rewrite the cad files and cnc commands.

The are offered in Hickory, unless you want to pay full company retail prices, which i guarantee you do not, not to imply these will be cheap by any means.

I will let everyone who inquires know through direct PM what the price per sqft is.

Dog holes will we worked into price as well if desired. Again there will be a standard lay out, extras and customization an extra charge.

That's the latest.

There is much more to this than crunching a couple numbers. We have to time production, map the drop off, factor in labor and tool depreciation factors etc etc etc. This thread was simply meant to see how much response would be there. I've gotten enough to have it potentially be worth everyone's time/money/stress :O)

Thank you gents... and ladies?

Connor

 

[zapdafish]

Wish I was in the market for something like this. Depending on price, might have to do some rearranging in my garage.

 

[JeepsnWood]

Ok update.

I will post a NEW thread when I know the logistics of it all, as well as update this.

There will be probably 2 maybe even as many as three standard sizes offered. You may take or leave that, up to you, but that's the bill. For 'custom' dimensions there will be an extra charge because of having to rewrite the cad files and cnc commands.

The are offered in Hickory, unless you want to pay full company retail prices, which i guarantee you do not, not to imply these will be cheap by any means.

I will let everyone who inquires know through direct PM what the price per sqft is.

Dog holes will we worked into price as well if desired. Again there will be a standard lay out, extras and customization an extra charge.

That's the latest.

There is much more to this than crunching a couple numbers. We have to time production, map the drop off, factor in labor and tool depreciation factors etc etc etc. This thread was simply meant to see how much response would be there. I've gotten enough to have it potentially be worth everyone's time/money/stress :O)

Thank you gents... and ladies?

Connor

Connor, working this up and offering it to the group is greatly appreciated!

 

[TENdriver]

Connor, I'd encourage you to look strongly at the "split top" Roubo type offering. Weight and general logistics will be easier for the split top and it's a fairly popular bench type.

Good luck and thanks for putting this out there.

 

[DannysBoy]

yeah [tendriver] I'm thinking two parters is the way to go for anything over 24 inches, sold in 12 in ch increments or something. won't compromise flatness upon your assembly and people have the option of keeping two loose slabs or gluing it into one gigantic mass.

 

[cstandi1]

Connor, I'd encourage you to look strongly at the "split top" Roubo type offering. Weight and general logistics will be easier for the split top and it's a fairly popular bench type.

Good luck and thanks for putting this out there.

I second this, exactly the type of top I am looking for.

 

[Ralrick]

I'm in for a top out of Hickory . . . . . awaiting pricing

Rick

 

[TENdriver]

Connor, two sections for glue together...what a great idea!!!

 

[McRabbet]

I'd be interested in two 12" wide slabs at 3" thickness and 90" length. I am planning to build the 21st Century Workbench by Robert Lang that appeared in Popular Woodworking several years ago. I have the original article and the DVD they published, which is excellent. I'd be willing to drive to the Triangle to get them (I hope to make the Picnic in May which would facilitate my travels).

Thanks.

 

[Michael Mathews]

Hey Conner, I live in Chapel Hill and work North of Durham! I'd be able to pick mine up when it's ready also. I'd like 2 slabs 12" wide x 72" long x 3" thick! Standard Dog holes would be fine.

 

[cstandi1]

Any update on price estimates?

 

[DannysBoy]

still timing things and working out the details

 

[cstandi1]

Thanks, just wanted to check in.