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Workbench top -- flat sawn hard or qurtersawn soft maple?

Workbench top -- flat sawn hard or qurtersawn soft maple? (post #169226)

David S. on Wed, 10/12/2011 - 21:15

Workshop

Hi I'm starting to build a workbench (about 30x72 inches). As I look over what wood I have, it seems I can use some 6/4 and 5/4 soft maple to make most of the top (cutting it into strips and gluing them together to get quartersawn grain) and then buy some hard maple to make the aprons, vise faces, etc. The top would end up around 2 3/4" thick. Other choice would be to use my somewhat limited soft maple supply, along with some new 5/4 hard maple to make a laminated flatsawn bench top like Garrett Hack's from a FWW article a couple years ago, with the hard maple on the top layer. Hack says this should stay flat, but I'm not sure how it compares with the more traditional quarter sawn style. Is hard maple that much better for the bench top? Any suggestions or other thoughts? Thanks in advance. David

I have a good amount of faith (post #169226, reply #1 of 4)

by CedarGroves in reply to David S. [original] on Tue, 10/18/2011 - 19:00

I have a good amount of faith in Christopher Schwarz's research and in his book The Workbench Design Book he goes into detail on the many choices of wood suitable for benches, and hard maple isn't necissarily the only (or best) one. Sure it is good and hard, and stays relatively stable, but if you are only equipped with modest power tools (i.e. no jointer, planer, 3HP TS) then dimensioning that lumber yourself will be something of an assignment to sharpening Hell. I know the folks at Benchcrafted make their Roubo out of soft maple partly for this reason.

Good choices IMO would be Douglas fir, Southern Yellow Pine, ash, and soft maple - my favorite being the SYP because its cheap, sustainable, and readily available.

I would also reccomend quartersawn over flatsawn lumber (at least for your top) because it will stay flatter with seasonal changes. Flatsawn works for your stretchers and legs but that orientation in the top invites unneccisary movement.

-Ian

After a number of years using (post #169226, reply #2 of 4)

by DonStephan in reply to CedarGroves [original] on Sun, 10/23/2011 - 07:57

After a number of years using a benchtop made of face laminated 2x4's when I wanted a longer bench I decided on yellow pine. For economy, I decided to rip 2x8's and face glue for a bench top about 3 1/2" thick. Found there was ungodly amount of tension in some of the 2x8's, so that they turned into snakes when ripped. If I were to do this again I would rip 2x10's so there was more allowance to get resulting 3 1/2" bench top thickness. I'd still plan to have 20% scrap in rippings that warped too much across the 1 1/2" width, or twisted too much.

I have found that buying 2x12 (post #169226, reply #3 of 4)

by CedarGroves in reply to DonStephan [original] on Sun, 10/23/2011 - 19:40

I have found that buying 2x12 in the longest lengths make the clearest most stable lumber for workbenches. Even at that you should take care in selecting your stock, and going to a quality lumber yard helps - they get better stock and will usually let you pick through the pile. Also remember to dry your stock carefully (less than 15% MC) and let it acclimate to your shop before milling to keep things straight.

-Ian

Thanks - looks like quartersawn wins (post #169226, reply #4 of 4)

by David S. in reply to David S. [original] on Tue, 10/25/2011 - 18:47

Thanks for your suggestions. Looks like I'll cut what I have to make a quartersawn top, although now I'm worrying about the "snakes"! Couldn't find many comments on Garrett Hack's laminated, flat sawn top, but doubt it would be any easier to make, and not as sure it would stay flat. Thanks again. David