Worktable top - thoughts?

Re: Worktable top - thoughts?

Wayne Cease

Torsion box. That will make it stiff enough, and light enough.

Re: Worktable top - thoughts?

Barry Irby

How about a flush door? Would a hollow core door be strong enough? If not a solid core one would. The hollow core ones are easy to cut down and Install a filler strip in the edge. The solid ones not so much, but not that hard.

Re: Worktable top - thoughts?

John Veerkamp

The cutting table I made for my wife is cabinet grade 3/4 MDF with melamine on each face. all edges covered with 1x2 oak glued and screwed. plenty strong and not as heavy as your double 3/4 ply would be.

Re: Worktable top - thoughts?

Pat Riley

I made something similar but used MDF for the top, with a bit of a twist.

Permanent top was 3/4 inch MDF, then a 1/2 piece screwed on top of it from below. Hardwood edging is only attached to the bottom piece.

When the 1/2 inch gets beat up, painted, stained and cut, I swap it out with a new piece. I do that about every two years. Only takes about an hour to swap.

I used to paint it, but now just apply a very thin coat of shellac.

Re: Worktable top - thoughts?

Jim Dillon

JL, I used two 3/4-inch MDF pieces (4x6) for my work bench (plus another 3/4-inch ply for support) and that is sure solid. Also used formica on both sides of 3/4-inch ply for kitchen cabinet shelves. Very solid as well. Plus have built a 4x8' torsion box with a 1/4-inch MDF skin and 1-3/4" wide inner ribs. All provided great support. I like the design of your bottom picture. Maybe a combination of 3/4-inch MDF for a nice flat top and 3/4-inch ply for bottom support. Then cover up the edges with a hardwood border with mitered edges. Just some thoughts. Jim

Re: Worktable top - thoughts?

Gary Smyth

A torsion box will work , is light in weight, but to make it for this application is a pain and not worth the effort. (sorry Mrs.). For the size you need use one good face ply and when the cutting mat (best invention since canned beer) is on top, the problem is solved. You can dress it up any way you wish.

I'd ...

ronster

I've made similar for my wife out of solid ash. For the project you show I'd use 2 layers of a good 0.75 ply, but the bottom layer would have voids to receive the 2 support cabinets. Thus, the top would not have to be screwed in place. I'd formica top and sides of top. I'd consider a single beam bridging from cabinet to cabinet in the middle. I'd cut one side of each cabinet to receive the beam, thus achieving an easy to transport system.

Hollow core door.....

Tim Greif - West of Chicago

LOML's sewing and cutting table is a hollow core door mounted on top of two metal drawer parts cabinets. The doors are light weight, flat, stable and easy to deal with. Have never seen a need for anything more massive that that for the top. If she was rebuilding car engines, then maybe that might be another story.

Re: Worktable top - thoughts?

Garthinsandiego

Another possibility is to find a new or used drafting table top. They are covered with vinyl or linoleum and somewhat resistant to knife cuts. Can be cut down if necessary.

Re: Worktable top - thoughts?

Kneale Brownson

My wife's cutting board is on top of a table I made out of one-by pine. No need for that much heaviness.

Re: Worktable top - thoughts?

TomD

Locally they sell 1" Birch plywood, it is more than 2x stiffer than 3/4 (64/27, actually). They have it in the aircraft type stuff, and a straight forward birch that isn't as expensive. But the point being you get a lot more stiffness and strength without going all the way to a double layer, which would no doubt be great also.

Re: Worktable top - thoughts?

JohnV

stiffness is not a problem in 3/4 single layer ply. There is very little downward pressure in cutting fabric, Even multiple layers in stacked cutting techniques that quilters use with rotary cutters the down pressure is not going to deflect the top appreciable. Even a minor deflection will not affect the quality or accuracy of the cut pieces.