Bench Question

Re: Bench Question

Jack Guzman from Maine

>I would predrill because plywood will tend to spread between laminations if separated by a screw,otherwise why not?It should hold just fine.---Jack

Re: Bench Question

Frank Mutchler in Colorado Springs

>David, I think screws and glue would work just fine. Depending on the type of plywood you used, you may hit a void when driving the screw in. I would use the 2" #8 screws Danny Proulx sells or something like it you can get locally. Danny says that these screws were designed by the fellow who invented Melamine to be used in screwing Melamine to itself. Predrill the pilot holes, of course.

If you have a biscuit cutter you may want to make use of it to help with alignment, etc.

Re: Bench Question

Wiley Horne--Glendora CA

>Hi David,

What if you install a course of 2x4 around the bottom of the plywood sandwich (more metal yet!)? That, plus the 3/4 inch of oak at the top, would give you some real meat to bolt into. Then, if you wanted, you could lag on a deep, thick skirt (good for pounding) and have the option to drill it for dog holes later if you wanted to add an end vice.

2 cents, not knowing many of the facts.

Wiley

Drill Away

Christopher Schwarz

>You can drill into plywood just like any hardwood. Plywood edges are 50 percent edge grain and 50 percent end grain. Just like in hardwood (and as already stated), drill clearance holes in your outer board and pilot holes in the plywood.

Chris

How about...

Steve Kubien

>Cut your lumber and mitre it to fit. Glue and clamp it to the top with regular old yellow wood glue. Now here come the security.....Drill holes on alternating angles (about 70degrees?) and insert glued dowels. If you alter the slope (picture the dowels making a dovetail pattern) the border will be well anchored. The added glue around the dowels will help hold things together and has been already stated, plywood is a maze of alternating cross-grain and end-grain. Flush cut the dowels and you are ready to go.

My 2 cents,

Steve Kubien

Ajax, Ontario

Re: Bench Question *LINK*

Jonathan Peck - N.Y.

>Hard to follow this group, but you have the makings of a monster bench here, one that won't jump around. So.......I sayeth...add a layer of 2" nominal material of your choice on top of the plywood (something that's not too hard or too soft, but juuuust right). The plywood will make the substrate for your tool tray, and lag bolt in your apron into the top layer of (blank) I used cedar on my assembly table. Never can have too many dog holes.....so space em' and add em as necessary. Lee Valley has a few goodies that will work with round dog holes, I like their pups, hold down and their wonder pup's great for anything an end vise could do without the racking.. Here's my built-up assembly table. Ain't purty too look at, but I ain't afraid too pound on it neither


Built Up Assembly Table

Re: How about...

Frank Mutchler in Colorado Springs

>Great solution, Steve!

Re: Bench Question

Lyn J. Mangiameli

>There are a couple of things you might want to consider. One is to float a hardwood top above the plywood base. You could probably get a 1.75 inch laminated maple top for not too much money, which would be a good place to locate those surface dog holes, and also would provide an excellent surface to which to attach the skirting. Actually this is pretty close to the way my bench is designed, wth a couple of inch thick laminated maple top floating on top of an approximately 3 inch laminated plywood subbase, with thick Maple side skirts mounted to the maple top. Then I have side dog holes located in the skirting.

The other approach, which might be a little visually unconventional but would give you outstanding holding power would be to vertically drill through your plywood top a series of holes along the edge. Into these holes glue hardwood dowels (either purchased or get a woodturner to make some up of any diameter you have a drill size for). Then, tangent to the vertical dowels, drill in from the sides of your bench for your skirt holes, which will result in the skirt screws sinking into the long grain of the dowels, resulting in a very secure hold.

Spline it

David Linnabary

>You could always cut a slot(s) in your top and banding materal then insert a spline to hold your banding to the top. Lots of glue surface! I've made double thick plywood tabletops that were banded this way, of course I used a double row of splines.

Yes, I admit moving around some potentiated electrons via a router and slot cutter in the process. :)

David

Re: Bench Question

Steve Jenkins, Dallas TX.

>Several options have been mentioned. You could spline it. Fasten it with biscuits every 6" or so and use pocket screws in between then to hold it in. If you screw through the face I would either cut the plugs from the face of a board that matches the edge so you can align the grain and make the plugs disappear or use a contrasting wood but again cut from the face. Steve