Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
White Oak workbench
John Wright
>I know maple is pretty popular for a workbench top, but I don't have any available locally. But I do have a lot of white oak! I have been considering taking my 3/4" W.O., ripping to 2-3" wide, and gluing together with the ray fleck on the top of the slab.
Should I be worried about expansion/contraction problems? I just want a strong, stable, bench that will last a long time. And if I can use material I already have, that's even better.
Am I missing something?
Re: White Oak workbench
Bob Powers
>I can't advise you as to workbenches, but I built a 3'6"X 6'8" white oak screen door for my shop a few years ago, and it shrinks and grows so much that it sticks in moist weather and almost misses the stops in dry weather.
Re: White Oak workbench
McKay Sleight
>If you are able to cut the white oak so that it is quarter sawn then the expansion/contraction is nearly eliminated. I have built a number of quartersawn white oak screen doors and have not had any expansion/contraction problems. The problem w/using the oak is that oak is an open grained wood where maple is a closed grain. You would be much better off by using maple for a top. White oak is one of my favorite woods. I would make a few pieces of furniture to pay for the maple.
Re: White Oak workbench
Patrick Gibbons, Bayou City, TX
>St. Roy used white oak for his bench top.
go for it
Tom Sontag - St. Louis
>Mckay is right, the open grain makes it less than perfect for the role. But so what? It is hard and will stand up to the pounding, you have it already, it is lighter in color, it is there, it is strong, and you already own it.
I made my bench from a wood that is a tad soft and a little too dark. So what? I love my bench and enjoy using it each and every time. Some wood choices are more ideal for a bench, but IMO the whole subject gets too obsessive. Make the bench already and enjoy it. WO is a fine choice.