Author Topic: I got a question about a workbench top... (Read 815 times)

Daburner87 · « **on:** January 23, 2023, 01:59:55 PM »

So I came into a lot of wood about two years ago and it has been sitting untouched for a while in my basement/workshop.

The origin of this wood is sketchy. I got it all for free from a guy who said he got it out of a dumpster at work. Apparently the wood was ordered to be destroyed by the law as it was illegally imported. He said he couldn't let it go to waste since it was too beautiful so after work he went dumpster diving and brought it home...

I believe it is Ipe, however I am not 100% sure about it and will update this post with pictures.

The thickness is 3/4" and each board is about 4" wide in various lengths from 3' - 10'. Because I really need to get this stuff off the floor and I really need a workbench it makes the most obvious choice for its outcome.

The issue I have is basically gluing up 32 of these to get a 24" wide top. Or more if I decide to go larger which I am considering. I've never glued that many boards before and wonder about strength and drilling into it to mount a vise and such. Any advice appreciated.

sawguy21 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 23, 2023, 02:30:15 PM »

A scofflaw!

My first thought was gluing it in sections and mounting it on the bench frame as you go. You could also assemble it on a backing. What is Ipe? A hardwood? Is it straight? Bowed or warped could pose some real challenges.

Daburner87 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 23, 2023, 02:47:45 PM »

Hahaha. Well from what I remember when I got it one of the boards had some tag from Brazil on it which is why I assumed it was Brazillian Ipe. It is used outdoors for decking and what not, and is very hard.

Now I do remember the giy I got it from built a gate door to his backyard with it...

I now wonder if he gave it all away because he got sick from the sawdust which can be toxic.

fluidpowerpro · « **Reply #3 on:** January 23, 2023, 02:50:33 PM »

I recently made a center island for my kitchen with a butcher block top. I never made a butcher block before so I don't know if I did it the right way, but first I cut each board on a table saw to the width I wanted (which in the end is the thickness of the butcher block). I then planed the side of each board.
Next I glued and clamped them to create about 8" wide sections. I only did 8" because my planer is only 10" wide. This allowed me to run it through my planer to flatten the top. I then glued all of the sections together to make the large top. It worked out good except if I were to do it again I would make sure and clamp it in both planes because when you clamp the whole thing lengthwise, the top wants to bow.

rusticretreater · « **Reply #4 on:** January 23, 2023, 03:09:44 PM »

I would think about going wider depending on your space and usage for the bench. If its up against a wall, you will take to putting stuff there and you will cut down on your usable space quite a bit. I don't think I've ever heard that someone complained their workbench was too big. Laminated together makes a great workbench that doesn't warp and it will hold things like a vice, bench dogs and other things quite well.

Larry · « **Reply #5 on:** January 23, 2023, 04:15:26 PM »

I've made well over a hundred wood tops using strips. This was to get rid of the low grade which works perfect on tops. My biggest was 4' X 8' red oak.

To get a good glue up I like to run the wood through the planer and jointer the same day I glue it up. This gives a good glue surface. Now I run them through my sander which gives an even better glue surface. Put the glue on with a cheap brayer (rubber roller) found at any craft store. Titebond Original works fine but Titebond type 3 gives a slightly longer open time. Use lots of bar or 3/4" pipe clamps about 8" apart and alternated from top to bottom. Forget "F" clamps. Even though you can remove the clamps in a hour leave them on overnight. Make sure the temperature remains above 60 degrees for 24 hours.

Glue only enough strips that will fit through your planer so you can plane for a smooth flat surface. Repeat until you have enough sections for the size top you need. Glue these sections together using cauls and end clamps to keep them even. You will still probably get a uneven joint. The top can be flattened completely with a handheld 4" X 24" belt sander.....it takes practice to control a belt sander so you don't get whoops.

On my first tops they all looked great after the glue up but I had a couple that a glue joint opened a few years later. Since I've adhered to the above procedure I've not had a problem.

The bad news is Ipe is an oily tropical wood. I've never made a top using it but have glued it for segmented wood turnings. I would wipe before gluing with acetone. Read the following and proceed at your own risk.
Ipe

Daburner87 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 23, 2023, 08:30:22 PM »

Ok well I was wrong. The wood is not 3/4" thick as I stated, it is actualy 5/8". So that is a lot of strips glued together(even more if I plane them) and a hell of a lot of glue. $:-\$

My planer does up to 13" wide and I think takes as little as 1/32 off per pass if you want.

Here's a few photos I just took, they don't really do the wood justice. These are smaller 4ft boards. Noticing some nail holes in these.

Crusarius · « **Reply #7 on:** January 23, 2023, 08:41:07 PM »

if you are worried about gluing that many thin boards together edge glue a top to the width you want, then do it again and glue the 2 tops together (Face to face). Just make sure the seams do not match up.

Could even shiplap the boards glue the edges then glue two tops together. Lots of options. I think I like the shiplap idea the best.

DonW · « **Reply #8 on:** January 24, 2023, 01:36:02 PM »

Traditional woodworking workbenches with leg and tail vices have a narrow surface for supporting the workpiece. In the neighborhood of 18", sensible in terms of the relationship between the workpiece and typical reach. A larger flat surface will almost always get cluttered, which is why these benches incorporate a sunken tool tray in the overall width, ( see my bench on a recent posting under "Old Axes"). It's an advantage also in gluing up the bench top to keep the width small. Face glue your pieces up in increments, plane the back side on the joiner and run the entire top through the thickness planer.

firefighter ontheside · « **Reply #9 on:** January 24, 2023, 03:10:10 PM »

I think you have more than Ipe there...maybe also some Jatoba.
You are going to want thicker than 5/8". I would either laminate it together or choose some other wood to laminate it too to get thickness, but then you may have problems with different rates of shrinking and expanding. If you intend to get into woodworking, I would just save the exotics for future projects and build a bench with something else.

DonW · « **Reply #10 on:** January 24, 2023, 04:52:06 PM »

I mean the one piece looks like Lignum vitae. Does it sink? Don't glue it!

Tom K · « **Reply #11 on:** January 25, 2023, 06:49:49 AM »

It looks like you might have a mix of different South American hardwoods. I haven't worked with Ipe at all, but some of that sure looks like Brazilian cherry (Jatoba) to me.

Back in '04 I put some Brazilian cherry flooring in a house, all of the blocking and pallets that the flooring came on were made of different S.A. hardwoods. Back then the company I got the flooring from offered a skid of blocking/pallet material for cheap. I picked one up for my dad as he was doing a lot of glue ups for turning, lots of different kinds of wood in here. Most we couldn't identify, all were very hard.

Daburner87 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 25, 2023, 02:58:17 PM »

Yes these woods are very hard and almost too pretty to bury in a workbench top never to be seen again. Unfortunately I have excess taking up space where I need room the most.

Perhaps I will use the worst of it for the workbench and leave the best for future projects.

Ty for helping me identify it. Some are going to be Adirondack chairs.

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