Woodworking

  • Guest, it's time once again for the massively important and exciting FoH Asshat Tournament!



    Go here and give us your nominations!
    Who's been the biggest Asshat in the last year? Give us your worst ones!
BrutulTM

BrutulTM

Good, bad, I'm the guy with the gun.
<Silver Donator>
14,760
2,640
Anyone recommend an online source for a pre-made tabletop? It's actually going to be a hinged table in the laundry room for folding clothes on that can fold down against the wall. My laundry room is very small. Looking at 18" x 48" and preferably an inch thick although 1.5" butcher block counter top would work too. Solid hardwood, preferably maple, and unfinished. I had thought about making it myself but I don't have a jointer or a planer so I don't think it's really practical right now. I do have a decent table saw so I could rip a piece of 24" counter top down to 18 if I have to but I would prefer to find something 18" wide already. I don't even have Home Depot or Lowes nearby, let alone a real woodworking store.
 
Last edited:
whoo

whoo

<Silver Donator>
1,479
6,273
BrutulTM said:
Anyone recommend an online source for a pre-made tabletop? It's actually going to be a hinged table in the laundry room for folding clothes on that can fold down against the wall. My laundry room is very small. Looking at 18" x 48" and preferably an inch thick although 1.5" butcher block counter top would work too. Solid hardwood, preferably maple. I had thought about making it myself but I don't have a jointer or a planer so I don't think it's really practical right now. I do have a decent table saw so I could rip a piece of 24" counter top down to 18 if I have to but I would prefer to find something 18" wide already. I don't even have Home Depot or Lowes nearby, let alone a real woodworking store.
Click to expand...
Look for premade workbench tops. You might try rockler.com, lee-valley.com, but there are others, im sure. I think harbor freight sells a workbench kit that might have an appropriate top out of beech or maple.

If you strike out online, a local millwork company can make you one easily, especially if you are willing to apply finish yourself.
 
  • 1Like
Reactions: 1 user
Burns

Burns

Avatar of War Slayer
7,579
14,861
BrutulTM said:
Anyone recommend an online source for a pre-made tabletop? It's actually going to be a hinged table in the laundry room for folding clothes on that can fold down against the wall. My laundry room is very small. Looking at 18" x 48" and preferably an inch thick although 1.5" butcher block counter top would work too. Solid hardwood, preferably maple. I had thought about making it myself but I don't have a jointer or a planer so I don't think it's really practical right now. I do have a decent table saw so I could rip a piece of 24" counter top down to 18 if I have to but I would prefer to find something 18" wide already. I don't even have Home Depot or Lowes nearby, let alone a real woodworking store.
Click to expand...
Dim weight shipping cost on something like that will be a bitch and I would have trust issues with it getting banged up.

There is a place in Dallas that will joint, plane, and glue up a hardwood top for you, but no mention on if they will ship. Could send them a message: Hardwood Lumber Company of Dallas
 
  • 1Like
Reactions: 1 user
Intrinsic

Intrinsic

Person of Whiteness
<Gold Donor>
15,268
13,667
BrutulTM said:
Anyone recommend an online source for a pre-made tabletop? It's actually going to be a hinged table in the laundry room for folding clothes on that can fold down against the wall. My laundry room is very small. Looking at 18" x 48" and preferably an inch thick although 1.5" butcher block counter top would work too. Solid hardwood, preferably maple. I had thought about making it myself but I don't have a jointer or a planer so I don't think it's really practical right now. I do have a decent table saw so I could rip a piece of 24" counter top down to 18 if I have to but I would prefer to find something 18" wide already. I don't even have Home Depot or Lowes nearby, let alone a real woodworking store.
Click to expand...

HD or Lowe’s will ship directly to you still. Maybe even free depending on the top. I’d sell you mine that I’ve yet to use and was holding on to. Not sure what shipping would be 😝

F264A964-ED62-40E2-98F7-56CB0D0AC71C.jpeg


Never finished planing it down bc I moved houses and workshops.
 
  • 1Worf
Reactions: 1 user
whoo

whoo

<Silver Donator>
1,479
6,273
BrutulTM said:
Anyone recommend an online source for a pre-made tabletop? It's actually going to be a hinged table in the laundry room for folding clothes on that can fold down against the wall. My laundry room is very small. Looking at 18" x 48" and preferably an inch thick although 1.5" butcher block counter top would work too. Solid hardwood, preferably maple, and unfinished. I had thought about making it myself but I don't have a jointer or a planer so I don't think it's really practical right now. I do have a decent table saw so I could rip a piece of 24" counter top down to 18 if I have to but I would prefer to find something 18" wide already. I don't even have Home Depot or Lowes nearby, let alone a real woodworking store.
Click to expand...
Here's the harbor freight one. $159. I think it's beech, but it's not specified in the ad. If you have a HF near you, it may be the cheapest way to get a complete top: 60 in., 4 Drawer Hardwood Workbench
 
  • 1Mother of God
Reactions: 1 user
C

Captain Suave

Caesar si viveret, ad remum dareris.
5,386
9,155
BrutulTM said:
Anyone recommend an online source for a pre-made tabletop? It's actually going to be a hinged table in the laundry room for folding clothes on that can fold down against the wall. My laundry room is very small. Looking at 18" x 48" and preferably an inch thick although 1.5" butcher block counter top would work too. Solid hardwood, preferably maple, and unfinished. I had thought about making it myself but I don't have a jointer or a planer so I don't think it's really practical right now. I do have a decent table saw so I could rip a piece of 24" counter top down to 18 if I have to but I would prefer to find something 18" wide already. I don't even have Home Depot or Lowes nearby, let alone a real woodworking store.
Click to expand...

Ikea has some pretty affordable "butcher block" countertops if you don't mind that they aren't 100% solid wood (they're veneered, but thick). I have some desks made from back when they really were solid wood and they've held up great for 15 years.
 
  • 1Like
Reactions: 1 user
Borzak

Borzak

Bronze Baron of the Realm
25,946
33,950
Used to be able to get some large/thick laminated countertops from Grizzly. Not sure if they have them with all the shipping issues.
 
  • 1Like
Reactions: 1 user
BrutulTM

BrutulTM

Good, bad, I'm the guy with the gun.
<Silver Donator>
14,760
2,640
whoo said:
Here's the harbor freight one. $159. I think it's beech, but it's not specified in the ad. If you have a HF near you, it may be the cheapest way to get a complete top: 60 in., 4 Drawer Hardwood Workbench
Click to expand...

That is an insane price for that thing. A whole workbench with drawers for half of what most places want for just the top. Almost makes me want to buy it just because it's so cheap.

I came across this thing on Amazon of all places and I think it might be my best bet. Will have to cut 6" off of it but that's not a big deal. It says they have already put mineral oil on it. Will that keep me from being able to stain it? I don't mind sanding it down first but my plan is to stain it dark to match my trim and put a few coats of polyurethane on it to make it fairly bulletproof.

Amazon product ASIN B086WRD58J
 
  • 1Like
Reactions: 1 user
Intrinsic

Intrinsic

Person of Whiteness
<Gold Donor>
15,268
13,667
The reviews seem conflicting about whether it actually comes with the mineral oil or not. You could stain over that but your results would vary. Sounds like you’re prepared to work with it either way but best case scenario it comes with nothing. That’s great though, free shipping too.
 
  • 1Like
Reactions: 1 user
Bandwagon

Bandwagon

Kolohe
<Silver Donator>
24,578
66,051
I keep tearing my shop apart every few months and reorganizing, ever since I moved in. I was just about to get it all put back together (other thelan the pile of dump/donate), and now I'm thinking that I want to do a 18in workbench along the entire north wall, under the TV.

Any input before I start planning that out? Anyone regret putting in a permanent bench like that? Any other input?
Screenshot_20220221-075826_Gallery.jpg
 
  • 1Like
Reactions: 1 user
BrutulTM

BrutulTM

Good, bad, I'm the guy with the gun.
<Silver Donator>
14,760
2,640
That's a lot of workbench. Do you think you will actually utilize that much space or will it just wind up being a place to pile shit? There's something to be said for your workbench being on wheels so you can move it out to the middle of the garage for some things as well although maybe not so much for you with that big bench there already. One nice thing about a long bench like that is you can integrate your chopsaw into it.
 
  • 2Like
Reactions: 1 users
Bandwagon

Bandwagon

Kolohe
<Silver Donator>
24,578
66,051
BrutulTM said:
That's a lot of workbench. Do you think you will actually utilize that much space or will it just wind up being a place to pile shit? There's something to be said for your workbench being on wheels so you can move it out to the middle of the garage for some things as well although maybe not so much for you with that big bench there already. One nice thing about a long bench like that is you can integrate your chopsaw into it.
Click to expand...
Benchtop tools is the main reason I've been wanting to do it, along with storage underneath.
It couldn't definitely end up being a pile of random shit I put on it though
 
Intrinsic

Intrinsic

Person of Whiteness
<Gold Donor>
15,268
13,667
I think it comes down to expectations and what you actually want it to be. If it is just an 18" shelf that you use as a bench, like what you have on your East wall, but only 18" long then it may not make a difference. If you specialize it to one function and you permanently mount it there it could be more difficult to modify / alter / grow in the future. The previous owner of of the house (and therefore garage) built a whole bench along a wall that takes up ENTIRELY too much space and is like 45" high. Going to have to tear almost all of it out and lower it to a functional height. Even if this dude was Andre the Giant I still don't think it makes sense to have a bench that tall.
 
BrutulTM

BrutulTM

Good, bad, I'm the guy with the gun.
<Silver Donator>
14,760
2,640
My brother was making a bar/counter with concrete counter tops and he was thinking he would just make one pour and have the whole thing at 42" bar height which would have worked fine for him since he's 6' 3". Luckily he mocked it up with plywood first and realized that it hit his wife right above the tits and she would literally have to have a stool to stand on to use it lol.
 
  • 1Worf
Reactions: 1 user
Soygen

Soygen

The Dirty Dozen For the Price of One
<Nazi Janitors>
28,519
45,026
Bandwagon said:
I keep tearing my shop apart every few months and reorganizing, ever since I moved in. I was just about to get it all put back together (other thelan the pile of dump/donate), and now I'm thinking that I want to do a 18in workbench along the entire north wall, under the TV.

Any input before I start planning that out? Anyone regret putting in a permanent bench like that? Any other input?
View attachment 399475
Click to expand...
Man, I wish my garage was this deep!
 
whoo

whoo

<Silver Donator>
1,479
6,273
Bandwagon said:
I keep tearing my shop apart every few months and reorganizing, ever since I moved in. I was just about to get it all put back together (other thelan the pile of dump/donate), and now I'm thinking that I want to do a 18in workbench along the entire north wall, under the TV.

Any input before I start planning that out? Anyone regret putting in a permanent bench like that? Any other input?
View attachment 399475
Click to expand...
What do you plan on making, mostly?

If it's for general tinkering, having a "bench" that you set tools on like a drill press or small lathe, etc, and also gives you space to tinker is sufficient.

If you plan on making furniture, cabinetry, or anything bigger than jewelry boxes on a regular basis, youre going to want something you can work on from all sides and also fix your work to via a vise and /or bench dogs, or clamps. It should be/remain flat as it's a refefence surface, and it should be heavy so it doesn't move or rattle if you're hammering on it.

Looks like you have room for both. Maybe a mobile workbench 5' long that you can push uo against the wall, and some stationary cabinets with a nice heavy (replaceable) top along the rest for permanent tool mounting and storage?
 
  • 1Like
Reactions: 1 user
Bandwagon

Bandwagon

Kolohe
<Silver Donator>
24,578
66,051
whoo said:
What do you plan on making, mostly?

If it's for general tinkering, having a "bench" that you set tools on like a drill press or small lathe, etc, and also gives you space to tinker is sufficient.

If you plan on making furniture, cabinetry, or anything bigger than jewelry boxes on a regular basis, youre going to want something you can work on from all sides and also fix your work to via a vise and /or bench dogs, or clamps. It should be/remain flat as it's a refefence surface, and it should be heavy so it doesn't move or rattle if you're hammering on it.

Looks like you have room for both. Maybe a mobile workbench 5' long that you can push uo against the wall, and some stationary cabinets with a nice heavy (replaceable) top along the rest for permanent tool mounting and storage?
Click to expand...
Damn, you nailed my other thought. I love the big 4ft x 8ft melamine top table i made. Its sturdy af and the whole back side is lumber storage so its extra weighty....but I fucked up and made the support 2x4s flush with the edge of the table. Can't get any of my clamps on there so I was also thinking of making a new one of those.

I remember one of my dad's friends had a big table with wheels that bolted onto the side. It would drop down on its legs really simply when it needed to. The mechanism to raise it was a lot like the ladders at home depot. Ring any bells?
 
C

Captain Suave

Caesar si viveret, ad remum dareris.
5,386
9,155
Bandwagon said:
I remember one of my dad's friends had a big table with wheels that bolted onto the side. It would drop down on its legs really simply when it needed to. The mechanism to raise it was a lot like the ladders at home depot. Ring any bells?
Click to expand...

These are the casters I've used on my main woodworking bench and they've been great, rated for 400 lbs and no trouble rolling over junk on the floor. I've seen people weld a strip of flat bar between them so you can flip both at the same time.

Amazon product ASIN B00SX3T2LO
1645483299582.png
 
  • 2Like
Reactions: 1 users
Intrinsic

Intrinsic

Person of Whiteness
<Gold Donor>
15,268
13,667
I use those same casters on my bench as well and they work fine. There's a thought that I can't quite remember about debating between 4 swivel or 2 swivel and 2 stationary, but now can't remember all the things.

Glued up the aprons for my new bench yesterday and hopefully this weekend can get back out to start putting the rest together. Will probably be a slow process but should be fun.

Also tested out hollowing the walnut to make the jewelry ring box. Using both a spiral up cut and a bowl. Like the bowl b/c of the rounded bottom corner but the radius is a little too wide maybe because I want to match a roundover to the corner. Haven't fully played with it yet. Maybe a smaller radius bowl bit. Just need more time in the day!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.