Beech Bench top

[jamesd]

I'm currently building a workbench for my shed and i need to fix two large Beech boards together to make up the top and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions as to what is the best way to do it.

My current thoughts are:

-Glue up as is and hope it doesn't move to much/ break the glue bond.

-Fix a "loose tenon" all the way down the middle of the edges to be glued

-a few dowels to hold it

-Or stainless rod right through each board

 

I'm leaning towards the threaded rod option as it is probably going to stop any warping of the boards as they dry and they could also be tightened if the wood shrinks any more.

My only issue with this method is whether or not i will be able to drill a accurate enough hole for the rod to go through both boards (I will have to drill each board individually as i don't have a drill bit long enough)

As i really can't afford for this to go wrong as don't have any other wood to use.

The wood is still a bit green so i want to use a method that will stop as much warping as possible.

Will just gluing the boards together be enough? and by the time it is fixed to the frame it will be secure enough i will use through tenons to attach the legs

[agg221]

How wide are the boards?

 

Alec

[jamesd]

How wide are the boards?

 

Alec

 

The boards are 1foot wide and 4inches thick

[agg221]

I would be inclined to use threaded rod. Do you know anyone with floor standing drill press?

 

The problem I find with deep drilling using a long auger bit is that the smaller ones tend to wander. I find the 18mm and 20mm bits are far better than the 12mm. Flat bits are not generally long enough, so I would buy a long series spur and lip bit - these need clearing more frequently (vacuum cleaner and a bit of thin tube to poke down the hole) but they do drill true.

 

Alec

[jamesd]

I would be inclined to use threaded rod. Do you know anyone with floor standing drill press?

 

The problem I find with deep drilling using a long auger bit is that the smaller ones tend to wander. I find the 18mm and 20mm bits are far better than the 12mm. Flat bits are not generally long enough, so I would buy a long series spur and lip bit - these need clearing more frequently (vacuum cleaner and a bit of thin tube to poke down the hole) but they do drill true.

 

Alec

 

Thats what i'm thinking its just actually doing it!

No i don't know anyone with a drill press otherwise it would have been a no brainer.

I can only get stainless rod in 12mm so will have to use a 12mm bit unfortunately not as big as i'd want but it should do i guess?

I'm thinking just three rods should do, any ideas on how to drill it accurately freehand? Just measure, mark and drill each plank and hope it lines up afterwards?

 

Would using a shorter 8" bit and drill from each side of the board and hope they meet in the middle be more accurate? or would a 12" bit to go straight through one board be better?

[jamesd]

Another option would be to use threaded bar that only went into each planks say 6" would that prevent a lot of the warping/twisting without the hastle of trying to drill all the way through each board? (i would obviously glue and clamp the boards together as well)

[Gerbutt]

Paul Sellers has a good series of videos on YouTube about making a workbench which shows gluing the top up, well worth watching.

[agg221]

I wouldn't drill in only part way and I wouldn't try to go from one side and make it line up with the other. A good eye and go for it with a long series lip and spur bit would be my approach.

 

You can get bigger stainless threaded rod here:

 

Stainless Steel Threaded Rod | Buy Online @ | Trade Fix Direct

 

It's where mine comes from (had to fix the windposts down to the foundations with 450mm lengths of M20 in each corner of a plate - that was some serious drilling!)

 

Alec

[se7enthdevil]

i have a pillar drill which you are welcome to use if you want.

 

 

in my opinion you don't need it. i did a job a few years ago that required the very same process and found it very simple to do. http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/woodcraft-forum/60100-all-my-woodwork-so-far-4.html

 

my boards were only 8" wide and 3" thick but i used the same process as you are discussing with alec. the maple top was 2" thick.

 

i slightly disagree with alec with regard to drilling from both sides, you can do this as long as you are accurate as this is how i did mine and then just pushed my long auger bit which is about 16" right through the middle and they all lined up perfectly. i think i used 15mm galvanised rod.

 

one tip i have is to use a can of wd40 to lubricate the cut. i was going through oily iroko which clogged up drilling maple was problematic too so squirt plenty on whilst you drill. it also cools the drill keeping it straight.

 

another tip would be to mark out each side so you know exactly where to drill and you can also make yourself a starter block. this is just a chunky block that already has a perfectly drilled hole to align the drill perfectly perpendicular to the edge before you proceed.

[morten]

What about using a number of worktop connector bolts, as used when joining kitchen worktops