Taking the next step
I love to work with pine. Yes it is a very soft wood and this can make it unforgiving a lot of the time. but it is also economical, and easy on the pocket book. When I have created projects in Oak or Maple, I have been thankful of my experiences with pine. I would definitely say that Maple especially, is easier to work than pine. Thus a good result is relatively easy to achieve.
I also buy and use a lot of dimensional lumber. I understand that I could cut down on some of my costs if I were to purchase a jointer and a planer and size my own stock out of some good 8/4 boards. and perhaps I will get there someday. This hobby is something I consider to be a life long learning experience, and I may come back to deciding to buy, and learn to use those machines eventually, but for right now I have become more focused on learning to use my hand tools effectively. I have to say that it may be a while before I purchase another new power tool (other than a lathe, I had to leave that behind in WI as well and I miss it). I may have to replace or upgrade some of the ones I have. But hand tools are where I have been focusing for a while. Thus the need for a good workbench!!!
So back to it. After gluing and flattening the boards in pairs, I made holes to help drive a threaded rod through. My new workbench has three threaded rods traveling through holes I drilled through all the boards. I guess now that I think about it I am not entirely certain why I followed this other than it was something I had seen done in one of my magazines, and my uneducated mind draws a conclusion that this person, obviously much more intelligent than me by merit of their work in a magazine, must have several good reasons, even though I don't understand all of them, I believe I will follow his example... well I can think of several reasons, I just cannot point to one and say "There...That is the GOOD ONE!"
The holes did help me easily line up the boards while gluing up continually wider slabs. I would run the threaded rod down each end to align things before I put the clamps on. The rods with the nuts on them also continually offer compressive support to the top. I can believe that maybe this will help as the wood moves with the changes in season and humidity. Like the ends of a breadboard help hold it together against woods natural drive to shape shift.
Anyhow, to locate all the holes for all the boards in the exact same place for alignment I made a simple jig by measuring and drilling three "guide holes" in a spare 2x4![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgoLHb9Ou83RRjSCixq4_lm6V2K9l2Nd_eCEz8piPeTH7bEh8wd-2Bx8Ushri620E143nAsLGAhNJdIpGAlk6KxSx5ZZLH_ysMCXhAGy7H8I76LCnt9aJuedzc9kwMDlVi2QDjwPatia5s/s320/6-9-09+014.JPG)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQRU_sMEizFyiCCeyLYY5RaRBISflD4TAFgwBjOJwZPvsrXtbsJzvKo6XX4xax86GlX0aJgqhpqXkd1USQRBPbOMjcvrQaHm6wE87_ybvrLep7ads3RVumqRTC-GzKxyEIAcg1UKJuVQ5l/s320/6-9-09+012.JPG)
I then clamped this 2x4 to the top of my glue ups and drilled through them all using a long 12" 5/16ths inch drill bit.
Having done that I continued to add sandwiches to sandwiches, until I had one hell of a Dagwood!!!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirXehFOIbe6GS9xs8QNW_S41CVi_3lM9Lt5ygiBeM3dddZ3aNdeLOURMyR6ha6nqYHP3jwl0hInv-GoRyZ5Zzu9gfM362cDbgAMYYrblIlbtcBsZO-lOtBRnNa-njPyWmIw3TOmpFklEhN/s320/6-9-09+016.JPG)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG9Nw1XHqLgjbsGnCO4pmO9otL-sESYDsakst3cbLbWTTOnKqFB_ktmu-xOA4664D8O1Tjy8UUBuj7WGF0vDwlWFXV8snePRUA1UCuGL4wq3LRyfK7ixWAcAtQ1-tjzuD5qf2xLfX-EYEf/s320/6-9-09+015.JPG)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnxn3TlMEDGJOgpyBaD5XfrQkwWmA0bO6tcR-v6xkoVTQ_uprTfwEwccq7pZgjqEsQPCON85e4woManKQSl4Opuh7rT5P7OSPa9SpIc-Vn92LEy1xrACXcCJ6xOsX1_t-j9LwtQAqo1mlg/s320/6-9-09+019.JPG)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT6JEUgrejorxa2eRz-MdQs3I566fF6Sr-SjbRL33HcTxe0AwC_IlI7SiWEpnz-oGrcHvWMvj25Bvxwfi4g_zbv5jtOztNs8UlFXQHvqsT5yTi6CuNM6a8WgZdDKjZZNCtviVDOtIacvTa/s320/6-9-09+023.JPG)
With all the boards glued up...I used a 1" forstner bit to drill some 1/2" deep depressions over the drilled hold for the threaded rod, I pounded the rod through, placed a washer and a nut on both sides, and tightened them down until I was worried I might strip the rod, I cut off the excess bolt with an angle grinder and TA DAH !!!! I had a bench top.![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihE5e-A4U48Cv3-tUVl_hrmrlKYYtVa8h5W_8Ppn1gPjTutiQgPowSkkRjuu6CyhMEst-AoScNaIdu3Kg9qd7RG22T9Flj8uv7g8vkI4pOmAYRPqBaEB8ullQ2nmd9kE31H72-JSHn2BWv/s320/6-9-09+027.JPG)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcV7mMMc9Q-5gxRWzWJXrbvnK1KNu-_Xd432crQPzInFeLnd0gvC1-FAwxIblsq6GcF0cF8qabmBG1N8sSzIIzHSrZLvwE6VXTERCvA3OqsxoEVqWXySlaGh0XWpJ-n4q4upWqDUSBVyVE/s320/6-9-09+028.JPG)
I also buy and use a lot of dimensional lumber. I understand that I could cut down on some of my costs if I were to purchase a jointer and a planer and size my own stock out of some good 8/4 boards. and perhaps I will get there someday. This hobby is something I consider to be a life long learning experience, and I may come back to deciding to buy, and learn to use those machines eventually, but for right now I have become more focused on learning to use my hand tools effectively. I have to say that it may be a while before I purchase another new power tool (other than a lathe, I had to leave that behind in WI as well and I miss it). I may have to replace or upgrade some of the ones I have. But hand tools are where I have been focusing for a while. Thus the need for a good workbench!!!
So back to it. After gluing and flattening the boards in pairs, I made holes to help drive a threaded rod through. My new workbench has three threaded rods traveling through holes I drilled through all the boards. I guess now that I think about it I am not entirely certain why I followed this other than it was something I had seen done in one of my magazines, and my uneducated mind draws a conclusion that this person, obviously much more intelligent than me by merit of their work in a magazine, must have several good reasons, even though I don't understand all of them, I believe I will follow his example... well I can think of several reasons, I just cannot point to one and say "There...That is the GOOD ONE!"
The holes did help me easily line up the boards while gluing up continually wider slabs. I would run the threaded rod down each end to align things before I put the clamps on. The rods with the nuts on them also continually offer compressive support to the top. I can believe that maybe this will help as the wood moves with the changes in season and humidity. Like the ends of a breadboard help hold it together against woods natural drive to shape shift.
Anyhow, to locate all the holes for all the boards in the exact same place for alignment I made a simple jig by measuring and drilling three "guide holes" in a spare 2x4
I then clamped this 2x4 to the top of my glue ups and drilled through them all using a long 12" 5/16ths inch drill bit.
Having done that I continued to add sandwiches to sandwiches, until I had one hell of a Dagwood!!!
With all the boards glued up...I used a 1" forstner bit to drill some 1/2" deep depressions over the drilled hold for the threaded rod, I pounded the rod through, placed a washer and a nut on both sides, and tightened them down until I was worried I might strip the rod, I cut off the excess bolt with an angle grinder and TA DAH !!!! I had a bench top.
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