Shopsmith Forums

I have gone as far as I can on replacing the top of an old garage workbench without making some decisions. The bench is being re-purposed to a woodworking workbench. I am really just using the existing leg structure, which is metal. The much discussed vise (or vice if the thought brings a smile:D ) will find a home on this bench as a front vise. For this, I pretty much am following an article I found in Fine Woodworking's "Workbenches" publication called "Install a Cast-Iron Vise".

So the plan is that the top will be made from a double layer of ¾" MDF with a Hardboard top. The double layer of MDF has been screwed and glued together and trimmed with router, size 24 3/8” X 53 5/8”. I am planning a Maple surround/apron around the top. Per the mentioned article, the front apron board will cover the back, fixed face of the vise. So some questions.

1. I have a sheet of 1/8" Hardboard. I think that having the apron leave room for ¼" top is probably smart.
a. would 1/8” hardboard have been adequate?
b. Could I use a double layer of 1/8”?
c. should I try to cut the MDF top down to just less than 24” so that a sheet could be cut to length and then split?

2. I plan to have the front apron board wide enough that it that covers the back vise face, about 3½”. The sides and back of the apron I think I want at at 1¾” (¾ + ¾ + ¼) width providing a flat under surface. I have bought a 1x4, S4S, which is ¾ x 3 ½ actual. I plan to glue up a couple of 9” pieces of this to put on the moving vise face.
a. Now I am wondering if the single thickness of ¾”, routed down to 3/8” where covering the other vise face, is sufficient. I was unable to fine any maple thicker than 4/4 S4S at Northfield sources and the article mentioned above did not indicate what thickness was appropriate.
b. I am guessing I should split the thickness of 4/4, S4S, material used on the sides and back of the apron. These would be almost 3/8” by 1 ¾”. I was originally just going to use the full ¾” thickness. Thoughts?
c. My current idea is to use mitered corners at the back and butt sides into the wider front board. Sound right?

3. As mentioned above, my plan is to use a 9” wooden face on the moving face of the cast iron vise. That is 7/8” from the table's corner to the 6” metal vise face and 2 1/8” on to the right unsupported by the metal face. This detail was not mentioned in the article, but the pictures showed a substantially wider wooden face.
a. Does my wooden face need to be wider/narrower?
b. Other thoughts?

4. There will be a single row of 3/4” holes away from the vise and a matching hole in the top of the 9” vise face. The bench dogs will be of 3/4” oak dowels with square caps.
a. Thoughts?

Sorry about complex numbering, but I thought it might be easier to respond a specific item by referring to it as 3a for example. Any input welcome.

Thanks in advance,

This looks like link to article http://www.finewoodworking.com/PlansAnd ... px?id=2805

Item 1
1/8" hardboard should be fine.
I recommend NOT fastening it to the MDF sub-straight, let the apron hold it in place. Consider the hardboard a sacrificial surface as it will get dinged and damaged. When it gets damaged beyond usefulness, flip it over and use until it can't stand it any more then replace with a fresh piece, this should last for years.

1A Yes (see B)

1B I suggest a double layer of 1/8" that has been secured with very few screws to the mdf top(keeps them from sliding). That way you have a built in replacement for when the dinged top needs replacing. The dinged top will then serve as a underlayment.

1C That would be a $ saving decision.

Not sure how well the dog holes will work with a layered top. Yer squared headed wooden dogs could probably co-exist with the top. Might work better than screws to prevent slipping(and maybe a place to store the dogs.)

JPG has good points securing with a few screws would be a wise decision.

The double layer provides 4 sacrificial surfaces instead of 2

Making the top just under 2ft does save you money if you have a full sheet of hardboard at your disposal. Not promised top other projects. Otherwise the 1/8" sacrificial top is sufficient.

The hardboard I have has a small waffle pattern on the back.
so no flipping over. One article I read suggested that the hardboard be tempered hardboard. The board I have did not claim that feature either.

I know it is lame, but I don't trust myself to trim a half inch from the width of my table top without a problem. When I cut up the sheet, I could always mess up one side and make it the bottom. I guess I could hide a problem under the hardboard.

I think I'll go with a thickness of 1/8" hardboard for a top. I am going to try just having the apron hold it in place. My only reason for the 1/4" recess was in case the 1/8" boards proved inadequate.

After some thought, I think I will double the thickness of the board covering the statinary portion of the vise and the front of the table. I will lose an additional 3/4" of jaw opening width, but the stationary jaw had only 3/8" of wood over it and I feared it might fail with uneven pressure.

Terry said what I would have said! (post #3)

I built a bench with the double 3/4 MDF sub- base and 1/4" hardboard top and have been delighted with it.
I made my apron from some southern yellow pine I had laying around. I measured carefully so that it measured exactly 1/4" above the MDF surface. When I bought my 1/4" hardboard surface I was dismayed to learn it was not exactly 1/4"!! Yes... Chinese. When it came time to replace I was able to purchase American made tempered hardboard from the DO IT BEST chain of hardware stores online and have it delivered for free to my local shop. It measures a true 1/4" inch and fits great.
I also drilled a 1" hole throught the MDF surface so when it is time to change the hardboard surface I can poke up through the sub-base and lift the hardboard up a bit for easy removal.
The apron holds the hardboard surface sufficiently - I use no fasteners and if measured carefully there is no movement of the hardboard. Alec

Recessed t-track is quickly becoming the vogue on work bench tops. The t-track allows clamping and jigs that aren't possible with plain flat tops. So if you will ever consider a t-track you need to rethink your hardboard topper.

That is not to say one eliminates the other only that there are options. If you want constantly exposed t-track then you will need to cut the hardboard to fit between the rails of the track. Other craftsmen have recessed t-tracks but then have a one sheet of hard board that covers over them. When you don't need them they are covered and protected from glue and finish splatters but when you want to do glue ups and things you lift off the hardboard and there is your bench with the tracks and rails as you put them and ready to use.

I made my Bench from a bowling alley and I wanted to retain the pin markers inlaid in the wood. It was beautiful but over the years I have found out how very impractical it was for me to work so hard to keep the inlay. Now when my bench gets so heavily nicked I can't use it I get out the belt sander and sand down to the new surface.

More than once I have thought about overlaying the whole surface with MDF so I can recess some t track into it. I can't recess anything into the bowling alley, tons of cut nails hold it together.

Once you use something like the Kreg bench for project layout and glueup you learn how really great it is to have total freedom of movement for clamps, alignment jigs, and etc.

Today I tried to make apron parts. I had decided to make the sides and back of the apron 3/8" thick and the width 1 5/8". Earlier I had glued up a couple of 1 x 4's of maple for the front piece. it still needs to be cut to length and to have a recess for the vise cut out with a router.

I cut the width of the sides, but got a little narrower than my target of 1 11/16"; like 1 19/32" which is short of the final width mentioned above. Anyway, I thought I would try ripping this down toward 3/8" thickness. I am working with stock 25" long, but it had enough warp over the length, about 1/16" that I did not think I could just rip the board. I tried to get a flat face on the board and then rip against that face. It came out OK, but it needs to be smoothed out.

I guess I need to find out if the jointer I got has sharp blades, or use the belt sander I got. I have not used either of these tools yet. I expect I should have used one of these to flatten the board before ripping (and maybe thicknessing instead of ripping). Of course the band saw that I also have no experience with could have re-sawed without flattening the board, I think.

Well, I had fun anyway! I am brand new to too much:) Open to suggestions.