Bought a couple slabs of plain sawn 8/4 x 8" WO today for a woodworking-bench top (Not the HM that Monty used, but should be hard enough to hold the bench dogs. For my first WW bench, I don't want to break the already-stretched budget, either). I have a couple choices: Use it flat-sawn as is, or to cut it and essentially make it quarter sawn. If I slice it into strips, I can also increase the thickness, altho I am thinking 2" is enough.
1: Will I run less of a chance of future cupping (the boards are slightly cupped now), by splitting it? I am thinking the Vertical grain will be more stable.
2: Other than weight, is there another advantage to going more than 2" thickness?
Also have not decided on the bench dog holes: 3/4" square or round. If square, it looks like I'll have to make the dogs myself as I haven't found any, but round makes that easier and I don't need additional holes for bench clamps. However, most traditional ones are square and the ol' ancesters did things for a reason. What am I missing? Any comments on this would also be appreciated.
:eusa_thinGo
1: Will I run less of a chance of future cupping (the boards are slightly cupped now), by splitting it? I am thinking the Vertical grain will be more stable.
2: Other than weight, is there another advantage to going more than 2" thickness?
Also have not decided on the bench dog holes: 3/4" square or round. If square, it looks like I'll have to make the dogs myself as I haven't found any, but round makes that easier and I don't need additional holes for bench clamps. However, most traditional ones are square and the ol' ancesters did things for a reason. What am I missing? Any comments on this would also be appreciated.
:eusa_thinGo