Workbench glue-up questions

[Bas]

I'm building my first woodworking bench. The only thing I really know about woodworking benches is that you need to build one in order to figure out what you really want in a woodworking bench. This will be the most elementary of workbenches - 5' x 2', vise, bench bolts, 3" slab top. I'm using SYP, since anything tougher will last forever and I'll never get around to building my second work bench.

I've milled up the lumber, and I hope to do the glue-up soon. My plan so far is to:
1. Glue 5 boards (1 1/4" thick, 3 1/4" wide, 6ft long) together into a 6" slab section. Repeat x4.
2. If needed, joint the bottom of each slab section.
3. Glue two slab sections into a 12" wide slab section. Repeat.
4. Run each 12" slab section through the planer. Repeat.
5. Glue the two slabs together.

Hopefully, the final result will be dead flat. Minor problems can be corrected with a power sander or a hand plane, but I'd rather get it right the first time.

My questions:
- When gluing up the boards, I'll use cauls & clamps perpendicular to the boards to keep them flat. Should I use cauls only on the bottom, only on the top, or both?
- I expect to have a fair amount of glue squeeze out (Titebond II). Do I need to sand this off first before running a slab section through the planer?
- I've cut the boards oversized (6') so I can trim the edges off later, and not have to worry about alignment, snipe etc. But, neither my table saw nor my circular saw can cut stock that thick. I do have a band saw, but I don't relish the idea of trying to push that through having only a few roller stands for support. A hand saw would work of course. Any other options?

Bas.

 

[NCPete]

scrape off the glue before running through planer. circular saw can cut both sides of that slab, just use a good straight edge. - and measure well

 

[Ray Martin]

I agree with Pete. Get rid of the squeeze-out before using a planer. Depending on how you clamp the work, you might be able to use a scraper to get rid of most of the glue before it gets really hard. With Titebond, you can scrape off the ooze 15 to 20 minutes after clamping. The glue will be skinned over and kind of gel-like, but still soft enough to scrape off easily.

Ray

 

[Gofor]

As for cauls, the critical surface is the top. The bottom can be smoothed out with a router, chisel, plane, etc in any areas that have to be flat and even (support cross brace, vice mounting, etc). IMHO having a truly flat bottom is not of a benefit from a utility standpoint. From an esoteric standpoint: LOML tells me that she likes looking a "firm buns" but that "flat bottoms" are not attractive.
If possible, get the grain on the top edge of all boards running in the same direction. This will make it much easier to use a hand plane on it for final flattening (if needed) and future resurfacing should it get dinged too much. If it is not possible, don't worry (it is almost impossible to find an edge on SYP that doesn't have a grain change), but if you can it will be a benefit.

Go

 

[Bas]

IMHO having a truly flat bottom is not of a benefit from a utility standpoint. From an esoteric standpoint: LOML tells me that she likes looking a "firm buns" but that "flat bottoms" are not attractive.

:lol::lol::lol:

Thanks for all the good advice. You're absolutely right, flattening the bottom in the areas where it meets the frame is simple compared to flattening the top.

Pete/ Ray - I'll make sure I get the glue off. The clamping is the hard part of course - the more clamps/ cauls, the harder it is to get the squeeze out. Looks like I'll be doing a lot of hand scraping.

Bas.

 

[JimmyC]

I'm building my first woodworking bench. The only thing I really know about woodworking benches is that you need to build one in order to figure out what you really want in a woodworking bench. This will be the most elementary of workbenches - 5' x 2', vise, bench bolts, 3" slab top. I'm using SYP, since anything tougher will last forever and I'll never get around to building my second work bench.


Bas.

Bas,

Be thankful that your using SYP because it's strong, and if you are anything like me, who has been using his first temporary bench for the last 18 years, you'll get a lifetime of use out of it:lol:. Anyway, you'll need a workbench to build a good workbench eventually.

Good Luck,
Jimmy

 

[Douglas Robinson]

"I've cut the boards oversized (6') so I can trim the edges off later, and not have to worry about alignment, snipe etc. But, neither my table saw nor my circular saw can cut stock that thick. I do have a band saw, but I don't relish the idea of trying to push that through having only a few roller stands for support. A hand saw would work of course. Any other options?"

If your TS blade can be raised 3 1/2" Then run it over the blade on one side and flip it and cut the other side. Am I missing something? :eusa_thin

 

[PeteM]

10 Rules for workbenches:

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/techniquearticle?id=14875

pete

 

[Rocker]

Bas,
you can minimize the amount of scraping you'll need to do if you tape the top of the bench with blue tape before you apply the glue. The squeeze out will puddle on the blue tape and you can peel that off later if you can't reach it under the clamps and cauls. Then you should have only a thin line at each joint that needs scraping.

 

[cpowell]

Bas,

You've got a good plan. Don't worry about dead flat. That's a pretty tough requirement and as you mentioned you can tweak that after glueup.

Joint each section after your first glue up and face joint the mating sections before steps 3 and 5. It will make life easier and you won't need to remove much if you are careful with the glue up.

I used circ saw and edge guide to crosscut to length - cut both ends of one side, flipped, cut both ends of other side. My glued up top was darn heavy. I tried to limit the number of times I had to flip it. If you aren't going to use end caps then you could leave the second, shallower cuts on each end a little proud and clean the edge with a router/flush trim bit (clamp a backer on the ends to prevent tearout).


Chuck

 

[Bas]

If your TS blade can be raised 3 1/2" Then run it over the blade on one side and flip it and cut the other side. Am I missing something? :eusa_thin

Nope, I'm the one missing something - a real table saw. I have a cheapo contractor saw that would probably collapse under the weight of the top, let alone cut through. But two cuts with a circular saw should do the trick.

Bas.

 

[Bas]

I used circ saw and edge guide to crosscut to length - cut both ends of one side, flipped, cut both ends of other side. My glued up top was darn heavy. I tried to limit the number of times I had to flip it.

As obvious as that sounds, I probably would have done both cuts on one side first, and end up flipping it twice :eusa_doh:. Granted, it's only 5' and SYP, not 10' and maple, but it's not light.

If you aren't going to use end caps then you could leave the second, shallower cuts on each end a little proud and clean the edge with a router/flush trim bit (clamp a backer on the ends to prevent tearout).

Chuck

Can I get a pound of woodworking smarts?
You know, that is a really really good idea. Certainly beats trying to vertically hand-plane end grain. How come I never have creative insight like that?:eusa_booh

Bas.

 

[striker]

Bas,

One comment concerning the use of cauls. When I built my bench I used a hard joined edge caul toward the side I intended on being the top and a caul with a rubber pad under it toward the bottom side. Any irregularity would be pushed to the bottom leaving the top sections relatively flat.

Sounds like you have a plan, I'm sure yours will turn out well.

Stephen