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+-- Thread: White oak for workbench tops? (/showthread.php?tid=7246699)
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White oak for workbench tops? - Wild Turkey - 03-19-2016
There's a new "stave mill" nearby that produces a lot of quarter-sawn White Oak scraps that look about the right thickness for a workbench top.
Maple seems to be the popular choice, but it seems to me QS WO would make a very hard table.
Would the weight be a problem?
Any other drawbacks?
Re: White oak for workbench tops? - Splinter Puller - 03-19-2016
My workbench top is well over a hundred pounds. The more weight the better. Nothing is as irksome as a workbench that slides around when you do work on it.
Re: White oak for workbench tops? - fredhargis - 03-19-2016
According to one on line source I checked, the WO is only about 8-9% heavier than hard maple; can't imagine it would be a problem....probably a good thing.
Re: White oak for workbench tops? - sniper - 03-19-2016
QSWO would be a great choice. Stable, hard and resists liquid.
Re: White oak for workbench tops? - JTTHECLOCKMAN - 03-19-2016
Wild Turkey said:
There's a new "stave mill" nearby that produces a lot of quarter-sawn White Oak scraps that look about the right thickness for a workbench top.
Maple seems to be the popular choice, but it seems to me QS WO would make a very hard table.
Would the weight be a problem?
Any other drawbacks?
My workbench is made from an old oak solid office door. That this is very heavy. Built a strong base and no problem. I have casters on it so if i need to move it around for extra room. They are locking so it goes no where. Works great,
Re: White oak for workbench tops? - theoldfart - 03-19-2016
My Roubo bench top is 4" thick and the only problem was cutting the dovetail and tenon mortises. :big grin:
So far no issues and it does not move!
Re: White oak for workbench tops? - Steve N - 03-19-2016
Plenty of oak benches out there. In the past a guy would just use what was available outside his door, if it was Oak, it was meant to be
Re: White oak for workbench tops? - Pink Floyd - 03-19-2016
I'm also planning a workbench build and White Oak is one of the woods I'm considering for the top. The base will definitely be White Oak because I can get the logs free and will saw & dry it myself.
The only issue that I've considered is that untreated Oak will turn black if steel tools are left on the surface. That can be prevented by a finish but a workbench top should not be finished IMHO. Perhaps a light coat of oil would do.
Also, on the matter of QS vs flat sawn...If using a couple of wide, thick planks for the top that are edge-joined, then QS would be best for minimal movement.
If face-gluing something like 8/4 stock to build up the width, then flat sawn would be best. That way the grain would be running vertically with minimal movement across the top.
If you glue up QS stock, then the grain would be running horizontally and you would get tangential movement across the top.
Re: White oak for workbench tops? - Wild Turkey - 03-19-2016
Pink Floyd said:
If you glue up QS stock, then the grain would be running horizontally and you would get tangential movement across the top.
pieces are nearly square so I'll keep that in mind if I make one.
Re: White oak for workbench tops? - jteneyck - 03-19-2016
Besides the issue of movement oak tends to splinter pretty easily. My bench top is a mongrel of different woods, because that's what I had. The front edge where the bench dog holes are is red oak. It has splintered a couple of times from me dropping something on the edge. I've been able to repair it, but I doubt maple would have splintered as easily.
But I used what I had, or didn't have to pay much for, so if those WO cutoffs are cheap I'd probably use them.
John