I thought I had enough clamps..

[Stwood_]

When I do rail and stile doors, they are in and out of the pipe clamps in about 15 minutes, using titebond original. I'll do 8-10 doors then start rotating em out and in with fresh doors

[BrokenOlMarine]

Well, I got thru the project, it is just about finished.  There are a few minor details yet to accomplish, but it's basically done.  At one point, when I had the three, three board sections all glued up, I had used ALL the clamps but two that I had hanging on the wall.  I still plan to add a few clamps here and there as I catch them on sale, but it isn't the pressing need that I thought, I made it. 


The bench top turned out pretty well, and served as a learning experience.  I was happy with the outcome.  There were a few things I can do differently in the future, but I finally got to use the biscuit thingee I bought from a friend, and I got a fairly nice looking bench top for about $40 in two by fours.  I really enjoyed seeing the project come together, and after nearly nine months not being able to work in the wood shop, it sure was great to be able to see the grain pop when I wiped the stain across the bench top for the first time.




I prepped the cabinets to take the top by adding two by two lengths to the top edges to have something to screw the bench top to.


I attached it to the cabinets with deck screws concealed in countersunk holes, and filled them with walnut plugs.  I still have a couple minor things to do, including adding the front edge trim, a walnut face.  I also plan to add a walnut backsplash/trim just for aesthetics.  Both those will go well with the walnut plugs in the bench.  



The top is finished with two coats of Colonial Maple stain (Just to make the grain pop 
  )  followed by two coats of boiled linseed oil, to protect the wood in the long run.  After trimming off the plugs, I'll wipe 'er down again with linseed oil, but will probably wait until after the walnut trim is in place.  The front EDGE doesn't have any stain or oil on it, to aid in the glue up of the trim.

I'll post another picture when it's all done.

[BrokenOlMarine]

As I commented in a thread about the same project on another forum... I made some minor mistakes here... 
  ... and if this had been a table top, or a kitchen counter top rather than a work bench, I might have considered remaking the one section, being anal about some things as I am.  However, it was a bench top, for a work bench... in the woodworking shop.  I will use this bench for the miter saw, and for assembling projects or for simply sitting a project on to dry while I work on the "real" work bench with the vises and dog holes and things... 
  

I made it look nice and will add the walnut trim, well, because I'm ( I like to think of myself as,) a woodworker and it's what we do. 


We build things, create things, and as we make mistakes along the way, we correct the mistakes, hopefully learn from that, and then... move on.
A man I learned a lot from and hold in high esteem told me years ago....

"It's not a mistake until you can't fix it."

I've always loved that attitude.  His buddy and the number two man on his team, said, "Especially if no-one saw you do it." 

[Stwood_]