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Location: Sioux Falls SD
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.
WoodNET... the new safespace
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Location: Wapakoneta, OH
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.
I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.
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Location: Monrovia, AL
QSWO would be a great choice. Stable, hard and resists liquid.
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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,
John T.
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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!
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Location: CinDay
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
Worst thing they can do is cook ya and eat ya
GW
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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.
If I had 8 hours to cut down a tree, I'd do it in 15 minutes with a chainsaw and drink beer the other 7:45 hrs.
