tfouty

New to the hobby and getting ready to build a workshop in my basement. I found a complete set of kitchen cabinets at a garage sale and plan on using them as a base. The counter top is only about 24" deep and it has the cut out for a double sink. I think this would be a little narrow. How deep should I make the top and what is a good material to use? Space really isn't an issue. Thanks for the suggestions. Todd

RCPAUL

My Feedback: (1)

Get a flat hollow-core door at the local building supply - whatever width you want. There are several things you an put on top of it - if you can find homasote, it is ideal.

Paul

somegeek

My Feedback: (2)

Workbench surface - MDF.

Building surface - ceiling tile.

somegeek

tfouty

What's MDF stand for? Thanks, Todd

Insanemoondoggie

30x80 slab for $1.00 at menards. If you can find a damage higher end door, they are stronger than the cheap ones.

carrellh

My table is 30x72. In general, I like 60 size planes. For this size, I think 24 inch depth would be plenty.

My actual building board is a "Great Planes Pro Building Board 16x48x3/4" and I like it a lot. It was expensive but I've had it for about 5 years. I check it for flatness before I start using it and so far it has stayed flat.

You might consider setting up your building area so you can access it from more than one side. One end of my table is against a wall. I can access the tabletop from either side or the end that is not against the wall.

Phlip

MDF=medium density fiberboard

saramos

I built my 4' x 8' table top from MDF and pine. I created an inner structure of 1X2 frame with 16" spacing. The top and bottom sheets are 3/4" MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) The whole top was banded with 1/6 pine. I set the pine banding 1/16" above the MDF. I then added a 4x8 sheet of 16 guage cold rolled steel and use magnets instead of pushpins. For my base, I used two sets of Gorilla brand metal shelving units unstacked.

Scott

somegeek

My Feedback: (2)

MDF provides a very solid, smooth and flat surface. I used this for my work bench top surface.

Since I build inside I cut a 2' x 4' piece of MDF and then mounted a ceiling tile to it. Worked great.



somegeek

NCIS

tfouty,

Mr. Mugen

I use a 4x8 sheet of 3/4 inch plywood and poly it. Nice and easy clean up and if it gets too rough I just sand it and re-poly.

I too like the 60 size planes

NCIS

tfouty,

I don't know what went wrong but my computer mnessed up my post and even put a wrong picture in it. I have two work tables. My primary table for building my Giant scale Warbirds is MDF with Elmers foam board duct taped down to it to hold the T-Pins. It is 3.5'x8'. My secondary workbench for working on smaller planes and for building smaller parts of my Warbirds is a Oak hollow core door with the foam boards. The foam boards I get at Walmart. They are 20"x30" and cost less than $3.00. Both sides have a thin vinyl coating that doesn't adhere to CA very easy. This table is 32"x6'8" and is in a seperate room of my workshop. Now I will try to send those pictures again. Oh, the frames for both table are made out of 2x4 studs and are very sturdy. I store more kits under them. The one picture above is my 1/8 scale F4U-1D Corsair on my cutting table. The smaller table in the second picture has my 1/4 scale Don Smith F4U-1D Corsair plans on it to give you a size comparison if you ever want to build Giant scale you will need at least an eight foot table.

Gibbs

NCIS

tfouty,

I think I should give up after seeing Lt. Doc Millers butt in one of my pictures and still no primary table. But I never give up. There's my primary table. Sorry for all the dumb pic's and so many posts for just 3 pictures.

Gibbs

Jazzy

I managed to get a laminated schoolroom door from a highschool remodel job. It is at least: 2" thick X 36" wide X 7' long. The only problem is it is also around 175 lbs!! I used 7/8" unistrut reinforced 4X4 posts as the legs for stability. The legs also have independant adjustment on the bottom via 1/2" carriage bolts and countersunk nuts for the threads. Strongest darn thing I ever built!!!
I covered the top with a roll of 1/2" medium density foam - similar to the white stuff great planes sells for battery and tank vibration isolation except a little firmer. Don't know how I'm ever going to get it out of the basement when I move...[sm=72_72.gif]

First worktop was a hollow-core interior door. They are ok but do not try to cut it down unless you have a table saw and can cut a new header member for the core!!

dant-RCU

My Feedback: (3)

I used two unfinished kitchen cabinets from Lowe's that each have 5 pull drawers. I bolted a SOLID core door to the tops of the cabinets. Since I build with magnets I covered the top of the door with a single sheet of 20ga steel which I got at one of the local steel fab places. This installation is heavy (very heavy), flat and level. It sits in the middle of my workshop so I can walk around 360 degrees. I sprayed the steel flat white and then a light coat of LusterKote flat clear. When the surface gets all nasty and ugly I just strip the clear and paint and re-do it. I also mark parrallel and 90 degree lines on the top to help with alignment issues (before I shoot the clear).

Works fine for me.

Dan

KW_Counter

Todd,
I build my workbench table tops out of 3/4" plywood, two thicknesses, and cover with tempered hardboard.
I screw the hardboard on so it can be replaced if it gets messed up to bad.
The two thicknesses of ply may be overkill but it is rock solid.

If your table is going to be up against the wall 30" is about the max depth.
You wont be able to reach anything on the backside or wall.
If it will be in the open and you can walk around it you can go deeper.
I wouldn't go more than 48" in that case.

Good Luck,
KW_Counter

BillyGoat

I second the use of ¾” MDF. Very stable and not prone to warping like plywood. You will see that’s what the counter top you have, with the sink hole cut in it, is made out of. That top is likely 25” wide to provide a 1” lip at the front. To make a bench top I suggest just go 24” (or 24.5” if I remember right those sheets come 49” wide) that way you won’t have any waste when you rip a sheet in two. However if you go to a plywood specialty shop you can find widths of 61”.

Seal it real good with a couple coats of poly and it will last you a long time. It's easy to fill holes, sand and refinish when drilling and gluing gets a little sloppy.

Lomcevak Duck

My Feedback: (14)

I have used MDF in the past, but if you spill something on it it will swell, so you'll need to seal it. I like a 4x8 sheet of plywood topped with a 4x8 piece of foam insulation board. Very easy to t-pin, cut on, and easily replaced when it gets too ugly.