Do Workbench USA 2×4's Need Ripped 3.5" to 3"?
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- This topic has 7 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 6 months ago by STEVE MASSIE.
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11 October 2014 at 7:03 am #119359
Subject says it all. In Paul’s video he’s got real 3″ lengths and even if they weren’t, in the UK they’d be 2.75″. Paul says they need to stay at least 2.5″ wide, but I recall him saying somewhere about US folks ripping 2×4 down to 3″. Is there a need to do this vs having the 3.5″. It would just add weight to the benchtop and wellboard… would the extra 0.5″ get in the way of the bench vise? For the aprons, you could 5 instead of 6 I suppose? Or get 3″ longer aprons?
Hi Ben,
I used ~10cm (4″) thick stock for my workbench. With planing it lost a few mm. I can’t see any reason why you should rip them to size only to match the given dimensions. As you said, it adds weight and meat to plane a worn top. The aprons of my bench are only about 30cm and appear to be plenty enough for stability. Just adopt to what you have and I’m sure you will be fine.David
11 October 2014 at 7:48 am #119363Good to know.
Paul’s aprons looked to be 6 of his 2×3 or 3×2 (UK) with actual 3″. So that’s 18″, 457.2mm or 45.72cm. Mine would be closer to 53 minus planing. I wonder if that is too much, if there even is such a thing on the aprons.
No reason at all, just get the machine marks off for a good glue up.
But i am confused by your dimensions / and terms. Aprons and well board are glued shortest dimensioned ends together, different than the top is if you are following the youtube build. https://m.youtube.com/watchlist=PLD39949332C7FB168&v=ukMMQ1nvXt8
When you state “For the aprons, you could 5 instead of 6 I suppose? Or get 3″ longer aprons?” What 3″ are you referring to?
The 3pcs 2×4 or gives you ‘roughly’ around a 12″ wide finished product apron and wellboard, mine ended up 10.5″ using 3 boards.11 October 2014 at 1:13 pm #119366In most areas of the USA 2x construction lumber has a heavy radius on all four edges. I ripped this radius edge from all of my lumber before starting any planing. So my 2×4’s finished out just a little over 3″ wide. I used 2×6 material for the aprons. Three pieces, radius edge removed and edge glued together resulted in aprons that are 15″ wide. My bench is rock solid and I’ve never had any issues with it.
To answer your question. Once you remove the radius edge portion of a USA 2×4, your width will be close to 3″. You don’t necessarily have to remove the radius portion though. If you choose to leave them your bench top will have a trough ever 1.5″ that will hold saw dust, wood chips etc.
[quote quote=119366]You don’t necessarily have to remove the radius portion though. If you choose to leave them your bench top will have a trough ever 1.5″ that will hold saw dust, wood chips etc.
[/quote]I only removed the troughs from the bench top and left those formed on the underside and at the aprons. I was too lazy to plane away that much material.
David
12 October 2014 at 3:50 pm #119414I built Paul’s bench last year and used standard 2 X 4’s from Home Depot. All I did was clean them up with my #4 and it turned out fine. I edge glued ( 3 ) 2 X 4’s for each apron and the well board and face glued ( 8 ) 2 X ‘s for the main bench. And of coarse Face glued ( 2 ) 2 X’s for the legs.
Steve
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