Benchtops & Shelving

I'm about to start building the "furniture" for the hangar. After a lifetime of
building "manly" workbenches out of DF 4x4s milled to take 2x4 crossmembers, and
having the concomitant rot and deterioration of wood, I'm considering making the
framing out of 1¼ PVC Schedule 40 pipe and fittings. The problem is what to use
for the bench tops and shelving underneath.

So far, all my "heavy duty" workbenches have been made out of 3/4" plywood with
a 2" doubler plate along the front and back, and my electronic workbenches have
been either solid core or hollow core doors with an appropriate varnish or Deft
coating on them.

However, since I'm going to a new method of framing, I'd like thoughts on what
you have used as workbench/shelving materials. The benches will be about 2'
wide and 6' long. Yes, I know, solid moulded Teflon would be best, but quick
and cheap is high on the list of attributes I'm looking for.

Thoughts appreciated.

Jim
Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com

Jim Weir wrote:

I'm about to start building the "furniture" for the hangar. After a lifetime of
building "manly" workbenches out of DF 4x4s milled to take 2x4 crossmembers, and
having the concomitant rot and deterioration of wood, I'm considering making the
framing out of 1¼ PVC Schedule 40 pipe and fittings. The problem is what to use
for the bench tops and shelving underneath.

So far, all my "heavy duty" workbenches have been made out of 3/4" plywood with
a 2" doubler plate along the front and back, and my electronic workbenches have
been either solid core or hollow core doors with an appropriate varnish or Deft
coating on them.

However, since I'm going to a new method of framing, I'd like thoughts on what
you have used as workbench/shelving materials. The benches will be about 2'
wide and 6' long. Yes, I know, solid moulded Teflon would be best, but quick
and cheap is high on the list of attributes I'm looking for.

Thoughts appreciated.

Jim
Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com

Just out of curiosity what's wrong with "manly" workbenches? And why
would DF 4x4's
rot away during your lifetime in a hanger that one presumes is dry
enough to do good
work on an airplane and/or anything else? I'd stick with the "manly"
frame and use
replaceable particle board tops. When driving something apart with a
"meanit" hammer
there's nothing like a good stout structure underneath. Shelving and
storage
compartments can be lighter duty but a workbench is for WORK. The first
time you set
something heavy on that pvc base you'll remember with fondness those old
"manly" benches:-)

Gary Thomas

My favorite bench is still 2x4 legs, 2- 2x6 stringers under the top (add a couple cross braces) a top glued up of about 3-4 layers
of particle board to around 2+ inches thick. Then just nail a couple cross pieces in the legs and lay on a shelf.

Build it like a dock. Fast, easy, sturdy as heck and pretty cheap. You can stiffen up the shelf with a 2x4 glued and nailed on each
edge so it won't sag.

Probably can't in your hanger but even easier if you can nail or screw one stringer to the wall.

Mike Z

"Jim Weir" wrote in message ...
I'm about to start building the "furniture" for the hangar. After a lifetime of
building "manly" workbenches out of DF 4x4s milled to take 2x4 crossmembers, and
having the concomitant rot and deterioration of wood, I'm considering making the
framing out of 1¼ PVC Schedule 40 pipe and fittings. The problem is what to use
for the bench tops and shelving underneath.

So far, all my "heavy duty" workbenches have been made out of 3/4" plywood with
a 2" doubler plate along the front and back, and my electronic workbenches have
been either solid core or hollow core doors with an appropriate varnish or Deft
coating on them.

However, since I'm going to a new method of framing, I'd like thoughts on what
you have used as workbench/shelving materials. The benches will be about 2'
wide and 6' long. Yes, I know, solid moulded Teflon would be best, but quick
and cheap is high on the list of attributes I'm looking for.

Thoughts appreciated.

Jim
Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com

In Jim Weir wrote:

However, since I'm going to a new method of framing, I'd like thoughts
on what you have used as workbench/shelving materials. The benches
will be about 2' wide and 6' long. Yes, I know, solid moulded Teflon
would be best, but quick and cheap is high on the list of attributes
I'm looking for.

I know you are looking for something other than wood, but these are my
favorite workbenches:

http://www.eaa1000.av.org/technicl/w...l/worktabl.htm

Cheap will depend on the cost of materials in your locality, but as for
quick I can knock out 3-4 of these in an afternoon/evening. I like to
paint them with cheap latex house paint more to make them easier to
clean rather than prevent rot. If they start to get messed up you can
just run a sander over the tops and paint them again. If you want a
special benchtop just lay some mdf over the top and when it gets messed
up, turn it over.

----------------------------------------------------
Del Rawlins-
Remove _kills_spammers_ to reply via email.
Unofficial Bearhawk FAQ website:
http://www.rawlinsbrothers.org/bhfaq/

"Jim Weir" wrote in message
...
I'm about to start building the "furniture" for the hangar. After a
lifetime of
building "manly" workbenches out of DF 4x4s milled to take 2x4
crossmembers, and
having the concomitant rot and deterioration of wood, I'm considering
making the
framing out of 1¼ PVC Schedule 40 pipe and fittings. The problem is what
to use
for the bench tops and shelving underneath.

So far, all my "heavy duty" workbenches have been made out of 3/4" plywood
with
a 2" doubler plate along the front and back, and my electronic workbenches
have
been either solid core or hollow core doors with an appropriate varnish or
Deft
coating on them.

However, since I'm going to a new method of framing, I'd like thoughts on
what
you have used as workbench/shelving materials. The benches will be about
2'
wide and 6' long. Yes, I know, solid moulded Teflon would be best, but
quick
and cheap is high on the list of attributes I'm looking for.

Thoughts appreciated.

Jim
Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com

The best workbench top I have ever seen was an old bowling alley. It seems
that a local alley was damaged by fire but several of the alleys survived.
A friend of mine talked the insurance company into giving him the alleys if
he would remove them to clear the site for rebuilding.

It took a lot of friends with chain saws and a rented truck with a crane but
two of the alleys made it back to his shop and became spar benches. They
were dead flat, about 6" thick, and made of very hard laminated wood. They
sat on welded 2" square steel tube frames. My friend is long dead but the
work benches are probably still in use.

Bill Daniels

Oooookay, let me try again.

What NONLUMBER bench tops have you ever seen or considered that might work?

I'm not making 747s, fellers, nor am I building spars. The worst I might want
to do is bend up a 4" x 6" bracket out of 5052H32 and drill it with a Harbor
Freight benchtop drill press.

Jim



Jim Weir
shared these priceless pearls of wisdom:

-However, since I'm going to a new method of framing, I'd like thoughts on what
-you have used as workbench/shelving materials. The benches will be about 2'
-wide and 6' long. Yes, I know, solid moulded Teflon would be best, but quick
-and cheap is high on the list of attributes I'm looking for.
-
-Thoughts appreciated.


Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com

In article , Jim Weir
writes:

However, since I'm going to a new method of framing, I'd like thoughts on
what
you have used as workbench/shelving materials. The benches will be about 2'
wide and 6' long. Yes, I know, solid moulded Teflon would be best, but quick
and cheap is high on the list of attributes I'm looking for.

I built my work bench out of construction pine and then used oak flooring to
cover the top. "Flooring" at a 45 deg angle to prevent any pine warping
getting to the top. The surface has held up for 20 years and every 5 years I
sand and put on a coat of plastic varnish.

Chuck

Jim Weir wrote:

I'm about to start building the "furniture" for the hangar.

Well, if the stuff is rotting on you, I would go to pressure-treated pine and
stick with the construction you usually use.

I've also found it impossible to get decent hollow-core doors these days. They
used to make the inexpensive ones out of luan plywood, but the stuff we get on
the dirty side is all masonite with a woodgrain finish these days. I've got
nothing against masonite, but the glue doesn't hold and they're way too flimsy
to use for tables.

That said, the last bench I built was put together from a set of plastic legs
that HD was discontinuing (on sale at $25) and a sheet of 3/4" particle board.
My lathe is on it now.

George Patterson
A diplomat is a person who can tell you to go to hell in such a way that
you look forward to the trip.

Jim Weir wrote:

What NONLUMBER bench tops have you ever seen or considered that might work?

Sorry, I misunderstood. Since you put it that way, none. I do have an old table
saw base and top that I use for metalwork, but I think you will not find one
that's six feet long. Anything else I can think of is either too flimsy or has
a wooden base structure (like Formica kitchen countertops).

George Patterson
A diplomat is a person who can tell you to go to hell in such a way that
you look forward to the trip.

In rec.aviation.owning Jim Weir wrote:
Oooookay, let me try again.

What NONLUMBER bench tops have you ever seen or considered that might work?

I'm not making 747s, fellers, nor am I building spars. The worst I might want
to do is bend up a 4" x 6" bracket out of 5052H32 and drill it with a Harbor
Freight benchtop drill press.

Jim



Jim Weir
shared these priceless pearls of wisdom:

-However, since I'm going to a new method of framing, I'd like thoughts on what
-you have used as workbench/shelving materials. The benches will be about 2'
-wide and 6' long. Yes, I know, solid moulded Teflon would be best, but quick
-and cheap is high on the list of attributes I'm looking for.
-
-Thoughts appreciated.


Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com

Well, I have a couple I covered with thin (about 16 Ga) sheet steel.

When I want a "soft" top, I drop a piece of plywood on top.

Of course, they are supported by a welded 1 inch steel tube frame, not
PVC pipe and spot welded to the frame.

The sheet steel was given to me and the steel tube cost about $30.

Got any friends in the scrap metal business?

--
Jim Pennino

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