new top for my workbench

[kevin.303]

my current loading bench top is old particle board, and the little single stage press i use is slowly ripping itself out. also th whole bench vibrates everytime i i use the press. what can i use as a new top? what are best options without spending an arm and a leg? i'm wanting to add either a Rockchucker or Redding T-7 in the next few months, and there's no way the current top would hold them.

 

[mjcurry]

my bench is also slowly deteriorating. what i do is cut a pie of ply wood and put it under the bottom of the table where the bolst go and use big washer. that helps for maybe a bit longer but if ur going to put a new table top on maybe try laminating layers of plywood? or maybe some 2x4s lmainating and plane it so its nice and smooth. up to u. all depends on how handy u are and if u have the right tools.

 

[Can-down]

3/4" plywood, good one side and maybe some arborite on top.

How big is your bench?

 

[kevin.303]

the section i'd be replacing is 5 ft x 2 ft

 

[Noel]

My little bench has a piece if 3/8" plywood laying on top of a 3/4" underneath.
The lid flips open halfway back to become shelves for all the components.
Even with all that weight it still likes to rattle a bit with normal resizing etc.

If you go with a Rockchucker, which is what I use you may find this helpful.
I built a spacer for the bottom of the press to extend the handle outwards so it wouldn't have to be inlaid into the table surface like a bolt handle is inlaid into a rifle stock. This also gave my feeble arms more leverage on the press to keep the table a bit more steady.

Hope this helps.

Noel

P.S. my table is also 5'x2'. plenty enough room for even two people to reload, trim and still have junk build up in the back! LOL

And as your sig line suggests, Jimmy Rodgers is great listening material while loading!

 

[Can-down]

the section i'd be replacing is 5 ft x 2 ft

OK, well one nice sheet of 3/4 ply will give you two layers on top of what you've got.....if you can live with the extra height (1 1/2") I'd just screw on more ply right over the existing bench and then re-face the front edge with some trim wood if you want to hide the edge of the plywood.

You could use 1/2" doubled up as well if the height is a problem.

Lot's of building supply stores will cut the plywood to size for you....makes it easier to transport and saves having to do it your self.

 

[shooter910]

go to your local used supply store get a piece of kitchen counter top (get your wife to approve the color LOL) and just reinforce the bottom with some plywood and washers works great that is how mine is

 

[kevin.303]

And as your sig line suggests, Jimmy Rodgers is great listening material while loading!

for sure! except he vibrations of the press make the record skip, and vintage vinyl ain't cheap to replace...

 

[old owl]

just a little something that I picked up on the internet

these are plans for a work table

http://www.dennymac.com/bench/

 

[beltfed]

I have two 2'x4' work benches my presses are attached to.
Both have 1 layer of 5/8" plywood srewed and glued down to another layer of 5/8" plywood, finished with plastic laminate. A 2'x4' piece of plastic laminate can be had from home depot or Revy/Rona for about $5. Once the laminate was glued down, I gave it a quick chamfer with a router.

 

[old owl]

here is another plan for the space minded

http://www.ray-vin.com/tech/cornerbench.htm

 

[Silverado]

If the bench you have is fine size wise, just buy a sheet of 3/4" good 1 side plywood, and glue it on top. Drive screws though the underside as well, but not where you're going to mount your press or other tools.

When mounting your tools, drill through and use bolts and nuts with washers. No way a press will come through that, and not really expensive at all.

If you want a smoother surface, MDF would be OK too.

 

[kevin.303]

yes was thinking i'd like to keep it the same thinkness as the res of the bench, which is 15 long, 10 of which is at my disposal

 

[DARKARCHER]

if you were close we could make a deal on a nice stainless countertop

 

[kombi1976]

My bench is 1.5" ply with masonite glued on top.
Fortunately I scored it from some old benches they were pulling apart at work and I scored the ply for nothing.
The masonite was cut to size.
Here's a pic:

My only issue is that the long legs mean there's far too much flex.
To stop this I'll be bolting it to the wall.

 

[Ardent]

Here's what I do, I use a 6" C clamp to secure my press to my bench. I mounted my press and case trimmer onto a chunk of 2x10 with counter sunk nuts on the back so it will clamp flush to a bench. It works great, keeps the bench in great shape (not like you could hurt this bench though), and allows me to take the press and trimmer off in a few seconds to use the bench to work on guns.

For reference, I built my bench with a 3/4" pine top laminated onto 2x10's, pretty skookum. The weight keeps it from shaking around when I'm working the press, a problem with my old bench.

 

[(((Echo)))]

Right now I'm using an old table top on a 4x4 base. The presses are ripping their way through (cheap table).
For my "new" top, I've got a couple of old commercial office doors (the really heavy bastards) cut down. I'm gonna glue and screw them together and mount on the base. Should be ~4" thick and heavier than sin when done. If anything flexes after that, it was supposed to .

(E)

 

[joe-nwt]

Mine is 2x3/4 + 1x1/2 plywood. I use scrap new lino tacked to the surface. Has a bit of give and non-marring for working on guns. When it starts looking grungy I just tack down some new lino.

 

[Canuck223]

My last two benches were designed at home, and cut at Home Depot.

For the last top, I used a 3/4 good on one side plywood sheet, doubled, glued and screwed.

If I had it to do over again, I would have either painted the top, or used some plastic/melomine etc.

 

[shotgunjoe]

Ya goes to kitchens-r-us get yurself a slab of 1 1/2" marble end of problem,cost should be minimal.