nice laminated Maple benchtops at Woodcraft

[dicktill]

Just a heads up: Woodcraft has a sale on nice laminated Maple benchtops: http://www.woodcraft.com/search2/search.aspx?query=laminated%20maple%20bench%20top

I got two of the 30 x 60" ones; shipping was only $49.99, delivered in a couple of days by FedEx.

 

[Slappy]

these go on sale all the time there . let me know what you think of the quality , I have been wanting to get some but I'm cautious

 

[Richard D.]

I got the 30"x60" last year and it is holding up great. I didn't want it 30" wide and wanted a tall side for a vise so I cut 5" off and glued it to the side of the table. Had I owned a Domino at the time it would have been perfect for the job but glue and clamps did the trick. I had the vises and base with a lousy top and had planned to upgrade for some time so when I saw them on sale for $179? I jumped at it. I doubt I could have bought the wood for the price I paid. It is finger jointed but that doesn't effect anything.



The base has all thread running through full length everywhere you see a nut. I got the base with the twin screw off Craig's List for $150 and the blue 9" quick release from Rockler on sale for $99 and the top from Woodcraft. For what I have into it I think I have a pretty decent bench.

 

[Slappy]

Nice ,
I'm gonna get this next time around they go on sale
I just ordered a TS55-REQ so I've blew the shop budget for the next few months , I have 3 of those vises in a box that I got a Killer deal on last winter on Ebay just waiting on the new table 

 

[dicktill]

these go on sale all the time there . let me know what you think of the quality , I have been wanting to get some but I'm cautious

Slappy,

I checked the two tops I got with a good straight edge. They are straight in every direction including both diagonals; i.e. they are flat. Quality overall is good, and I almost hate to use them for benchtops.

Good luck, Dick

 

[Slappy]

ThanX Dick !

 

[dicktill]

Just a heads up: Woodcraft has a sale on nice laminated Maple benchtops: http://www.woodcraft.com/search2/search.aspx?query=laminated%20maple%20bench%20top

I got two of the 30 x 60" ones; shipping was only $49.99, delivered in a couple of days by FedEx.

these go on sale all the time there . let me know what you think of the quality , I have been wanting to get some but I'm cautious

Slappy,

I checked the two tops I got with a good straight edge. They are straight in every direction including both diagonals; i.e. they are flat. Quality overall is good, and I almost hate to use them for benchtops.

Good luck, Dick

An update -- good news, bad news

I finally started to build a big workbench with these two tops over the weekend, and oops, one of them was bowed across the 30" width by over a quarter of an inch! It was flat a month and a half ago, and both of them were leaning against a wall side-by-side, so they had the same exposure to temperature and moisture. Big bummer!

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I contacted Woodcraft customer service, and they are sending me a new one for free. Thanks Woodcraft!!!!!

(BTW, these are not on sale at this time.)

Regards, Dick

 

[Slappy]

Just a heads up: Woodcraft has a sale on nice laminated Maple benchtops: http://www.woodcraft.com/search2/search.aspx?query=laminated%20maple%20bench%20top

I got two of the 30 x 60" ones; shipping was only $49.99, delivered in a couple of days by FedEx.

these go on sale all the time there . let me know what you think of the quality , I have been wanting to get some but I'm cautious

Slappy,
I checked the two tops I got with a good straight edge. They are straight in every direction including both diagonals; i.e. they are flat. Quality overall is good, and I almost hate to use them for benchtops.

An update -- good news, bad news
I finally started to build a big workbench with these two tops over the weekend, and oops, one of them was bowed across the 30" width by over a quarter of an inch! It was flat a month and a half ago, and both of them were leaning against a wall side-by-side, so they had the same exposure to temperature and moisture. Big bummer!
I contacted Woodcraft customer service, and they are sending me a new one for free. Thanks Woodcraft!!!!!
(BTW, these are not on sale at this time.)

Hey Dick
are they sealed or varnished in anyway when you get them ?

I'll keep them in mind when I order some next year if they go on sale in the spring

 

[dicktill]

Hey Dick
are they sealed or varnished in anyway when you get them ?

I'll keep them in mind when I order some next year if they go on sale in the spring

Hi Slappy,

Yes they are sealed; looks like polyurethane to me.

Regards, Dick

 

[leer]

A few months ago I bought the birch workbench top shown in that link.  It was on sale for $99 at my local Woodcraft store.  Although not as nice as the maple ones, it is a decent top for the price.  I actually bought mine to use on some carts, so it will get cut up.  

Mine is still leaning against a wall in my basement so I just checked it to see if it has warped.  Fortunately, it is fine.

 

[Slappy]

what I've been doing with a great sale on a wood peice like that , is I wrap it in Visqueen & tape it tightly the day I get it & stick it somewhere inside the house .
there nothing worse than get a nice piece ,  then planning a project , getting all the needed other things needed & then find the piece the whole project is planned around has changed .  [crying]