Cost for wood to be cut to length

[lexi]

Pay nobody for nothing when you can beg borrow or find a way round it. I am ripping 30mm thick boat planks ( European Larch) at 5m long and 150mm wide, into 12mm boat skin...................with a Bahco hand saw. This is to get what I want from what I got, with no real waste. Find a way.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Buy this planed, by all means, but buy their stock lengths. Essentially, that's what you'll be paying for anyway with this cutting list, so you may as well have it, and keep the offcuts. Cutting stuff to length is just about the easiest skill in woodworking, and it's quick, too. I really don't see what you gain by having someone else do it for you.

Also as Mike has said in another thread this gives you a bit of leeway to avoid knots/flaws in places you've got to cut joints, not that there are many in SYP.
Why don't you make the frame out of a decent redwood and the top (if you so choose) out of something harder? Mine is redwood with two slabs of African mahogany (of some description) that was fished out of the sea. Don't forget also that this is highly unlikely to be your last bench - your next one will be better/different.

 

[space.dandy]

If there is any way you can take up Custard's offer, do so. He is a very fine craftsman and you will learn a great deal in a day with him. Gift horses come along rarely. This is a gift horse moment. Pay heed. Good luck, Adrian

I second this. I had the privilege of being invited to meet Custard some time ago, had a tour of his workshop and saw some of his work. Mind blown.

 

[Cabinetman]

The two things that are important for a bench is a very solid underframe and a reasonably thick flat top. For a first bench I would go with CLS ( Canadian lumbar standard) it’s nicer to work with than 2x4,s it’s planed and sanded and rounded on the edges, perfectly good enough for an under frame and cost effective. I just built a bench that way whilst I was stuck in the states, I then glued and screwed 68mm CLS together edgeways on to make the top thicker and covered it with 18 mil multiply, the rest of the multiply formed a shelf underneath and a stiffening brace. All the timber came as 2.4 meters so that was the length of the bench. The cost saved will enable you to buy a good vice and have some money in your pocket. Have fun Ian
Ps go and see Custard as well.

 

[TJC]

I want to just agree with Cabinetman here. I'm possibly in a similar situation to you, just starting out and setting up my workspace.

I built my bench (and mitre saw station) from CLS 4x2s. Really cheap, straight enough, already rounded over. For a top I used 18mm mdf. I laminated 2 sheets together for a 36mm top, once this is a bit worn I'll flip it, then in time when that side is gone I'll either be ready for a new top or a new bench.

The other advantage of using sheet material for the top is you don't have to do any flattening, it's ready to go..

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I would go with CLS ( Canadian lumbar standard) it’s nicer to work with than 2x4,s ... (Ian)

I would dispute that strongly. CLS is vile, unstable stuff and difficult to cut tidy joints in precisely because of the rounded edges.

 

[AndyT]

My bench started as an assortment of recycled wood from skips, nearly 30 years ago. I upgraded the top from chipboard to glued up softwood.
I offer it as an example of what can be done with a very limited budget and not much skill or experience when I first built it.
Although a classic bench would be fun to build, it's not essential.

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/my-old-cheap-easy-bench.82290/

 

[TJC]

I would go with CLS ( Canadian lumbar standard) it’s nicer to work with than 2x4,s ... (Ian)

I would dispute that strongly. CLS is vile, unstable stuff and difficult to cut tidy joints in precisely because of the rounded edges.

For me, it was quick and cheap. In my mitre station I cut half lap joints in the legs and they aren't the prettiest, but they're stable. My bench is all butt joints and coach bolts, and pound for pound I think it's a decent starting point. I expect to replace it in a couple of years, but it's also the same height and width of my mitre table, so fits at the end as an extension.

I think it cost me around £60 all in...

 

[AJB Temple]

Ha, I agree Andy. I have four benches dotted around the place ( I need a temporary w/s close to the house, which I am doing up, ever so slowly). One of them is two large sheets of plywood put across three trestles (to deal with the centra sag) and a coupe of 4x2 stretchers linking the trestles.

Second bench is a 4m length of discarded 40mm kitchen worktop with formica on it, set on some trestles. This is rock solid.

 

[RGIvy]

Sounds like Custard's offer is a good idea for you, perhaps hire a car for the day and still cost less than your original price?
I live in the Wantage area, you are welcome to come use my kit to prep your timber.

 

[Jester129]

Hardly a student (I wish), but we moved into a bungalow in Dec '18 for my doggy knee. Got an oak coffee table and a dining table (1.8m by 0.9m) off the bay for £75. With a dodgy back (high five MikeG) I bought 4 breezeblocks to raise the height of the table. Half-lap struts to brace the table with some cut down 18mm ply on them for a shelf and another 2 18mm ply sheets on top of the oak table. Eventually (half way through the job at the moment) there will be a vice on the right side as I'm also cack-handed!
Hey presto my workbench in the garage! No photo added as the place is a tip that needs sorting out.

ATB with your bench.

 

[Cabinetman]

Please don’t all

jump jump up and down, this was a quickie built whilst I was in the States, but it’s perfectly good enough, rocksolid and flat

 

[Cabinetman]

View attachment 91873

 

[Cabinetman]

Hi Jester, I have changed my thoughts on vice placement and now put it towards the right-hand half of the bench and I’m right-handed, this frees up the left-hand half where I normally stand to cut joints and also the vice isn’t in the way when planing against the stop which is at the extreme left. It does help to have a long bench.
I know it goes against tradition but it works for me. Ian

 

[topchippyles]

I am only 45 minutes from bristol and could supply you with that in douglas fir if your able to collect for £265 all in

 

[TheTiddles]

I am loving how much support GnomeZone is getting, it’s almost like if you ask nicely people are more helpful?!

Aidan

 

[GnomeZone]

I've been blown away with how helpful everyone here has been! I've asked for help elsewhere on the internet before and people have been very rude but everyone here has been so polite and generous!

Thank you very much for the offer of the Douglas Fir, but unfortunately I don't have a car/can't drive so wouldn't be able to collect anything. I'm also quite keen on doing this in SYP, for a couple of reasons: due to the small amount of space in my room the benchtop is going to be 4ft long. At that kind of length I reckon I want SYP as it's slightly denser and I need to have it as heavy as possible for hand tool work. Also due to the reality of student life I'll probably have to move house again in 11 months or so, so I'm going for a knockdown Moravian design so it will be fairly easy to take with me when I am moving again. I emailed the supplier and they said they'd "look into the quote and see how to get the price down"

Thanks again to everyone for being so helpful it's been such a positive experience! I'll make sure to update everyone when I've finished my bench

 

[TJC]

Potentially your biggest overage is your top 4x2s being just over 4'. If you tell them you'd accept these at 1200mm that might move it a long way..

 

[ScaredyCat]

I made my workbench from wood from B&Q 4x2's laminated. Sure it's not the best wood but it cost less than 60 quid and it's solid - B&Q also deliver

64" long 24" wide 3 1/2" thick and the legs are 3 3/4" square. The only tools I had were a mitre saw and some clamps. I made "through tenons" for the legs by strategically cutting the middle board so that there were gaps just big enough for another board.

Glued it up in the living room while the wife was away visiting her mum... You'll note the "My clamps aren't long enough" section....

Probably make real woodworker's cry but it works and it's still alive 3 years later..

 

[MikeG.]

.......Probably make real woodworker's cry but it works and it's still alive 3 years later.....

Why? It's better than mine.