I've been working from plans in an issue of Family Handyman to at least get started building a workbench. The top is made from 2x4's on edge glued and screwed together. Seems like it will give me a pretty sturdy top in the end.
I ripped about 30 of these to give me a straight edge on one side and to find enough knot free ones that I felt wouldn't give me trouble down the road. I started glueing these up and just really felt like I wasn't getting them lined up well enough several boards into it. It was just going to be too much working planing and sanding to get the top flat.
I was able to get that Lowes clearance on the GMC biscuit joiner -- $40. So I had the idea yesterday to use biscuits to line up the boards one to another. Cut the biscuit slots, apply the glue, fit the two pieces together and clamp them. With them clamped, I was able to drive the screws without any gaps between the boards. It was very tedious and took a lot more time but the end result -- after four whole boards -- is a much flatter top.
I'll have to be a lot more careful as I work toward the other side and have to think about the holes for the bench dogs but so far it's working well. A lot more work on the front end to avoid the work on the back end of planing and sanding out those ridges.
Steve
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