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New Jarrah Bench Top
Well, after “living with" my HDF (HIGH density fiberboard) bench top for several years, I decided to replace it. The !@#$%^&* thing was never flat! I had a job that needed to be clamped to the bench and the whole process was made very difficult because the front 6” of the bench was tipped down about 1/32” – may not sound like much, but very irritating.
I have always loved the color and grain of Jarrah, and because it only grows in my home State, I went chasing a bench top made of it. I’d like to say I laminated it myself, but I confess, I found a place that specializes in Jarrah workbenches.
http://www.workbenchworld.com.au/contact.html
I was able to get a top 1800mm (45.7”) x 600mm (31.5”) x 32mm (1-1/4”) thick – the same size as the old one. It weighs 88lbs. The cost – US$300 including shipping (=say LA to NYC)! This is a VERY good price.
The top arrived finish sanded (all surfaces) to about 320 grit –AND- it’s dead flat!
I finished it with High Gloss (Flooring) water-based poly – 1 coat on the back and 4 coats on the top and edges – beautiful grain. I also decided I don’t need dog holes. I’m a very happy camper! I’ve included some details on the properties/uses of Jarrah.
Old Top/Ready to attach
Beautiful?
Jarrah (eucalyptus marginata) is the ideal timber to use for the construction of workbenches. It has a superior hardness, weight and load bearing ability to European and North American bench timbers. It has remarkable durability, outstanding resistance to fire and termite attack and is impervious to most acids. Jarrah is one of a few timbers that doesn’t set off a chemical reaction when trapped in close contact with metals. It is a preferred timber for the production of charcoal.
Jarrah has been sought around the world for use in hostile environments, for example as railway sleepers in Australia, India, South Africa and the United Kingdom (London underground). It has also been widely used around the world for the construction of wharves and bridges. Jarrah has been used as a road foundation throughout Europe for major thoroughfares, for park benches in New York and for exterior paving blocks in Japan.
Jarrah grows in the lateritic soils in the south west of Western Australia. The rainfall in this area is between 650 and 1250mm. Jarrah is the principal commercial timber tree of Western Australia. The area of prime jarrah forest is approximately 1,215,000 hectares although a more open type of forest occurs over a much larger area. There is a mixture of regrowth and old growth forest, with all old growth jarrah forest in conservation reserves.
The tree reaches a height of 30-40m (100-130ft), with a diameter up to 2m (7ft). It has a straight slender trunk, with rough and stringy bark which has a fibrous texture. The tree is slow growing, taking 30 years minimum to harvest. Roots often go down to great depths in search of nutrient and water.
The main historical uses for the timber are for wharf and bridge construction, poles, piles, railway sleepers, girders, veneer logs, sawlogs. It is a superb furniture timber with beautiful figure and colour. The timber is relatively easy to work and takes a polish well.
Western Australia has timbers with more strength or a hardness factor up to 18kN but none offer as much overall as jarrah.
At 12% moisture content density is 820 kg/m3, Modulus of Rupture 112MPa, Modulus of Elasticity 12 970 MPa.
Jarrah has a hardness factor (dry) of 8.5kN (kilo Newtons) compared with:
Sugar (rock) maple from Canada 7.3kN
Sugar (rock) maple from U.S.A 6.4kN
European (red) beech (the hardest beech) 6.4kN.
American white oak 6kN,
Scandinavian birch 5.5kN
Teak 4.5kN
Maritime Pine 2.7kN
I have always loved the color and grain of Jarrah, and because it only grows in my home State, I went chasing a bench top made of it. I’d like to say I laminated it myself, but I confess, I found a place that specializes in Jarrah workbenches.
http://www.workbenchworld.com.au/contact.html
I was able to get a top 1800mm (45.7”) x 600mm (31.5”) x 32mm (1-1/4”) thick – the same size as the old one. It weighs 88lbs. The cost – US$300 including shipping (=say LA to NYC)! This is a VERY good price.
The top arrived finish sanded (all surfaces) to about 320 grit –AND- it’s dead flat!
I finished it with High Gloss (Flooring) water-based poly – 1 coat on the back and 4 coats on the top and edges – beautiful grain. I also decided I don’t need dog holes. I’m a very happy camper! I’ve included some details on the properties/uses of Jarrah.
Old Top/Ready to attach
Beautiful?
Jarrah - the timber
Jarrah (eucalyptus marginata) is the ideal timber to use for the construction of workbenches. It has a superior hardness, weight and load bearing ability to European and North American bench timbers. It has remarkable durability, outstanding resistance to fire and termite attack and is impervious to most acids. Jarrah is one of a few timbers that doesn’t set off a chemical reaction when trapped in close contact with metals. It is a preferred timber for the production of charcoal.
Jarrah has been sought around the world for use in hostile environments, for example as railway sleepers in Australia, India, South Africa and the United Kingdom (London underground). It has also been widely used around the world for the construction of wharves and bridges. Jarrah has been used as a road foundation throughout Europe for major thoroughfares, for park benches in New York and for exterior paving blocks in Japan.
Jarrah grows in the lateritic soils in the south west of Western Australia. The rainfall in this area is between 650 and 1250mm. Jarrah is the principal commercial timber tree of Western Australia. The area of prime jarrah forest is approximately 1,215,000 hectares although a more open type of forest occurs over a much larger area. There is a mixture of regrowth and old growth forest, with all old growth jarrah forest in conservation reserves.
The tree reaches a height of 30-40m (100-130ft), with a diameter up to 2m (7ft). It has a straight slender trunk, with rough and stringy bark which has a fibrous texture. The tree is slow growing, taking 30 years minimum to harvest. Roots often go down to great depths in search of nutrient and water.
The main historical uses for the timber are for wharf and bridge construction, poles, piles, railway sleepers, girders, veneer logs, sawlogs. It is a superb furniture timber with beautiful figure and colour. The timber is relatively easy to work and takes a polish well.
Western Australia has timbers with more strength or a hardness factor up to 18kN but none offer as much overall as jarrah.
At 12% moisture content density is 820 kg/m3, Modulus of Rupture 112MPa, Modulus of Elasticity 12 970 MPa.
Jarrah has a hardness factor (dry) of 8.5kN (kilo Newtons) compared with:
Sugar (rock) maple from Canada 7.3kN
Sugar (rock) maple from U.S.A 6.4kN
European (red) beech (the hardest beech) 6.4kN.
American white oak 6kN,
Scandinavian birch 5.5kN
Teak 4.5kN
Maritime Pine 2.7kN
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