Need help with building a workbench top with glued 4x4s

Danish Oil

Going back to Christopher Schwartz, in his "Rules for Workbenches" article he says:

Rule No. 9: No Fancy Finishes
When finishing a workbench, less is more. A shiny film finish allows your work to scoot all over the bench. And a film finish will crack when struck by a hammer or dead-blow mallet. Choose a finish that is easy to apply, offers some protection and doesn’t build up a thick film. I like an oil/varnish blend (sold as Danish Oil), or just boiled linseed oil.

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I wouldn't try to do that with a table saw. A circular saw with straightedge should do the trick.

blue sky said:

My bench is 3" thick and the circular saws I've looked up have a max depth cut of 2 1/2". So the only way to use a circular saw would be to make one cut, then flip over the piece, hope that I line up the straightedge exactly right, then make the second cut. Is this doable...yes. But I was hoping for a more foolproof way to get a clean edge. Any advice?

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Yes, that's what I'd do. Cut one side to 2" then flip it and cut the other side. Hopefully your glue-up left the board ends a reasonable distance from each other so you shouldn't have to cut off very much. Just clean up the edge. You should be able to get close enough that any evidence can be erased with a sander. I've also seen this done with a router in a build from one of the WW mags.

That'll work! :thumbsup:

I splurged on a Milwaukee router and couldn't be happier. I'm jonesing for more Milwaukee tools including that circ. saw. Just not in the budget yet. I've got an older B&D that needs a serious attitude adjustment. :laughing:

Good luck and throw some pix up when you can. :smile:

That's looking great! You should be very happy with that bench.