[GCTony]

I'd go ahead and rip them now. Get that internal stress relieved, then sticker them and let them freak out for a month.

5" is a very thick top!

AGREE! When ripping wide 2X SYP, especially the stuff grown real fast is going bow and twist. It's not the moisture, it's the grain. You don't want to wait for everything to dry and then discover you have 30% waste after you rip them and then need to wait for the replacement to dry.

FWIW, right of wrong I made a 2' thick, 30" X 144" top from SYP and didn't let it dry and never moved/checked. I used biscuits to help with quicker glue ups. I did (2) 15" wide section, let the glue dry, run it through the planer and drum sander then glued the two smaller pieces together so I only had to hand work one joint.

 

[GCTony]

The book recommends a draw bored mortise and tenon. If I don't use wood glue, I would probably be able to knock it down...once.

I will also have a 8" jointer, cabinet saw, 3HP bandsaw and large metal box in my basement that will have to move when I leave, so I will already have a ton of heavy stuff to haul out.

My first bench top was a salvaged section of a bowling alley, heart pine with hard maple edges. If I remember correctly it was a type of tongue and grove (Not sure of the correct term) joint. I don't think it was glued but held together with threaded rods every 12" or 16". That was like 40 years ago so my memory could be "off"