Brian Noel Posted December 15, 2015 Report Share Posted December 15, 2015 I am about to build my bench and I will be using eastern hard maple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trip Posted December 15, 2015 Report Share Posted December 15, 2015 (edited) Just a side note: Eastern Hard Maple is usually a euphemism for Red Maple (Acer Rubrum) --- a Soft Maple.Rubrum is harder than most of the members in the Soft Maples, but only about 2/3rds as hard as Black, Sugar or Rock Maples (the Hard Maples)... It's on-par with Big Leaf (Western Maple)... ==>soft maple was all the rage when I was building mine. I got swept up onto the bandwagon.I remember those threads... I went w/ Saccharum and being told I was wasting my money... I bet half the Guild built in Soft Maple... Edited December 15, 2015 by hhh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted December 15, 2015 Report Share Posted December 15, 2015 Well softwoods are generally more dimensionally stable than hardwoods, so that is another reason (since you asked) to go with a softwood. Maybe if you're talking slabs. But once you move into laminated bench tops that advantage is basically moot as well. Try again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxdabroxx Posted December 15, 2015 Report Share Posted December 15, 2015 I say everyone should use balsa wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 SPF all the way! ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immortan D Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 I say everyone should use balsa wood. Well it is hardwood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trip Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 All kidding aside...If you're going to get into hand tools (or think you are), then it comes down to mass and stock holding...The more experience I acquire, the more that I realize that it doesn't really matter what bench you use: Shaker, French, Scandinavian, whatever --- or one the mashups that are becoming popular -- it's mass and stock holding...I did my BC Roubo in 12/4 QS Hard Maple top with Pennsylvania Black Cherry base... Normally, I'd have used the Maple throughout, but I got 300bf of 95% 8/4 PBC for 1.65/bf (essentially free) and thought it would look great after 40+years of hard use...If I ever need to build another, I'd go with a mashup of the French and Scandinavian benches in all Hard Maple... Sort of a Klasuz meets Roubo... I'd add two tiers of drawers instead of the shelf which would still leave 8" clearance for holdfasts... I'd still use square dogs because I like the look -- other then that, they make no sense whatsoever... 2c Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beechwood Chip Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 If it's mass, why not use whatever wood is inexpensive and bolt some weights to the underside of the benchtop? Assuming you can find inexpensive weights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trip Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 I suppose that's one idea...But then again, I'll just stick with species with a density of 44lb/ft3 or greater... Maybe a bit more expensive up-front, but you amortize it over 40+ years --- so what's an extra $2/bf between friends... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
estesbubba Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 If not hard maple, I would use white oak because I like the way it smells and these benches require a metric butt load of milling. Hard maple smells like wet underpants when it is is being cut. White oak smells good, hard maple smells good unless your burn it, and no comment on the underpants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 (edited) White oak smells good, hard maple smells good unless your burn it, and no comment on the underpants. And I guess it depends on the origin of the underpants? Depends probably wasn't a good word to use here! Probably best we get back to the original subject, huh? Edited December 16, 2015 by K Cooper 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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