Using a solid core door to build a bench

[ageingstudent]

Anyone do this and have a few pics? I scored 2 thick oak veneer doors that were leftover on a commercial office I am helping a friend remodel. They are super heavy 36" doors. The only bummer is that they got painted grey but I'm thinking they would make a nice bench if I build a stout frame and fasten it with good hardware and some titebond.

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[ma96782]

Sounds like a plan.

Aloha, Mark

 

[Stomper]

The cool thing is if you put the lock-set hole to the rear you can route monitor cables through it... you know, for your TV or computer monitor.

 

[Velzey]

I am currently using a huge solid core door out of some law firm in downtown Porkland! I should have cut the width down a few inches, but I left the door 10' long. I built a frame under it out of 4x4's and 2x4's. I have three presses mounted on it and room for two Luberisizer presses.

I will show it to you when you stop by again. I have it hidden in the far corner of my smithing room.

 

[Caveman Jim]

Anyone do this and have a few pics? I scored 2 thick oak veneer doors that were leftover on a commercial office I am helping a friend remodel. They are super heavy 36" doors. The only bummer is that they got painted grey but I'm thinking they would make a nice bench if I build a stout frame and fasten it with good hardware and some titebond.

I'll snap some pics of mine in the AM. It too is a thick solid door sandwiched in melamine so it has taken a lot of WW abuse for 15 years.
I use it as a workbench/out feed for my Delta cabinet table saw and for now my reloading bench.....

 

[TapRackNGo]

I used 3/4 birch plywood, but im sure that would work just fine. 4x4 for posts, 24x96. Came out great.

 

[DirectDrive]

My early ones had 4x4 legs....meh.
I did a Microlam slab table with single 2x4 legs using 2x3 angle for the anchorage to the top.
It was a fairly light top and worked well.

My preferred way to do them is with (2)2x4's per leg (L shaped)...a framer would call it a California Corner.
A 2x4 "skirt" goes around outside the top of the legs and the table top screws down into that.
The L shaped legs offer a great place to build a shelf. The shelf 2x4 rails go around the inside of the legs and nest into the open side of the L shaped legs.
Build your shelf so it doesn't interfere with sitting at the table (read leg room).

So instead of having a bunch of 4x4's and crazy braces you have a stiff, clean-looking base under your table with a shelf.
(the shelf adds stiffness to the leg system)

 

[ageingstudent]

The cool thing is if you put the lock-set hole to the rear you can route monitor cables through it... you know, for your TV or computer monitor.

Yeah I thought that might work for lighting cords and trimming equipment actually.

 

[ageingstudent]

My early ones had 4x4 legs....meh.
I did a Microlam slab table with single 2x4 legs using 2x3 angle for the anchorage to the top.
It was a fairly light top and worked well.

My preferred way to do them is with (2)2x4's per leg (L shaped)...a framer would call it a California Corner.
A 2x4 "skirt" goes around outside the top of the legs and the table top screws down into that.
The L shaped legs offer a great place to build a shelf. The shelf 2x4 rails go around the inside of the legs and nest into the open side of the L shaped legs.
Build your shelf so it doesn't interfere with sitting at the table (read leg room).

So instead of having a bunch of 4x4's and crazy braces you have a stiff, clean-looking base under your table with a shelf.
(the shelf adds stiffness to the leg system)

I'm actually thinking of ripping the door in half and making a bench top out of one half and a lower shelf for storage between the legs out of the other. If I wrap the upper half with 3/4 inch white oak edging that would give a ~21"-22" deep benchtop which is plenty deep and 80+" wide. I'm a big fan of mounting the bench to the wall. My present bench is 4x12x8 cvg fir and it was stout before wall mounting, but when I fastened it to the wall I was amazed how much less deflection there was.

This is kind of stupid on my part since I already have a good bench, but I got a wild hair to make a new one.

Edit: spelling and measurements

 

[ageingstudent]

I am currently using a huge solid core door out of some law firm in downtown Porkland! I should have cut the width down a few inches, but I left the door 10' long. I built a frame under it out of 4x4's and 2x4's. I have three presses mounted on it and room for two Luberisizer presses.

I will show it to you when you stop by again. I have it hidden in the far corner of my smithing room.

Yeah when am I coming out? Should I bring ammo so you can test shoot my 27-2? I can bring that .351 if you want to look at it too

 

[Timbertodd]

I helped my son-in-law build a work bench and we used a solid core door I had in storage for the top. We used 4x4 posts for legs and framed it out using 2x4s. He now has his reloading equipment set up on it and its working great.

 

[DirectDrive]

I'm actually thinking of ripping the door in half and making a bench top out of one half and a lower shelf for storage between the legs out of the other. If I wrap the upper half with 3/4 inch white oak edging that would give a ~21"-22" deep benchtop which is plenty deep and 80+" wide. I'm a big fan of mounting the bench to the wall. My present bench is 4x12x8 cvg fir and it was stout before wall mounting, but when I fastened it to the wall I was amazed how much less deflection there was.

This is kind of stupid on my part since I already have a good bench, but I got a wild hair to make a new one.

Edit: spelling and measurements

You could make two benches and sell/trade one on here or CL.

 

[ageingstudent]

You could make two benches and sell one on here or CL.

Well I was thinking of making a nice big dining room table out of the other one. Mama has Parkinson's and she works on puzzles all the time and I can hardly find room to eat at the table lol. It's one of the few things she can do even when she doesn't feel well so I hate to complain since I'm lucky to have my health.

 

[DirectDrive]

Well I was thinking of making a nice big dining room table out of the other one. Mama has Parkinson's and she works on puzzles all the time and I can hardly find room to eat at the table lol. It's one of the few things she can do even when she doesn't feel well so I hate to complain since I'm lucky to have my health.

Oh, I was thinking about the other half of the rip.
Forgot you had two door leaves.

 

[ageingstudent]

Oh, I was thinking about the other half of the rip.
Forgot you had two door leaves.

Well my thinking is that using the other half of the one door as a shelf will add stability like you suggested, but also add weight down low and balance things better. Also makes a great place to bracket to the wall where the fasteners will be hidden. I'm thinking it will make a darned stout bench.

 

[DirectDrive]

A light-colored plastic laminate top makes a nice working surface and objects stand out against the light background.
Also it gives you an excuse to buy that trim router !

I should have bought one of those a long time ago....very handy.
I have the Makita RT0701C....sweet little machine.

 

[41mag]

had one for years @ 1 3/4" but moved & didn't have room. Actually TOO heavy for my used at the time.

Rebuilt bench with heavy 2x12x8 with metal angle iron frame for under shelf, bolted to 2 1/2" threaded pipe legs screwed into threaded plate screwed onto under side of bench. Yes, the little crack between the boards is useful.

Plenty heavy for 650 press/all that reloading stuff w/ammo cans underneath, plus it breaks down & is moveable if need to relocate.

Adapted some surplus state file cabinets of various designs for such as powder/ammo/reloading accessories. Roller shelves/drawers very helpful & convenient. At the time these were 'you-haul' from Salem for around $10-15 each. Handy to have racks/drawers/shelves with their own moveable up/down front cover.

 

[jbett98]

Craigslist has loads of work benches for sale. Here's one for only $50.00.

 

[ageingstudent]

A light-colored plastic laminate top makes a nice working surface and objects stand out against the light background.
Also it gives you an excuse to buy that trim router !

I should have bought one of those a long time ago....very handy.
I have the Makita RT0701C....sweet little machine.

Already have 3 routers. Table saw, band saw, portable planer, 8" grinder, drill press...wood lathe...it's getting harder to get excuses past Mrs. Student.

 

[HB of CJ]

Cheap is good. Free is better. Try your local building sites for free left over wood which from you can fab the 6 legs. Consider large caster wheels sossss the thing can be scooted across deep shag carpet. What are the doors made of? What is in the middle? Might make a difference on how the screws or lag bolt holding the legs on attach on.

Also consider that at 36" wide and about 78" or so long, getting the completed bench through standard door openings may be tricky. Also going up and turning at top of stairways. We designed our benches to easily come apart and for easy reassembly at the final location. Can you mount HD stuff through the doors? Vises, presses, drills, etc? Enjoy!

We put caster on the end so the thing could be placed on end and still be easily scooted around.