The Shop Table - Cutting The Top

It's been a few days since my last post. The finishing always seems to take a while and I just completed it. The cabinet work is done and I've even installed those fuzzy brown bumpers on the doors to keep them from slamming. After cleaning-up the shop a bit, it's time to get started on the top.

The top starts with a sheet of 3/4" plywood. It's sitting on 'sleeper supports' to elevate it above the workbench and prevent me from cutting into the workbench top. I use a long straight edge designed for cutting large material. After aligning it with my marks, I clamp it to the plywood at each end. The straight edge is actually two pieces of extruded aluminum connected end-to-end with an aluminum plate. This makes it easier to store when not in use, however, this connection and the length of the straight edge causes it to flex a little in the center. To overcome this flexing, I simply place a stiffener (just a piece of scrap) tight to the straight edge near the center and clamp it to the plywood.

Next, I set the depth of cut on my saw slightly deeper than the thickness of the material. This makes it easier to push the saw through the plywood and the sleeper supports plus helps to ensure I will not cut the bench top. Once this is all set up, I make the cut and put the drop piece in the 'future project' pile.


Once the plywood is ripped to width, I can now cross-cut it to length. For this cut, I'm using another handy device called a panel clamp. It's also an extruded aluminum straight edge, but this one has it own clamp. Simply place the fixed clamp pad against the edge of the material, line-up the edge with your marks, move the adjustable clamp pad against the other side of the material and lock the clamp. Once again, I make the cut and add the drop to 'the pile'.

There's a couple of things worth noting about the two cuts I've just made. First, both straight edges are clamped to the piece I want to keep. This is because, as you come to the end of the cut, the pieces have a tendency to move a bit since there's very little material holding them together. When the guide is on the piece you want to keep and you keep the saw tight to the guide, you'll get a consistent cut instead of a fish-tail at the end. The second thing concerns cross-cutting. Since you cut parallel to the sleeper supports, you run the risk of the material falling (to the bench top) or sagging as you get further into the cut. To overcome this, use four sleeper supports and place two on either side near where you're cutting, but not directly under the cut. The other two go on each end of the material. This gives you two supports under, what will be, each piece and keeps the pieces from falling which promotes a cleaner cut. I also helps prevent kick-back, so I suppose it's also for safety.

After cutting the plywood, I cut a piece of 1/4" hardboard in the same fashion so that it's about 1/2" larger than the plywood in both directions. I then position the hardboard on the plywood so that it overhangs a bit on all four sides and clamp it to the plywood. The whole thing is then clamped to the bench.

I install a flush-trim bit in my router and set the depth so that the bearing will ride along the edge of the plywood and the cutter will cut the hardboard. Running the router around the edges makes the hardboard exactly the same size and shape as the plywood. This is known as pattern routing and is very effective. It is also very dusty. You have to keep moving the clamps around as you trim each edge. One clamp on the three edges that are not being trimmed is sufficient.


Here's a picture of the in-progress top sitting on the finished (but somewhat dusty) cabinet. You can see how the top will overhang the cabinet on the far end. This is to allow for the planer cart which is somewhere in the 'future project' pile.



Here's a different angle to show the overhang a little bit better.






Next, the top will receive a 3/4" wood wrap all around. This will be used to cover the plywood edges and to contain the hardboard. The big-picture plan is for the hardboard to not be permanently attached and be replaceable in case of damage (or excessive glue bumps). That's enough for tonight, I'll tackle the edging tomorrow.