I hear ya Scott, and you’re right. Justin has a plan and it’s being implemented. Enough said.
Solid core slab doors make great work tops. It is best to either laminate them or cover with 1/4 inch masonite.
The point about a solid core door is that while it makes an admirable work surface it isn’t designed to carry any weight or hold up to these kinds of stresses especially after cutting a hole in it. Only the outer rim(maybe 1 1/4-1 1/2” is actually wood). Most have cores that resist fire, sound, and warping but are not very strong. Some are made of foam. I can’t think of a single one of the many I’ve cut into that I’d recommend.
I know what kind of door you’re talking about, and honestly, I agree with you about those particular doors. However, if it happens to be a commercial grade solid core door like we see installed in commercial offices around here, those are usually solid particle board on the inside with a 1/8” veneer of furniture-grade wood on the outside. I wouldn’t doubt you could support the lathe very effectively with those doors.
Yeah the door you are talking about Rufus is known as a hollow core door. They typically have foam, honeycomb cardboard, gypsum for fire resistance, etc… inside. Solid core doors are completely different. Heavy strong and stable.
Particle board swells if it gets wet and crumbles if stressed. It bows under weight and warps if paint dries unevenly on either side. The only way it works in a door is if the door is an interior door and hung vertically so it won’t sag under it’s own weight. Try and bolt something to it and it will keep crushing until the washers meet. Unlike a solid wood door you cannot cut one down to fit a smaller opening without removing the styles or rails that allow hinges and strike plates purchase and keep the core material from crumbling and falling out. No offense intended but it’s snot, plain and simple, good for filler only.
One more photo in the OP. The base is all finished.
Looks really good!
The stand is coming along nicely! If you decide to not wrap the lower legs with plywood you could always run a 2x diagonally from top to bottom (if racking becomes an issue).
Putting a layer or two of plywood on the top is a good idea. I also like the diamond plate idea (or at least some thin layer of metal to make it easier to clean up the cuttings/shavings off the table).
If you were closer I would have limitless wood and top materials you could have used. I am a professional commercial trim carpenter by trade and always have stockpiles of material.
07/27/15 Updated the OP.
I’m a Carpenter/Contractor and know something about workbenches as I’ve also done my time as a Mechanic (before computers took over). First doors- you want not just a “solid core” door but a “Lumber core” door for maximum strength. Inside these are like butcher-block. As long as the base was solid and stable and kept dry, a solid core would do OK here. Sturdi-floor also makes great benchtops and Home Depot has a generic @ $13 something a sheet. Be sure to get the correct side up as only that side has rated water resistance. If solidly built, the entire base could be 2X4 but do add ‘racking’ support for the legs (like the plywood skirting). I’d prefer the top rails 2X6 or 2X8 just because that gives more to mount the legs to. Glue everything with polyurethane (Liquid Nails). Carriage bolt the legs. This will hold a smallblock V8 shortblock assembly without complaint so it will certainly hold the lathe! Once you have the lathe mounting bolt dimensions(or whatever your mounting), add rails underneath from front to back to attach to. Make these out of whatever you’re using for the rest of the top frame. Once you’re built set the bench in it’s permanent location and level it. If on a wooden floor, set the legs on 2X8 plates laid flat across the floor joists if you’re building engines- probably don’t need for the lathe. Add “L” brackets to the bottom of all legs, if on concrete “Tapcon” screws are a great fastener. If it’s against a wall, tie it to the studs with screws through the back upper framing from underneath. If it’s free-standing/portable or on wheels, you can increase the stability by having a shelf at the bottom and adding sandbags, bricks, scrapmetal, or whatever for ballast. If you’re bench is narrow enough you can add a laminate countertop section on it; waterproof and highly oil-resistant but can be a little slick.
Lathes and large bench tools were once all mounted on wood benches as metal was not easily available everywhere like it is now, so you can be certain that with a good design it’s enough for just about anything you’d want to do. For advice on this and other home related projects, I recommend you surf to This Old House Advice Forums where you’ll find a bunch of guys whose overall knowledge of everything “house” and “wood” is unmatched anywhere. I’m there as “Mastercarpentry” (shameless self-plug!).
Phil
Just a quick update. I still had not heard back from Grizzly, so I called them and they are just doing nothing, waiting for the trucking companies to e-mail replies to them, so maybe next week, if they find out something. They did not seem to eager. Dan warned me they were difficult to deal with and after the last call, I believe he's right. Hopefully, something will happen next week. I doubt anything will happen this week.
In the meantime, I am making a drop chute out of Metal Flashing. I will get some photos along the way.
07/30/15 Photo in the OP, of the catch pan mounted in the bench. Still waiting on something in the way of a shipping quote, from Grizzly.
If I forgot to say it, that’s a good workbench OL, and I think it will do you very well. Sorry about the “TL.DR” of my last post but it’s a subject near and dear to my heart.
I am impressed to overwhelmed by how good the people here are. Can’t wait to see what the new workbench produces, may it bring everyone many smiles and much happiness :bigsmile:
Phil
Very cool of you to make this thread O-L. I've often wondered what all was involved to set up a small metal lathe. Best wishing on this project. :)
First you gave us your lights, then your expertise to mod our own lights. Now you’re making your own workbench and supply us “en route” with the do’s and don’ts of “building your own workbench”. By the looks of it you’re heading in the right direction. It looks great, even under construction.
Suggestion: wait with adding boards to the sides of the bench until your lathe is up and running. Wood is flexible material, good in absorbing small movements (sound). On the other hand it can act as a resonance-box of a violin: increasing certain movements. Let your ears help you in making the decision of covering up one or more sides. You can use balls of a ball-bearing on a plate to detect resonance. When adding one or more boards is not enough you can apply (car)undercoating on the boards (inside the bench). By coating I mean the thick, tar-like, goo that was used before specialist companies took over the market. I used it in the 70ties, building accoustic transmission line speakers, when you want to create a resonating folded column of air in the speakerbox instead of resonating walls of the box itself (using a KEF b139). http://members.home.nl/ton.van.der.mark/afbeeldingen/Rogers%20MKIII/Rogers%20MKIII_front_r.jpg
Wow OL, I like your idea about making that pan below the lathe to funnel the chips. Nice work man.
Looks like a solid bench. Bring on the lathe! :beer:
OP updated on 07/31/15 - Grizzly is "Supposed to", ship the lathe today. I certainly hope so.
EDIT: Ships from Springfield IL.
Updated the OP again, LOL.
Where does it ship from?