Bench top question

[Doc7]

For ease of construction as well as disassembly in 12 months (one year lease in my new wonderful wonderful home state of VA) I am going to screw down my reload bench top to the support frame. No glue for that connection. The top will be removed and the frame partially disassembled to remove from basement at next move to new house.

I am wondering if I would be better off with two layers of 3/4" plywood glued together as the topper, or 5 pieces of 2x6" hardwood laid parallel to each other lengthwise, screwed into the frame with a 1/4" cabinet grade plywood screwed on top of that. I don't have a planer or jointer, but a 1.5" thick 8 to 12 foot long chunk of glued plywood will be a real pain in the future.

When people say "I used 2x8" or "2x6" as a reload bench top, is that what they mean? It is essentially like a picnic table top?

The good news is my new and improved (old stock) T Mag turret press needs no overlap so I can do whatever I like with the edging.

 

[Doc7]

The NMRA bench has the top frame notched so a 2x6 can screw onto it with a 3/4" plywood on top of that. So I am fairly sure that I will be ok with either way of building it as long as my frame is strong. It will be (it will be a bigger version of the aquarium stand I built for a 40 gallon tank which was 18" depth and width, 36" length - 400 pounds of rocks and water with nary a creak or wobble to it)

 

[rcmodel]

The double 3/4" top doesn't need to be left 8' to 12' long.

Cut it in 4' sections for portably later, and mount it to the frame in sections.

As long as the press is mounted near the center on one section, it will be as strong as it needs to be.
The other end of an 8' long bench top gets no strain on it at all from the press.

rc

 

[judgedelta]

If you can screw it to the wall studs with angle braces you will be stable with less than you would think. If not, it will probably shake. Just my opinion (from experience)...

 

[Sam1911]

Of the two options, I'd go with the double-thick plywood top for stability and durability. Yeah, you don't have to have it actually in one enormous piece when you move it.

 

[Charlie1022]

I used 2X10's for a base and put 5/4 work bench material glued and screwed from the bottom on top of a 2X4 box frame for legs. I put a 2X4 on the studs on the wall to set it on and it is rock solid. My top is 30 inches deep in a L shape 12 feet 5 inches by 8 foot. Solid as a rock!!!!