Making a humongous office bench

[Fangles]

I'm going to be building a big workbench for my office and am unsure of what timber I should be using for the Apron and was needing some advice.

The table top is 2.1 Metres x 80 CM and 17MM GuaraPLY CD. There will be two 2 Metre ribs along the long edge and 5 cross ribs for strength.

The height from the floor to the underside of the table will be 71CM (As measured agains another table I have here, to guarantee that my gas lift office chairs can match the height)

I am only planning on 4 legs at this stage depending on the strength of the apron and middle spans if that makes sense.

Does anyone have advice for me on the type of apron timber and thickness that I should use?

[Jason]

Exciting project @Fangles. I like a humongous desk too! We have lots of keen woodworkers in the community who I'm sure would be happy to help. Let me tag a few for you so they are alerted to your post - @ProjectPete, @Brad, @Adam_W, @LePallet, @Yorky88, @woodalwaysworks, @r23on, @Poppop, @kel, @MitchellM, @She_Skills.

Let me also extend a very warm welcome to the Workshop community. We're really pleased you could join us and trust you'll receive lots of helpful feedback for this project and plenty of info and inspiration for projects to come. Please post whenever you need a hand or have something to share.

Jason

[Fangles]

Thanks Jason. I've got a handicap in that I am getting older and uglier (heheheh) and my eyesight isn't the best. Not having a garage doesn't help and this is the first house we've owned where I haven't had anywhere to lay out my tools and it takes forever to get anything out and then put it away again.

To help myself out, I've built a small worktable with wheels on which I can do things and I roll it out to the covered carport to do work.

It's not pretty (Neither am I!!!) and I have a few more things to do to it as well but it works.

And I have all the tools I need so when the weather is warmer and I know what I am doing, these tables are going to get done!

Then I can get back to writing software and playing with my amateur radio.

And yes, I do dad jokes:):)

[MitchellM]

@Fangles Are you planning on staining the desk when you are finished? If so It may be best to stick with a similar colour timber, something like pine. Alternatively i've seen some nice lighter coloured desktops finished off with darker aprons, perhaps something like Tasmanian Oak. You seem to have sufficient bracing going on, so the thickness of the apron will just be cosmetic and possibly more down to your own personal preference.
If it was me I'd be going with a 65 x 19mm Tasmanian Oak Dressed All Round, though it would look super with a 65 x 32mm Tasmanian Oak DAR. The thicker timber would give it a more substantial feel.

[Fangles]

MitchellM, I haven't done anything yet as my heavy cold has persisted and a friend hasn't come over so we can pick up the timber. Cannot afford Bunnings $50.00 delivery fee AND get the timber as well so I have to wait.

The plan has changed a little as well. Now I am planning for 6 legs as there will be a 2 shelf unit built on the left to house the NAS server and the network switch. THis has the added advantage of not having such a huge table span without sufficient bracing.

Have thought about the staining as well and since this is a light coloured multiply pine, I'd like to give it a light stain to bring out the colour. But I'll have to remember to check the height of the apron on another table as the legs are only 71CM high and a too high apron will not let me put my legs underneath.

The trestle table I used as a template for the plan has a metal apron so the height rules can be relaxed for that. Ahh, just checked, it is 4CM high. Bugger, probably can't get away with that in timber and STILL fit my knees underneath.

It is hard not having a car, sill waiting.

[Fangles]

Finally finished this huge bench/table. Never knew what a luxury it was to have this much space. I hope nobody looks at the so called 'straightness' of everything (hehe). I personally love what I did.

[Jason]

Thanks for the update @Fangles. Great to read that the project is complete. 

Have you got any photos you could share? I'm sure community members would love to see your handiwork, and be inspired by the huge workspace. 

Jason

[Fangles]

I have since added another shelf on the lower left and it's a miracle that it all stands straight!

Big mother!

[Fangles]

The table was originally 2.4 Metre x 1.2 Metre by 17mm GuaraPly pine, cut down to 2.1 Metre x 80 CM.

I cut out cable guides at the back with a jigsaw, cut the edges of the table round then ran a low profile router tip over the edges and then applied 2 layers of cabothane to finish it off.

The support skeleton was 2 x 2 Metre long 'ribs' of 3cm x 4cm pine joined with 5 'ribs' of 3cm x 4cm pine and all screwed together. The table top is secured to the ribs by 20 small right angled, rounded brackets with flathead screws. This will make it easy to take off if I have to do more sanding and painting as the skeleton itself was heavy enough to get in the room.

The legs were 7cm x 7cm x 71cm high and fastened to the 'ribs' by metal corner brackets and wood screws for strength.

If you had filmed me trying to get a bottom shelf in AFTER the table was all built and assembled, I would have won doofus of the year award.