Kyle’s LVL Workbench

Viewer Project - By Kyle
Added on April 20, 2010

LVL stands for laminated veneer lumber. Its a product much like plywood, but the key difference is that the grain of each layer runs in the same direction. Popular Woodworking did a feature on this type of bench and can be seen here. Kyle’s design incorporates a number changes from the Popular Woodworking version. Check it out:

I thought I’d share pictures of my new Workbench and thank Marc again for answering a couple of question about LVL during the process. The bench has been up and running for about a month. I still need to add the sliding deadman after I finish the new shop cabinets.

Details on the form and construction: it is based on the 21st Century Workbench, the LVL Workbench, and the $175 Workbench. It is 6 ft long and 31 inches wide (I know, a little wide for Chris). The base is SYP with half lapped joints that are glued and screwed together. The long stretchers are bolted to the end frames. The top is lag bolted to the base. The removable/reversible tool trays are Baltic birch plywood that is simply glued and screwed together. The two vises (9 1/2 front vise and 7 1/2 tail vise) are Jet quick-release ones that I picked up from Rockler when they were on sale for $50 each. I used pine and MDF inserts to cover the inside jaws. I also anticipate replacing the front vise with a leg vise in the future.

I really enjoyed working with the LVL, it does have a tendency to splinter some though. But it came out much better than I imagined when I first picked up the LVL beams. I had to order them sight unseen. I also agree that movement of the top should be greatly reduced, if not eliminated, based on the properties of LVL–time will tell.

On a personal note, I was one of the winners of the “My Pathetic Workbench” contest. Mine was the lightweight one that was destroyed, with the rest of my shop, by Hurricane Ike. The DVD I received, “The Best of Shop & Workbenches”, has proved invaluable during my shop re-build, as well as Chris’ Workbenches book. And as soon as I complete my shop cabinets, I can get back to building furniture…at least that’s what I tell the wife!

Discussion

Neil Capper April 20, 2010 5:11 pm

That’s a nice looking workbench. I have to say though, the cleanliness of your shop had me distracted! Hopefully you’ll be rebuilt soon and the dust will pile up :)

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- Jeremy April 20, 2010 8:08 pm
  
  I have to agree, the workbench is very nice, and the LVL is intriguing, but the cleanliness of the shop, the pristine white walls and the smooth flat floor (as well as the SawStop and the rest of the tools in the shop) are what REALLY made me jealous.
  
  My shop is in a dark, dirty, damp basement with a very rough and uneven floor. I’m doing what I can to make it better, but for now, I’m very jealous, nice work!
  
  -Jer
  
  Reply
Dean April 20, 2010 5:13 pm

That

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Frank Kovach April 20, 2010 5:27 pm

Shop rebuild huh? Looks rebuilt to me! Have fun rebuilding everything. It’s good to see that you aren’t letting a natural disaster get you down. Looks like you’re having fun replacing your stuff though. Festool shop vac, sawstop, etc… Awesome!

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- Frank Kovach April 20, 2010 5:34 pm
  
  What? Who said that?
  
  Reply
Frank Kovach April 20, 2010 5:33 pm

Shop rebuild huh? Looks rebuilt to me! Have fun rebuilding everything. It’s good to see that you aren’t letting a natural disaster get you down. Looks like you’re having fun replacing your stuff though. Festool shop vac, sawstop, etc… Awesome!!

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Mike Jones April 20, 2010 6:20 pm

Could you give us your source for the LVL.
Thanks
Mike

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- Kyle April 21, 2010 8:22 am
  
  Below is a link to the product I used from Boise Cascade. I just called the nearest distribution center and they told me what they had in stock, and which lumber supplier could sell it to me. They had it delivered to the lumber supplier the next day and cut it into 7 ft sections for me.
  
  http://www.bc.com/wood/ewp/sim.....saLam.html
  
  Reply
Dyami Plotke April 20, 2010 7:10 pm

Great bench, Kyle. I’m currently working on a version of the 21st Century bench made of Timberstrand (OSB dimensional lumber) which I had a chance to briefly discuss with Chris at a recent lecture of his (he wasn’t impressed). I’ll share it once it’s done (6 to 12 months).

Thanks for sharing yours!
Dyami

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Harry Randles April 21, 2010 12:57 am

Well done Kyle there’s nothing pathetic about your workbench kyle I live in the UK and we Moan about the weather all the time But we never have the issues you and people around you must have faced not just losing property but love ones you are obviously very proud so you should be
can i also endorse your remarks about Marc helping out with a couple of questions he.s one of the few we ask for help with woodworking issues he comes right back almost strait away hope to see your shop cabinets when there done on the site

Thank you again
Harry

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Ben H April 21, 2010 4:41 am

Man, nice bench. But do you think you could find a minute and pick up that dirty shop? ;)

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Doug Hoffer April 21, 2010 6:20 am

Great workbench, love the new shop. Good Luck!

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Kyle April 21, 2010 7:24 am

Thanks for all the great comments. The shop is normally a study in disorganization. I clean it from top to bottom after every project, because I finish in there too. And yes, it very stable and does not move at all with any of my hand tool operations. The bench dogs are the Rockler plastic ones which work pretty well. I also ordered the Gramercy Tools holdfasts which work very well. I did lose all my big machines, but luckily I moved most of my small tools and all my Festool upstairs. I also had to take the shop back to the studs and rebuild from there. Obviously I never want to go through that again…anyone interested in waterfront property in Texas?

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Jim Jones April 21, 2010 7:29 am

Very nice looking workbench. Never heard of LVL. I will Google and read up on it.

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Claude Stewart April 21, 2010 7:57 am

I think it’s an outstanding workbench too. About a thousand times better than my outfeed table. That is my workbench.

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Tony Z April 21, 2010 11:49 am

Nice looking bench! That LVL material looks a little different than the stuff I’m used to seeing around here. The LVL’s around here are usually an orange color and come in thicknesses of 1 3/4″ and varing widths. And the layers aren’t consistant and solid from one end to the other. I would like to see a close-up of the top material and a shot before milling/sanding.

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- Kyle April 21, 2010 2:39 pm
  
  I don’t think I can post pictures on this, but the top does have a few voids here and there. Nothing that effects the top or its performance. The orange that you mention is the wax that covers the beams for water-proofing on the job-site. And I believe mine were also 1 3/4″ thick. I do not have any pictures of the beam in the raw, but they were kind of nasty looking and covered in wax. Once you joint and plane them they come out fairly nice.
  
  Reply
  - Warren Musselman March 9, 2020 7:41 pm
    
    LVL’s come in multiple thicknesses – 1 3/4″, 3 1/2″, 5 1/2″ and even wider. Widths typically match dimensional lumber up to 2×12’s, but also come in 18″, 22″ and 24″. I recently saw another youtube woodworker who built a “modern” bench on a hydraulic scissor lift and decided that’s the path for me. I’m all for tradition, but I’m also not a purist and will definitely take advantage of modernity when it suits my style.
    
    Reply
Mosez April 21, 2010 11:52 am

Hi Kyle – personally I’d be interested in your building plan or bench dimensions if you’d be willing to share. Thanks in advance!

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- Kyle April 21, 2010 4:49 pm
  
  The workbench is a little over 6′ in length, 31″ wide, and 30″ in height. I didn
  
  Reply
  - Aaron Marshall April 21, 2010 8:06 pm
    
    Kyle, Can you please tell us how thick the top is? Did you go with 2 1/2 inches like the Gluebo?
    
    The bench looks great, and the shop makes me look like a packrat!
    
    Thanks!
    Aaron
    
    Reply
    - Kyle April 21, 2010 8:17 pm
      
      Mine is right at 3″. But this stuff is way strong. 2″ would probably be fine.
  - Mosez April 23, 2010 9:25 pm
    
    Excellent – great bench, thanks again for sharing!
    
    Reply
Dan April 22, 2010 5:44 am

Nice shop! Is it ever used? I was wondering, did you make that awesome bench in the garage then take it to the shop? You must have ‘cuz I can’t see a speck of wood dust…or you have one heck of a maid (or wife). I’ve been interested in LVL since I saw Megan’s bench from PWW. I would like to make a bench from that material but I need other things at the moment. I hope you send us an update on the stability and durability of the LVL after you use it for a while…If you really do any woodworking in that pristeen shop of yours. Oh, one last thing, how much time did you invest in building the bench?

Dan

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- Kyle April 23, 2010 5:56 pm
  
  OK guys, I have removed the lower bag to my dust collector so that it can now evenly distribute chips and dust throughout my shop:) On the time front, I spent about 20 to 30 hours on it. Working nights and weekends, as demands permit, it took me about three weeks to build.
  
  Reply
Neil Tsubota April 30, 2010 3:49 pm

How does the LVL seem to hold with dovetail joints, tongue and groove, and most important, mortice and tenon joints.

Does the LVL leave a stick film of unknown plastic “goopy” stuff on your router bits, 10″ table saw blades, and chop saw blades ?……..

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- Kyle May 4, 2010 7:20 am
  
  LVL hold any joint and cuts just like SYP dimensional lumber. I didn’t notice any more “goop” than I would normally when working with SYP.
  
  Reply
Romain SAUCOURT August 25, 2010 6:32 am

Hi, thanks for the sharing, i plan to build a workbench like this !
Do you have plans for it ? Could you share it ?

Thanks a lot !

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W. Taylor May 25, 2018 12:19 pm

Kyle,
I just found your project pics and brief description. I’m wondering how the bench is working out and what you would do different, if you would do it again. I just got a couple cheap (long story) and they will make a nice workbench if they last, and stay fairly flat.

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Kyle’s LVL Workbench

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