Sorry for your loss. The carvings are beautiful.

I'm not sure you can actually return the boards to HD some ~9 months later.

On the other hand, you could easily make a very stout workbench by ripping an inch or two off the boards and laminating them together for a top. Just make the legs, stretchers, and such out of the 2×6's as well. You'll make a lot of jointer/planer shavings, but you'll have a very stout bench. My version of the $175 workbench is made with construction lumber 2×6s and 2×8s.

 

It's a thought. Between the mortise and tenon's and drilling for those barrel nuts, it seems like a bit of a project.
Perhaps if I ripped the 2×6's down the middle - and left the outside edge as it was (rounded) since it would face down - or is the 2 5/8" final thickness too thin?

 

Personally, I think 2 5/8" is in fact too thin. I'd recommend something around 3 1/2 - 4". Mine is about 2 7/8" and I'd like it to be a bit thicker.

You can get by without the barrel nuts and mortises and tenons if you use lapped joints between the legs and stretchers. You can bolt the stretchers to the legs after letting them into the legs and end up with something perfectly sturdy. I've seen a design like that, but I can't remember where.

Cutting an inch and a half off the boards will mean a good amount of waste, which is why I used 2×8s for mine.

 

I made the stump plans, and just ditched the threaded rods. I also left out the holes for the square dogs. Made the whole things way less work. And it is a super sturdy bench still.

Brian

 

Jonah - yes,m it will be a lot of waste (unless I can come up with some good use for loads of 1.5"x1.5" pieces)
Brian - Ha! It was the drilling and the square dogs that I was most not looking forward to. I had not considered just bailing on both those parts. Time to go stare at the plans again. Also - how did you finish yours? Stain first, or just blo or poly?

 

Yeah I just ran solid pieces where the square dogs were, and put round dogs in where I wanted them. Easier forsure.

I also glued up the top in a couple od smaller sections so the clamp pressure was less likely to warp it. Supposedly that us part of why he has those rods in there. IDk…I thought it was overkill and so far I do not miss having them.

I plan to finish with Danish oil. I haven't actually done it yet.

Brian

 

I'm very sorry for your loss.

If I may suggest to you 6 weeks - I know the memories are too fresh and painful for you, but why don't you hang on to the lumber & get through the holidays and next year rethink it.

I think it would be very neat to go ahead build the bench in memory of your dad. Maybe you could incorporate a carving into the bench somehow. It would be something you might pass on to your son one day.

But you can take the lumber back and get some more if you change your mind, right?

 

Jonah - yes,m it will be a lot of waste (unless I can come up with some good use for loads of 1.5"x1.5" pieces)
Brian - Ha! It was the drilling and the square dogs that I was most not looking forward to. I had not considered just bailing on both those parts. Time to go stare at the plans again. Also - how did you finish yours? Stain first, or just blo or poly?

- Forseeme

The drilling is actually quite easy. Construction SPF is pretty soft and you can drill it with any kind of 3/4" bit. I used a spade bit and a scrap piece underneath to prevent tear out. It only took about twenty minutes to drill all the dog holes.

 

I returned about a dozon red wood boards I had for over a year. I did not have my receipt, and did not tell them how long I had them. But the were in perfect condition, and dry. Home Depot took them back with no question. And lack of a receipt, they gave me store credit.

 

The drilling is actually quite easy. Construction SPF is pretty soft and you can drill it with any kind of 3/4" bit. I used a spade bit and a scrap piece underneath to prevent tear out. It only took about twenty minutes to drill all the dog holes.

- jonah

The dogholes I wasn't too worried about (I have already gone crazy with those on a Ron Paulk workbench) - it was drilling the holes for the threaded rod that spooked me. I figured I would have to make a jig of some kind to ensure they all lined up. If you went with no rods and it worked out, that's what I'd be willing to give a try.

 

I recently build a roubo style split top workbench out of 1"x5" hard maple boards. They were laminated together to for one 10"x5" and one 12"x5" pieces for the top. I had the wood for about 8 months before planing and glue up and then left them to sit for another 6 months after they had been glued up. I didn't use a heavy amount of glue but I did use large grains for salt to help with slipping during glue up. I noticed that after glue up I had a couple of small gaps that I filled with epoxy. After the 6 months I pulled them out to flatten and install on the bench base and I've noticed several gaps in the glue joints. The deepest gap I found was about 1 1/2" deep and the others are about 3/4". Should I just leave these alone and hope no more movement occurs or should I try filling them with epoxy or glue or something else?

 

Wow. After drying and planing, you still had decent sized gaps. How did you clamp at gluing? As for what to do now, I'll leave that to smarter people than me to comment.