Bench top ideas?

[chris401]

As for new lumber try your local yard. Trim and finish are typicaly 1/3 and rough about 1/2 the cost of the big box stores. Home made laminated beams are strong, a couple or three 2x4 laminated beams will make a stiff less bouncy table.

[chris401]

I built my work bench top out of a heavy solid core door. Lots of stuff on it ( always ) and the bench vise is as secure as the day I bolted it on.

He is right. My employer did that years ago. Cheap and built for a 5'4" man but they have held up. Personly I would have spent a little more time and expense for aircraft engine parts.

[cjshaker]

I'll 2nd the sheet metal top.
I have 2 benches, one that's 3'x6' and came from the chemistry lab from where I work. The top is TOTALLY impervious to all liquids, about 4" thick and weighs as much as marble (feels like it too). It took a front-end loader to load it into my truck (JUST the top!), and EIGHT guys to help me unload it when I got home!! That son-of-a-gun is massively heavy! I can't bang or weld on it, but it's great for carb work or just about anything that doesn't involve a sledge

My 2nd bench is just a 2"x4" base (also 3'x6') with built in cabinets, but has a 3/4" plywood top covered with a sheet metal top. I can bang the crap out of anything on it, weld on it, sit an engine block on it, basically about anything I want to. It also can be used to ground to when I need to weld something that is impossible to clamp a ground on. I just clamp a ground to the top and the piece is grounded through its touching. Handiest bench I've ever had. Cleans up with a dirty rag, which keeps it from rusting. That's the only drawback to a sheet metal top, it needs to be used somewhat frequently or it will start to surface rust. Using a dirty rag to clean it, it also is good at collecting dust

[fekbmax]

I typically use galvanized sheet metal just because being in the heating and air trade its readily available to me so not alot of rust issues.  . Very durable though just as cjshaker said..