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I am getting ready to build a real workbench, something that is more substantial than the current plywood bench I use.

I have some beech floor boards that I am turning into sticks of 2.5" x 3" x 66" sticks, and 9 of them will be glued together to form a 24" wide top. However the plan calls for a stretcher that is 51" long, however I do not have any wood that long... so what can I do? Is it ok to laminate pieces (widthwise) until I get a piece up to that length? The piece is supposed to be 51" x 5" x 1", but the longest maple plank I got was only 47" long (I had to ask the supplier to cut it down, otherwise he couldn't ship it).

Also the floorboard was only 2.5" wide because it's not one piece but multiple piece laminates, and I had to remove tongue and groove thing to make a piece that could be laminated. So now I am trying to decide if I should glue it up quartersawn side up (which makes a top that's only 2.5" thick or less) or is it ok to glue it flatsawn side up (which would make a 3" top)? Given that its laminated it should be very stable.. I think

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com