Finish for workbench

[Wild Dingo]

Well Im almost halfway done with the new ubeaut snazzy workbench

thread here (http://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?t=49952)

But Ive got a quandry regarding the final finish of it... so before I go get a can of varnish someone give me some ideas of the best longest wearing take the knocks workbench finish to use... PLEASE???

Cheers

[bitingmidge]

Longest wearing: 'poxy. But why'd you do it?

I opt for easy finish/easy repair stuff.

My carpentry/finishing (http://www.woodworkforums.com/showpost.php?p=123570&postcount=72) bench is oregon with satin NC Lacquer then waxed with UBeaut traditional wax, and the top has quite a "patina" after a couple of years of gentle use.

The fumping bench (can't find the link) on the other hand was five coats of danish oil with UBeaut Wax, and it's pretty much unmarked (sort of :p ). so that's what I gave my brother's bicycle bench (http://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?t=49649) the same treatment. (The legs on the fumping bench were shellacked, the legs on my bro's bench NC.

I've waxed them both a couple of times and the good thing is that paint and glue and stuff won't stick to the waxed surfaces, so they stay pretty clean.

Cheers,

P

[jmk89]

For me, cheap, hardwearing and repairable are what you need.

So my bench is just finished with 2 coats of Cabots clear poly. Then to stop glue sticking, a rub with UBeaut Trad wax.

Why was it cheap? - it was left over from a project and needed to be used up. So, Ding, if you've got Danish in the shed, use that. If you've got NC Laquer, use that.

It's a friggin bench, save spending money on finish for the things that are going to see the light of day!!!! (or be seen by SWMBO).

[Wongo]

I would put 2-3 coats of MinWax wipe-on poly.:2tsup:

[Bob38S]

Used Tung oil [Wattyl] on mine [benches along the wall as well as shelves] as it was what I had on hand - result was surprisingly good - not sure as to repairability as I have not had to do that at this stage.

[echnidna]

I would just linseed the top so you can resurface it easily if the need arises.
Poly on everything else keeps the whole bench neat & tidy

[Wild Dingo]

Okay cheers :2tsup:

I generally agree with the "its just a workbench use whatevers at hand" theory and have done so with the rest... In thinking on that the Tuart bench has nothing! never had anything never will have anything "its a flamin workbench"

This however is a tad different... its going to be THE workbench for planing and the more darksider I get this is the bench I will work on and as such Id like to finish it so it wears well... I cant replace the top!... I could possibly replace the finish on the top... thats what Im asking.

So I gather the concensus is for whatever poly type finish plus Trad Wax? no worries.

Cheers! :2tsup:

[Wizened of Oz]

So I gather the concensus is for whatever poly type finish plus Trad Wax? no worries.

Cheers! :2tsup:


Seems a waste of time and money to me. (Says he who wastes much of both)
A few coats of boiled linseed oil thinned with a bit of turps is all thats needed and can be renewed any time. As ever with oil finishes, wipe off any surface oil after 5-10 minutes.
As for wax on a benchtop, do you want your work to slide?

[bitingmidge]

As for wax on a benchtop, do you want your work to slide?

Well you have a point there, it's slippery as a frog in a bucket of snot!

Mind you, those Besseys do a fine job of holding stuff down! :wink:

Cheers,

P

[HappyHammer]

Hey Midge what's that finish on your driveway?

HH.

[Wild Dingo]

Seems a waste of time and money to me. (Says he who wastes much of both)
A few coats of boiled linseed oil thinned with a bit of turps is all thats needed and can be renewed any time. As ever with oil finishes, wipe off any surface oil after 5-10 minutes.
As for wax on a benchtop, do you want your work to slide?

:doh: Well of course not!! Egad an begorrah why didnt one of yous other fellas warn me of this! :C so just boiled linseed oil thinned in turps? no worries.... THIS even I can do :U :2tsup:

Cheers!

[silentC]

You people finish your benches? What a bunch of show ponies!!

Mine is 'finished' with blood, sweat and tears.

[Wongo]

WOW! sounds like a real tough workbench made purposely for a real tough man. :D

[silentC]

Nah there's just no point trying to polish a ????...

:p

[Edit: can't even say t u r d]

[bitingmidge]

Hey Midge what's that finish on your driveway?
Happy,

It would have been cheaper to pave it with gold I think! :oo:

Three different colours, the one you see I think is charcoal, with a very light washed exposed ag (terrazo effect), the grey bit next to it is actually grey coloured (to make it look natural!) then steel trowelled to within an inch of it's life before sponging it as though it was a new born baby's bum, then the outer bit is a beigy coloured concrete with a heavy wash exposed.

Needs a reseal any day now, I'll take a pic if you like.

cheers,

P
:D

[ubeaut]

I covered my big carving bench with tempered masonite and finished it with some Traditional Wax. It has been going for well over 20 years and has had a really hard life. Used as carving bench in our school of woodcrafts for years also used for upholstery and countless polishing and restoration jobs and almost anything else you could think of.

It has stood the test of time and is still in really good nick. 2 other benches were finished with polyu and another 2 with nitro, none stood the test of time all have been recoated at least twice and are in need again. This time they will also get the tempered masonite treatment. Didn't before because quite frankly I couldn't afford it.

I have never been fussed with the nice timber look of a bench, although mine are nice timber. I was more concerned with the bench working and lasting for a long time hence the final surface of masonite on my best bench. I want to be able to have the odd spill and smash a chisel or gouge into the top of the bench under the pressure of a heavy cut, without turning on the waterworks when it happens to my pristine polished white-wood top.

OK finished now.

Cheers - Neil

[JeffG.]

Seems a waste of time and money to me. (Says he who wastes much of both)
A few coats of boiled linseed oil thinned with a bit of turps is all thats needed and can be renewed any time. As ever with oil finishes, wipe off any surface oil after 5-10 minutes.
As for wax on a benchtop, do you want your work to slide?

Or have the wax contaminate a surface you end up finishing later. I did the urethane finish on one of my benches. Looked great for about a year. Then I dripped some glue on it. Belt sander solves that problem, but wasn't real friendly to the finish. But I feel much better now. At last I can throw something on there and scoot it around without worrying about scratching it up. :U

I'll seal my next one just enough to protect from moisture.

[Billyboydes]

I agree with above my bench is Feast Watson Floor Seal (easy to repair) finished with Traditional Wax and it does make it a bit slippery. Floor seal was applied by cloth for even finish.
Regards

[Wild Dingo]

Im about to do mine that I made the other week... will use the boiled linseed oil mixed with turps method for the whole thing easy quick and apparently works and best of all NO SLIP!! :2tsup: