Thread: Bench covering for sharpening station

I use black matting available from Bunnies. You buy it cut from a roll.

Ideal 1m Black Flat Surface Rubber Matting Sheet - Bunnings Australia

I have a section of a bench covered with it and held down in places by double sided tape

I just use some news paper then a piece of cardboard.
An bin it when done.

Cheers Matt.

I use a 'shoe tray' I got from Bunnings years ago although I can't seem to find anything like it listed in Aussie stores ATM.
Something like this BAGGMUCK Shoe tray, indoor/outdoor, gray - IKEA

Heres is my setup shown back in 2006.
sharpeningtray.JPG

When in use the stones sit in the lids of plastic containers on a well sealed tray sealed with 2 pack epoxy so sort of waterproof but water still went all over the place.
In 2011 I installed a sink in the shed extension and now the wooden tray sits on a small brass frame over the sink.

When not in use the stones are returned to their water filled containers (ie under water) and placed back on the tray and the tray and its contents slide into wooden rails inside a cupboard.

I use the Veritas stone pond sitting on a rubber mat. Works for me.

I do something similar to Bob.

I have a considerable number of waterstones and needed something to accommodate all the different shapes and sizes, including irregular natural edge stones. I don't store any of my stones wet, so don't need containers for that.

I settled on the Suehiro (Sjehiro) stone holder and tray system. I have turned one of the trays over so you can see the base.

IMG_20210706_090939.jpg

The drip tray that comes with that system could be readily made up by yourself (or buy something like the one Fuzzie uses), but it came at minimal additional cost for me and has some advantages, like being stackable, sturdy and light.

A plastic tub of water serves for rinsing off. Of course, not necessary if you have a sink in your workshop, like some people do...

If sharpening in the kitchen, a thin piece of rubber matting on the sink drainage board is cheaper and works well. A pair of end rubbers (on left on photo above) is a nice small addition for that.

Fergiz01,
I use a shallow plastic serving tray (approx 500mm x 350mm) with anti-slip matting to stop it sliding around on my work bench.
The sharpening stone holders I use stop the stones sliding about. Some fancier trays have a built-in anti-slip surface but are more pricey.

Cheers,
Yvan

Thanks everyone for their responses. Here is my current set up. As you can see there's a solid wood bench on the left which has coped well with the occasional splash, but there's a new mdf bench top to the right that I've been covering with floor poly in the hope of making it more water resistant. The gray bench which all the wet stuff is on is also painted mdf which I should probably replace with something more suitable one day. I'll look into one of those plastic trays to cover the top in the meantime.

The stones in the tub are Cerax ceramic that I store dry.

Thanks again,
Zac.

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I use a small stainless steel, two shelf, medical trolley with braked castors.

Two factors for me - I no longer use waterstones in general (rather oilstones, which solve the sharpening and rust prevention at once, and don't need as much maintenance).

But...that means if using an oilbath, it's just oil instead that dribbles out on the bench. So I have another filthy bench where the stones live, and most of them are used on top of a granite surface plate since it never moves, doesn't absorb anything and can be cleaned off easily if needed.

I used the same station when using waterstones, and also dribbled water onto the stones rather than spraying it.

Same thing with oilstones - originally used canned WD-40, but good luck not having it spritz, and now use a bottle that can be set to pretty much dribble it out, and same with mineral oil.

Oil bath! Reminds me of a docco I saw on one of those small countries on the silk road where they have a restorative crude oil bath, scrub and rub down. The oil just comes out of the ground there.

I have a granite already slab so I think I'll use that. Thanks!

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If anything is in a hard case that slides easily on the surface plate, cheap drawer liner works fine to stop it (and can be washed elsewhere if it accumulates enough trash).