New Workbench
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- This topic has 6 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 2 months ago by Dan Roper.
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My new workbench is finally finished! It will serve as my hand tool workbench, an assembly table and as an out-feed table for my table saw. It is wider than most workbenches, but I am 6’3″ and my wing span works with it.
The top is made up of 27 2×4’s glued and matched. Legs are 4×4 and all the rails are 2×6. Top rails are half lapped and all others are mortise and pegged tenon. Top has three coats of polyurethane. Corey and I put it in place today and christened it with a single hammer blow.
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You must be logged in to view attached files.15 February 2016 at 4:07 pm #134804No not really it’s just unnecessary and unconventional to do so, I have never seen a work bench covered in poly before. I don’t know if people do it but I’ve never seen one done.
He mentions a hard smooth surface but poly will not make the wood any harder as for smoothness a workbench shouldn’t be smooth but since he used poly just poly on it’s own will not make the table slick, may I suggest you apply wax to it and then it will be really slick.
Almost forgot glue if left unattended will cure on the bench top which you will have to scrape off, poly will not stop the glue from curing. Hide glue on the other hand will easily wash off even when cured which why I use it 99% of the time.
I wish you all the best.
- This reply was modified 8 years, 2 months ago by Salko Safic.
15 February 2016 at 11:53 pm #134810Congrats on building your bench!
I used poly (water-based) on my bench so have some long-term insight. I used it because I had a fair amount left over after finishing the floor in my workshop.
Glue obviously still cures on the bench top but doesn’t stick to the poly very strongly so you can flick it off easily. That, and the fact that mugs of tea don’t leave rings on the bench top, are about the only benefits of poly.
Although hard, it won’t stand up to a saw teeth or chisels. I’ll post a photo of my bench top tomorrow – there are plenty of saw tooth and chisel impressions, as well as full saw kerfs. This is still my first bench and I have made plenty of mistakes using it!
The biggest problem with poly is that it’s smooth and slippy. Timber will skate over the bench top even when held down with a holdfast.
I’ll probably re-flatten and re-finish the bench top once more before I build another one (I didn’t pick my timber wisely and the whole bench is too light and unstable) and I think I’ll use a different finish next time.
With that said, you may not have the same problems I do with the finish. You can certainly rough up the surface with some course sandpaper to give it some tooth if needs be. Just don’t be under the impression that it’ll protect your bench from edge tools.
What matters is that you’ve now got a bench you can use. If the poly does bother you after a while, plane it off and use something else.
Get cracking!
George.
Thanks George. I look forward to pictures of your bench. I knew that the poly would not prevent tool marks and as you say, I can always plane the top and apply something else. I happen to really like the look I have achieved and if I am careful with my tools maybe it will last longer than some might suspect. Thanks for your reply.
Cheers,
Dan -
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