Reloading bench bench-top material

[bkbville]

When I first built my reloading bench I used plywood on the top, gave it a little stain, and several coatings of (IIRC) poly.

This worked fine, but I was thinking of a face lift for it, and have been considering maybe a piece of formica, just to make it look neater (like it's ever been neat... but we can always turn over a new leaf, right?)

I want to ask if anyone has experienced any problems with a formica top?

For instance, I'm wondering if formica would generate a static charge, or any other issues.

OR... if anyone has recommendations for a different top/better idea?

[robg]

IKEA do a wood block work top in various lengths cheap used one for years stand up to lots of abuse.

[map55b]

For all my work benches, I use recycled commercial fire rated doors and cover them with tempered masonite. They are strong, look good and and easy to recover with new masonite if they ever start to look bad.

[NC_JEFF]

I stretched vynil over mine, added a shallow edging to prevent anything from rolling off. It is also a double plywood top.
Jeff

[OS OK]

A partial area in metal where you cast or work with solvents or any other activity that would mar the other selection.
Make the underlayment thick and dense.
Want to stop press flex? Mount your presses to 1/4" plates that are at least 2" larger than the press base. Lag them to the top.

[sierra1911]

I used 30” wide, 1.5” thick rock maple butcher block countertop screwed to .75” MDF underlayment. It’s relatively stiff as it’s secured with 16 brackets to heavily reinforced kitchen cabinets which are screwed into the wall studs. I bought the 12’ top locally; grizzly.com sells lengths up to 10’.

[map55b]

Good points OS OK. I also recessed 1/2" plates drilled and tapped for various presses, ect. This has been very useful.

[OS OK]

That's the ticket there. Spread out the footprint of the press.

[jmorris]

I have always liked steel.

[tunnug]

To get back on track, I'm another that will put some Masonite on my work bench, after it gets stained with cleaning solvents and whatnot and dinged up it'll get replaced, cheap and easy.

[Grmps]

2 pcs 1" zebra ply laminated together with a stainless steel countertop laminated to it.

[rancher1913]

mine has the prefab formica top you get from lowes, it was originally my wife's pantry and spare baking area. have not noticed a static buildup and it sure cleans up nice. I worry about the bottom pour pot getting it to hot or the fresh castings melting it but so far just using a towel has eliminated that.

[EDG]

I have (2) 30" X 96" commercial work benches I got via silent auction when they were discarded at work. The top is 1.5" thick particle board covered with Formica.
I also have a similar table that I built using 2 sheets of 3/4" thick plywood. This makes for a tremendously strong bench top.

When cleaning guns or working on anything messy you will spill a liquid and the Formica is easily wiped clean. The bare plywood is badly stained by oil and solvents.
Bare wood is rough enough to hold dust and dirt. The Formica is slick and is easy to keep clean.
I have never noticed any static issues but a grounded conductive mat would easily deal with that.

Such particle board tables often have legs mounted 6 inches from each end. Over time they will sag about 1 " in the middle due to their own weight. I found the same leg sets offered in pairs at Home Depot. I took one leg set and added it to the middle of each of my tables. The original table top might have been safe with maybe 100 lbs.
The 3rd leg set added to the middle of the table probably increased the safe load to 1000 lbs. These tables are so heavy that any press can safely be mounted to the top without fear of breaking or turning over the table.

[kmw1954]

My top is also a high density commercial Formica laminated desk top that is 1.125" thick and 30"X48". This thing is rock solid, weighs a bunch and works well. Haven't found anything tat will stain it and seems to resist static electric charges. Powder wipes up easily with a piece of notebook paper.

This top is now on it's 4th incarnation as a bench.

[country gent]

I used formica once, it was okay. I have a metal desk with 1" ply wood top I covered with aluminum sheet .030 thk. Works and looks good but things roll forever and with a good light source its bright. I have one that's 2X4s on edge in a home made butcher block top. Looks good is very solid and sturdy. This one was sanded and stained the finished with a Bar top epoxy coating. Very durable so far and lasting.

[daboone]

I'm another another masonite fan because it is/was inexpensive, durable and easy to replace after 6 years of uses and abuses. I don't want or need pretty on a work bench, just something easy to clean and durable over my 1 1/2in plywood surface.

[Ole Joe Clarke]

My table is a solid core door with laminate flooring glued to the top, looks good and cleans up good. I use 3/4" thk x 12"sq cabinet grade plywood to mount pressed and such on.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

[high standard 40]

I have been using a Formica top on my loading bench for the last 30 years without any problems. The wood under that Formica is a double layer of 3/4" BC pine plywood, glued and screwed together. Very solid. I don't do any casting on this surface. I have a different work bench for that which is the same double layer of plywood, but simply painted with deck enamel. Works fine for me.

[nun2kute]

I used Plastic Lam. on one of my benches, cleans up nice, no static that I've ever felt or seen. And it was left over from a commercial job I did a long time ago so it didn't cost me a dime. I've used Acetone and all kinds of there cleaners on it and it still looks brand new after years of use.

I've installed a bunch of new Plastic Laminate counter tops in new constriction housed in my younger days, the only issues I've seen are sharp objects on the top(cutting knives), and bumps around the edge.(and the smell from the contact cement) So if you edge the plywood previously to installing the counter top and then put a nice profile on the sharp edge you should be golden.

Also, once you router an edge on plastic, it will leave a very sharp edge. It may not feel like it's that sharp, but it will cut you. If you take the dull edge of a chisel, (the long bottom edge) and lay it on the sharp edge at an angle while pulling it along the edge with easy to medium pressure it will take the burr off the plastic so YOU won't get damaged.

[willowbend]

I built my bench with 2x6's for the top. Screwed down with deck screws. I used Danish oil for a finish and didn't poly. over a few years of this press and that press. The front 2x6 got ugly. easy swap out.