busy day today but got a big job done

[Chill Wills]

In my world, every flat surface is required to be filled with a half done project waiting for parts.

[WRideout]

When I first started my lumber salvaging hobby, I built a workbench out of common 2x4 lumber with the top made of 2x4s on edge and through bolted. My ex-wife still has it.

Wayne

PS: Love your workbench.

[country gent]

On the front edge of the bench top you see a 2x4 then a wider board behind it, Thats one of the 4 2x8s meshed into the top these make the mortises for legs to set into. the legs mortises are 4 1/2" X 5 1/2" x 7 1/2" deep.

The biggest part of this build was measuring and lay out. There is 34 2 bys in the top each has 10-12 3/4" holes in it for dowels. A simple drill fixture was made to drill the dowel holes. The 2x4 used for the fixture was used for the last board in the top when all the others were drilled.

[country gent]

Here's a little info on the bench top. There's 20 2 x 4s and 4 2x 8s in the bench top. Each one has 13 3/4" holes for dowels drilled in it. Both the face 2 x 4s also have 26 3/8" dowels drilled to lock them to the dowels. When assembling each was drilled and glued in place on 5 dowels the other holes were 1/2" read rod to clamp them together and pull any warp out. I probably did 7-8 a day. Each board was marked as to end against stop and side against stop so they could be assembled in the same orientation. The last one was the drill fixture disassembled and used. I had considered meshing in 1/4"x 3 1/2" aluminum flat stock on the outside of the 2 x 8s for added strength and the looks.

What I may still do is when sanded and finished flat and level I may tape it off and put a 1/16" or so layer of 3m bar top epoxy on it. Very durable and resistant to abrasives heat and impact when cured. Done right its a mirror finish. Another plus is I can make notes with wax pencils or maybe even erasable markers. Its a easy finish to do wrap tape 3-5 layers around top 1/4" proud of top. Mix epoxy well and pour in leveling with a thin piece of flat straight sheet metal or trowel. Let sit a short time and play a heat gun over the top to release air bubbles. This can take a little time. The draw back is this epoxy has a 12 hour set time and 72 hour cure time. It makes a very durable smooth bench surface. Ibelieve it could be tinted with epoxy dies if desired.

[country gent]

IMG_1017.jpg

Set the hand planner to take roughly .090 worked down high spots and then belt sander and last an oscillating sander its finished for now. worked it down to 120 grit. Also removed the 3" of blocking that was under it its down on the floor.

[country gent]

Heres the finished bench top. Need some in put now. I have considered the epoxy finish a hard durable finish but any open areas and it will leak thru not give the bild up desired it will be very hard to refinish when needed. Or just a simple 4-5 coats of linseed oil to finish easier to refinish

IMG_1017.jpg

[Barry54]

I would think the 72 hour cure time for the epoxy would be shorter than the cure time of four or five coats of BLO but your shop has ac, so it may not stay tacky as long as I’m used to.

[ebb]

In my world, every flat surface is required to be filled with a half done project waiting for parts.

I think you must live in my head, and in my shop.

[Scrounge]

Attachment 338753

Didnt do any planeing or sanding but set the 6' level on the bench top today to see how much it had "moved" in the4-5 years its been sitting aging. Its still very good as far as level. No big gaps under the level may not have to remove as much as I thought.90* to this looks as good also.

Might consider a sheet of 1/2" or 3/4" MDF for a sacrificial top. It's thick & stiff enough to bridge any small gaps, and smooth and decently flat. Seal it, varnish, paint, urethane or epoxy, and it will be pretty durable. And still cheap enough to tear it off and replace it when you finally damage it enough that it needs soothed out again.

I've been coming back to this thread and drooling over your bench all day. I started weedeating around my "bench." It's 1/8" steel plate, 3/4" or 1" square tubing frame, and I had to cut the legs off to get it out of the shop some years ago... Will need to do some welding on it when I put it back in service. Still don't know if that will be indoors or out... Nor if I'll live long enough to get it done.

[oldleadhead]

I have a homemade work bench for automotive type work that I covered with 1/8" steel sheet. It's not real deep front to back, about 24". Seems to be holding up pretty good. No worries about scratching or denting the top and cleans up pretty easy.