Materials for a mechanics workbench top

[Hagatronics]

I'm building a long workbench along a wall for a mechanics workshop. 600mm x 5700mm. 50x25mm RHSsSteel frame.

Questions is what do I make the benchtop from? I'm thinking a 32mm MDF substrate and a 1.8mm stainless top (front edge folder over the MDF).

Is this over kill? The entire top will be supported by 50x25 RHS except for a 1800 where I have a roll cab and space for a stool.

Would thinner stainless (say 1.2mm or even thinner) be OK?

 

[racingtadpole]

The 1.8 stainless is going to be expensive overkill. It’s just an easy to clean veneer, 1mm is resistant enough to dents and way cheaper.
I would also consider using two layers of 16 or 18mm form ply over the MDF. The MDF will take on water from the atmosphere and swell over time. Formply is constructed to retain wet concrete and is largely impervious to water vapour. It’s also cheaper.

 

[rsanter]

The thinner the stainless top the more I recommend that you glue it to the wood underneath

 

[rmack898]

I used 2 layers of 5/8" OSB capped with .125" aluminum.

The aluminum does get scratched and dented but I can put most anything on the bench and beat the **** out of it without worrying about the bench top.

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

The traditional workbench was two layers of 3/4" plywood glued and screwed together topped by a 1/4" tempered hardboard. Painted or Varathaned, it stands up well. When I wanted a bench for working on rebuilding an engine , I used the two layers of plywood and sheet of 16quage ???. Sheet metal gets unintentionally oiled frequently enough that rust isn't a problem, chuckle.

 

[jkherd]

It depends on what you are going to be doing, heavy loads you want as thick as possible, I have workbenches that have wood tops but my fabrication table that I cut, grind and weld is a 3/8 steel top. Common sense I know but I have seen this work done on wood and fires as a result.

 

[gte718p]

It depends on what you plan on doing on it.

My personal preference is 3/8 mdf with a sacrificial layer of melamine. I like it because I can use a dry erase to label parts and order. The random fluids wipe of easily. I don’t beat on my mechanical bench. If I need to cut, grind or pound on something I have a steel bench.

 

[lis2323]

I made this workbench back for my farm shop in 1983.

Two 24” x 96” sections bolted end to end. Double 3/4” plywood wrapped with 16 gauge galvanized steel.

The Handi Angle frame is configured to engineered specs and will support 3500 pounds per section. Placed side by side the pair will safely support a 7000 pound vehicle.

Here it is today....









Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[zeliboba]

what is that hose going to the green vices?

 

[lis2323]

what is that hose going to the green vices?

It’s a hydraulic vise.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[madmanc]

oak or ash . last for years plus the older they get the harder it gets ,ive got oak that you carnt even hammer a nail in

 

[Hagatronics]

I ended up with a 1.2mm stainless top on 32mm MRMDF. The Formply idea for the base is a goo one but I don't think adhesive will take to it. It's really slick.

What adhesive should I use? Contact cement is great but you can't slide into position. I have some left over epoxy floor paint. Can this be used as a thin, low viscosity adhesive? I'm thinking I scuff up the underside of the stainless, paint the epoxy on the bench and slide in on.

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

I've never glued down stainless, but for Formica, the trick is to have sticks or dowels between the sheet and the backing. Position and work you way along pulling them out .

 

[Hagatronics]

I've never glued down stainless, but for Formica, the trick is to have sticks or dowels between the sheet and the backing. Position and work you way along pulling them out .

Yes, I've used that technique. But this has a lip at the front (shown in photo - bench is upside down in photo) so you can't pull the sticks out from the front. It is 5.7m long (~19 feet) so you can't pull 5.7m sticks from the side. It needs to slide into position and be repositionable before the glue dries.

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

Aw, I see your problem. Get your mates over and a esky of beer, but don't open the beer until you have put it down.

 

[lis2323]

I would just put dabs of construction adhesive on the ends and perhaps a few in the middle.


Or just install it dry to see how it sits. You may be surprised.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[racingtadpole]

I’m stunned you managed to find somewhere in Aus that still has the manufacturing capabilities to bend something that long

I use Sika products for laminating things like that, expensive but sticks to the proverbial blanket. Roofing silicon (neutral cure) would probably give acceptable results also.

 

[Hagatronics]

Aw, I see your problem. Get your mates over and a esky of beer, but don't open the beer until you have put it down.

That is today's plan exactly.

I’m stunned you managed to find somewhere in Aus that still has the manufacturing capabilities to bend something that long

It's done in 4 pieces and then TIG'd together. Was cheap though AUD$600 including the materials and labour.

I'll test fit it today and it might just sit there nice and snug. If not I'm going to try the floor epoxy that I have. I reckon epoxy is all the same just the viscosity and drying time varies. I don't mind that this will need overnight to dry. I'll just load it up with every flat, heavy thing I can find in the workshop to press it down whilst it dries.

 

[torched]

I used 12ga. Hot rolled and so far (4 years now) its held up amazing well for as much as I use it. One of my favorite things about it is I can make notes on it with a sharpie and it wipes right off with a little brake cleaner. I didn’t have a sheet metal brake so I installed a metal cutting blade in my skill saw, set up a strait edge and scored the back side where I wanted my bends to be. Turned it over and was able to bend the front and side edges using a rubber mallet.

 

[racingtadpole]

It's done in 4 pieces and then TIG'd together. Was cheap though AUD$600 including the materials and labour.

I'll test fit it today and it might just sit there nice and snug. If not I'm going to try the floor epoxy that I have. I reckon epoxy is all the same just the viscosity and drying time varies. I don't mind that this will need overnight to dry. I'll just load it up with every flat, heavy thing I can find in the workshop to press it down whilst it dries.

$600 is pretty good, the crowd I use for sheet metal that is beyond what I have capability for would have been around that price just for material, would have been over $1k by the time it was folded and welded.

 

[tarbellb]

Dabs of construction sealant, something like Sikaflex or Dow 995 (silicone structural sealant)is excellent and not all that expensive.

Remember, dabs, dollops, blurps, plops, globs, poop emoji shape, etc... whatever you want to call them, this will allow it to find level and make up any gaps you may have. Dont need much, maybe dozen over that run at most.

 

[Hagatronics]

So it's done. I used the floor epoxy - about 2L. Gave me 100% coverage. The slight distortion from the welding is gone and it seems like it will work. Here is the finished product!

 

[lis2323]

Nice job! Sure looks impressive.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[racingtadpole]

Looks sweet!

 

[36truck]

Bowling alley lane makes a great bench top. It's about 3" thick made out of hard Maple and Southern Yellow Pine.

 

[racingtadpole]

Bowling alley lane makes a great bench top. It's about 3" thick made out of hard Maple and Southern Yellow Pine.

And so rare in Australia it falls into the unobtanium group of materials one uses to build things

 

[PhantomEB]

Millwright by trade, mechanic by hobby. 3/4” plywood doubled up is all I used. My theory is if I beat it up enough....just cruise down to Home Depot and have them rip me another 2 lengths out of a 4x8 sheet and screw that down. How thick is it possibly to ever get with the time I actually beat on things on it.

 

[nelstomlinson]

A friend made a work table with a particle board top covered with sheet steel. He put channel iron around the four edges, so when he takes apart a transmission, the oil can run off, hit the channel and run into a bucket.

 

[lis2323]

A friend made a work table with a particle board top covered with sheet steel. He put channel iron around the four edges, so when he takes apart a transmission, the oil can run off, hit the channel and run into a bucket.

Sounds good except for “particle board” and “transmission”. [emoji3]

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

Aussies do a lot in stainless,. My wife visited a rock and gem store when we were there, I looked at the lapidary machines, they were in stainless. On this of the pond,they are painted or powder coated.