Alemite work bench make over

[Monza Harry]

Wow, a stripper that can also paint!


Yeah, I know... you meant to type striper. I had to give you a hard time.
OK, smartass mode is now turned off. The bench is looking great. I enjoy reading your build threads.

I thought the same thing Thanx for posting! Now I don't have to be "That Guy"
That option has never really worked for me! Harry

 

[don long]

Incredible high quality work Don.

Thanks FJ
I only know one way to do things and that is a problem some times

Don: I don't always get time to find and read new threads, but even though a lot of this thread's pictures are on your PARTY GARAGE THREAD i'll follow a thread you host anytime.

another great project and i'm sure it will be the showpiece of your cool Penzoil garage.

I hadn't seen that you had to cut a hole in one of the doors to hammer out the dents then weld that piece back in and bondo and sand and paint it. WOW that's a lot of work for an old door, but i'm not surprised cause your attention to detail is almost as amazing as your skills.

good luck!!

Welcome aboard Drives
This thread I go into detail of the repair process and on the garage thread I show the pics. but limit the conversation and this project is so big that it will be a lot of info on the restoration.

I agree with you that this Alemite bench will be the focal point in the Pennzoil garage.

Wow, a stripper that can also paint!


Yeah, I know... you meant to type striper. I had to give you a hard time.

OK, smartass mode is now turned off. The bench is looking great. I enjoy reading your build threads.

Senlow
Thanks for the visit and the spelling lesson. Spelling is not a strong suite of mine (I missed high school and went to work at the age of 15) So from now on I'll call my stripper my sign guy LOL
I'm happy to hear that you enjoy following my stuff

I thought the same thing Thanx for posting! Now I don't have to be "That Guy"
That option has never really worked for me! Harry

Harry
I have thick skin and don't mind a lil help now and then so don't be bashful.

Now on to the progress of the day

As promised the back panel of the bench got mounted. I wanted the sign to jump so I mounted a 4' LED lamp behind the pull up door then mounted another LED lamp behind the broad molding on the top piece to help light up the work bench when I get it painted

The back panel

2020-03-20 12.08.43 by don long, on Flickr

With the lights out and the bench lit up

2020-03-20 12.10.00 by don long, on Flickr

I also put strings of LED lights in the plastic Pennzoil sign above the bench

Here is the overall shot of the bench

2020-03-20 12.08.30 by don long, on Flickr

The top of the work bench got my attention today and it is now smoothed and in primer

2020-03-20 13.55.54 by don long, on Flickr

.

 

[don long]

Today I worked on the top of the bench again. First I brought it out of the booth and with my long block and 240 grit sand paper I worked the top over blocking it in several different directions. I found a few low spots after blocking so I filled them with bondo and sanded the spots smooth before placing the top back in the spray booth and repriming it again

2020-03-21 19.04.31 by don long, on Flickr

With the light reflection you can see that the top will need a little more blocking to make the light reflection straight.

Next I blocked both bench doors and primed them again they will need a light sanding with 600 grit paper before the yellow paint will be applied

2020-03-21 19.04.36 by don long, on Flickr

I also masked off the inside of the bench and gave it a coat of primer as well. Looks like I put the primer on a little heavy (a few sags)

2020-03-21 19.04.18 by don long, on Flickr

.

 

[drivesitfar]

Don: great work as per usual.

just curious when you do get SAGS as you call them do you wipe them before they dry or just hit them with a sander since it's primer? reshoot more primer or go to real color after sanding?

 

[don long]

Good morning Drives
The primer I use is very expensive but sands very easy, and that's why I use it.
Those sags will sand out with little effort (just a few more strokes with the sanding block) If all goes well with the sanding of this coat of primer I will put the color on next, The process will be first, sand this primer with 320 grit dry sand paper until I see no more flaws. Then move up to 600 grit paper and a spray bottle with water in it for wet sanding I add just a drop of hand soap in the bottle for smoother sanding. Then it will be ready for color.

 

[don long]

The work bench went back into the shop yesterday and I blocked out the runs in the primer. Then I sanded the entire bench with 600 grit paper and moved it back into the spray booth. I tipped it up side down, masked off the bench and painted the kick panel red

2020-03-24 16.55.03 by don long, on Flickr

Now I'm headed back out to the shop to work on the bench doors

 

[Thirdyfivepickup]

so very cool...

 

[alemite]

Love watching your work Don!

 

[drivesitfar]

Don: best of luck with the bench top and i'm sure it will be awesome.

Alemite: so I guess you might own one or two of these? or on your wish list?

 

[don long]

so very cool...

Thanks Thirdyfivepickup

Love watching your work Don!

Thanks alemite
Your research on these benches is a lot of help thanks

Don: best of luck with the bench top and i'm sure it will be awesome.

Alemite: so I guess you might own one or two of these? or on your wish list?

Thanks for the confidence Drives
I had a brain fart and changed the plan on the bench today and painted the bench top a metallic silver instead of gloss black But the bench is now black with a red kicker

IMG_0926 by don long, on Flickr

the bench is sitting bottom up

IMG_0917 by don long, on Flickr

.

 

[senlow]

Wow!

 

[gahrajmahal]

Looks like you have some clear on that bench. Are you using paint with hardener? Also I would like to see the longboard with vacuum setup. This uses sanding mesh, not sand paper, no?

Thanks for showing us what “professional workmanship “ looks like in this day and age.

 

[The Cobbler]

certainly wayyyy more attention given to it than when it was being made... looks great!

 

[don long]

Wow!

Thanks Senlow
I'm happy with how it is turning out

Looks like you have some clear on that bench. Are you using paint with hardener? Also I would like to see the longboard with vacuum setup. This uses sanding mesh, not sand paper, no?

Thanks for showing us what “professional workmanship “ looks like in this day and age.

No clear gahrajmahal
That's a single stage automotive paint, Yes I do put hardner in the mix.

I'll have to take some shots of my sanding equipment in the morning

certainly wayyyy more attention given to it than when it was being made... looks great!

Thanks Cobbler

I have a thing about making everything look like a custom car finish.

 

[Bears Fan]

Amazing!!!

 

[wrenchguy]

IMO, The only prob i assume is no work will ever be done on it again. Sad for me. Beautiful job though.

 

[don long]

Amazing!!!

Thanks for your support Bears Fan

IMO, The only prob i assume is no work will ever be done on it again. Sad for me. Beautiful job though.

wrenchguy
No work for sure but it will be a very inviting place to dream of working when the garage where this bench will live is finished!!!

 

[don long]

Today was a sort of pick up day.
First I started out by sanding and polishing the front doors of the work bench

IMG_0928 by don long, on Flickr

First I cut the orange peel look of the paint with water and 1200 grit sand paper wrapped around a sanding pad.
After the orange peel was gone I went back over each door with 1500 grit paper to remove any deep sand scratches left from the 1200 paper.

Then using the 3M 3 step compound process, I rubbed the door with my polisher and 3 different products and 3 different color foam pads and this was the results

IMG_0930 by don long, on Flickr

After polishing both doors I mounted the handles and latches on the doors

Then looking at the hinges I decided to clean them up a bit

IMG_0932 by don long, on Flickr

Using a scraper and some lacquer thinner I polished them clean


I also repaired and repainted the Alemite emblem that goes between the doors on the bench base

IMG_0931 by don long, on Flickr

Then I mounted the top of the bench to the base

IMG_0933 by don long, on Flickr

IMG_0936 by don long, on Flickr

I also sanded a couple of paint flaws out of the front of the base and cleaned up some tool mounting pins that will hold some wrenches on the back panel of the bench.

We're getting close

 

[Vahispd]

What a really neat bench, and awesome job with the new paint. I can't wait to see the finished product.

 

[don long]

What a really neat bench, and awesome job with the new paint. I can't wait to see the finished product.

The bench will meet up with the back panel tomorrow. I finished the paint work and buffed it up last night so tomorrow I will mate the 2 pieces together and send the doors out for more Pennzoil logos

IMG_0942 by don long, on Flickr

I also put some hooks in the peg board so I can mount some tools.

IMG_0938 by don long, on Flickr

.

 

[drivesitfar]

DON: I love the grey bench top and just curious how you like it now? everything is coming together nicely and looking forward to seeing it all finished and set up in your Penzoil garage.

hope you had a great weekend!!

 

[don long]

Looks like you have some clear on that bench. Are you using paint with hardener? Also I would like to see the longboard with vacuum setup. This uses sanding mesh, not sand paper, no?

Thanks for showing us what “professional workmanship “ looks like in this day and age.

I remembered that you asked for a shot of my long board and Vac system
I went out yesterday and took a couple shots for you

The long board and a sheet of 400 grit mesh that I peeled off the board so you could see the vac holes in the bottom of the board

IMG_0945 by don long, on Flickr

Here is the vacuum set up that was a gift from 3M after the PPG party last year
It has several boxes of sand paper sitting on the shelf that I can pull off when needed and stick to my sanding boards

IMG_0950 by don long, on Flickr

The grey hose plugs into the front of the vac for hand sanding. the vacuum is also set up to use air assist tools. The green hose in the front of the unit has an air line running inside it and hook to the air tool. When the air tool starts the vac starts up and runs for 5 seconds after the air tool is turned off

IMG_0949 by don long, on Flickr

The vac set up also includes sand paper for use on the air tools

IMG_0953 by don long, on Flickr

I prefer the mesh over sand paper, it cuts faster and lasts much longer.

Hope that is what you wanted to know.

Don

 

[Earp69]

Quite the setup you got there. How long can you sand before the filters need cleaned/changed?

 

[Thirdyfivepickup]

that vac / sander setup is really cool. That's a nice gift! I don't do much restoration painting but the 3m stuff I used has always been good to me.

 

[drivesitfar]

Don: that 3M sanding tool is on my wish list. most of us know it by it's other name FESTOOL that are some of the nicest woodworking tools you can buy.

looking forward to seeing the new lettering/logo on the Alemite doors and it being set up. whether you put chrome or brass tools on it's peg board it won't probably matter cause nobody will see them cause the bench is so cool.

 

[don long]

Quite the setup you got there. How long can you sand before the filters need cleaned/changed?

Thanks Wyatt
I have used one gallon of bondo and 2 gallons of primer and so far haven't lost any suction yet so I don't know but it's been a year so I'm thinking about it when I do my spring cleaning of the garage.

that vac / sander setup is really cool. That's a nice gift! I don't do much restoration painting but the 3m stuff I used has always been good to me.

Thirtyfive
I've used mostly 3M my whole shop life and it has never let me down however the Mirka sanding mesh does last much longer and with the vac system it allows the dust a better chance to get pulled in.

Don: that 3M sanding tool is on my wish list. most of us know it by it's other name FESTOOL that are some of the nicest woodworking tools you can buy.

looking forward to seeing the new lettering/logo on the Alemite doors and it being set up. whether you put chrome or brass tools on it's peg board it won't probably matter cause nobody will see them cause the bench is so cool.

Drives
You are correct. 3M and festool have partnered to get the product into the bodyshops around the country and that's why they gave me one for an indorsement.

The bench went into the party garage today and I put the doors on because I'm not leaving my house for a while so the logos on the doors will have to wait

Before

2019-08-30 16.11.27 by don long, on Flickr

After

IMG_0961 by don long, on Flickr

IMG_0962 by don long, on Flickr

I like the way the lights hit the bench too

IMG_0970 by don long, on Flickr

This project is finished for now

 

[LXCam]

Simply stellar Don!.

 

[jhn9840]

It all just goes together perfectly. Thanks for sharing another project with us Don.

jhn9840
John

 

[harley jim]

That is fabulous, you sir have vision, I cant wait to see the rest of it come together [emoji106]

Sent from my SM-A102U using Tapatalk

 

[RStewart]

That bad boy needs its own spotlight to showcase the superb craftsmanship. Outstanding.

 

[royce]

Such a treat Don,
Thanks for the show.

Royce

 

[Bears Fan]

Beautiful

 

[TMcCay]

Such beautiful work, Don! I love seeing these old pieces brought back to life. And the Art Deco period is one of my favorites. They put a lot of thought and time into pieces then, be it furniture or tools.

 

[drivesitfar]

Don: WOW!!!

great transformation.

since you are STUCK so to speak at the Party Garage I (we) can't wait to see what your next project might be. great place to be STUCK BTW.

cheers

 

[Zeke]

Don, I haven followed your projects for a LONG time and am glad to see you still cranking out beautiful work. That's so good looking it's almost a shame to hang the wrenches in front of the hand painted Pennzoil sign.

 

[senlow]

The bench looks amazing!!!

 

[Thirdyfivepickup]

wow...

 

[930dreamer]

As always super work Don.

 

[Jayman17]

Nice work Don! Well done.

Jay

 

[brianh]

It's too nice to use, beautiful!