Repairing butcher block workbench top

[jives]

Picked up at auction a workbench with "industrial" metal legs and a WoodWelded (Bally Block Co. https://butcherblock.com/) butcher block top. Serious business is this top, but it has numerous holes, ranging from 1/8" nail holes to 3/4" round to 3/4 x 1.5" oblong. The larger holes go all the way through. I want to plug the holes. I could use some sort of wood filler epoxy, but I want it to look better. I will need to ream out the holes for better fits for plugs. The plugs, though, need to be edge grain to match the top, which means I will need to make them. Alternately, I could route out a patch area over the plug and fill with a square patch (do on both sides, fill the middle with epoxy).

Thoughts?

 

[SMOKEYBEAR]

I just did my workbench, same style of repairs. Since yours is edge grain, get plug cutters that match forester bits for the partially way through ones, regular bits could handle the through and through holes. I'd stay away from a spade style bit or hole saw, they cut to loose for me. Larger holes can be done with overlapping plugs.

These are the style plug cutters I have in my shop. I have some of both brands.

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I've stayed away from router / square repairs, I'm fearful I'd make it worse.

Post some pictures, the experts will be along shortly to help.

 

[Notgrownup]

Dowels of the same species glued and hammered in . Probably maple. Just make your own dowels . Sand and coat with like tung oil

 

[jives]

I'll post pics of the top when it stops snowing outside (sorry, a grumble about the delayed spring and still cold shop). In the meantime what will make the cleanest holes? I've been doing woodworking for decades, but mostly rough and framing, and don't even own Forstner bits, annular cutters, or plug cutters. Tapered plug cutters seem like they may make the tightest fit. Recommendations?

 

[Jgaz]

Yes, a tapered plug cutter is your best bet for the tightest fit.
That and a matching forstner bit is probably your best bet for your repair

 

[jives]

Here ya' go. The black is mastic from being covered with linoleum flooring squares. (Workbench was bought at an auction of the closing of a flooring contractor). I am guessing (hoping) that the linoleum and mastic are after the age of asbestos, but I am being careful nonetheless (e.g., no sanding removal of mastic). The chisel is 1" wide.

The first pic shows the most irksome damage. A bunch of 1/16 to 1/4" holes. Seems that in this case just filling with wood epoxy would be the best solution, but is there a better idea?

 

[djjsr]

You may want to try a different scraping tool. Look at one of the woodworking tool websites like Lee Valley or maybe Rockler to see what they look like. They have scrapers that work in both directions, push or pull. I found that pulling seems to work better for me. I got mine locally maybe from Lowes or Menards and I've used it for decades on a lot of projects. I think it's 2" wide and has a carbide blade. Seems like it would work well for removing that adhesive.

 

[Shiftless]

I like my Bahco carbide scraper for jobs like that.

 

[Shiftless]

I picked up a used butcher block type table similar to that one. It was dirty, stained, and gouged up but it didn’t have that sticky mastic. I started with a portable planer with an old blade and after that went with a 4 inch wide belt sander and 50 grit.

 

[jives]

You may want to try a different scraping tool. Look at one of the woodworking tool websites like Lee Valley or maybe Rockler to see what they look like. They have scrapers that work in both directions, push or pull. I found that pulling seems to work better for me. I got mine locally maybe from Lowes or Menards and I've used it for decades on a lot of projects. I think it's 2" wide and has a carbide blade. Seems like it would work well for removing that adhesive.

The chisel is out because it is being used on the linoleum covering. You can see some linoleum on the edges. I will try solvent first, then use a scraper on the mastic. More concerned about the holes and what may look good.

 

[Shiftless]

The chisel is out because it is being used on the linoleum covering. You can see some linoleum on the edges. I will try solvent first, then use a scraper on the mastic. More concerned about the holes and what may look good.

I assume you are looking for a classic natural wood grain top. If so, that will be worth the work.

If you just want a clean smooth surface to work on, I suggest covering it with tempered hardboard or even laminate flooring.

Here is a pic of the top I used my planer and belt sander on. I finished with several coats of polyurethane thinned with mineral spirits. After a few years of use, it doesn’t look anything like this picture.
As far as the holes go, I would plug them with dowel pieces and not worry about matching the edge grain. Is this going to be a working work bench or a showpiece table top in a man cave Or something in between?

 

[jives]

The goal is to affix it to a metal base from an old Hamilton drafting table and sell it. The table base will need some repair and I plan on shortening it, in part to practice some metal fab and welding skills. With a nice top it will make a very stable workbench, perhaps nice enough for someone to use in the house and not just in the garage.

 

[Rusted Nut]

Old black mastic like that was often asbestos containing. Use proper precautions.