small engine building table

[mysta2]

I've just built myself a workbench (top) for my 2 car garage. It's 2 feet deep and 15 feet long, framed with 2x4s and has a top made of 2 layers of off set 3/4 AC ply. I'm not sure now, how to finish it off. Most of what I do is customizing/restoring old motorcycles, for which disassembling and reassembling small engines is a big part, and design and planning is also a big part. I'd have the whole thing wrapped in stainless if I could afford it, but that's probably not going to happen.

Right now I'm considering masonite which would just be sacrificial. I don't like how absorbent it is or how dark it is (lots of small easily lost parts in engines and carbs). Anything out there that comes on a roll that might be appropriate, like that drafting table stuff, but harder?

This is a pic of my original plan:

And I've attached a pic of the table top itself.

 

[kindyr]

have you looked at aluminum flashing? it's not stainless, but it is a light metal, and would cover the top of the table pretty well.

just throwing it out there.

if you're not worried about a seamless stainless steel, I's say call the local company that does restaurant kitchens and see what they have for drops. you might score a nice peice of 18 gauge stainless at a decent price.
I get stainless around here from the junk yard the restarant supply company junks at. goes for about $1 a pound, but nothing nearly that big.

 

[mysta2]

I've got a roll of galvanized flashing in my attic that I was looking at, but I think it's too narrow, and I was concerned about the sharp edge if it was used as just the table top.

There's a stainless fabrication company down the street, maybe I can do half of it with that and the other half with the drafting stuff.

 

[mysta2]

I've also considered damning it off and pouring resin over the whole thing, that's more time and money though.

I could put a bunch of useful stuff in it that way though like tap charts and such.

 

[BirdRacer]

Formika? (sp?)

 

[kbs2244]

The sacrificial idea is good.
But you want to go white for seeing things.
Use the cheap "Marlite" type panels they sell for showers.
Mine last about 2 to 3 years of interminent use.
Since you don't the full 4 foot width check around for damaged panels.
I have gotten them for $1.50 a sheet.
Old bed frame angle iron makes a good front edge protector.

 

[Kevin54]

Check with your local HVAC place that makes ductwork, etc. You may be able to get some galvanized sheared to size and be rather reasonable in cost. Not as nice as stainless, but cheaper and will not scratch up as bad as formica.
Formica would look nicer and you could always use a piece of matching scrap on top of it for something that would get some abuse. A 15' formica countertop with the rolled edges in that length would probably run you about $120.

 

[russlaferrera]

When I work on carburetors and small things with small parts I use car floor mats or rug pieces. The parts can be seen and don't roll around.

This also saves your bench top.

 

[Jey]

I've got some draftsman vinyl board cover...

it works great as a tool box drawer liner, but not so much as a table top.

What about linoleum? I have some black and white checkerboard linoleum i found in my parents neighbors garbage after his basement remodel. You could fold up the back for a splash, and fold over the front for a lip.

I used mine to cover my motorcycle table that i built..

 

[Jack Olsen]

Aluminum flashing is pretty cheap, and I've bought it in 24" widths. (I made a wing for my race car out of aluminum and skinned it with aluminum flashing.)

Here it is for 80 cents a linear foot.

http://www.idealtruevalue.com/servlet/the-141383/Detail

The backsplash on my (kind of ****-looking) welding table is aluminum flashing.

It also takes paint well if you prime it. The beige wall to the left is covered with flashing, as well as all along the floor line so that slag or grinding don't start a fire.

 

[mysta2]

Well it's still not covered, but it's in. I put 3 coats of polyurethane on it and for right now I'm using my shop towels to set the big stuff down... That might be all I need.

... for now I'm just excited that I finally have a real bench

(now I just need to find my real camera)

 

[kbs2244]

You do need a back splash.
Sooner or later something is going to roll off the back edge and down between those studs and never be found again.

 

[jam022316]

Aluminum flashing is pretty cheap, and I've bought it in 24" widths. (I made a wing for my race car out of aluminum and skinned it with aluminum flashing.)

Here it is for 80 cents a linear foot.

http://www.idealtruevalue.com/servlet/the-141383/Detail

The backsplash on my (kind of ****-looking) welding table is aluminum flashing.

It also takes paint well if you prime it. The beige wall to the left is covered with flashing, as well as all along the floor line so that slag or grinding don't start a fire.

Will you please come organize my garage????? That looks sweet man!!

 

[mysta2]

Plenty of stuff has already fallen back there, but it's open all the way to the floor. I'll have sheetrock up as soon as the electrical's buttoned up.