What are you using for a Workbench top?

[Tim The Tool Man]

I used both laminate and masonite on my benches. the laminate looks nice and is scratch resistant. The masonite, to me, is a consumable surface. When it looks bad I'll just replace it with a new sheet...

 

[turbowoodworker]

Hey Tim, where'd you find the red laminate? Is it Wilsonart? Did you find it local or what? It looks really good.

 

[Lippyp]

I have two big inch thick solid hardwood desktops the previous owner left in the woodshed that I've pulled out and kept to go on my workbench when I build it, the damn things are seriiously heavy duty so should stand up well.

 

[Tim The Tool Man]

Hey Tim, where'd you find the red laminate? Is it Wilsonart? Did you find it local or what? It looks really good.

It is wisonart. I ordered it direct off an online vendor. Sorry, don't remember which. I do recall it is a commercial color, not residential. I also ordered some solid slate color for my table saw extension from them as well.

 

[atotalnincompoop]

i use solid core wood doors. easy to install, cheap enough and will take a beating

 

[turbowoodworker]

Thanks Tim, I have looked at Wilsonart stuff and I really like the wide selection of colors but your red is great. I have wondered how shipping works with online sales especially with a 4x8 or 5x10 sheet of plywood. Appreciate your answering my post. Rick

 

[melliott28]

I used 2x12x10 SYP (2 boards). Used a cheap HF electric planer to flatten the edges, glued it together, flattened & smoothed out the joint, and applied polyurethane. Easy and cheap. Cost for the wood was about $24 and the polyurethane was about $12.

 

[D rock]

I just put a piece of 11g steel on the top of my bench today. I'm stoked.

 

[CaptainMarvel]

I used both laminate and masonite on my benches. the laminate looks nice and is scratch resistant. The masonite, to me, is a consumable surface. When it looks bad I'll just replace it with a new sheet...

How to you attach the masonite to your benchtop to keep it from sliding?

 

[CaptainMarvel]

I just put a piece of 11g steel on the top of my bench today. I'm stoked.

PICS ???

PICS ???

 

[Too_Many_Tools]

Yes...this discussion REALLY needs pictures.

 

[burleyfarm]

I just picked up my 1/8 inch steel top for my bench. I had it bent to fit over a solid core door with a 2 inch back splash. I'll post pics this weekend.

What are you doing to protect the steel from rust? I was thinking about grinding the black slag off the surface and oiling it or sealing with wax or varnish. Any ideas?

 

[gapfast]

I used 2x12x10 SYP (2 boards). Used a cheap HF electric planer to flatten the edges, glued it together, flattened & smoothed out the joint, and applied polyurethane. Easy and cheap. Cost for the wood was about $24 and the polyurethane was about $12.

That looks very nice. Well done!!
Id like to do the same to my hf 44.

 

[artrem]

I guess I am not as industrious as many here. I have a couple of simple benches made from 2x4's and just nail on a piece of 3/4" plywood, with several coats of urethane to keep the oil from seeping into it. When it gets messed up, I just rip it off and throw another piece on. That way, I don't have to be extra careful. But I will admit it is not nearly as nice as many of the benches you guys have.

 

[mikeburris]

I have 3. One has a sink and is an old Formica top out of the kitchen remodel, supported by 2x4 legs angled into the wall. One is 2x4 legs with plywood top, covered with 1/16 steel sheet. One is a steel door (heavy) supported by 2x4 legs.

 

[Outlawmws]

Work bench top is a Formica kitchen counter top with the backslash, over 2X4's on edge glued and screwed together. that is attached to both the wall and the cabinet base I built into the wall. 20-20 hind sight? use a 2X6 or 2X8 for the back piece of the 2X4 base, and then you have a flange to anchor with. the wider 2X can also extend upwards to leave an extension for the back splash if you like pitting thing on top back there.

For a Tool Box Top I like the IKEA butcher block tops many guys have used, and will probably do that when the time comes.

If you are into welding I have an older Craftsman 3 drawer with a 1/2" thick plate top on top; Not too big, but big enough...

 

[orca8589]

Must have been a little cumbersome carrying that on the train.

Just saw this comment. I'm a stay-at-home dad, and I drove my wife to the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) station each day. So, while I didn't have to take it on a train, I did have to figure out how to get it into a '99 Ford Taurus. Made it work, and it's turned out to be a great workbench top.

A friend of mine was a train driver for years, and you wouldn't believe the **** people try to take on the trains here. (paper grocery bag full of kittens, handtruck carrying several VERY large blocks of dry ice, construction materials, mattresses, etc.)

Makes you wonder what goes on in people's heads sometimes.

~Chris

 

[Hal]

My bench is an old Youngstown steel sink base. I attached a solid core door to it, and that is covered on one end by a sheet of 1/2" steel plate. My vise bolts through the plate and the door on one end of the bench. Currently the vise is the only thing that sticks up above the collection of **** that built up on the bench over the winter.

 

[gte718p]

My HF box has a 3/8 steel top/ $45 dollars at the scrap yard. It has been an incredible addition to my shop.

 

[gte718p]

I just looked back at the OP location. IF your location is correct your local to me. Public Scrap is down the road from you in Hampton. They have a good selection of plate and will cut it to size for $4. Its $.35 a lb for as much or as little work bench you want.

They don't have a good selection of tubing. Chesapeake Steel Service sells 1 inch 1/8 wall thickness tube cheap. It is around a dollar a foot.

 

[Slednut]

Obviously by the photo I like melamine.

 

[TimTaylor75]

My main bench also utilizes a 3/4" melamine top fastened to a 3/4" MDF base.

http://sphotos-a.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/381080_10151055796085651_808297938_n.jpg

 

[budl]

I'm using an 8' preformed formica counter top with a bull nose and backsplash mounted on some kitchen base cabinets I took out during a remodel. I'm sure I could break it if I had a big enough hammer but for me it works great. Chemicals don't effect it and even a razor blade or sharp knife will barely scratch it. I'm using a draftsman's chair that is perfect for the 36" benchtop height. Paid about $50 for it 10 years ago and it still looks new under all the **** I have piled on it. I've seen used 10 footers at my local Habitat store recently for about $70 and will probably put one in my new and improved (bigger) shop.

Bud

 

[Reitwagen]

A piece of 1/8 steel. I had them bend the back for a back splash and put a channel on the front to catch oil

 

[justanengineer]

I make my own "butcher block" by taking common 4x4s (freebies from work), drilling a hole every 12-18" and tieing them together with threaded rod/washers/nuts, plugging the recesses with cheap rubber stoppers, and staining as appropriate. You really cant have too thick of a top IMHO as you may want to resurface it later, which is easy with either a power plane or a belt sander. Heres a pic of one "in process."

 

[artrem]

I make my own "butcher block" by taking common 4x4s (freebies from work), drilling a hole every 12-18" and tieing them together with threaded rod/washers/nuts, plugging the recesses with cheap rubber stoppers, and staining as appropriate. You really cant have too thick of a top IMHO as you may want to resurface it later, which is easy with either a power plane or a belt sander. Heres a pic of one "in process."

Wow, what a great idea; thanks for posting, I may try that. I presume that you drilled the holes a little large, so that you can even up the top surfaces of the 4x4's before tightening the bolts. I guess the real trick would be finding boards that are true enough to give you a smooth surface.

What did you use for the rubber plugs? I'd probably try either make some wood plugs( if I could find a bit large enough), or use doweling.

 

[justanengineer]

Wow, what a great idea; thanks for posting, I may try that. I presume that you drilled the holes a little large, so that you can even up the top surfaces of the 4x4's before tightening the bolts. I guess the real trick would be finding boards that are true enough to give you a smooth surface.

What did you use for the rubber plugs? I'd probably try either make some wood plugs( if I could find a bit large enough), or use doweling.

Thanks, unfortunately I cannot take credit for the idea. IIRC, theyre 5/16" or 3/8" rod in a 7/16" hole, so there isnt a ton of room for them to move around but just enough to level out, which laying on a decent floor makes an easy job of. The good part about this design is that even if your wood isnt great, theres plenty of meat left to remove for smoothing, and depending on the wood and rod used, you can always turn the board sideways to pull any bow or twist out of them by squeezing them between straight pieces. As for the plugs, I had a few rubber "cup" plugs (think rubber engine freeze plug) kicking around so I just used those. Id agree that wooden plugs would look better, but I wanted to keep mine removable and am glad I did - Im planning to overlap and combine two tops into one larger one sometime in the next few weeks as Im going from two small benches to one big one.

 

[gayler]

I have also seen 8 ft solid wood doors on CL for $50 that would work nicely as well

Got mine the last time they remodled our hospital. I'm not sure of the size but they are oversized.

 

[Kevin54]

I make my own "butcher block" by taking common 4x4s (freebies from work), drilling a hole every 12-18" and tieing them together with threaded rod/washers/nuts, plugging the recesses with cheap rubber stoppers, and staining as appropriate. You really cant have too thick of a top IMHO as you may want to resurface it later, which is easy with either a power plane or a belt sander. Heres a pic of one "in process."

One can always look on CL for a used joiner too. Most that I see are 6" joiners and sell for between $100-$150. Then you can square up your sides, and glue them and bolt tham as justanengineer did.

 

[Ed Litsch]

I have always used the pegboard material (without the holes) for a bench top. I don't know what it is called. Fiberboard? It has always worked well for me. I do have a 10' corner bench in my den where I do my gun work and I got formica counter tops at the local Lowes years ago on sale. I have one smaller bench that I used the green plywood top from an old ping pong table.

 

[alpinewhite]

I have always used the pegboard material (without the holes) for a bench top. I don't know what it is called. Fiberboard? It has always worked well for me. I do have a 10' corner bench in my den where I do my gun work and I got formica counter tops at the local Lowes years ago on sale. I have one smaller bench that I used the green plywood top from an old ping pong table.

Masonite

 

[GN4WHLN]

I made this from 3/4 oak flooring with OSB underlayment. I have about $40.00 into it.

 

[Letsgobowhunting]

I haven't read that anyone else claim to have used this product on here yet. My bench top is a sheet of OSB covered in a black VCT tile flooring. It is extremely rugged. It can take a reasonable amount of open flame incase your welding or brazing around it. It looks good. I applied a floor polish on it and it shines too. My bench is 30"x10' and it coat me $25 to cover it. I can try to post a picture but would have to figure out how to do so first.

 

[Flexia]

Anyone make a concrete top yet? Im thinking about that when I build mine.

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[Outlawmws]

Anyone make a concrete top yet? Im thinking about that when I build mine.

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I've see that done for a solid bench with lower vibrations characteristics, for mounting a lathe on, but I don't care for the idea myself, even for that special use. if you've ever worked directly on concrete garage floors or drives, it's not actually that durable a surface and is easily damaged.

 

[forrestlaw]

+1 for kitchen countertops.

Most of the work surfaces in my garage are from peoples trash. I grabbed several old kitchen cabinets and hanging cabinets from the side of the road when people were remodeling. Some of them already had a countertop, but I had to buy a new one for a few. If they were really old or in really bad shape then I had to reinforce the bottom of them, but on the whole I have four 8 foot long work surfaces and several sets of hanging cabinets that all together probably cost less than $200 to acquire and bring into good working order.

 

[lynnbilodeau]

Not recommending this, but this is what I did. I realize it was a long shot finding what I did.

I was looking for some 1/4 inch steel to top off my small work bench. Looked for sheet metal and plate steel on craigslist.

Old farmer up the road from me was advertising four (4) 128" by 12" by 1.875" steel beams. He had salvaged them from a Railroad bridge built in the 20's or 30's. I bought all four for $300. Made two trips, as they weigh close to 800 lbs. each. My poor little half ton was riding on the snubbers. Fortunately, it wasn't a long trip. Had to unload them with a cherry picker.

I cut one of them in to two 64" lengths (used a steel cutting blade in my 7.5 horse hand held concrete saw) and set them side by side on top of the small work bench, so it is now 24" deep. I am saving the other three (3) to make a large workbench when we build the new shop. It will be 36" deep and 128" long.

Biggest issue was drilling the holes for my vice and bench grinder. Wore out a drill bit drilling four 1/2 holes for the vice. Bench grinder just needed two 3/8 holes.

I almost don't need an anvil now, as the bench top is so solid. Still, if I ever found a deal on an anvil, I would get it.

 

[LG63]

Old farmer up the road from me was advertising four (4) 128" by 12" by 1.875" steel beams. He had salvaged them from a Railroad bridge built in the 20's or 30's.

I'm not sure but I think you may have just altered gravity in your garage. Torque wrench is probably okay, but you may have to recalibrate your compass.

 

[Hot Chop shop]

Not recommending this, but this is what I did. I realize it was a long shot finding what I did.

I was looking for some 1/4 inch steel to top off my small work bench. Looked for sheet metal and plate steel on craigslist.

Old farmer up the road from me was advertising four (4) 128" by 12" by 1.875" steel beams. He had salvaged them from a Railroad bridge built in the 20's or 30's. I bought all four for $300. Made two trips, as they weigh close to 800 lbs. each. My poor little half ton was riding on the snubbers. Fortunately, it wasn't a long trip. Had to unload them with a cherry picker.

I cut one of them in to two 64" lengths (used a steel cutting blade in my 7.5 horse hand held concrete saw) and set them side by side on top of the small work bench, so it is now 24" deep. I am saving the other three (3) to make a large workbench when we build the new shop. It will be 36" deep and 128" long.

Biggest issue was drilling the holes for my vice and bench grinder. Wore out a drill bit drilling four 1/2 holes for the vice. Bench grinder just needed two 3/8 holes.

I almost don't need an anvil now, as the bench top is so solid. Still, if I ever found a deal on an anvil, I would get it.

This sounds awesome! Can we get some pics posted?

 

[LARIDER]

3/4" plywood base with a sacrificial MDF top on my main bench and just MDF on my two satellite benches. The extra benches don't really get a lot of heavy stuff on them.

I just replace the MDF tops every couple of years when they get worn out or too scuffed up. But I've been thinking about using melamine for the next time around.