work bench top

[Bill Rinaldi]

i have a steel (12 gage) work bench top, just wondering what is a good coating to put on it to keep it from rusting. Bill

 

[James-W]

What kind of work do you do on the workbench? If you do woodworking you won't want anything that could potentially stain the wood project you are working on.

 

[Lelandwelds]

a good coating to put on it to keep it from rusting. Bill

What kind of work do you do on the workbench? If you do woodworking you won't want anything that could potentially stain the wood project you are working on.

Small engine work? Penetrating oil. Electronics? Self adhesive anti static mat. Assembly work? Adhesive shelf paper like mom used to use. Welding? Let it rust. Woodworking? Get a wood topped bench. Anything else? There is this stuff called "paint" that keeps rust at bay.

 

[Shootinok]

You could wax it - like a table saw top.
I just use the good old Turtle Wax and my top stays good for months.

 

[Bill Bowman]

After knocking down the loose rust with 80G on a d-a, I would put a heavy coat of Rustoleum Rusty Metal Primer. Once that is cured well, color of your choice. I assume you're not going to be rolling transmission cases around on the bench?

Maybe post up a few pictures of the bench project. How is the new shop coming along? Regards.

 

[Lelandwelds]

You could wax it - like a table saw top.
I just use the good old Turtle Wax and my top stays good for months.

I never heard of waxing a table saw. I bet that keeps it clean and sliding better.

 

[Bill Rinaldi]

Got a pretty fair deal on powder coating , so thats the option I'm going to take. The color is a neutral tan color, easy to touch up---(IF I get annal enough to touch it up.) As Bill Bowman pointed out, I'm building a new garage shop. It's 30x36, about the same sq. ft. as my old shop but the new house is missing about 800 sq. ft. of house storage.(basement) Even though we've gotten rid of a LOT of stuff, My wife has to have storage space also. The garage is it. Biggest problem I have is NIPSCO (the natural gas supplier) is REALLY dragging their feet. I started the installation process in mid Oct.----and still haven't had any installation date. I'm having a tough time working in the cold. To be continued, BILL

 

[norson]

I think I'd rub it down with "metal prep". I'd do it with a thick coarse Scotchbright pad. I do this on the bare old sheet metal car parts after I clean the rust off. I've had some parts in my shop for more than two years with no rust.
Norm

 

[astroracer]

I think I'd rub it down with "metal prep". I'd do it with a thick coarse Scotchbright pad. I do this on the bare old sheet metal car parts after I clean the rust off. I've had some parts in my shop for more than two years with no rust.
Norm

^^^This^^^
I use Metal Prep from Eastwood. I have two welding benches and the tops stay rust free for years. Just leave the coating on, don't rinse it off. It does not interfere with grounding while welding.
Cleaning up one of the tops while building the bench. Just knocking down the surface rust.

After a bit of sanding.

After a wash with Metal Prep. All of the surface rust is gone and it will stay like this for a very long time with no upkeep.

This is the bench now. I haven't done anything to the top since I built it in 2012...

Mark

 

[zmotorsports]

My work bench tops are made of 10-gauge hot-rolled steel and use a product called Sheila Shine to keep mine looking nice. Works well and so far in several months of use I have only applied it once, although it may be getting close for another application.

 

[Bretny]

If your really going to work on the table then get a stainless top or oil the bare metal. Anything else is just going to come off...even power coating.

 

[zmotorsports]

If your really going to work on the table then get a stainless top or oil the bare metal. Anything else is just going to come off...even power coating.

To be honest, I had Stainless Steel bench tops at my last shop and while they held up well for the 25+ years I worked in that shop, I really like my hot-rolled bench tops better. I have only had them a few months but they have gotten a LOT of use in those few months. It will be interesting to see long term how they hold up after dragging transmission cases, cylinder heads and motorcycle engines around on them, but so far I like them.

I definitely wouldn't paint or powder coat though if you plan on using them much. I prefer non-coated for actual working surfaces.

 

[Lelandwelds]

My work bench tops are made of 10-gauge hot-rolled steel and use a product called Sheila Shine to keep mine looking nice.

Uh, isnt this mineral oil mixed with the same chemical they use to frack for natural gas that makes ground water burn? I am a bit fuzzy with remembering chemistry but isn't this in the benzene, toluene, or ketone group of petroleum distillates?

How about phosphoric acid rust converters? Ospho? Loctite Extend?

An oil? Corrosion X or some other marine rust inhibitor? Food grade mineral oil?

We used to use Spatz valve body paint unless welded on.(That paint would not chip or scratch. ) Weld tables got Ospho if they sat idle.

 

[zmotorsports]

Uh, isnt this mineral oil mixed with the same chemical they use to frack for natural gas that makes ground water burn? I am a bit fuzzy with remembering chemistry but isn't this in the benzene, toluene, or ketone group of petroleum distillates?

How about phosphoric acid rust converters? Ospho? Loctite Extend?

An oil? Corrosion X or some other marine rust inhibitor? Food grade mineral oil?

We used to use Spatz valve body paint unless welded on.(That paint would not chip or scratch. ) Weld tables got Ospho if they sat idle.

I will have to look closer at the label but I don't think so. This is used quite extensively in the restaurant business for keeping stainless steel clean so I doubt it.

 

[tim_]

The MSDS is available online: http://www.sheilashineinc.com/products/material-safety-data-sheets/

 

[bob15]

I use this on my table saw and it works real well in keeping off the rust: