WWA Info Exchange

For Woodworkers By Woodworkers
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 6:53 pm

All times are UTC - 5 hours




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 9 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 3:39 pm 
Offline
Veteran

Joined: Sun Oct 03, 2004 12:01 am
Posts: 67
Location: Atlanta,GA
It's not one of those fancy workworking benches. Just an industrial maple top workbench- steel legs and frame, 1 1/2" top. Getting sort of funky from various things being spilled on it and wiped up for a few years.

I am currently scraping off with what's left on top with a card scraper. Then I can sand it or maybe not sand. Afterwards I need to put something on to preserve it.

Spar varnish? Danish oil? Watco whatever oil? Polyurethane? I would appreciate some suggestions from the more experienced woodworkers

Thanks,
Richard


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 3:47 pm 
Offline
Veteran
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2004 1:01 am
Posts: 11360
Location: Hamilton, MS
Wax, just to keep glue from sticking. Otherwise nothing.

_________________
I bring to life, I bring to death:
The spirit does but mean the breath:
I know no more. (Tennyson, In Memoriam)


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 4:52 pm 
Offline
Veteran
User avatar

Joined: Fri May 12, 2006 9:37 pm
Posts: 5398
Location: Tucson, AZ
I agree with Gene-- I use Johnson's paste wax on my worksurfaces (and clamps) and it works well

Lawrence


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 4:52 pm 
Offline
Veteran

Joined: Tue Oct 25, 2005 5:19 pm
Posts: 120
Location: san clemente, ca
Richard - I would concur that no finish is needed other than a couple coats of wax. When my bench was new I put on two coats of Waterlox on both sides of the top just to seal the pores a bit then wax. Not a lot will stick to it, and what does pops right off with a scraper.

Remember, it's a workbench, not fine furniture; the finish is going to take a beating, that's what it's for.

Doug


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 6:15 pm 
Offline
Veteran

Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2003 12:01 am
Posts: 2056
Location: Mountain City, Texas
Call me crazy but I took Bob Smalser's advice and used BLO .... one coat a day for a week, one coat a week for a month and one coat a month for a year.
I love my bench and have no doubt it will serve my grandson and his son as well as it has served me. I've planed the surface flat once
( http://web.mac.com/don2laughs/iWeb/PawP ... Bench.html about 2 years ago) since the original surface/finishing. I applied one coat a day for one week after that re-surfacing.
good luck,
Don


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Lin seed oil
PostPosted: Wed Mar 17, 2010 3:40 pm 
Offline
Veteran

Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2004 1:01 am
Posts: 423
Location: Swede
I use linseed oil and turpentine, 50%/50% mix on the worktop benches in school. It hardens in contact with the air. Smells nice too! At least I think so..
On top of that I sometimes use candle wax.

/Anders


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 8:11 am 
Offline
Veteran
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jul 18, 2003 12:01 am
Posts: 16907
Location: Tampa Bay, FL
I've heard good things about a BLO/mineral spirits mix and just plain wax... either way, you are good to go.

Just avoid any film-building finishes like the plague. They are slicker than a mambo band when they are new and break down over time with all that work being done on them.

_________________
* http://tomsworkbench.com
* Purveyor of the world's finest Weasel Spit
* Why do they call it a WORKshop if I go there to have fun?
* Founding member: WWAFLAUX#1
* Passed 16,000 posts 7/23/09 - 8:41 a.m.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Johnsons Wax It Is
PostPosted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 5:30 pm 
Offline
Veteran

Joined: Sun Oct 03, 2004 12:01 am
Posts: 67
Location: Atlanta,GA
Thanks for the advice. I gave it a good coat of paste wax and let it dry for a day before wipeing it down.

It feels nice and smooth. Question is, I mentioned it is used for a lot more than woodworking. I wonder what it will do when I spill some Citrasolve on it.

By the way what is BLO?

Richard


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Johnsons Wax It Is
PostPosted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 5:54 pm 
Offline
Veteran
User avatar

Joined: Fri May 12, 2006 9:37 pm
Posts: 5398
Location: Tucson, AZ
richardk wrote:

By the way what is BLO?

Richard


Boiled Linseed oil - it's not really boiled anymore but has hardeners in it to help it cure faster than "unboiled" (just plain) linseed oil

It is a pretty standard "oil" finishing supply - in other words you can get it in quarts and even gallons at your local hardware store and do not need to go through a specialist store. Even my local Ace carries it and it is cheap and is nice to mix with poly for a "oil/varnish" mix

Hope this helps
Lawrence


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 9 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 40 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
cron
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group