Indeed! And when my two boys are painting, that wipes up as well.
Need a covering for my particle board workbench
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Indeed! And when my two boys are painting, that wipes up as well.
No matter what your final surface ends up being I'd sand the surface. The hardware stores in my area rent tools at a reasonable price. I'd use an orbital sander as it is the easiest to use and very forgiving unlike a belt sander. If you are gluing a new surface on this will make the bonding better and won't telegraph the roughness especially if it is something thin. 1/4" tempered Masonite is tough as hell.
Back in the days of stick and tissue model airplane building, a surface that would take pins was desirable, and I have used pieces of Celotex sound insulation board. The closest thing to that I see on Homedepot.com is this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/1-2-in-...ic-Insulation-Sound-Board-BSNAT85US/207168829 It looks like you gotta buy a 4x8 sheet which will do your bench twice over.
two foot x 4 foot drop in ceiling tiles are a similar material but not quite as friendly to pinning.
Of course unless one is building one of John Boren's more intricate designs, we don't do much fixturing with pins building rockets, so this may not be a consideration. Actually I like @stealth6's idea....and I hope I remember it if I need to redo a work table.
My current model work table is a 30x60 desktop from the good ol' days of Boeing Surplus, set on a pair of utility folding table legs. It has a sheet of celotex-like material on it. I don't even remember exactly what it was, as it's been there for over three decades now. But I can see where the shiny laminate or Masonite surfaces might be good, if pinning into it isn't needed.
two foot x 4 foot drop in ceiling tiles are a similar material but not quite as friendly to pinning.
Of course unless one is building one of John Boren's more intricate designs, we don't do much fixturing with pins building rockets, so this may not be a consideration. Actually I like @stealth6's idea....and I hope I remember it if I need to redo a work table.
My current model work table is a 30x60 desktop from the good ol' days of Boeing Surplus, set on a pair of utility folding table legs. It has a sheet of celotex-like material on it. I don't even remember exactly what it was, as it's been there for over three decades now. But I can see where the shiny laminate or Masonite surfaces might be good, if pinning into it isn't needed.
mhanna
Well-Known Member
I use cheap peel and stick tile squares. When one gets messed up or glue all over it, I just peel it up and replace it with a new one.
Is it easy to peel up? I was just drawing breath to urge avoiding anything glued down, since that would make it hard to remove and replace. Otherwise, peel and stick vinyl tile would be a good idea.
with all of these suggestions, what's your choice?
I would go with masonite also.
Sand it as smooth as you want, then seal it with a couple of coats of Polyurethane if you're not looking for glass like surface. Very durable. I usually just throw a piece of cardboard on top when doing messy stuff like epoxy. Otherwise, Masonite or 1/4" Melamine.
WizardOfBoz
Active Member
When we had a leak under our sink and my wife wanted me to replace the soaked and sagging vinyl-print-covered masonite, she demonstrated her brilliance.
"Sweetie, can you fix under the sink?"
"Uh, yeah, sure".
A week later:
"Sweetie, can you fix under the sink?"
"Uh, yeah, sure".
Here's the brilliant part.
"Sweetie, to fix under the sink you need something to cut out the old stuff, right? What do they call those? A Sawzall? Do you need one of those?"
"Uh, yeah, you do need something to cut with. Yes, it's called a Sawzall. And as a matter of fact, I do need a Sawzall".
Finished the work that day.
The point is I used marine plywood and put a covering of flooring vinyl on top of it. I recommend flooring vinyl - tough, but soft enough not to scratch anything. You can get a surplus swatch pretty cheap. Easy to clean up, too. And if you cut it up, easy to replace.
"Sweetie, can you fix under the sink?"
"Uh, yeah, sure".
A week later:
"Sweetie, can you fix under the sink?"
"Uh, yeah, sure".
Here's the brilliant part.
"Sweetie, to fix under the sink you need something to cut out the old stuff, right? What do they call those? A Sawzall? Do you need one of those?"
"Uh, yeah, you do need something to cut with. Yes, it's called a Sawzall. And as a matter of fact, I do need a Sawzall".
Finished the work that day.
The point is I used marine plywood and put a covering of flooring vinyl on top of it. I recommend flooring vinyl - tough, but soft enough not to scratch anything. You can get a surplus swatch pretty cheap. Easy to clean up, too. And if you cut it up, easy to replace.
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Rschub
Well-Known Member
We used the 1/8" hardboard on all our home made benches, it lasts/ed for decades. Nailed down with 1/2" brads. If you spill glue or coffee or something on it just wipe it up, the stuff that soaks in just makes it stronger.
As if we’re done…
At one of the shops I worked in my younger days, I had a workbench covered in looped, low-pile commercial carpet. Half of it had a sheet of glass on top of that. I found it very useful.
John Brohm
Well-Known Member
I built an island in my shop to have a clean surface for final assembly, decal work and so on. The top was fab'd the same as my workbench - 3/4" particle board topped by 3/4" oak veneer, edged with oak. I covered that with a sheet of drafting vinyl - that doubles as a drawing surface when needed, and as a backdrop when taking photos. When I need to use it for something other than clean work, I just throw a half sheet of Masonite on top of it. When the Masonite sheet gets too scored/scratched/beat up, I just replace it.
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I was counting on it.
Right now I am leaning towards 1/8" hardboard if HD will cut it for me. It's not a big investment, I can always switch if it doesn't work out.
Peel-and-stick vinyl tile is still intriguing to me as well, but I'm going to start with the hardboard.
boatgeek
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IIRC, the first cut is free and followon cuts are something like $5 each.I was counting on it.
Right now I am leaning towards 1/8" hardboard if HD will cut it for me. It's not a big investment, I can always switch if it doesn't work out.
Peel-and-stick vinyl tile is still intriguing to me as well, but I'm going to start with the hardboard.
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I made several workbenches with a two-layer 3/4” MDF top, glued and screwed with screw heads countersunk just slightly. I placed a 1/8” tempered Masonite sheet (the really dark brown stuff) on top (smooth both sides) with double-sided tape on one table at the edges and glued with solvent-based contact cement on the other. Trimmed the Masonite with a flush-trimming router bit so the edges were flush. Then edgebanded the package with 1/2” birch hardwood attached with Titebond III and flush trimmed, then edges hit with a 1/8” round-over bit and finished with diluted varnish used as a wipe-on finish then smoothed with steel wool.
The glued Masonite I finished with four coats of satin Zar varnish sanded between coats, then buffed with hard wax. Water-based glue does not stick.
The other table with the taped Masonite I finished with a couple coats of Zinnser brushing shellac to make it semi water-resistant. This Masonite is essentially sacrificial and easily replaced if I ding it up.
The double layer of MDF adds significant weight and stability.
The glued Masonite I finished with four coats of satin Zar varnish sanded between coats, then buffed with hard wax. Water-based glue does not stick.
The other table with the taped Masonite I finished with a couple coats of Zinnser brushing shellac to make it semi water-resistant. This Masonite is essentially sacrificial and easily replaced if I ding it up.
The double layer of MDF adds significant weight and stability.
If you can get some that isn't ludicrously priced, absolutely!!!
Here are a couple of choices not mentioned already:
1) ESD Mat. They have a slightly compliant surface that is good to work on. If you can find some big enough and inexpensive it might be a good choice. Good for working on electronics too .
2) Laminated benchtop. If you find a laminate benchtop supplier they often have a rack of "seconds" where they have some cosmetic blemish, or have run out of laminate before the end of the wood. There is one I go to here and for $50 (about $32USD) I can get a piece up to 5m long, or more, and they have nicely rounded front edges. It is a bit random for color and size but they are great for making workbenches out of. Typically around 38mm thick, sturdy, and wipe clean easily.
1) ESD Mat. They have a slightly compliant surface that is good to work on. If you can find some big enough and inexpensive it might be a good choice. Good for working on electronics too
.2) Laminated benchtop. If you find a laminate benchtop supplier they often have a rack of "seconds" where they have some cosmetic blemish, or have run out of laminate before the end of the wood. There is one I go to here and for $50 (about $32USD) I can get a piece up to 5m long, or more, and they have nicely rounded front edges. It is a bit random for color and size but they are great for making workbenches out of. Typically around 38mm thick, sturdy, and wipe clean easily.
I'll disagree Greg, but I'm an OldGuy™. Hardboard/masonite has a hard, glossy, flat surface that is incomparable for a smooth workbench. Sanding will probably make it worse, not better. Masonite used to sell 4x4 1/8" boards that were perfect; are those even available any more?
I think he was talking about sanding the bench top before putting down hardboard or other surface.
Thanks, apparently I misunderstood. That would seem a lot of effort. Perhaps smearing the bench surface with two-part Bondo, smooth it, and add hardboard before it hardens.
I'm talking about having a somewhat smooth surface for the Masonite to sit on.
It would take maybe less than an hour to sand the particle board smooth. 60 or 80 grit would take it down fast.
My workbench is 1.25" MDF. The screws are countersunk and when I'm routing something I'll cut into the surface. Or drilling something. The fix is mixing up some epoxy like WEST of TotalBoat and adding a thickener and spreading it into the indents. After curing I take my belt sander and sand the epoxy flat to the MDF surface. I haven't replaced the MDF for maybe 30 years.
@prfesser, I'm an old guy too. 73 years & doing pretty good.
But part of the idea, for Neil, was to avoid using power tools so that he doesn't have to buy one along with buying the new top layer material.
and call it done.
This is what I have and love it. Like having a self healing cutting mat on my workbench...
https://www.uline.com/BL_2820/Workbench-Mats
https://www.uline.com/BL_2820/Workbench-Mats
Hmmmm..... a bit expensive but very appealing. I'm a little annoyed my searching didn't turn this up earlier.
Would it be better to mount the vise through something like this, or cut around it? I would imagine it's pretty easy to cut.
Cheaper Amazon version: https://www.amazon.com/Resilia-Work-Bench-Easy-Clean/dp/B0CHVKJX87/. Not nearly as nice but probably acceptable if I want to save some money.
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BMcD
Well-Known Member
Is Masonite a brand of hardboard?
One more intermediate-priced option: at 36x48" self-healing mat, which will run about $75 on Amazon. It would leave about a foot on each side uncovered, which is probably not an issue, since I mostly use the two edges for piling crap rather than actually working.
I think I will either do that or the U-line mat, but it'll have to wait for a little while as I have some work travel coming up.
I think I will either do that or the U-line mat, but it'll have to wait for a little while as I have some work travel coming up.
Yes.
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