Workbench surface questions

[JDay]

I just put a Tekmat on mine.

[CK_32]

Carpets, plastic mats, lacquer if you don't mind patches from spills or scratches.

I've tried all 3 for mine, had a work bench that was bare wood which lasted me a long while. Take care of your bench and it takes care of you. They just aren't meant to be pretty.

[CK_32]

Whatever you choose, don't permanently attach it. That way you can change it out easily for cleanliness or because you want a different material to work on.

And this^

[dls]

Mine are both 1/4" steel. If I'm working on somthing delicat I use a small portable top around 2' square padded and coverd with some felt type stuff. Or I use a towel.

[Mitch]

3x on the masonite.
I have it on my loading bench also.
Bench is wood 2x4 with 4x4 legs.
3/4" ply top cut to size and a little liquid nails and trim nails hold the Masonite down.

Yep. Back in the day I used to bang these benches together five at a time:

[ElDub1950]

If it was a dedicated gun bench a leather surface would be nice .. stains give it character

But seems like it would be wasted on a general purpose workbench.

[Dodahdude]

My work bench has a wood base with carpeting over that. When I do any solvent and oiling I lay a piece of cardboard over the carpeting. The solvents and oil soak into the cardboard. This way I can discard any contaminated surface to the trash and still have a clean contaminant free work surface.

[Bansh88]

Whats wrong with just wood?

I'm using a 2nd generation Workbench. My Dad built it in 1983. Tjough, I've raised it and replaced the legs. Thick sheet of MDF/particle board. Thing is a champ. Drilled into it, cut into it, stains, kids write on it. I love it. It's character!
Quickest photo I could find

[JDay]

I'd replace that MDF surface with a butcher block. Gets rid of flex if you mount a vice or press.

[ConcealedKalifornia]

Depending on what you do, you can also get a little extra protection with one of those big rubber grid mats from an art store.

Something like this



I use one on my bench all the time and its pretty awesome.

[Bansh88]

I'd replace that MDF surface with a butcher block. Gets rid of flex if you mount a vice or press.

Ive got a vice and a grinder mounted. It's supported all around with 2x4s and 4x4 legs. No flex.

[bug_eyedmonster]

I have two separate benches, the work bench and loading bench. The loading bench is lacquered and has no cover with a vise and a shelf built into it for tool heads. The work bench I use 90% of the time for gun-related tasks. The 10% can be random projects for stuff around the house, or working on knives and car/truck stuff. The reason why I want something with some give is because I clean/work on guns of all different lengths and sizes, all of which get pushed around or slid to some degree on the surface. I was showing a friend how to take apart and clean his new trap gun and he slid the barrel out of the way, right across a piece of recoil spring I had cut and thought flew off the bench (it was super small, like 1/5 a coil), put a nice scratch in the barrel finish.

A rubber mat might do the job, or I might keep one side carpeted and do leather on the other side. The rubber grid mat might work also, I'll stop by Michael's and see what sizes they come in. Thanks for all the help guys!

[Southwest Chuck]

I haven't seen this mentioned, so I'll just throw this out there. Many people don't know that there are 2 types of Masonite (or hardboard) available; tempered and un-tempered. The most common type found though, is untempered. The tempered type is harder, more durable, and more water/stain resistant, due to the way it's manufactured. In the tempering process, the board is covered with linseed oil and then flash heated. For a workbench, this is what I'd recommend. It is usually carried by regular lumber yards but some Home Depots do carry it. On my workbenches, I use tempered due to the wear / stain advantages offered by tempered Masonite. It also lasts about 3x's the lifetime of untempered, and thus saves me money in the long run.

[elsolo]

Masonite.

If I am doing something that calls for it, lay down a puppy potty pad to give a clean, padded surface that soaks up fluids and gets thrown away.

[Lead Waster]

My benches have masonite on them. Stains? Replace the masonite when you can't take it anymore. The masonite is just pinned in with a few brads.

If you want, put a coating of poly on it, or paint or Johnson's Paste Wax.