Reloading Bench wood finish?

[flyjets]

Whats the best finish for a reloading bench?

I typically treat work tables with Boiled Linseed oil but have heard some guys use Tung Oil anyone else have any other finishes?

Ian

Edited December 28, 2010 by flyjets

[Sarge]

I don't look at a loading bench as furniture. I prefer to make it easier to keep clean. I put two or three coats of spar urethane on it.

[Mark R]

Malamine plywood works good...easy cleanup, smooth finish, easy to drill through. But I would double it up against another surface to give you some rigidity for press operation.

[carter300]

No finish here, Just the over spray from gun oil, case lube, etc.

[Lee G]

I use polyurethane over hardboard. Cut it by 50% mineral spirits and put 2 or 3 coats on. If I could find somewhere to get melamine at reasonable price I would go with that instead. I'm too cheap to use wood so linseed or tung oil wouldn't do too well.

I originally started using MDF/hardboard as cheap disposable work surfaces, but so far I haven't had to dispose of anything. Now I have a ton of jigs and tables made out of it.

Edited December 28, 2010 by Lee G

[gohuskers]

I've done quite a bit of woodworking and I like a couple of different products - Zinsser shellac is good, use several coatings for a very solid surface. Spar urethane, as sarge said, is also very good. A couple of pics of the benches I built for reloading - used Shellac on both.

[Pat Miles]

No finish here, Just the over spray from gun oil, case lube, etc.

+1. Gives it character. No girly finishes here.

Pat

[silvercorvette]

Please don't laugh at my bench, it was the best I could do with the limited space I had. The only thing that needs to be rock solid steady is the bench that holds the press.

I braced the bench against the garage ceiling to prevent it from moving when I seated the primers on the up stroke. I intended on building a large solid bench when I moved from NY but now that I have plenty of space in my garages I decided to keep the setup and use a spare bedroom for my reloading room because it will be warm in the winter and air conditioned in the summer.

The top of the tool stand is cabinet grade plywood coated with urethane.

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: Stainless steel is the best. Easy cleanup. I have been using a rub on poly on an old cabinet I am restoring. It goes on easily and looks great. Thanks, Eric

[gohuskers]

Eric, do you have any pictures of your setup? I've always thought that if I get a dedicated building/shed for my reloading, guns, etc. I'll have a large custom stainless set-up, much like a welding table.

[GOF]

Minwax "Wipe On Poly" is a very durable Polyurehtane coating for wood surfaces that's easy to apply, lasts long, provides a smooth and easy to clean surface... and doesn't cost a lot. It's also real easy to touch up if you scrape or gouge it. I've used it on rifle and handgun grips for years and it's pretty "bullet proof".

GOF

Edited December 28, 2010 by GOF

[benos]

Moved for better exposure.

be

[Bello]

none for me either just plain old piece of plywood

[GrumpyOne]

I'm all for having some kind of finish on your bench, if you have something laying around to finish it. Buying something to finish your bench (like polyurethane or the like) is a waste of money which could be better spent on components. That being said, I have that kind of stuff laying around from various projects, but my bench is made of plain old pressure treated 2" x 6" boards, screwed together with 3" screws. It won't win any beauty contest (it wouldn't even be allowed in one! ), but why would it? It's a loading bench, not a piece of art.

[bmgm37]

Well, having a cabinet shop I have tried several different tops over the years and the best I have found to date is 1 1/4" thick MDF with Clear Poly finish. The MDF is dense, strong and durable. Easy to saw, route edges and drill. The top where I do cleaning is melamine because there isnt a chemical that will hurt it...not even Lacquer Thinner! The cabinets themselves are made of Diamond Plate pattern Melamine....it was that or Carbon Fiber and now they even have it in Mossy Oak.

[Jonathan Taliani]

My top is 3/4" MDF with 3/4" Red Oak attached to the top with liquid nails. The oak is baby smooth with a natural stain and four coats of polyurethane.

[sirveyr]

No finish here, Just the over spray from gun oil, case lube, etc.

+1. Gives it character. No girly finishes here.

Pat

Same here. I think that the burn marks left behind from when I burn my spilled powder gives it character. There is a story with every gouge, stain, missing chunk, CSI style blood splattering, and scribbled note that is on my bench. I just write all of my load data on the bench...it makes it harder for me to lose.

[gohuskers]

I'm all for having some kind of finish on your bench, if you have something laying around to finish it. Buying something to finish your bench (like polyurethane or the like) is a waste of money which could be better spent on components. That being said, I have that kind of stuff laying around from various projects, but my bench is made of plain old pressure treated 2" x 6" boards, screwed together with 3" screws. It won't win any beauty contest (it wouldn't even be allowed in one! ), but why would it? It's a loading bench, not a piece of art.

I'm not so sure $5 is going to get you a lot of components but every cent helps; besides, like you said, most homeowners have this laying around.

It's not so much about making a bench look "pretty" or "nice" but preping the word for years of use and ongoing abuse, moreover preventing it from shrinking, swelling and warping to the extent that you have to deal with the problem several years down the road. Of the numerous woodworking benches I've made and seen abused by years of heavy-duty work, they've never needed any sort of touch-up or overhaul. They just work. Plus the sturdiness of a 300 pound bench is kind of nice when you're cranking along - no movement, no need to brace anything, just solid. Is it overkill? Probably. But i've got the equipment, the know-how, and the cost of raw wood to make the bench is cheaper for me then buying a $100 worth of product and slapping it together. And I just plain like "pretty" stuff.

[Kevin G.]

I've done quite a bit of woodworking and I like a couple of different products - Zinsser shellac is good, use several coatings for a very solid surface. Spar urethane, as sarge said, is also very good. A couple of pics of the benches I built for reloading - used Shellac on both.

My first thought as I admire this bench is that I see a bit of curly maple around the edges. Is that right? Nice job.

I used Minwax fast drying polyurethane on my bench and have not been very happy with it. It has cracked in a couple of places although that could be fro application error.

Is Zinsser shellac available at common hardware stores or would I need to visit a woodworking shop?

[gohuskers]

Good eye, Kevin. That's what the edging is. what you're looking at is an old church door that was going to be thrown in the trash; I refinished it with curly maple edging after ripping it down to remove the hardware notches. Zinsser Bulls-Eye Shellac is available in all the big box stores like Home Depot, Lowes, Menards. You can dilute the cut with denatured alcohol - just look on the back of the can for more info.

[MarkCO]

I used Polyurethane on mine. Clear stain. 2 coats. Easy to fix up if needed.

[glock-n-roll]

I just used Minwax semi-gloss polyurethane on mine. 4 coats just to the top to make cleanup easier.

[JAFO]

A friend of mine built my bench for me when i still lived in an apartment and had no space or tools to build one myself. "Overbuilt" may be an appropriate term. He used double-layered 3/4" plywood for the top and single-layer 3/4" plywood for the cabinets, which are mounted to a 2x4 frame. He used polyurethane to finish the top, and I think he told me it took twelve coats to get a smooth finish.

It is heavy, and currently located on the second floor of the house. When my friend agreed to help me move in, he hadn't counted on that! Thankfully, the top comes off the frame.

Edited January 3, 2011 by JAFO

[GrumpyOne]

A friend of mine built my bench for me when i still lived in an apartment and had no space or tools to build one myself. "Overbuilt" may be an appropriate term. He used double-layered 3/4" plywood for the top and single-layer 3/4" plywood for the cabinets, which are mounted to a 2x4 frame. He used polyurethane to finish the top, and I think he told me it took twelve coats to get a smooth finish.

It is heavy, and currently located on the second floor of the house. When my friend agreed to help me move in, he hadn't counted on that! Thankfully, the top comes off the frame.

I see someone else has found a great use for the plastic cat litter buckets!

[flyjets]

Thanks

Guys

I ended up with Boiled Lin Seed then 2 coats of Poly.

Ian

Edited January 4, 2011 by flyjets