Reloading Bench Finishing Questions Stain vs Paint

[rmantoo]

This is Phase 1 of 2.

It doesn't look like it, but it's all square and true, within 1/32".

My question are:

1. Paint or stain?

On my past workbenches, I've painted them all white. It's easy to clean, and really easy to see parts when I drop them.

However, the plywood I'm going to use is beautiful Maple, and my step son pointed out that if I stained the top it would really bring it out.

2. Workbench top overhang. I'm currently planning on having 2 layers of 3/4" plywood overhang the front by 3 1/2", and with a 'facia' 1 x 3 right below that, for an unsupported overhang of 2 1/2"... since I'm not a good enough carpenter to build a toe-kick area under the bench, I'm going to make up for it with such a large overhang... Is this too much?

I'm going to mount my 550 and 1050 on this bench.

Edited November 16, 2013 by rmantoo

[retarmyaviator]

I used a hardwood plywood for my most recent bench. After staining I applied several coats of satin polyurethane and was very pleased with the results.

Edited November 16, 2013 by retarmyaviator

[bigdawgbeav]

go for stain...

[ranger]

I used a hardwood plywood for my most recent bench. After staining I applied several coats of satin polyurethane and was very pleased with the results.

I did the same. makes for easy cleanup.

[bajadudes]

Light stain with several coats of polyurethane. Will clean up just as easily and with that light colored wood parts will show up just fine.

I think the overhang is too big if you intend on mounting the Dillons right on the edge even with 1-1/2" thickness of plywood.

I would shorten it to 1-1/2 and rip a 2x4 in half to put under it. This way you have a small strong lip and it's not to thick to temporarily clamp things to it.

[rmantoo]

Thanks guys!

I think you've pushed me over the edge intot the 'stain and poly' camp. Stain it is!

[rmantoo]

So what color for the back splash? And 'side' splash? Same as bench top, or painted white like the walls?

I think i'm going to stain the bench top VERY light, almost clear, do the front legs darker, and do the cabinet doors (which will go on the face, between the 4x4 uprights) the same shade as the bench top.

So the legs will contrast with the bench top and the cabinet doors. Should I make the back/side splash contrast, too? CRAP I HATE DECORATING/DESIGN stuff.

And how tall for the back/side splashes? The top is 76" wide, and 28 inches deep. I'm thinking 6" high, all the way around?

I'm going to make them out of either the same plywood as the top, or perhaps poplar...

[latech15]

I typically use MDF for a top with white formica for a counter top. It brightens everything up and I can make notes on the formica with a pencil and it cleans right up with clorox cleanup. Than being said, I would stain yours since you already have the maple ply. The MDF/Formica solution would probably be cheaper than maple ply for the next one.

[BMartens]

Your overhang is to much. If you mount directly to the bench top you need a minimum of 3/4" overhang. I would not go over 1 1/2". I know from experience that 3-4" overhang will flex to much.

[TonyK]

That "maple" ply in the picture is Red Oak by the way... No matter what the salesman or the guy who put it in your rig might have said.

But I wouldn't stain it. Since you are only going to use it as a load bench it would be much simpler to just wipe it down with Watco oil. Watco will seal things up, it's simple to apply (wipe on, wipe off) and looks good as well. Easy to touch things up later too. If they don't sell Watco in your part of the country just ask about a Danish Oil.

Fir/Hemlock legs and stretchers won't take finish the same way as the ply but will look fine just wiped down with the same oil.

Red Oak looks really good with an oil finish and will get darker over time.

Looks like you will have a nice stout bench to work on when your finished.

[rmantoo]

I have 1 sheet of maple and 1 of oak.. just didn't get a good pic of both.

Well... if 2 1/2" is too much overhang, would it be ok to screw a 4x4 to the frame below the bench top and have the bench top flush with that? I realy need that overhang as I have no toe kick area, and without it, standing at the bench is going to be really uncomfortable.

[BMartens]

You can brace out for the bench top but, it must be extremely solid. If you mount direct to the bench top you must also have at least 3/4" overhang. With a tall bench you can get by with little to no toe kick area.

[rishii]

+1 on the 4x4

I built a bench similar to your, but not as nice, and I mounted 4x4's cross beams under where the press is

Nice and solid, nothing moves, another thing I did was push the mounting bolts up from the bottom , with about 3/4" of the bolt sticking up above the press, it doesn't look as nice.

But when I need to remove the press, I simply undo the nuts from the top and lift the press off

[rishii]

Another suggestion is I would build a bottom shelf,

I did it with a 2x4 frame laying flush with the floor, and a plywood top

And that's where I put all my heavy stuff, bullets, tool boxes etc

The weight on the bottom helps keep the bench from moving while reloading

[TonyK]

Just don't run the doors all the way to the floor and there is the toe kick you need...

Toe kick and overhang isn't all that important if you stand as you run your press like I do. I have excess junk under my press so there is no toe kick and my 650 actually sits about 6 inches back from the edge on a raised oak platform. I even had to notch the front edge to clear the handle. This puts the base of my press at 44" from the floor.

I did mine this way because I prefer to stand and I needed to get the press away from the edge of the bench because I have a small shop and need the room when I am not using the press.

You could also add a solid block of maple or oak to the top as a mount for your presses. This would bring it out from the edge and could be solidly bolted to the bench top.

As long as things don't move that aren't supposed to, there are no wrong ways to build it. All comes down to personal preference.

Edited November 17, 2013 by TonyK

[rmantoo]

Thanks for all of the suggestions and advice, guys! It's helps a LOT.

TonyK I really like your mount. That looks sturdy.

My benchtop is going to be 42 3/4" high. I've played with blocks under my 550's current bench (really just an end table that's been sheathed on 5 sides with 15/32" plywood, as I use it in my RV when traveling)

Even without the benchtop mounted yet, it's already VERY sturdy. The legs, supports, and upper frame are all screwed together with 3 1/2" wood screws and in some places metal brackets, too, then it's all screwed into studs to the sides and rear, starting 4" above the floor, all the way up to the support frame for the benchtop. The benchtop support frame sits on top of the 4x4s in front, and on top of 2x4s in the rear- tied to all of them with wood screws and metal brackets, with liquid nails between everything.

I only weigh 175, but I stood on top of the frame, jumped up and down, and my wife saw no movement at all.

All right, enough typing. My first coat of Kilz should be dry engough to continue. Later guys!

[TroyB]

I used melamine for the top of my reloading bench, cleans easy and sturdy and didn't have to do anything but bolt it down.

[zsavage81]

Yea that's oak! First thing I saw when I looked at the picture. If I were you I'd double up my plywood as stated and then run a hardwood edge band across the front edge of the joined plywood. I would use 3/4 thick (what is usually referred to by industry people as 13/16 SLR) and rip it at least 1.5" (3/4 plywood + 3/4 plywood= 1.5, but you could make it anything over 1.5. 2" would work, hell 10" would work, it's whatever you like). Flush the edge of the hardwood to the top of the work surface, glue the crap out of it with wood glue and either biscuit or nail it. Then you can belt sand it flush and route an edge profile on it if you wish (I like a nice size round over or a bull nose). The hardwood band adds structure to the top and makes for a nice clean, professional edge.

Your overhang should be fine, mine is like 8" and it works really well.

[RammerJammer]

I just stain certain parts of mine. I use kroil,hoppes 9, coffee, one shot etc.

[moose76]

I vote for straight poly, l'm partial to the natural color of the wood and it makes parts and pieces easier to see.

[RePete]

I used a white gloss enamel on my benchtop.

I find it easier to see things and clean up.

The original finish is still good after 23 years.

[gp79]

One of my benches has a maple plywood top, the other I used an oak plywood top. Initially I used boiled linseed oil. Worked great but what I didn't like about it was it was hard to clean up. It attracted stains. I sanded it completely and slapped 3-4 coats of semi gloss spar varnish on it. It brings out the grain in the wood nicely, protects it and takes nothing more than a sweep or a wipe to clean it up. It's also like a thin candy shell. Plywood isn't very tough and if you ever slice through it, can / will collapse the plys.

[outerlimits]

Four coats of varathane works wonders.