Replies

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Feb 21, 2007 07:08am | #1

   Waterlox (I assume you mean original/sealer) is an excellent wipe on varnish.  When shellac won't do, and I don't need to build a serious film where I would use a brush on varnish such as Behlen Rock Hard, Waterlox is a favorite. 

   That said, I would not use any film finish on a work bench.  The best finish, in my opinion, is none at all, though a couple of coats of an oil/varnish such as Watco makes it pretty.  Film finishes are slippery at times, and interfer with flattening the top periodically if it needs it.  It's also too "nice", so it would inhibiting rougher uses of a bench.  They are tools, not furniture, and will provide decades of good service, even if you drive a nail into it occasionally, or spill a little stain. 

2. 
   HowardAcheson | Feb 21, 2007 07:45pm | #2

   Let me take a somewhat contrary position on workbench treatments. IMO, a film finish (lacquer, shellac, varnish, poly varnish) is not the way to go. A workbench is going to get dinged and film finishes will crack or craze or be otherwise damaged. Once a film finish is penetrated, it looses its effectiveness and adjacent areas begin to fail. I much favor a "in the wood finish". Here are two that lots of folks find effective.

   First, is an boiled linseed oil and wax finish. Sand the surface to 180 grit. Mix paraffin or bees wax into heated boiled linseed oil. USE A DOUBLE BOILER TO HEAT THE OIL. The ratio is not critical but about 5-6 parts of boiled linseed oil in a double boiler with one part paraffin or beeswax shaved in. Take it off the stove. Thin this mixture about 50/50 with mineral spirits to make a heavy cream like liquid. Apply this mixture to the benchtop liberally and allow to set overnight. Do it again the next day and again the following day if the top continues to absorb it. After a final overnight, lightly scrape off any excess wax and buff. This finish will minimize the absorbsion of any water and you can use a damp rag to wipe up any glue excess. Dried glue will pop right off the surface. Renewal or repair is easy. Just use a scraper to remove and hardened stuff, wipe down with mineral spirits using a 3/0 steel wool pad, wipe off the gung and apply another coat of mineral oil/wax mixture.

   My personal preference is for an oil/varnish mixture treatment. Either use Minwax Tung Oil Finish, Minwax Antique oil or a homebrew of equal parts of boiled linseed oil, your favorite varnish or poly varnish and mineral spirits. Sand the benchtop up to 180 grit. Apply the mixture heavily and keep it wet for 15-30 minutes. Wipe off any excess completely. Let it dry overnight and the next day, apply another coat using 4/0 steel wool. Let it set and then wipe off any excess. Let this dry 48-72 hours. Apply a coat of furniture paste wax and you're done. This treatment is somewhat more protective than the wax and mineral oil as the varnish component adds some protection from not only water both some other chemicals also. The waxing makes the surface a little more impervious to water so you can wipe up any liquid adhesive. It also allows hardened wax to be scraped off. Repair and renewal is easy. Just go throught the same scraping, wiping down with mineral spirits and reapplication of the BLO/varnish/mineral spirits mixture and an application of paste wax.

   Both of the above treatments are quite protective but are easy to maintain and renew. They do not fail when the surface takes a ding.

   Howie.........