(Topic ID: 226455)

Work surfaces. What do you suggest?

By PghPinballRescue

5 years ago


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  • 23 posts
  • 17 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 5 years ago by lowbeau67
  • Topic is favorited by 2 Pinsiders

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    #1 5 years ago

    I am looking at replacing/upgrading both of my workbench work surfaces.
    They'll both accept a standard kitchen counter top, but I am not so sure on the durability of laminate countertop.

    I'd ultimately like to get a big piece of butcherblock to use, but at 4' for each, thats cost prohibitive.

    So I'm wondering what everyone else uses, what works, what doesn't, and maybe come up with something affordable and won't scratch easily.

    I'll primarily be soldering, capping monitors, repairing boards, etc...

    #2 5 years ago

    Take a ride over to Baird Brother’s out by me

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    #3 5 years ago
    Quoted from Skypilot:

    Take a ride over to Baird Brother’s out by me
    [quoted image]

    Too expensive.

    Maybe down the road I'll eventually upgrade to that, but for now I need something roughly 1/2 that price for both benches.

    #4 5 years ago
    Quoted from PghPinballRescue:

    Too expensive.
    Maybe down the road I'll eventually upgrade to that, but for now I need something roughly 1/2 that price for both benches.

    find someone redoing the kitchen. snag the old counter tops and use those. I have two benches from countertops that where pretty much free to build. One of the countertops is pretty much wood with a durable laminate and has a metal frame around the bottom, really sturdy. The other is more of a basic long kitchen countertop reinforced with 2x4, but it is plenty fine for me. 2x4 horizontal into the cement wall to make a shelf for the back end. Then two 2x4s vertical for front legs. I like them tall so I can stand at or sit with a high drafting type chair.

    #5 5 years ago
    Quoted from barakandl:

    find someone redoing the kitchen. snag the old counter tops and use those. I have two benches from countertops that where pretty much free to build. One of the countertops is pretty much wood with a durable laminate and has a metal frame around the bottom, really sturdy. The other is more of a basic long kitchen countertop reinforced with 2x4, but it is plenty fine for me. 2x4 horizontal into the cement wall to make a shelf for the back end. Then two 2x4s vertical for front legs. I like them tall so I can stand at or sit with a high drafting type chair.

    I've been scouring letgo, FB marketplace, offerup, and CL for a few weeks now. Seems like whenever a suitable countertop comes up for free (or cheap) they're too small, cut at a 45, or have a sink in them. A 4ft (or 6ft, I forget now what size I even need) unadulterated countertop is hard to find.

    #6 5 years ago

    I'm using an old school door, very heavy and very solid. You might find old slab doors at a salvage yard or an abandoned factory or something.

    #7 5 years ago

    For me, nothing beats a low cost Harbor Freight bench deal. Real solid butcher block top and built like a tank. They are on sale virtually Every other week. I have 3 now and paid from $92 to 110 depending on the flyer or coupon you snag. No clue how they can build something like this for so little but they are affordable, large, and very rugged for all use.

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    #8 5 years ago
    Quoted from PghPinballRescue:

    Too expensive.
    Maybe down the road I'll eventually upgrade to that, but for now I need something roughly 1/2 that price for both benches.

    Your kidding right? you have 83 games in your collection and a 210.00 top is to steep. Your killlin me Smalls

    #9 5 years ago

    Mine are made up of 2x8's with Masonite on top.

    #10 5 years ago
    Quoted from Skypilot:

    Your kidding right? you have 83 games in your collection and a 210.00 top is to steep. Your killlin me Smalls

    Those 83 games are all clients' games. I put them in my collection so I see posts and FS items easier.

    #11 5 years ago

    I built mine out of a bowling alley lane. Heavy as heck. Doesnt warp.

    #12 5 years ago

    Go to Lowes and get a 4'x4'x8' sheet of oak plywood, $55. Cut to size, there will be enough to make a 4" back splash, stain and apply 3 coats floor grade polyurethane.

    #13 5 years ago

    Piece of plywood with several coats of spar varnish.

    Last for decades.

    #14 5 years ago

    I suggest leaving the area immediately when work surfaces.

    wait....i may have read that wrong.........

    #15 5 years ago
    Quoted from pinzrfun:

    I suggest leaving the area immediately when work surfaces.

    RUN AWAY!!!

    ( - :

    #16 5 years ago
    Quoted from Yelobird:

    For me, nothing beats a low cost Harbor Freight bench deal. Real solid butcher block top and built like a tank. They are on sale virtually Every other week. I have 3 now and paid from $92 to 110 depending on the flyer or coupon you snag. No clue how they can build something like this for so little but they are affordable, large, and very rugged for all use.
    [quoted image]

    Are these really that sturdy? Every time I see one in the store, they are so wobbly, I'm afraid to even touch it. My experience with anything Harbor Freight is very poor quality

    #17 5 years ago
    Quoted from Hop-Pac:

    Are these really that sturdy? Every time I see one in the store, they are so wobbly, I'm afraid to even touch it. My experience with anything Harbor Freight is very poor quality

    This model is. I have at least 500 pounds of tooling on them and I could easily jump on the table. It’s all solid wood.

    #18 5 years ago
    Quoted from Bryan_Kelly:

    Mine are made up of 2x8's with Masonite on top.

    Yep I used Masonite as well with this bench I found online. Probably doesn't look as good as other things but it's a work surface, not a shuffleboard.

    https://www.familyhandyman.com/DIY-Projects/Woodworking/Workbenches/how-to-build-a-workbench-super-simple-50-bench/view-all/

    #19 5 years ago

    I have particle board that was on bench when bought house. But covered with peel n stick floor tiles ( cudos to the wife who suggested it) on entire surface. Durable, almost nothing sticks to them ( glue, solder dripes, etc ) and bought extra at .77 per tile, so if really damage one, peel and pop in a new one. Which in 4 years haven’t had to do yet. Btw: used the same in our kitchen cabinet shelves.

    #20 5 years ago

    I used to buy truck trailer flooring, basically an oak butcher block. You could get small pieces cheap (6-8’ X30” wide)

    My guy was Lewisohn out of nj. I think they went out a couple of years ago. Might look around for trailer mfg’s in your area.

    Heavy as hell though....

    1 week later
    #21 5 years ago

    This is what I ended up going with:

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    #22 5 years ago

    Best worktop is MDF.

    It comes in 49x97 sheet, so even after ripping it in half, you will still have more than 24" of surface.

    When it becomes too chewed up, you flip it over and get a fresh surface to use

    Because it's cheap, you can drill through it to clamp items down, without guilt.

    If you need something dead flat for glue up, make a Torsion Box work surface out of MDF, it will never warp

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    #23 5 years ago

    2 4x8 sheets of 3/4 mdf glued together with thin sheet of white hardboard screwed on top of mdf at corners. When one side is toasty flip hardboard over to get extended life. Have used the old white hardboard tops as a designated mobile sliding floor in bed of truck for ease of loading pinball machines. Works great.

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