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NEW STUDIO BENCH TOPS
We are about to re- new all the tops to our work benches and up to now we have used 6mm MDF on them.
All benches (about 40 metres in total by 1220mm) are regularly wetted when mounting vinyls and painted when painting vinyls! and do get very well cut into when trimming carrier.
I would like some idea what all you guys use on your bench tops i’m sure you have some innovative ideas- mega cutting mats perhaps or 10mm foamex etc. etc.
Our benches are a very important part of a clean workshop and quality work MDF has never been a success as dust is always a problem
I look forward to some suggestions. I would like to mount whatever I use in 2440 x 1220mm sheets if possible
over to you experts!!
Steve -
8 Replies
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I covered my workbench top with 5mm coloured forrex sheet (grey coloured).
Coloured because it looks a bit better (try and keep white clean), and also because the pigmented boards seem to be denser (and harder wearing) than ordinary white forrex.
It’s worked fine for me and is a pretty inexpensive way to finish the bench.
Previously my workbench top was simply varnished MDF. However with all of the wetting it gets and small craft knife cuts, it was soon full of bulges and roughness where the water gets into the MDF and caused it to swell up.
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I have a kitchen work top but i do recall there was a post on this before, might be worth a search.
Afew were using some sort of metal i recall
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My prep table is simply chip board with 5mm high gloss foamboard on top (mounted with contact adhesive)
Andy
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can’t ever recall seeing any adverts for professionally made workbenches for our trade maybe that’s something else the UKSG could make and market they could incorporate power fed carrier dispensers overhead electricity feeds etc etc any views on that? (?)
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I built a custom bench out of an old light box I took down its 12′ x 4′ with 2x 2′ end peices made of mdf to hold the app tape rollers at each end total bench size 16′ x 4′. I fitted 5 mm opel to difuse the light inside the box on 100 mm clear acrylic supports that span from eather side of the frame with cut outs for the tubes and give good solid support.
On that 6 mm toughend class into the frame and to top it off 3mm polyprop from amari its like a cutting mat ( Henry’s idea) it all works a treat you can cut weed and its a huge light box for referencing intricate work. glass is great to cut and tape on and touch wood no breakages yet. id post a scetch of how it was made if I knew how to.
Regards Neil….
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Neil that’s well clever!
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i read that lino is a good material, cutting matt qualities, no joins, wonderful colours and patterns, easily cleaned with a mop?
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We use lino to cover our bench tops. There are a lot of diffent types, as in soft or hard, If you get a medium to hard type it lasts for a long time. You can pick it up pretty cheap if you ask for end of rolls, or look for the ugly stuff 😆 .
The best lino i have had had a 25mm chequered pattern on it in black and white. It was excellent for lining up jobs and saved a lot of measuruing.
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