Hi all
I've had real fun this weekend resurrecting the second hand workbench I bought from my school when one of the woodwork rooms was refitted a few years ago (sadly the refitted room has now been closed down!). The bench is made from beech but I'm sure you can imagine the abuse it had taken in about 30 years of use. The top was scarred, graffited, had gouges scored in the surface and a fair few panel pins nailed in. I thought I would be able to plane it down but on closer inspection the damage was too great - my solution: take the bench top apart, turn the pieces over and put the well at the back instead of at the middle where it was originally. Then a few hours planing the thing level! I've started sanding it now but am thinking about the finish. Two questions:
1 - does it need to be finished?
2 - is Danish oil a suitable finish?
Thanks for any advice you may have.
Stewart
P.S. Does anyone else spend longer tinkering with the workshop than actually making anything?
I've had real fun this weekend resurrecting the second hand workbench I bought from my school when one of the woodwork rooms was refitted a few years ago (sadly the refitted room has now been closed down!). The bench is made from beech but I'm sure you can imagine the abuse it had taken in about 30 years of use. The top was scarred, graffited, had gouges scored in the surface and a fair few panel pins nailed in. I thought I would be able to plane it down but on closer inspection the damage was too great - my solution: take the bench top apart, turn the pieces over and put the well at the back instead of at the middle where it was originally. Then a few hours planing the thing level! I've started sanding it now but am thinking about the finish. Two questions:
1 - does it need to be finished?
2 - is Danish oil a suitable finish?
Thanks for any advice you may have.
Stewart
P.S. Does anyone else spend longer tinkering with the workshop than actually making anything?