Material for Workbench Top

[OPJ]

Hi all,

Well, I haven't been around here much for a long while but when I did come back not long ago, I was quietly pleased to see there is now a sub-forum for metalworking, as this might kind of tie-in with my day job!

I've spent the last couple of years making packing cases for a company with contracts in the aerospace and defence industry. It's barely woodwork as much as it's been 'nailing sheets of ply together' but in the last few months, I've been given an opportunity to step in to a brand-new department where we focusing on items like flight cases (where as before, we have only really made "boxes using flight case materials"...). We're talking about bespoke flight cases and, although I've never been much of a metalworker, I'm enjoying this.

Because of the nature of our business, the clients we supply and their specifications, I'm unable to show you too much about what we make but you can probably imagine what a flight case looks like (or Google it).

So, we've got a workbench made of a tube and bracket construction with a 25mm birch plywood top that we use for assembly. My prime concern is that the plywood won't last and it's already looking quite worn in places after finishing a large case this week (almost 8'x4' in size!). Over time, I can see swarf and metal deposits finding their way in to the scratches and crannies which could then have an effect on scratching and defacing our products (not good).

We want to keep the plywood top because it has four cut-outs (one in each corner - I must take a photo) that allow you to fit custom-made jigs for holding components for assembly (pipes, extrusion, etc). So, although I've not yet raised this issue with my superior, I'm thinking about some kind of scratch-resistant 'skin' that can be fitted directly over the ply...

Formica? Some kind of poly... Propylene? Lexan?

Google surprisingly doesn't thrown up many suggestions. One thought I had this morning was to cover it with 5mm of felt but then I would still be concerned about filings and swarf getting trapped within the weave and having to be blown out with compressed air (hazardous). I don't believe that lacquer would add anything practical.

If you have any suggestions of your own for a scratch-resistant material that won't damage any metal or plastic parts place on top, then it would be great to hear from you. Along with a photo of the bench, I'll see if I can share with you some of the 'toys' I now get to play with as well! ;-)

Hope you're all keeping well.

Olly

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Hardboard? Just replace it every few weeks if it gets damaged. Cheap.

 

[lincs1963]

The felt that is used on glass cutting tables is very good, sweep it clean but if anything is left on it, it is pushed into the felt rather than your work.
It is very thick felt, probably about half an inch.

 

[AndyT]

How about proper old-school lino? It's quite easy to get from any decent floor covering supplier, is hard enough to work on but has just enough give in it to avoid damaging the work.

 

[Inspector]

I work inspecting aircraft parts and before they are sent out for processing and paint I like putting single sided corrugated cardboard from the shipping department on the bench top with the corrugated side up. http://www.google.ca/search?q=single+si ... 1209&dpr=1 It lets the dust etc., lay between the corrugations and cuts down on scratching. When it gets a little beat up it goes into the recycling bin. Painted stuff is set upon packing foam or bubble wrap.

Something else that works well is to have a roll of "butchers paper" mounted at the end of the bench below the top. Pull it out and tape the corners to the bench and when it is worn, torn or cruddy it is cut off and goes into the recycling bin. A new length is pulled for another round of work.

A hard surface like formica is slippery and is not what you want when doing assembly work with hard materials like the aluminium corner extrusions. Slips to the floor to much. :shock:

Pete

 

[Lons]

A hard surface like formica is slippery and is not what you want when doing assembly work with hard materials like the aluminium corner extrusions. Slips to the floor to much.

Same applies to polypropelene and pretty much any available sheet plastic. Polyprop is great otherwise as glue etc won't stick to it and dead easy to clean though it does scratch. I have a 4 x 4 sheet I put on the bench for glueing up.

If within budget an option might be a sheet of engineering plastic such a Tufnol but it's expensive. From memory, a 4 x 4 sheet of 1/4" was around a £100

Bob

 

[AES]

@OPJ:

I'm with phil p on this one. I use hardboard on my own metalwoork bench. It does scratch/get marked, etc, etc, but if you keep sweeping and wiping the worst off it lasts much longer than you'd expect and it's quick, cheap, & easy to replace when you the time does come.

Krgds
AES

 

[ColeyS1]

What about some nice long 60x 25 ish bearers with off cuts of carpet stuck to one side ?

Sent from my GT-I9300

 

[twothumbs]

Another possiblity is the plastic faced shuttering ply. I have forgotten the name for the moment...someone will remember if it sounds useful. It is brown plastic faced and is used where a good concrete finish is wanted and tough. 8x4 or 10x4 sheets I think. It is dearer and heavier than plain ply of course but time is money, etc. Or hardboard as throw away. make a few at a time with holes cut out. Perspex sheet possibly but expensive? Best wishes to you.

 

[Shrubby]

Olly
Have a look at Delignit products
They make van linings ,bench tops and bulletproof plywood from compressed Beech they have different surface finishes - non slip etc
I've been to visit a munitions case factory in Croydon but he did the huge naval shells
Matt

 

[Eric The Viking]

+1 for hardboard.

Hard to beat for cost-effectiveness, and the oiled stuff is pretty tough. If you're dealing with softer materials, use the corrugated side upwards, and/or a removers' blanket.

 

[Jacob]

There's all sorts of tough laminates like Formica. Trespa do a thick one. It's very tough - I've got a bit as a worktop. It was a building site off cut, Trespa used as cladding on high rise building
If not materials then design - a well takes up debris, or a trad assembly bench with hardwood battens (say 50mm square with 50mm gaps between) allows debris to fall through and is easy to keep clear. Tools fall through as well but you could have a board underneath to catch stuff.