Workbench TWO - Day 29

The objective is finishing the top and base.

Full disclosure… The “Days” have become more of a group of days that all relate to the same process.

After a great amount of discussion with other woodworkers, especially at HandWorks 2015, I finally came to a decision about the finishes for the workbench.

One option was to do nothing. No Finish ! I was talked out of this by several people. I was also concerned the top would absorb glue and other stuff. I also just felt like the wonderful maple that I used for all the construction deserved some love.

The final decision was to treat the top of the bench with a BLO + Bees Wax + Mineral spirits. This would provide a top that would resist stains, and glue. The bees wax would also provide some sticky to the top, which I really wanted. My thanks to the wonderful people at Woodnet.net for this posting. The details for this are in the commentary in the pictures.

My formula for this top treatment mixture was:

16 oz BLO. This was the whole can.
6 oz Bees Wax
64 oz No Odor Mineral Spirits.

The base and top faces would be finished with General Finishes Enduro Var. This would be a 3 coat satin finish. My standard poly finish is 3 coats sanded with 220 after the first and 400 after the second coat. I use a white rubbing pad after the final coat.

Now for a fun video !!!