# Workbench finish



## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

I am close to completing my "last" workbench - a "new fangled" workbench made out of whitewood for the legs and douglas fir for the top.

I REALLY want to make my own "Danish" oil mix for the finish for it.

I realize that I have brought this subject up before. I don't want to beat a dead horse, and I PROMISE this is the last time I will bring up this subject.

Please don't be too hard on me ... I am just trying to learn.

I THINK this would be good: 4 parts BLO, 4 parts Turpentine. 1 part satin polyurethane.

Would that be a good mix for a workbench, and if not, what would be better and why?


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

On your formula I would substitute tung oil for the linseed oil. Tung oil when cured is completely waterproof. 

I think it would be good for a work bench.


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

OK. I just ordered it from Amazon. My local hardware stores only carry the Tung oil finish, not the 100% pure tung oil.


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## Burb (Nov 30, 2012)

For educational purposes. are you going to spray, brush, or wiper on that mix?

I'm planning on a workbench build this summer.

Thank.


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

i'm planning to wipe it on


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## BernieL (Oct 28, 2011)

I'm watching and listening... never tried to mix my own finish. Interesting but how did you come up with the formula? Hope to see some pictures.


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

Bernie - I spent a week reading everything I could find (on the internet) about varnishes and Danish oil finishes. Essentially, Danish oil is a generic term for a mix of oil, thinner and varnish. Varnish is also a generic term for what is typically a resin-like substance mixed with thinner. Certain varnishes are better with specific types of thinners (eg - lacquer and lacquer thinner). Eventually, it started to sink in that a common Danish oil is equal parts oil and thinner, with less than an equal part of varnish.

So I chose Tung oil, turpentine for the thinner, and oil based satin poly for the varnish because they are all compatible and add something to the resulting finish.


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## Rick Mosher (Feb 26, 2009)

Finish it with something you really like and then lay a sheet of masonite cut to size on your bench when using it so it will be protected.


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## HowardAcheson (Nov 25, 2011)

>>>> I THINK this would be good: 4 parts BLO, 4 parts Turpentine. 1 part satin polyurethane.

Here is something that may be helpful. 

A workbench is going to get dinged and film finishes will crack or craze or be otherwise damaged. Once a film finish is penetrated, it looses its effectiveness and adjacent areas begin to fail. No treatment is going to make a soft wood benchtop harder. I much favor an "in the wood finish". Here are two that lots of folks find effective.

First, is an boiled linseed oil and wax finish. Sand the surface to 180 grit. Mix paraffin or bees wax into heated boiled linseed oil. USE A DOUBLE BOILER TO HEAT THE OIL. The ratio is not critical but about 5-6 parts of boiled linseed oil in a double boiler with one part paraffin or beeswax shaved in. Take it off the stove. Thin this mixture about 50/50 with mineral spirits to make a heavy cream like liquid. Apply this mixture to the benchtop liberally and allow to set overnight. Do it again the next day and again the following day if the top continues to absorb it. After a final overnight, lightly scrape off any excess wax and buff. This finish will minimize the absorbsion of any water and you can use a damp rag to wipe up any glue excess. Dried glue will pop right off the surface. Renewal or repair is easy. Just use a scraper to remove and hardened stuff, wipe down with mineral spirits using a 3/0 steel wool pad (a non-woven green or gray abrasive pad is better), wipe off the gunk and apply another coat of boiled linseed oil/wax mixture.

My personal preference is for an oil/varnish mixture treatment. Either use Minwax Tung Oil Finish, Minwax Antique oil or a homebrew of equal parts of boiled linseed oil, your favorite varnish or poly varnish and mineral spirits. Sand the benchtop up to 180 grit. Apply the mixture heavily and keep it wet for 15-30 minutes. Wipe off any excess completely. Let it dry overnight and the next day, apply another coat using a gray non-woven abrasive pad. Let it set and then wipe off any excess. Let this dry 48-72 hours. To prevent glue from sticking apply a coat of furniture paste wax and you're done. This treatment is somewhat more protective than the wax and mineral oil as the varnish component adds some protection from not only water both some other chemicals also. The waxing makes the surface a little more impervious to water so you can wipe up any liquid adhesive. It also allows hardened adhesive to be scraped off. Repair and renewal is easy. Just go throught the same scraping, wiping down with mineral spirits and reapplication of the BLO/varnish/mineral spirits mixture and an application of paste wax.

Both of the above treatments are quite protective but are easy to maintain and renew. They do not fail when the surface takes a ding.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*I like shellac*

It's pretty durable, water resistant and can be recoated easily.
That's what I use on my work table/off feed table. 
+1 on the overcover if you want to preserve the "beauty" of the bench, if not get a logging chain, stand back and whack it a few times and then don't worry about it..... :wallbash:


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## khowald (Nov 8, 2012)

I used Watco Danish oil on mine. Whenever I need to refinish it I just slap a new coat of Watco on it, it looks great and stands up to whatever I put it through, and like I said I can run the sander over it and restore the finish like new with a new coat of Natural Watco.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

After 40 years I recently put a finish on a workbench. I've been using them with no finish. I can't say I like a finish or see that it helps any. Probably the next bench I will leave it in the buff again.


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## Shop Dad (May 3, 2011)

Why turpentine? Stuff stinks to high heaven. I've always seen mineral spirits recommended.


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## subdajj (Mar 9, 2013)

Steve Neul said:


> After 40 years I recently put a finish on a workbench. I've been using them with no finish. I can't say I like a finish or see that it helps any. Probably the next bench I will leave it in the buff again.


"x2"


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

Shop Dad said:


> Why turpentine? Stuff stinks to high heaven. I've always seen mineral spirits recommended.


because there are solids in that that add to the end result.


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

Steve Neul said:


> After 40 years I recently put a finish on a workbench. I've been using them with no finish. I can't say I like a finish or see that it helps any. Probably the next bench I will leave it in the buff again.


on my last bench, i left it unfinished and then did some sharpening of a few chisels and plane irons. the fine grey dust from that got into the wood and would not come out.

that is the kind of thing i want to protect it from.


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## Shop Dad (May 3, 2011)

Chris Curl said:


> because there are solids in that that add to the end result.


Solids in which, MS? If that's what you are avoiding denatured alcohol is about the cleanest you will get as far as I know. Naptha would be another option.


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

Shop Dad said:


> Solids in which, MS? If that's what you are avoiding denatured alcohol is about the cleanest you will get as far as I know. Naptha would be another option.


Turpentine has solids in it that are reported to add good things to the end result of the finish. Mineral spirits have nothing that adds to the finish.


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## HowardAcheson (Nov 25, 2011)

Chris Curl said:


> because there are solids in that that add to the end result.


Curious, what are the "solids" contained in turpentine and what are the positives "added" to the finish?

I have been finishing for over 50 years and turpentine was the "thinner/solvent" of choice when I began.


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

Shop Dad and Howard, read this:

http://www.wkfinetools.com/tRestore/finish-wood/kramer1/kramerImprov.asp

or from this: http://cnew.org/tips_techniques/finishing_secrets.htm

"Pure Gum Spirits of Turpentine are used for the thinner because the natural oils become a part of the finish and enhance the qualities of the varnish. . Other thinners do not become a part of the finish. Turpentine substitutes are nothing more than an expensive form of Mineral Spirits (paint thinner) that evaporates more slowly."


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

Chris
I used a wipe on finish on my bench too. Tuff as nails and a pleasure to work with. My bench is 25+ years old and I refinished the top once when I flattened it. It will make the top much much harder. I poured the first coat on and plowed it around with a rag until it quit soaking in. The only thing I would change in your mix is the satin. It just muddies the finish. If you don't like the sheen. Rub it out. It only takes a minute.

Al

Friends don't let friends use stamped metal tools sold at clothing stores.


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

al, so what would you replace the satin poly with? semi-gloss?


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## Cliff (Feb 5, 2012)

Chris Curl said:


> I THINK this would be good: 4 parts BLO, 4 parts Turpentine. 1 part satin polyurethane.



Turpentine? Who sells turps? I should think that Xylene would be a vastly better solvent for an alkyd urethane. It evaporates faster and won't interfere with the alyd urethane. Just do it with lots of ventilation.
I've made a wiping urethane with xylene ( 50/50) and it works very well and is fast.

However why one might add an oil to the mix is beyond me.
BLO never dries. The surface of it that is in contact with oxygen cures over into a slightly firm skin like material but that part that is isolated from atmospheric O2 by the skin remains uncured. Curing being a relative thing. 

Why not apply the oil and leave it at that?


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

Chris Curl said:


> al, so what would you replace the satin poly with? semi-gloss?


I like the idea that turp adds to the finish and I'll prolly go that route myself. Satin, semi, what's the difference. Both cloud the finish to cut the sheen. Or am I wrong? I'd just go with high gloss and rub it out. I'm not sure why your mixing in the polly. Does the BLO work well with polly? Personally I never use polly for anything. Any alkyd varnish with the BLO and turp would work for me. 

The best reason to pass on the polly is in the application. Best reason wiping varnish gets so hard is that you can flood it on with the first coat. Polly lays on top and it's strength is only in itself. Wiping varnish goes in deeper and combines with more than the surface.

This is how I apply it to the work bench. Pour it on and snow plow it around until the surface is covered evenly. Watch it soak in and keep laying it on the spots that look like they are drying. Keep it wet. Watch your edges and apply as much as you can. Sand it in with 320 and don't let it dry. Keep the surface flooded until your finished sanding. Forget about wiping it off with a rag. Start rubbing it in with your bare hand. Long strokes and maybe lay on some more as you do to level. Wipe your a$$ off bare handed. This will do two very important things. Level and smooth and leave the finish where it should be instead of on the rag. When it starts drying vary your stroke so you keep moving with sweeping motion. Your hands will be covered and sticky but you will know when to stop rubbing when it feels almost dry as your fingers sweep across the wood. If you start to leave finger prints rub it out like a plane doing touch and goes. I learned this from a old timer and almost never buy a paint brush. Your first coat will be equal to three. I promise. Let it dry over night. do it again only it will go much quicker. No need to worry about dust, sand between coats, very little.

Al

Friends don't let friends use stamped metal tools sold at clothing stores.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

Cliff said:


> Turpentine? Who sells turps? I should think that Xylene would be a vastly better solvent for an alkyd urethane. It evaporates faster and won't interfere with the alyd urethane. Just do it with lots of ventilation.
> I've made a wiping urethane with xylene ( 50/50) and it works very well and is fast.
> 
> However why one might add an oil to the mix is beyond me.
> ...


Um, yes BLO does dry.

Al

Friends don't let friends use stamped metal tools sold at clothing stores.


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