building a workbench for gun maintenance

I recently purchased a gun safe that will be installed in our basement. The spot where the safe will be installed is on a divider wall and I plan on building a 5 ' wide work bench and the primary use will be for cleaning/maintaining the guns. I know how to make a workbench but I'm curious what are you guys using for the bench top ? I'v considered wood, masonite , laminate , stainless steel , steel etc. you get the idea. Post form laminate countertops are cheap at local box store. So what is your ideal workbench top material ? Or does it not matter because you use some sort of mat ? Any suggestions are appreciated.

see if this works:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/search...orum.com/search.php?searchid=4780029&ss=0j0j1

terry

I used half inch plywood as the base and covered that with Masonite. I also use a quilted bed pad with a waterproof inner lining that I liberated from the hospital trash can(it was clean). If you know a nurse, they'll know what I'm talking about. The pads are soft, durable and washable.

There are 2 benches in my gun room (Man Cave). The 8 to 10 year old bench top is made of 2 x 10's, that are recycled waterbed frame sides. This is an extremely stable top, but has 2 seams down the 6' length. The 4 year old bench has 2 layers of 1/2" plywood and 2 x 4 reinforced edges. The quality of plywood has dropped in 30 years, my original loading benches (in our old house) were a single layer of 1/2" plywood and were much better. So I recommend the 2 x 10 top. You could cover with a layer of 1/4" plywood on top.
Benches must be stable and have light to see by. It seems overhead shop lights just aren't enough, so I have a desk top lamp with a big magnifying glass it. Rather than bolt on a vise, I have a clamp on vise in the gunsmithing tool box. You will want storage, and more storage and maybe some storage, plus you will find you need more storage. I found filing cabinets work very well (if you can get them at a fair price. I currently have 3 of the 4 drawer models and a 2 drawer model. This way I can lock up supplies and projects (and the gifts I buy my wife or myself) Keep the keys in the gun vault. Have fun setting up the room. Ivan

When I built my workbench about 20 years ago I used 2 pieced of 3/4" plywood for an inch and one half thick top and coated it with 1/4" tempered (on both sides) Masonite. The tempering on both sides helps keep liquids from penetrating. After years go by the Masonite gets beat up, cut, holes, etc and I did change it a few years ago but I am now thinking of ripping off the new Masonite (definitely NOT as good as the original piece from 20 years ago) and putting on a product called Sintra. The Sintra is also 1/4 inch thick, black in color and is made of flexible plastic which is liquid proof, scratch resistant and durable.

I do NOT like sheet metal tops mainly because they conduct electricity and I often use my workbench to do electrical and electronics work and might cause a short while working on them. The Sintra looks like a great product, will allow cuts and holes to be made for Vises, equipment, loading presses, etc. and would also be great for gun cleaning, repairing and maintenance.

I would DEFINITELY recommend using some sort of top whatever you do this way when that top becomes ratty, too soft, stained, beat up etc, you can simply rip it off and freshen it up with a new covering.

Just for the record........ EVERY TIME I clean guns I spread a newspaper over the workbench top so it absorbs any stray liquids, catches lead particles and debris, and gives all firearms a nice and cushy surface to be place on. I often will remove the top page of newspaper to expose a fresh and clean one during different stages of cleaning. After cleaning I just roll up the newspaper and the mess, debris, dirt, oily patches, etc. is in a nice and neat package in the garbage. On top of the newspaper where I lay the actual gun is a "Bar Mat" (a Jack Daniels one at that) with all the small rubber bumps which makes an IDEAL gun surface and will let liquids, debris, etc fall between and NOT scratch your prized firearm. I you are friendly with a Restaurant or Bar owner I'm sure then can give you or get you one on the cuff - they are free from the Liquor Distributors to them and they make the PERFECT cleaning surface for firearms as they will also keep small screws and springs from rolling off and getting lost. No matter which bench top you wind up using - get one of these Bar Matts - they are terrific!

Good point on storage I'm thinking I might purchase two 18 " drawer base cabinets for additional storage and then place the work surface on those. That will leave a 24 " space in between for a bar stool type chair. Plus I will probably make a 60 " shelf for additional storage mounted up high and then have lighting under the shelf. I've already run electric for two outlets one for the bench the other for the light and maybe a radio. Also ran a 240 volt outlet down low to be able to install a small electric heater between where the base cabinets will go for those colder months on the concrete floor. The wall will be covered with 3/8 plywood that will be painted white for brightness, plus easier for mounting future items like pegboard or whatever. I'm installing the plywood on the wall today.

If you don't already have the materials laying around, it's tough to beat some of the pre-fab options!

I use one of these for working on things in my reloading setup

Seville Classics Lighted Hardwood Top Workbench - Light or Dark Grey - Sam's Club
http://www.samsclub.com/sams/sevill...dwood-top-workbench/prod3460484.ip?navAction=


and one of these with the tool away for my reloading bench. I also have them in my workshop!

Ultra Heavy-Duty Workbench - Sam's Club
Ultra Heavy-Duty 6-Drawer Storage Cabinet - Sam's Club

There are a number of threads on this topic (similar)

http://smith-wessonforum.com/reloading/309027-reloading-benches-work-areas.html
http://smith-wessonforum.com/reload...anctuary-will-hopefully-finished-weekend.html

rfuerst911sc said:

I recently purchased a gun safe that will be installed in our basement. The spot where the safe will be installed is on a divider wall and I plan on building a 5 ' wide work bench and the primary use will be for cleaning/maintaining the guns. I know how to make a workbench but I'm curious what are you guys using for the bench top ? I'v considered wood, masonite , laminate , stainless steel , steel etc. you get the idea. Post form laminate countertops are cheap at local box store. So what is your ideal workbench top material ? Or does it not matter because you use some sort of mat ? Any suggestions are appreciated.

Click to expand...

Well, mine is for reloading but the idea is the same. I bought a 5' long kitchen base cabinet and bolted it to the wall studs. I bought a 1x4x8 sheet of oak plywood, split it lengthwise, glued it face-to-face and made a 2" (1-3/4" actually) thick bench top. I finished the edge with a 1"x2" strip of 4s pine. It ain't going anywhere! (Not shown is the corner post to support the far right side.)

Framed with 2x4. Two layers of 3/4 plywood and 1/8 masonite for the top with a band of oak around the edge. The masonite floats inside the band of oak so it can be changed if it gets beat up.

Lowes and Home depot have high pressure plastic laminate kitchen countertops that I believe come in 5 foot lengths. If not they can custom cut them for you, and these tops have a rolled backsplash to keep things from rolling off the back. They also have side splashes that you put on with liquid nails (if you want them) and they have side caps if the sides are not covered by a wall, and you install them with a clothes iron. The tops are probably around 40 bucks.

This is how I did mine.Used pre-made counter top.Can move my loaders around the edge how ever I want.Plenty strong.

Unless you like DIY projects, same time, money and effort.

Don't forget the 20% off coupon.

They only thing I would buy at this store. It's actually pretty good.!

Workbench with 4 Drawers, 60" Hardwood

Ivan the Butcher said:

... you will find you need more storage. I found filing cabinets work very well (if you can get them at a fair price. I currently have 3 of the 4 drawer models and a 2 drawer model...

Click to expand...

chief38 said:

When I built my workbench about 20 years ago I used 2 pieced of 3/4" plywood for an inch and one half thick top and coated it with 1/4" tempered (on both sides) Masonite...

Click to expand...

I combine both of those concepts.

TOP is 2x 3/4 plywood with tempered masonite, like Chief.

SUPPORTing the top is two, oak, 2 drawer file cabinets. The entire thing is about a gazillion pounds, screwed to itself, the wall and the floor.

I use rectangles of scrap indoor/outdoor carpet about 24x18 inches on top of the masonite when working on anything (guns, electronics, whatever). And I use plastic milk/juice bottles, water bottles, lemon juice bottles etc, cut down to about 2 inches tall. The resulting open plastic cups hold bolts, screws, parts as I disassemble something. If I get interrupted or need to do some other project, the entire thing (on it's carpet) can be slid to another part of the bench where it remains intact and together.

My lighting is discarded commercial track lights from a grocery store and PAR can lights from a theatre.

BENCH = HEAVY = GOOOOOOD


Sgt Lumpy

I used melamine about 20 years ago when I built mine - that stuff is tough as nails - I have spilled on it, scrapped varnish off, shellac, alcohol - just about anything and it still comes clean (when I get around to it.)

All my reloading areas are Formica tops in white, including a brass prep area. For guns, the bench is 8' long, made out of 2X6's. One end for handguns, the other for long guns, made about 1990, or so. All this gives me plenty of room to work in, when needed.

I used 1/2" plywood topped by Masonite with a couple coats of polyurethane. Then I use carpet samples as a topper to keep the guns from being scratched and so any parts removed don't roll around and fall off. When they get too dirty etc, they are pitched and new carpet sample put on.

My workbench top is tongue & groove oak flooring.

I bought the one noted by Rule3, from Harbor Freight.

It is fantastic. I was quite amazed.

Bought it on sale for $ 139.95

Heavy, sturdy, drawers, Vice on end. Nothing to dislike.

REALLY hard to beat.

I finished my Masonite bench top with Johnson's paste wax, the stuff you'd use on hardwood floors. Makes that already liquid resistant Masonite even more juice proof. Any oil that gets on it either wipes right up or if it sits, is captured by the wax coating. Apply more wax to dissolve the old wax and take away the oil with it. But a drop or two of CLP here and there aren't a problem on any bench top of mine. Just rub it in like you would finish oil.


Sgt Lumpy

I have two that I built over years. It was a table that was thrown out on the job made by lyons a pretty good building and office furniture manufaturer. Enclosed the sides right, left and back with 3/4" plywood and the top was made from 21/2" scaffolt planking. Counter sunk the bolts and electrically planed the top surface. Second one was built much like the first but the top was 1/5" butcher block hard rock maple. Still have both today. When sanding the butcher block top thought my belt sander was gonna give up the ghost as that stuff is HARD.Frank