Finish for a workbench

[bbowdridge]

I'm getting near the end of my workbench project. Still need (or want) an end vise. the top is Oak, stretchers are pine and the leg vise is ash. I read in a book to finish it with Linseed oil to avoid making the top too slick. Unfortunately it is slick. I used Raw Linseed oil. The store had raw and boiled (I flipped a coin). Should I have chosen the boiled? What's the difference?

Thanks,

Brent

[Dave H]

Raw linseed oil dosen't cure. Beautiful bench what did the wooden leg vice screw set you back?

[thewoodwhisperer]

The raw oil should eventually dry, but its going to take a while. Boiled linseed oil would not take as long. But when you say "slick" i'm assuming you don't mean wet. If you sanded the surface to a high grit, just about any finish is going to make it pretty slick. So I would just give the oil enough time to cure, maybe a couple weeks. Once dry, give it a light 180 grit sanding. On a workbench, you want at least some grip so I never feel the need to sand above 150 or 180. Then a couple coats of boiled linseed oil over the course of a week should give you a little protection from spills. What's the old recipe? A coat a day for a week, a coat a week for a month, and a coat a month for a year? Pretty sure that's the traditional method. For me, I just use a little danish oil. The varnish component helps seal the surface better and dries nice and fast. But I only do one or two coats before calling it done. Not looking to build a shine.

[bbowdridge]

Raw linseed oil dosen't cure. Beautiful bench what did the wooden leg vice screw set you back?

Thanks,

The leg vice screw could have cost a bunch - wooden screws are expensive. I saw one for 160 bucks. I ordered a wood threading kit online through woodcraft and made my own. That saved me a bit.

[bbowdridge]

The raw oil should eventually dry, but its going to take a while. Boiled linseed oil would not take as long. But when you say "slick" i'm assuming you don't mean wet. If you sanded the surface to a high grit, just about any finish is going to make it pretty slick. So I would just give the oil enough time to cure, maybe a couple weeks. Once dry, give it a light 180 grit sanding. On a workbench, you want at least some grip so I never feel the need to sand above 150 or 180. Then a couple coats of boiled linseed oil over the course of a week should give you a little protection from spills. What's the old recipe? A coat a day for a week, a coat a week for a month, and a coat a month for a year? Pretty sure that's the traditional method. For me, I just use a little danish oil. The varnish component helps seal the surface better and dries nice and fast. But I only do one or two coats before calling it done. Not looking to build a shine.

Thanks Mark

By slick,I just meant slippery - not wet. A couple of weeks should be ok and by then I`ll have built the end vise and drilled the holes in the top - I move at the speed of "turtle" I`ll try the Danish oil too.

BTW I'm a big fan. 'learned a bunch from the wood whisperer.

Cheers,

Brent

[joestyles]

Just wondering after reading this if adding something to the raw oil finish would hurry up the drying process. Some type of mineral spirits. I don`t know enough about this but have done this with other things that are oil based and had good results. I have never used raw linseed oil so have no idea what it is like. Also once something is on the surface I have not tried this approach except to remove a finish.