My SLC Work Benches With A "Custom" touch

[Del]

While reading Cam's blog, he had a picture of how many boxes of parts and such he has to store while building his and that got me thinking... So while waiting for my SLC kit to be built, I decided to build some dedicated work benches for it. After getting them completed this weekend, late Saturday night I decided to add my "custom" touch to them. I used my Silhouette vinyl cutter and cut my stencils out. The Superlite Cars logo itself is 4ft long. I planned to do all 3, but this MDF soaked up a lot more rattle can paint than I expected so once I get some more paint I may do the other 2 benches. I also plan to order a duplicate power supply and soldering station for this side of the shop so I can keep everything SLC related on it's side. I still need some sort of organizers for all the SS bolts, nuts, washers, etc in an attempt to stay as organized as possible while building.

There's really not much a point to this thread, but wanted show them off, lol. They will be invaluable during my build. For anyone interested each bench is made from 6 treated 2x4s, 2 treated 4x4s and 2 sheets of 3/4" MDF. I drew them up in CAD in 3D for kicks before I built them. These particular work benches are each 8ft long and 36" deep which allows me to still reach the "shelf" part behind them. All in all, I now have a total of 8, 8ft long work benches in my shop now.

and all nice and neat, forgot to take a picture of it setup so snapped it this morning before pulling the busa out to go to work.

 

[Jack]

Too cool!

 

[Cam]

I. Am. Jelly.

 

[Del]

The whole idea came from you blog Cam, so thank you for the heads up on doing this now than later. Also keep going back and forth between a 2 post and QuickJack, but leaning towards QuickJack because if/when I do put a 2 post in I definitely don't want it in that bay nor do I want to play musical cars every time I want to use the lift. Choices, choices and choices while I have the money!

Thanks! Definitely different and kind of a random idea. I want to seal up the MDF to protect it and keep it nice looking, but last time I tried to put Thompson's Water Seal on the bench in my office and stayed sticky for weeks. I need to looking into alternative way to possibly seal MDF, even though it's not really necessary.

 

[Joey Dean]

Wipe on poly. Just need a rag to put it on. For a workbench sanding between coats would be optional.

Minwax Wipe-On Poly - Clear Polyurethane Finish | Minwax

 

[Del]

Wipe on poly. Just need a rag to put it on. For a workbench sanding between coats would be optional.

Minwax Wipe-On Poly - Clear Polyurethane Finish | Minwax

Just what I need! I've been struggling to find an answer, thought Thompson's would have worked out better but was wrong. I should have done the other 5 benches when they were new, but may still apply the stuff to them as well. I'll grab some after work Friday and get them sealed up, as well as some more rattle cans for some more proud Superlite SLC logos! Thank you!

 

[Jack]

I overlay my workbenches with home depot tile board (white), or tempered hardboard.
Disposable and inexpensive.

 

[Howard Jones]

Make some of these. They are better than the metal ones you can buy because they get the car up off the ground high enough to slide yourself under to work on the very few things that are under the car.

You don't need expensive wheels either because there are so many the load is spread among them. 200lb capable wheels will do fine.

I made mine from some 1/2 inch leftover plywood doubled up and glued together. I've been using them for 20 years now and they might be the best use of tool money for both my GT40 and SLC so far. I actually built both cars on them.

Here's an example from Amazon that would be fine for the wheels.

E.R. Wagner Plate Caster, Swivel, Soft Rubber Wheel, Delrin Bearing, 190 lbs Capacity, 5" Wheel Dia, 1-1/4" Wheel Width, 5-5/8" Mount Height, 3-3/4" Plate Length, 2-3/4" Plate Width: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

 

[Scott]

One of the best things that I did in my shop was to have benches at different heights. Low bench is good for big stuff and tall bench for smaller stuff (and saving your back). My tall benches are 55" inches off the floor. That's perfect for me for lots of things including working on computer while standing. If you do a tall bench, radius the top edge, your forearms will thank you.

 

[Del]

I overlay my workbenches with home depot tile board (white), or tempered hardboard.
Disposable and inexpensive.

That's interesting, didn't know about this stuff but looks like it'd made a nice surface compared to MDF and less friction too if wanted to build something like a router table.

Make some of these. They are better than the metal ones you can buy because they get the car up off the ground high enough to slide yourself under to work on the very few things that are under the car.

You don't need expensive wheels either because there are so many the load is spread among them. 200lb capable wheels will do fine.

I made mine from some 1/2 inch leftover plywood doubled up and glued together. I've been using them for 20 years now and they might be the best use of tool money for both my GT40 and SLC so far. I actually built both cars on them.

Here's an example from Amazon that would be fine for the wheels.

E.R. Wagner Plate Caster, Swivel, Soft Rubber Wheel, Delrin Bearing, 190 lbs Capacity, 5" Wheel Dia, 1-1/4" Wheel Width, 5-5/8" Mount Height, 3-3/4" Plate Length, 2-3/4" Plate Width: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

I remember seeing you post these pictures when I first started really looking at the SLC. You're 100% correct, I've already been considering some wheel dollies for moving the car around when it can't under it's own power. I have probably have enough 2x4 scraps to build them, as well as MDF scraps from this last set of benches though not 100% confident it's smart to use MDF as the base.

One of the best things that I did in my shop was to have benches at different heights. Low bench is good for big stuff and tall bench for smaller stuff (and saving your back). My tall benches are 55" inches off the floor. That's perfect for me for lots of things including working on computer while standing. If you do a tall bench, radius the top edge, your forearms will thank you.

I heavily considered that when I originally built my benches too, but decided I wanted all standing heights. My reasons was partially due for being a little OCD and having stuff even, but also so I'm not forced to do certain things in certain areas depending on height. Although now that I think about it, it may have been easier to keep organized. Figuring out the standing height of my benches was not easy. I finally decided 7 of my benches to be 40" which has been ideal for me. The 8th one is a sit down bench for the office where I can do RC stuff or anything where it'd be nice to sit down.

 

[Del]

Over the weekend I added a few random designs I had already drawn up in CAD to another bench. I don't own the Raptor anymore, but like the design anyways. I did buy a gallon of some oil-based polyurethane to seal up the tops when I'm doing painting. I still have one more bench to add something too, just not sure what I should put on it.

I think on one of the benches in the center of my shop, I may flip the top so I have new looking MDF and I'll paint emblems of every vehicle I've own(ed). I have majority of them already drawn in CAD.

 

[Mesa]

Clear wood floor coating such as is used for basketball courts would be my vote for the toughest coating for such a bench top surface. Probably tougher than the wood itself.

 

[Del]

Added my username I use on forums. I have a logo I wanted, but haven't figured out how to break stuff up on the vinyl cutter since I'm limited to 12" wide rolls of it.

Bought some satin polyurethane, took a whole gallon to do 3 coats on upper and lower levels of these 3 benches. I'm going to get a couple more gallons to seal up the other 5 benches I made.

Apparently silver/chrome paint of Superlite logo does not like the poly, it started smearing when I was putting on the first coat. Rest of them I had no issues. It looks worse in pictures than in person, it's still easily readable at least.

 

[Del]

Got around to doing the 2 middle benches. They've been used for past 2yrs so weren't as pretty to start with, but worth the effort to seal them. Only 2 more to go and the top of my desk.