Painting gun work bench

[matai]

Has anybody here experimented with painting their workbench that they use to work on their guns?

I'm trying to figure out what paint would be best for that.

Any ideas?

 

[ole farmerbuck]

Epoxy or polyurathane i would guess.

 

[thebigc]

i would paint it then put a peice of glass or something on it to work on i have noticed that say if i had a little bit of oil on a gunstock or something then layed it down on a painted windowseat or against something i end up with paint rubbed off on my gun.

 

[oneounceload]

I stained my top to match my workbench top with Sikkens stain. It's an oil-based stain that really protects wood - I have it several adirondack chairs that sit out in the rain and sun, and have for over 7 years without issues. (They make coatings for a wide variety of uses, including painting of yachts)

Great stuff

 

[inclinebench]

Use a water based high gloss latex. Oil and other things will clean up better off of a high gloss surface, and not being oil based, oil will not be as reactive to the paint surface.

 

[bwsmith2850]

I have two benches, (a leftover from factory work) one has regular minwax stain & poly the other has aluminum plate for a top. I use a rubber gun mat on both for handguns & parts & a gun vice for long guns. I haven't had spilled solvents strip the stain yet. The AL is nearly indestructable.

 

[bootless]

I glue a sheet of masonite (hardboard) on top of my benches. It's really tough and looks good too. I wouldn't want any paint or coating to come off on whatever I was working on. I use a rubber mat to work on firearms

 

[THE DARK KNIGHT]

What about one of those nice, rubbery paint coatings for a soft, protective surface?

 

[theotherwaldo]

I use my old drafting board mat as my workbench surface. Of course, my gun workbench is my old drafting table... .

I keep my guns well away from painted surfaces. If the paint doesn't transfer to the gun then the gun oil stains the paint.

 

[Big Wes]

I put formica in wood grain that is used on submarines in the ward rooms on my bench with a stainless steel trim on the edges and corners. My neighbor hooked me up, he works @ the ship yard.

 

[danprkr]

I glue a sheet of masonite (hardboard) on top of my benches.

I don't glue it. I tack it down around the edges lightly, and when it becomes stained or otherwise torn up I just replace it.

 

[padd54]

I had some leftover garage floor epoxy paint that I used on my bench/work table.

Seems to be holding up so far.

 

[Floppy_D]

Why don't you guys just drill holes through your dining room table to mount presses and get yelled at by your wife, like the hardcore reloaders do?

I have an old wally world computer desk I use, and I c-clamp whatever press I'm using at the time to the desk. Each press is on a piece of 2x12 about 18" long, and I store the extra presses on a closet shelf. The whole desk is on a sheet, so I can shake the loose shavings and powder out when I'm done.

 

[matai]

This is some good stuff! I have some of that masonite board already, I'm thinking about experimenting with painting that with some minwax polyurethane or rustoleum.

Just worried about Hoppes #9 or oil messing with the paint and gettin on stuff. But it sure would be nice to be able to wipe off the oil and solvent from the bench instead of it soaking in. Also having the bench painted white or something would be cool so it'd be easier to see little parts.

Any opinions on that?