My poor work bench

[robs660]

2 Weeks ago, my wife held a charity yard sale at our home for Big Brother Big Sister. It was all donated items and everyone that helped were volunteers. I was kicked out of my garage for 2 weeks before the sale and i will get it back completely this Friday. After everyone had left and finished cleaning up on Sunday I realized my work bench had been turned into a lunch table and a place for everyone to rest their drinks. My bench is 10G cold rolled steel with a back splash and front lip so moisture is not my friend. You can see the damage done in the first few photos. I did some research and found that I could address the areas back to almost new with a wire wheel in my grinder, and a whole lot of WD40. I spent the better part of 45 minutes using the wire wheel to get all of the rust up and get the surface back in shape. After I was done I applied 2 coats of paste wax to protect it during the humid spring. I have had to clean the bench many times and never needed more then a scotch brits pad and a little WD40. Knowing what I learned today, I will be making a cover for my bench like the one I have for my table saw and band saw tables.

 

[deezler]

Nice repair.

 

[weedpharma]

That workshop is wayyyy too tidy! I reckon I would even be able to see the floor.

My workshop is just that, for working in. This usually involves moving stuff to get a clear area before starting.

Cleaning gets done once or twice a year.

Surely I am not alone in being a worksop slob??

Weedpharma

 

[robs660]

I do too many repairs with little parts so I have to keep it clean. That's not to say that my other shop isn't a disaster! It also ends up looking quite bad after I start 3 projects at the same time

 

[tinner666]

My benches looked that clean for an hour or so after I built them. Typically, they look like this.:laughing:

 

[clemsonfor]

You would hate my work bench under the shed. Its steel and rain drips on it and blows onto it. I just wipe it with an oily rag if i have something i dont want to much rust on. But even if it was covered i would just run a wire wheel on it and oil it. Not much use if you have to keep every bit of rust off. I sometimes take apart wet things, like radiators waterpumps, etc.

And if i have something that cant get a bit of grime on it like a bearing or a barb part, i just put a rag down on the bench.

 

[smilindave]

I was wondering about the doll bust on the shelf!

 

[Wyobuckaroo]

I would be considered a "work bench slob" also.

I constantly have 3 or more projects going at once on the bench. And most of the stuff I need to work on the current project is at least 2 projects deep in the pile.

Actually.......... My best, most sturdy work bench is an old Steel Case brand office desk. Oh well.......

Enjoy

 

[DKCDKC]

I am a parts/hardware hoarder. My biggest issue is storing parts, nails, screws, hinges, etc so I can find them later. Part of the bench is always covered with cans of parts.

I accumulate nails and screws left over from projects in a large 5 gal bucket. When it's full, any mis-behavin' grandkids get to sort it into containers. Best system I've found.

 

[mjncad]

May I suggest you rebuild a small engine on your wife's kitchen counter-tops, and at her when she asks what and why you are doing such a thing. If that doesn't cure her of messing up your garage, nothing will. :laughing:

 

[NormL]

May I suggest you rebuild a small engine on your wife's kitchen counter-tops, and at her when she asks what and why you are doing such a thing. If that doesn't cure her of messing up your garage, nothing will. :laughing:

Sure! How about YOU try it, and let us know how long it takes to get back from the doghouse/hospital; hmmm?:licking:

 

[wrooster]

Sure! How about YOU try it, and let us know how long it takes to get back from the doghouse/hospital; hmmm?:licking:

Done it multiple times. I lived.

Wrooster

 

[NormL]

quote: Done it multiple times. I lived.

Wrooster

By the look of it, you're also clean, neat and tidy with it!:thumbsup: I'm not a motorbike guy so forgive me if I ask a dumb question: is that a restoration happening or are you customizing your ride? Your wife seems content to let you have the kitchen; mine would have me doing all the meal prep and other kitchen duties anytime I wanted to "set up shop" in there.:laughing:

 

[mjncad]

Sure! How about YOU try it, and let us know how long it takes to get back from the doghouse/hospital; hmmm?:licking:

My wife knows better than to mess around in my shop.

 

[like2wheel]

Must be her bike...

 

[EE_Bota]

Your wife should have yelled at them "USE A COASTER!!!" "WHAT, WERE YOU RAISED IN A BARN?"

 

[robs660]

My wife only loves me having a shop when she needs something fixed. The rest of the time it's "you have too many tools".
I actually now keep a pile of coasters out st the bench. Never again!

 

[wrooster]

Wrooster

By the look of it, you're also clean, neat and tidy with it!:thumbsup: I'm not a motorbike guy so forgive me if I ask a dumb question: is that a restoration happening or are you customizing your ride? Your wife seems content to let you have the kitchen; mine would have me doing all the meal prep and other kitchen duties anytime I wanted to "set up shop" in there.:laughing:

For a few years we lived in a beach house (= no basement) with an unheated detached garage. Every winter I would need to tear down my enduro motorcycle for preventative maintenance/lubrication, and the choices were basically 1) on the benchtop in the garage when it is 15'F outside, or 2) in the house where it's warm.

The agreement with my wife was twofold: first, that I didn't dilly-dally around -- the project had to finish in a timely matter. And second, that whenever the kitchen was occupied by the disassembled bike, I was to either cook dinner or we would eat out. As you imagine I only took over the kitchen once, as the result was too much work and/or too expensive!!! :laughing:

Note that I didn't really do anything "untidy" in the house; for example, cleaning of dirty/greasy bearings and so on would be done outside on the attached deck. In other words the house did not end up smelling like a petro-chemical factory site...

Wrooster