bench re-finishing

[stef]

i just bought a couple of benches from a school.
they are pine frames with a couple of beech slabs on top, but have all the trademarks of years of abuse by kiddies..
what would you recommend i get them refinished with ?
i was going to start by a good sanding down all over and a little smoothing plane down the middle groove, which is pretty worn (under the black plastic cover)..
what would you folk recommend ?
here is what they look like, with lots of paint and pencil marks...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... &rd=1&rd=1

 

[edmund]

Looks like a handy purchase stef.
I've recently replaced my bench top with lovely 2" thick beech. I finished it with boiled linseed oil, which does the job excellently. Just flood it on rub it in and wipe up any residue (repeat as necessary). I thinned down the first coat with some meths to aid penetration. It oxidizes pretty quickly so you get the work bench into use without contaminating any wood you are going to use after a couple of days. E

 

[DaveL]

stef,

I have used an oil finish on my ash bench. It stops glue drips sticking hard, it can be flicked off with the edge of a steel rule. 8)

 

[beech1948]

Hi,
I have just acquired a bench some 80 yrs old. Typical UK cabinet makers bench. Top is 8 ft long with about 90 mm thick top. May be 80 yrs old but sound as a bell and very strong. Vices are amazing as they seem to be 2 inch thick screws, with square acme threads which can open to about 15 inches.

Front edge was a bit worn due to saw marks, one vice top was worn also due to saw marks.

I replaced the front strip with 100x100 beech and recovered the end vice with a piece of beech also.

Planed the top flat..took me all of 20 minutes. Then used tung oil..five coats. Seems to be OK.

regards
Alan

 

[stef]

thank you all for the tips..
i'll plane and sand, and oil when i get the chance !