My first project - Go easy on me LoL

Think it may look good just to use an opaque acrylic satin (Semi Gloss) paint on the frame and a clear sealer on the cupboard, drawer and bench top.

 

Thats good, especially for a 1st project.

Is it being used indoors (garage etc) or exposed at all?

Is the floor or the air damp or likely to get wet?

Is it on show and seen often?

Likely to be used a lot and take lots of knocks and abuse, or exposed to oil or anything often?

 

Dulux Diamond(waterbased) eggshell would be a good choice as would Dulux Diamond clear floor varnish (nice and tough), Seal the knots and apply a primer to the frame, would use
Zinsser BIN as this seals knots and would also prime the timber. The frame looks as if its treated timber?

 

Hi

Well done.
Feel proud , YOU DID IT.
Its great when you get a project up and running.
Maybe show the kids what daddy did in years to come.
My Grandad made a school desk in circa 1938 for me.
From Tea Chests, No BQ then.
My kids played with it. 56-53 now
Grandkids also. They are 18 and 20 now.
Its in my sons loft waiting of the Great Grandkids.
Time flies.

Paint is not my expertise. LOL.

Johnny M

 

Looking good. Nice job.

A couple of suggestions.

You will probably want to bring the vice in a bit from the end (in past the leg) this will reduce vibration when using the vice and increase stability.
Also, I usually pop a couple of 200mm wide strips down each side, this means the workpiece can lay flat and tools/shavings/screws etc dont get in the way.

Just suggestions though. This is a nice looking bench... I'm liking the drawer.

 

Personally, I'd leave it bare.

Mr. HandyAndy - Really

 

If it has a green tinge it is likely that it is treated.

 

Leave the timber, no finish is required. It's a good idea to seal the MDF as its really absorbent.

 

It's a good thing if it's outside, inside it make's very little difference.

 

May make a difference if it's treated timber and you want to paint it - not sure you can paint it if the treatment is 'fresh'

Anyway, it's a workbench, looks great really, well done, sweet build

If you paint it, all those knocks, scrapes, inadvertent cuts, gonna make it look scruffy in no time at all.... it's a workbench, clue in the title ...... not a piece of Chippendale furniture in your drawing room

What's the top made from ?

Sometimes worth fitting a 'sacrificial' top over the bench with a few screws, something like 12mm mdf

When that top gets damaged, you can unscrew and flip over. After 2nd use, chuck and replace as cheap

 

That looks lovely.

But it's a workbench, you're supposed to work on it, no? It's supposed to have battle scars, isn't it?
I'm not dis'ing it, I'd be proud if I'd made it. It's much nicer than my workbenches (old desks) and shows attention to detail, but why perfume a violet?
To protect it from oils/solvents/other crud I'd probably cover it with something.
Me? I'd just use anything I have lots of. Oil based stain, gloss paint, varnish, whichever cheap tin is handy and would stop it being too absorbent without me needing to spend money.
...but, there again, I am rougher than a toad's back.