Is there any secret to not destroying your workbench when gluing up pieces of wood? Working with 3/4″x9′ pieces doing about 10 pc sections at a time. My workbench is covered in dripped glue… Good thing there’s nothing special about it so I can just flip it over when done, but there has to be a way to be less messy, no?
Thanks,
Jeremy
Replies
mess
One method is to attach a roll of butcher paper at the end of the bench, and roll out a fresh surface after each glue-up. Restaurant-size wax paper is even better, but more expensive.
If your surface is smooth and finished with something like a wax/mineral spirits/varnish mixture, you can just let the glue fully dry and then scrape it with a putty knife and all the glue drops will pop off like glitter on a cheap halloween mask.
Newspaper
I use newspapers spread out over my bench. After many uses I just throw them away.
GRW
Recycle
I gather up all of those inexpensive plastic table cloths from Church pot lucks, family parties etc.etc.
One gathering will last years, I'am frugal not cheap.
inexpensive plastic table cloths .. Yes...
I can get these at a dollar store. I recall that they were about 3 by 6 foot? I had some that came on a large roll and you just tore them off as needed. They are not very strong but very inexpensive and were labeled as recyclable plastic.
And a can of paste wax (NOT automotive paste wax which may contain silicone) will last a very long time but it requires a little elbow grease to apply and buff off as necessary. I mostly use the wax on the bench and tool surfaces. I use the plastic cloths to cover the bars of my long bar-clamps.
As a note: I have never had a problem with finishing when using MinWax or Johnson paste wax labeled for wood.
Waxed Paper
Place waxed paper (yes - kitchen waxed paper) on top of your bar clamps, but beneath the wood being glued. This keeps glue off of everything, including the clamps. I also often glue up inlays, or segments on top of wax paper, on top of my bench, table saw top, or a nice flat piece of marble tile. EWax paper is your friend - no shop should be without it!!!
Jerry
It's all in the glue
Jeremy,
Pretty much the only glue I get on my workbench is what I wipe off my finger. The trick is to use not too much glue. Also, once the clamps are on, I usually move the glue-up elsewhere (stand it up) so I can continue to use the bench.
glue ups
My shop is messy enough. A bunch of wax paper or newspapers would just make matters worse. I am always glueing something and I try to be like Chris and use just the right amount of glue but I do drip some. I don't do the major glue-ups on my good vise bench but use the assembly bench instead. It has a waxed MDF top. I just leave the glue drops until they dry and they quickly pop right off with a paint scraper or old chisle. I don't hesistate to screw things to it or drill holes in it. I'll replace it when it gets too beat up.
I usually move the glue-up off the bench and out of the way once it's all clamped up. I put thin little pieces of scrap wood between the clamps and the workpiece so the clamp won't leave stains on the glue line. I think it helps that I use Titebond II which doesn't drip very much.
Happy gluing, Bret
I coated my bench top with Sandaro topcoat. When the glue blobs dry, they pop off pretty easily.
From another train of thought...... I recently glued some pieces together that I wanted to split apart later. I used the tiniest amount of glue; pretty much no squeeze out. Basically, I wanted starved joints. The joint still ended up being stronger than the wood..
reply to quickstep
For starved joints I seem to remember that a sheet of paper sandwiched between the parts can be used to make a perfect split later. I think this was used to make a quad split in a turning blank so that matched quarter round turnings could be made for a grandfather clock head case. (my wife calls me a head case but that is another story)
One trick I use to keep my fingers glue free is to keep a can of sawdust and router chips nearby. I just dip my stickey fingers in the can and roll the glue-sawdust gunk off against my thumb.
I keep a sponge and a bowl of water and as soon as I get it all together, I use a damp sponge to wipe off the excess and rinse in the bowl. It works great and there's nothing to scrape off. It takes a little time, but what is saves on the back end is tremendous. For the stuff that does make it to the bench if I miss it, I finished my bench so it pops off with a chisel real easy. My bench looks as if its been used its not a show piece so it's got stain and dings
Thanks!
All great ideas! I'll have to give some of the tips a try. I think first thing will be finishing/waxing the top of my workbench so the glue can just pop off. This top is ruined the way it is, so I'll have to replace (or flip it over and use the "good" side) anyways!
Much appreciated, thanks!
I coated my bench top with 2-part Epoxy. Glue drops pop off with a scraper. Stains wipe off easily, maybe with a little solvent.
glue
Melamine top works best and you can buy 4 by 8 sheets with melamine on one side in various thickness for you work top.
Glue problems no more.
Get ready to laugh at me. What follows is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
30 years ago I moved to a new town and brought an old, very old and ugly, workbench with me: top was flooring underlayment or some such.
I asked a new found friend, a carpenter, what to do. He offered me a cast-off piece of ROSEWOOD LAMINATE. I applied this with contact cement and after 30 years of hard use (which included chopping out dovetails in a White Oak) the top is still in great shape. I edged the top with 1/2" hard maple to hide and protect the various layers.
I have been too embarressed to confess to have a Rosewood bench top, much less a laminate top, but here is my moment of truth. It has been a great work surface and a razor blade scraper takes care of any glue spills.
Frosty
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