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Help with my wood
Benzine - 19/1/23 at 04:42 PM

Hi LCBers,

I've got a load of fire door off cuts. 3 layers of hardwood sandwiched between MDF (or ply sometimes) covered with oak veneer. These are very strong, and I'm going to make a decent workbench. Trouble is where they are cut looks naff, so I'm looking for the most locost way possible of tarting them up. Iron on veneer, a skim of filler, quick sand and paint? Any other ideas that are cheap as chips used to be?

Photo of the edge face I'm talking about:

tegwin - 19/1/23 at 04:59 PM

Get a strip of soft/hardwood (Depending on budget) and glue it on the front edge... Will protect the edge of the sheet and finish it off nicely. I don't like glue on edging, it chips and falls off in an active environment.

Benzine - 19/1/23 at 05:20 PM

We process hardwood into edge strips for the firedoors at work. They look really good after they've been trimmed, sanded and varnished. Cost puts and end to that idea though

[Edited on 19-1-2023 by Benzine]

gremlin1234 - 19/1/23 at 05:55 PM

cover it with an aluminium sheet, (or steel or stainless)

cliftyhanger - 19/1/23 at 10:25 PM

I would just sand and varnish. I like varnish, especially using a very thin firts coat as it soaks in and binds the surface together.
If it has to look nice, get some wood edging, glue and pin it. I know you say cost is an issues, but it will be teh best looking by far.

roadrunner - 20/1/23 at 06:55 AM

If it was my bench top I would just sand the rough edges down or miter some wood edging around it and glue them on.

Benzine - 20/1/23 at 05:19 PM

Thanks for the replies! I hadn't thought about just sanding it and varnishing the edges. I'll do a test sand to see how they look, might come up nice

nick205 - 22/1/23 at 09:02 AM

quote:
Originally posted by roadrunner
If it was my bench top I would just sand the rough edges down or miter some wood edging around it and glue them on.



Ditto

Usually done here with cheap wood and tacked on so it can be replaced if it gets bashed.

Mr Whippy - 23/1/23 at 12:09 PM

I'd use a router and an curved bit (one with a bearing to manage the depth) and round the edges as sods law you'll smack your knee off it at some point...

trextr7monkey - 29/1/23 at 01:31 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
I'd use a router and an curved bit (one with a bearing to manage the depth) and round the edges as sods law you'll smack your knee off it at some point...


A router would open up the possibility of taking a bit off the top so a piece of angle could be attached flush with top to protect and cover the edge. Maybe use some old bed irons like that bloke who built a car for £250!!

Realistically a wooden lip will do the job