Does anyone try to build workbench table with aluminium profile ?, do you think it is good for about 50kg-100kg load with 4040 aluminium profiles ?
I plan to make about 400cm x 80cm workbench table, and plan to use about 1.2mm thick iron plate for table top, and about 9mm plywood in top of iron plate for electronic works section...
Anyone have idea ?, I don't like wood, so I choose aluminium and iron

 

If I were using this for an electrical or electronics workbench I would not use metal.

 

If I were using this for an electrical or electronics workbench I would not use metal.

I use it with plywood in top... do you think they can make problems ?, and not all space is for electronics works

 

I assume the 1.2mm is sheet steel over heavy lumber?, I have a garage workshop bench built like this, very sturdy.
At 1.2mm I assume it is not intended for extremely heavy metalworking?

 

Some 40x40 profiles would make an excellent frame and I have this type of construction all over May shop and garage. The extrusions are excellent. The problem is that the price of the extrusions don't look too bad but then you look at the number of special connectors and you realize the price goes up by a factor of 2 or 3 for the project.

you can just fit them together and drill and tap the back piece and bolt directly into the extrusion.

the brand Name is "80/20" but there are cheaper knock-offs.

 

I assume the 1.2mm is sheet steel over heavy lumber?, I have a garage workshop bench built like this, very sturdy.
At 1.2mm I assume it is not intended for extremely heavy metalworking?

I plan to use 1.2mm metal sheet with 4040 aluminium profile, then 9mm plywood on top of 1.2mm metal sheet

 

I assume the 1.2mm is sheet steel over heavy lumber?, I have a garage workshop bench built like this, very sturdy.
At 1.2mm I assume it is not intended for extremely heavy metalworking?

Yes... no metal working, just electronics working and software development, alongside with 3d printer, radio equipments, etc...

 

Plywood can come in different faced finished, If on the rough side, I have lined the top with industrial neutral colour Linoleum .

 

Look for "Baltic birch" plywood if you can find it. It is very thin veneers and higher veneer count than most plywoods. The birch is very dimensionally stable and both sides are furniture grade. Sourcing may be difficult because of embargo's with Russia. It typically comes in 5'x5' sheets. Flat, no warping if above 6mm thickness, very smooth.

 

I would consider MDF for the bench top. Very stable.

 

The only thing with MDF I found, it does not hold up to weight or liquid spills etc, eventually warps if not totally supported.

 

Hello, @meowsoft. Good to see you, it’s been a while.

When I had my wood shop, I built a woodworking bench/assembly bench combination. The top was MDF. On the assembly side I use tempered hardboard. It’s smooth, strong, inexpensive and could be changed out if it got to dinged up.

But, as it comes it’s not very water or liquid compatible. A coat of paste wax made it pretty much impervious. If I was building an electronics bench I would use a laminate surface.on MDF.

MDF is particularly dimensionally stable and easy to work with. Gluing laminate isn’t easy but it’s not really hard either. It’s worth practicing on scrap. Also, you should have a laminate trimmer (mini-router) for finishing.

I wish I still had my shop but when we moved the garage got smaller and there is just no room. On the list is an outbuilding but other things are higher on it.

 

Don't go for a Formica top. If you singe it when getting too close to the edge of a pcb with the hot-air rework tool, it really stinks (and I don't think it's very static-dissipative either)

 

Don't go for a Formica top. If you singe it when getting too close to the edge of a pcb with the hot-air rework tool, it really stinks (and I don't think it's very static-dissipative either)

Same for MDF - really quite combustible because wear or scratches easily form frayed edges that immediately heat to 450°F whereas a hardwood like vs maple or birch don't fray easily and make high-surface area cellulose fibers to scotch or burn. Soldering irons and heat guns on MDF is a very bad idea no matter how much "experience" some people claim they have using heat guns with MDF. MDF has a flame spread rating of 160 and Maple = 100 (higher is faster). Thicker maple take more time to ignite where as, MDF ignites the same no matter how thick if the surface is worn.

 

Hello, @meowsoft. Good to see you, it’s been a while.

When I had my wood shop, I built a woodworking bench/assembly bench combination. The top was MDF. On the assembly side I use tempered hardboard. It’s smooth, strong, inexpensive and could be changed out if it got to dinged up.

But, as it comes it’s not very water or liquid compatible. A coat of paste wax made it pretty much impervious. If I was building an electronics bench I would use a laminate surface.on MDF.

MDF is particularly dimensionally stable and easy to work with. Gluing laminate isn’t easy but it’s not really hard either. It’s worth practicing on scrap. Also, you should have a laminate trimmer (mini-router) for finishing.

I wish I still had my shop but when we moved the garage got smaller and there is just no room. On the list is an outbuilding but other things are higher on it.

Hello, @meowsoft. Good to see you, it’s been a while.

When I had my wood shop, I built a woodworking bench/assembly bench combination. The top was MDF. On the assembly side I use tempered hardboard. It’s smooth, strong, inexpensive and could be changed out if it got to dinged up.

But, as it comes it’s not very water or liquid compatible. A coat of paste wax made it pretty much impervious. If I was building an electronics bench I would use a laminate surface.on MDF.

MDF is particularly dimensionally stable and easy to work with. Gluing laminate isn’t easy but it’s not really hard either. It’s worth practicing on scrap. Also, you should have a laminate trimmer (mini-router) for finishing.

I wish I still had my shop but when we moved the garage got smaller and there is just no room. On the list is an outbuilding but other things are higher on it.

Nice to see you too...
Do you think MDF is good for about 50kg-100kg load ?, I will have some stuffs like radio equipments, and server equipments too... and they are really heavy..., also same Siglent Oscilloscope SDS1024X-E too..., that's why I plant to use 1.2mm metal sheet in bottom of plywood (I was plan for 1.6mm before, but it's very heavy)...

 

Nice to see you too...
Do you think MDF is good for about 50kg-100kg load ?, I will have some stuffs like radio equipments, and server equipments too... and they are really heavy..., also same Siglent Oscilloscope SDS1024X-E too..., that's why I plant to use 1.2mm metal sheet in bottom (I was plan for 1.6mm before, but it's very heavy)...

It would not be strong enough if just supported on the ends. But if you put spanning extrusions below it, the long or short way. It’s Probably the case that 3 spanning beams would be enough.

On the other that, if you can find a wooden top, like maple butcher block, it would be better all around. If you do use MDF I strongly suggest a sacrificial covering surface. The tempered hardboard is a good choice in my experience. You can attach it to the MDF with countersunk screws (be sure to get the type designed for MDF.

If you expect to have any liquids on the bench, a polyurethane coating would be a good idea, or failing that, paste wax which might have to be reapplied from time to time. If the hardboard is damaged you can just replace it.

Given that you are going to have a lot on the bench and only a small portion for actual work, I think I’d cover the top in three segments so you don’t have to replace the whole thing if the work area becomes too beaten up.