Shopsmith Forums

My work bench top is nothing to write home about. It is just a piece of 1" MDF but it is flat and level and I am a bit protective of it. Glue spot on the work bench are UNWANTED.

This past week I have been doing a lot of gluing and there have been more than a few spots that got to the work bench. I had to do something and small white plastic garbage bags became a new tool in my work shop. They are fantastic for this job.

They are supper thin. Glue does not adhere to the plastic. They can be moved around under the joint (if required) without disturbing the work piece. Glue that does get deposited on the bags peels right off when dry (just like the neat new glue applicators I found).

I now have a box of "Glad Bags" on the tool shelf.

As a teenager, I used to build R/C airplanes. I got in the habit of keeping a few pieces of wax paper, stolen from my mother, handy for that purpose. Not even epoxy will bond to it. It lies nice and flat, and you can reuse it many times.

Now I keep a roll in the workshop .. I got tired of having to come upstairs to steal it from my wife.

I'm fond of wax paper too.

I vote with the majority. I like wax paper for that job.

We eat lots of ice cream. We buy it in 1 gallon plastic tubs.
I save the tubs. Turn them upside down and mix epoxy on them, or puddle wood glue to spread on edges and smaller joints.
But, to the point of Dusty's post; the lids, arranged to suit on the bench, make excellent glue catchers. Best of all, they are free.
Just stack a bunch and cut square edges (2) on the band saw.
Milk jugs work, too. More hassle to get flat panels, though.

Dusty
give your workbench top a coat of boiled linseed oil and after it dries coat it with Johnsons paste wax.

I have a table top done this way and glue just peels off. After a big job I just go over the whole top with a wide puddy knife and the dried or semi dried pieces just pop off and can be swept up.

No sweat no bother no extra steps.

I keep a roll of wax paper in the shop. Like BuckeyeDennis you can reuse it many times.

Butcher paper or parchment paper is more 'durable' though not as likely found in the kitchen.

Ed in Tampa wrote:Dusty
give your workbench top a coat of boiled linseed oil and after it dries coat it with Johnsons paste wax.

I have a table top done this way and glue just peels off. After a big job I just go over the whole top with a wide puddy knife and the dried or semi dried pieces just pop off and can be swept up.

No sweat no bother no extra steps.

I'm wondering if that will work as well to protect my double bar clamps. I usually use wax paper for them.

Ed in Tampa wrote:Dusty
give your workbench top a coat of boiled linseed oil and after it dries coat it with Johnsons paste wax.

I have a table top done this way and glue just peels off. After a big job I just go over the whole top with a wide puddy knife and the dried or semi dried pieces just pop off and can be swept up.

No sweat no bother no extra steps.

+10

And a big yes to bar clamps. Using JPW seems to work as good as wax paper, maybe better .... JMHO