GG

Greg Guarino

01/10/2011 5:50 PM

how to fill shallow holes in workbench top

I put in a bench vise today and, as per advice from this group, used
bolts, nuts and washers. I drilled a couple of flat-bottomed holes in
the bench top, just deep enough to keep the bolt heads below the level
of the bench surface.

Once I'm pretty sure I've got the vise the way I want it, I'd like to
fill in the holes with...something. Something that would leave the
surface flat afterward, maybe after sanding . Ideas? Wood putty? Epoxy?
(I'm probably not brave enough for that one) Something else?


This topic has 9 replies

LH

"Lew Hodgett"

in reply to Greg Guarino on 01/10/2011 5:50 PM

01/10/2011 8:13 PM

Greg Guarino wrote:
> I put in a bench vise today and, as per advice from this group, used
> bolts, nuts and washers. I drilled a couple of flat-bottomed holes
> in
> the bench top, just deep enough to keep the bolt heads below the
> level
> of the bench surface.
>
> Once I'm pretty sure I've got the vise the way I want it, I'd like
> to
> fill in the holes with...something. Something that would leave the
> surface flat afterward, maybe after sanding . Ideas? Wood putty?
> Epoxy?
> (I'm probably not brave enough for that one) Something else?
----------------------------------
Use hex head bolts and flat washers under head.

Pour fairing putty (epoxy thickened with mivro-balloons to a soupy
consistancy) proud of bench top.

Allow to cure for 2-3 days then sand flush.

BTW, drill hole at least 1/2"-5/8" deep so that putty is at least
3/16" over bolt head.

I use the above for my jigs.

Lew


tt

tommyboy

in reply to Greg Guarino on 01/10/2011 5:50 PM

02/10/2011 10:30 AM

On Sat, 01 Oct 2011 17:50:26 -0400, Greg Guarino <[email protected]>
wrote:

>I put in a bench vise today and, as per advice from this group, used
>bolts, nuts and washers. I drilled a couple of flat-bottomed holes in
>the bench top, just deep enough to keep the bolt heads below the level
>of the bench surface.
>
>Once I'm pretty sure I've got the vise the way I want it, I'd like to
>fill in the holes with...something. Something that would leave the
>surface flat afterward, maybe after sanding . Ideas? Wood putty? Epoxy?
>(I'm probably not brave enough for that one) Something else?

I used epoxy and scraped flush.

ww

whit3rd

in reply to Greg Guarino on 01/10/2011 5:50 PM

06/10/2011 2:17 PM

On Sunday, October 2, 2011 4:33:29 AM UTC-7, dadiOH wrote:
> Greg Guarino wrote:
> > I put in a bench vise today... I'd like to
> > fill in the holes with...something. Something that would leave the
> > surface flat afterward, maybe after sanding . Ideas?

> Bondo. Easy, cheap, readily available.

Yep, that's a good solution. I wonder what the solution would have
been a century ago, though: maybe melted sulfur ?

Cc

"CW"

in reply to Greg Guarino on 01/10/2011 5:50 PM

02/10/2011 7:58 AM



"dadiOH" wrote in message news:[email protected]...

Greg Guarino wrote:
> I put in a bench vise today and, as per advice from this group, used
> bolts, nuts and washers. I drilled a couple of flat-bottomed holes in
> the bench top, just deep enough to keep the bolt heads below the level
> of the bench surface.
>
> Once I'm pretty sure I've got the vise the way I want it, I'd like to
> fill in the holes with...something. Something that would leave the
> surface flat afterward, maybe after sanding . Ideas? Wood putty?
> Epoxy? (I'm probably not brave enough for that one) Something else?

Bondo. Easy, cheap, readily available.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I second that. It is also removable if/when desired.

BB

Bill

in reply to Greg Guarino on 01/10/2011 5:50 PM

01/10/2011 6:05 PM

Greg Guarino wrote:
> I put in a bench vise today and, as per advice from this group, used
> bolts, nuts and washers. I drilled a couple of flat-bottomed holes in
> the bench top, just deep enough to keep the bolt heads below the level
> of the bench surface.
>
> Once I'm pretty sure I've got the vise the way I want it, I'd like to
> fill in the holes with...something. Something that would leave the
> surface flat afterward, maybe after sanding . Ideas? Wood putty? Epoxy?
> (I'm probably not brave enough for that one) Something else?

Gosh, why do something that you may regret. How about wooden-disks made
to match? "Spacer" underneath?

Ab

"Artemus"

in reply to Greg Guarino on 01/10/2011 5:50 PM

01/10/2011 4:41 PM


"Greg Guarino" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I put in a bench vise today and, as per advice from this group, used
> bolts, nuts and washers. I drilled a couple of flat-bottomed holes in
> the bench top, just deep enough to keep the bolt heads below the level
> of the bench surface.
>
> Once I'm pretty sure I've got the vise the way I want it, I'd like to
> fill in the holes with...something. Something that would leave the
> surface flat afterward, maybe after sanding . Ideas? Wood putty? Epoxy?
> (I'm probably not brave enough for that one) Something else?

If your bench is thick enough, drill the holes deeper so the bolt heads are
~3/8" below the surface. Then use wood plugs to fill the holes.
Art

dd

"dadiOH"

in reply to Greg Guarino on 01/10/2011 5:50 PM

02/10/2011 7:33 AM

Greg Guarino wrote:
> I put in a bench vise today and, as per advice from this group, used
> bolts, nuts and washers. I drilled a couple of flat-bottomed holes in
> the bench top, just deep enough to keep the bolt heads below the level
> of the bench surface.
>
> Once I'm pretty sure I've got the vise the way I want it, I'd like to
> fill in the holes with...something. Something that would leave the
> surface flat afterward, maybe after sanding . Ideas? Wood putty?
> Epoxy? (I'm probably not brave enough for that one) Something else?

Bondo. Easy, cheap, readily available.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico


GG

Greg Guarino

in reply to Greg Guarino on 01/10/2011 5:50 PM

06/10/2011 4:34 PM

The best ideas always seem obvious, once you've heard them. Thanks.

On 10/6/2011 10:52 AM, Pat Barber wrote:
> Because bench tops catch all sorts of abuse, why not cover the
> top with masonite(hardboard) that can be changed out after it starts
> looking crappy.
>
>> http://www.lowes.com/pd_15486-46498-SS2204825_0__?productId=3014311&Ntt=hardboard&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl__0__s%3FNtt%3Dhardboard&facetInfo=
>>
> (little pricer)
> or
>
>> http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?keyword=hardboard&selectedCatgry=SEARCH+ALL&langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053&Ntpc=1&Ntpr=1
>>
> (A cheaper version)
>
> At $8.00 per sheet, you are not going broke changing it out on occasion.
>
> Fill your holes with bondo and sand it flat, screw on hardboard and move
> on.
>
>
>
>
> On 10/1/2011 5:50 PM, Greg Guarino wrote:
>> I put in a bench vise today and, as per advice from this group, used
>> bolts, nuts and washers. I drilled a couple of flat-bottomed holes in
>> the bench top, just deep enough to keep the bolt heads below the level
>> of the bench surface.
>>
>> Once I'm pretty sure I've got the vise the way I want it, I'd like to
>> fill in the holes with...something. Something that would leave the
>> surface flat afterward, maybe after sanding . Ideas? Wood putty? Epoxy?
>> (I'm probably not brave enough for that one) Something else?

PB

Pat Barber

in reply to Greg Guarino on 01/10/2011 5:50 PM

06/10/2011 10:52 AM

Because bench tops catch all sorts of abuse, why not cover the
top with masonite(hardboard) that can be changed out after it starts
looking crappy.

> http://www.lowes.com/pd_15486-46498-SS2204825_0__?productId=3014311&Ntt=hardboard&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl__0__s%3FNtt%3Dhardboard&facetInfo=
(little pricer)
or

> http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?keyword=hardboard&selectedCatgry=SEARCH+ALL&langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053&Ntpc=1&Ntpr=1
(A cheaper version)

At $8.00 per sheet, you are not going broke changing it out on occasion.

Fill your holes with bondo and sand it flat, screw on hardboard and move on.




On 10/1/2011 5:50 PM, Greg Guarino wrote:
> I put in a bench vise today and, as per advice from this group, used
> bolts, nuts and washers. I drilled a couple of flat-bottomed holes in
> the bench top, just deep enough to keep the bolt heads below the level
> of the bench surface.
>
> Once I'm pretty sure I've got the vise the way I want it, I'd like to
> fill in the holes with...something. Something that would leave the
> surface flat afterward, maybe after sanding . Ideas? Wood putty? Epoxy?
> (I'm probably not brave enough for that one) Something else?


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