Bench Basics Part 6

Final Thoughts:

As you can see the doors make a nice addition plus they keep the coolant and mess in better.

This bench is not flat, it is slanted 1/2" in 4' both left to right and back to front.  This allows the coolant to flow to the front right hand corner. If it is flat coolant tends to puddle. You slant it with spacers under the legs.

We bolt down the mill AFTER it is under power.  We go through a full range of motion and make sure we don't clip the sides.  Bolts for the mill are sized so they go into the sleeper and stringer if possible about 1.75", if not thru bolt it with washers and plenty of caulk in the hole and bolts. Make sure you use caulk for all the lags and they won't leak.

Painting your bench is optional, but it surely wouldn't hurt.

Lastly, and most important.  This bench will last a long time if you seal and paint it correctly.  The carriage bolts and lags with caulk are very important. The 3 sheets of MDF or particle board for the top will give you a very strong base for your mill.

Furthermore, inspect your bench for coolant leaks and fix them right away. Keep it dry and it will last just about forever.

Use common sense...a lot of common sense.

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