Work surface

[beadbroad]

Will aluminum work as a heat resistant surface, or do I need to go with stainless steel?

[GLASSFREEK]

Will aluminum work as a heat resistant surface, or do I need to go with stainless steel?

It will work but prety $$$ unless you have a piece around.
home depo 3' x 4 ' tin 7 bucks

Mike

[Jennifer Geldard]

I use aluminum roof flashing as a surface.
I don't pick up off it....ie: use it as a marver... but it's a great surface cover... and cheap!
At least compared to steel!

[Debbie]

Roof flashing for sure and flashing tape around the edges.

Debbie

[beadbroad]

Perfect -- thanks folks, that's just what I needed to know. So it's ok to set my hot graphite marver or a hot rod down on?

[Kalera]

Hmmm I went to a sheet metal place and they cut me a 6'x8' piece of stainless stell sheet for about $45... not that it's better than tin, but it was pretty dang cheap. I think tin probably works just as well, though. I'd ruin it by leaving pieces of fruit and spilled water on it, but that's ust because I'm a slob. :)

[lunesse]

I did the same, just went to a sheet metal place. But I will admit that the quotes I got for this, mine has some bending done to it, was ALL over the map from $270 to $75 for two large pieces, which is the quote I accepted!

[misfit]

Is the sheet metal better than the marble top table I use now? or maybe its granite. In any case what is the benifit of sheet metal?

A.

[Curly Irish Girl]

I've got ceramic tile (close out bin) on a plywood base - works great! Think it cost about $4 and I've got plenty of extras for the day I need a replacement - total table is 28 wide by 6 ft long - easily handles 2 torches for space.

[BillBrach]

I found 16" square ceramic tiles on closeout at Lowe's for 99 cents a piece.

Six of them make a nice sized, almost bullet proof surface. As my elbows are sometimes on the tabletop, I wanted something better than metal to rest them on. I glued them on a piece of 3/4" plywood using some leftover carpet cement, then grouted them with some leftover grout !!

[beadbroad]

Interesting suggestions. I'd considered ceramic, but I think I want a completely flat surface. Thanks!

[Mr. Smiley]

Interesting suggestions. I'd considered ceramic, but I think I want a completely flat surface. Thanks!

Completely flat means things will roll. Just thought I'd point that out. I think I'm going tile next time. I've got aluminum sheet now and I love it... but things do roll. ;)

[Jayne]

Hi, I've got a sheet of galvanized steel on top of an old office desk. Spent $13 at the sheet metal place, and they cut it perfectly to size. Under it there's a sheet of rubber roofing (compliments of my DH, a roofing contractor) also cut to size. The sheet metal doesn't slip, slide, or budge in the least due to the rubber layer underneath. By the way, the desk is cluttered with stuff now; this pic was taken before things were set up to torch, hehe!
1451

[BillBrach]

My ceramic tile aren't level either but it hasn't made any difference in the use of the surface.

I have a large shallow metal pan that my Arm Steadier and torch sit in. Most of the bits and pieces of glass that pop off, and other junk, like bits of bead release, fall right into the pan. Occasionally, I slip the pan out, and dump the bits and pieces in the garbage.

Note in the picture that I also tie my torch down through the hole in the pan. You can barely see the dark green cord around the torch base, hole in pan is unseen because the torch is blocking the view. You can see the tile on the left side, and my marver pad on the right side.

[Anakin's Glass Eye]

I use a slab of pollished blue granite. It's 1-1/4" thick and heavy as hell. It looks good and makes a great marver too. There used to be a marble/granite countertop manuf here in town and one night I went dumpster diving. Got a lot of good stuff, but only have the one piece left.

[PaulaD]

Anything will work as long as it's fireproof!!
Paula

[beadbroad]

Hmmnmm, "Things will roll." Good point. Bugger, bugger, bugger.

[Kalera]

I may go with granite tile for my next workbench... not because I don't like the steel, but just for the aesthetics of it. Granite is SEXY.

[cherishbear]

Jon suggested I use that cement board they make for tile work, works great, though I do use an old neck pillow as a pillow for my elbows!! LOL cement board cost about $5-9 at Home Depot

[Rose Leslie]

Yes I have used concrete board and then put the tile on it. Not permanent yet. When the shed goes up then it will be. If I didn't have the concrete board then it would have to be something else. Love the suggestions. :grin:

[BillBrach]

Concrete backer board works great IF you don't have to put your elbows on it, or your arms across the edge.

For the edge, you can put a couple of layers of duct tape to soften it up, for the top surface, some thin foam rubber works, if you glue it down. If you don't glue the foam down, the sweat on your arms/elbows will 'stick' to the foam and lift it up.

[Just Nancy]

Question for you tile folk. If you don't have a pan are your grout lines a pain in the neck? I'm not sure I want to add a pan under my torch but I might go with a piece of metal or a cookie sheet without sides. Also did you just screw your torch through the tile or grout or do you go with a clamp? (Part of why I don't think I want my torch on a pan. If I want to clean the pan I don't want to have to mess with the torch.)

Also what do you have on the front of the bench? Where the turn in the steel would be. The part that drops down and covers the front of the board that supports your tile.

I've met with my cabinet man but the stainless would have to be 2 pieces. I didn't want that seam very badly. So I'm looking at tops I can do if need be. If I had the specifics decided I could bug my guy doing the wiring about finishing that stage.
Nancy

[BillBrach]

I don't have any problems with the grout lines. But, I used 16" square tiles, and laid them out such that my elbows wouldn't come out on a grout line.

I don't clamp my torch because my torched is bolted to my "Bead Decoration Assist System". BDAS gives a lot of weight to the whole thing. I also have a big cup hook UNDER the top, and I have a piece of heavy cord that I pull the torch hose up and out of the way with. This cord also goes around a couple of screws in the BDAS, and holds the whole assembly back against the edge of the shallow pan.

I don't see any reason a cookie sheet won't work. But, what I love about the pan is that it "contains" all of the glass bits that invariably pop off a rod, and keeps them from "migrating" to the tile surface. I untie the cord, lift the BDAS/torch off and carry the pan to the garbage to dump the bits.

For what its worth, here are a couple of pics showing the torch/hose tiedown. There is a cuphook screwed into the underside of the worksurface, behind the brown 2 x 4, that the green cord is tied to.

[Curly Irish Girl]

My torches are bolted to the ceramic tile which is on top of a length of sheet metal covering the plywood work bench - sort of the house that Jack built as far as layers. I did not grout the tiles into place but rather built the bench to fit the tiles with no grout lines - sort of a friction fit. I have no problem with snips of glass getting between the tiles. As for the surface clean up of the pops - I have an old but faithful dust buster that sucks up all the bits! For me - taking apart stuff to clean the area wouldn't be a workable idea.

[Curly Irish Girl]

Forgot to add - my hoses are neatly tucked up and suspended in 2 spots under the work surface. I used IV tubing to secure them and suspend from I-bolts in the table. I think the thick plastic banding strips would work great also.

[Ruth Nichols]

Here is the surface of my lampwork area.... messy, messy, messy! lol

Many types of surfaces... but mostly stainless steel.


2011

[Just Nancy]

Thanks everyone. I think I finally talked my husband into temporary work bench from Sam's club. Basic sturdy table, maple top. Later it may hold my kiln or photo set up.

I've been working on small white plastic table. (Maybe 2'x3') This holds the whole shooting match. Stored stringers, a fan, light, tools, torch and kiln. I don't need to spread out, but I want the kiln off my table and some other changes.

Getting the temporary table should give me time to pick a work surface for my new bench. The thought of my wheels spinning any longer was making me crazy. The choice is still between stainless and tile. I don't like when I put my hand on hot stainless, but I was worried about the grout lines or ungrouted space between tiles and what to do with the front of the bench.

Thanks everyone.
Nancy

[aimee]

I use stainless steel on my workspace. It's very thick, I can't remember the gauge but I have one section that is about four feet long and can't get it to bend even just a little bit. Luckily I get it for free from a sheet metal place up the street from Matt's work. Both places has been there forever and are friends. They even cut it and smooth the edges so they aren't sharp.

[Laurie L]

I use a slab of pollished blue granite. It's 1-1/4" thick and heavy as hell. It looks good and makes a great marver too. There used to be a marble/granite countertop manuf here in town and one night I went dumpster diving. Got a lot of good stuff, but only have the one piece left.

Too funny "dumpster diving". LOL. My cousin does that and finds the most amazing NEW NEVER OPENED stuff. I use a piece of galv. sheet metal, works great inside my "Barley Box".