[OP]
Member
After I initially drilled the holes in my workbench (3/4" since I read that was standard) I tried out the holdfasts I bought from Jr. Worked great. Then I put BLO in the holes since I had already put it on the rest of the workbench. Didn't think anything about it and could swear I read about several other people doing this.
Apparently the wrong thing to do since now the holdfasts don't hold any more.
What's the best way to remove the BLO from the holes?
Jeff
Member
Mineral spirits, but you'd better act fast before the BLO sets up. You may need to do this outside because of the concentration of fumes, but buy a bag of rags from your local auto parts store, and soak them in mineral spirits (the cheap kind - "paint thinner"), and stuff them down into the holes. Wrap the top and bottom surface of the bench with painter's plastic, and let it set for several hours.
Then unwrap the bench, take the soaked rags out, wring them out in a bucket of mineral spirits, and repeat. It may take several rounds, but so long as the BLO hasn't cured, it will preferentially migrate into the soaked rags.
This is an excellent example of why putting a finish on a bench is not always a good idea.
[OP]
Member
David,
No chance of doing this outside. I have some low-odor mineral spirits. I have all the holes stuffed so I'll let them sit for a while. The BLO has been in there for about 24 hours.
Before I treated the bench I read lots of threads and that seemed to be the most common finish for the bench. Even Chris Schwartz recommended it in his book. Go figure.
Well, hopefully this will do the trick.
If the BLO has only been in there 24 hours, you may have a few days to wait till it is completely cured to know how this will or won't effect your holddowns. It is an oil so at the point when it is still gassing off, I would expect slippage. At this point you have a pretty decent amount of absorbtion. Your MS treatment won't hurt but simply allowing a few days for the oil to cure may be all you need to do.
"A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".
– Samuel Butler
[OP]
Member
Glen, I hope you're right. I have already pulled the rags out because I don't feel good about leaving them in for too long in the basement. I'll let it go for a few days and see what happens.
Please let us know the result. Good luck.
"A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".
– Samuel Butler
Contributor
Originally Posted by Jeff Skory
If the holes are aligned to a tail vice, you could drill a few more holes for holdfasts only.
My bench now has a few new holdfast holes to hold long boards being edge planed and shop made bench accessories like shooting boards.
jim
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
[OP]
Member
Will do.
I also had one other crazy thought if it doesn't. Jr.'s holdfasts are a fair bit smaller than 3/4". So my thought was to paint the inside of the hole with a thin layer of that rubber stuff that you can dip tool handles in. Thought that would give it a lot of grip. The downside of course is that it makes the hole a little bit smaller. I might try it in a thick piece of scrap and then clamp that scrap in the leg vise and see how it works.
[OP]
Member
No tail vise on my bench, just a leg vise. No worries. If things don't work out I'm ok with drilling new holes or maybe trying out my crazy idea of the rubberized paint stuff. I'm a flexible guy that can roll with the punches.
Contributor
Maybe some of that anti-skid paint?
Ken
So much to learn, so little time.....
Member
DON"T USE TOOL DIP!!!!!! That will make it worse.
In Memoriam
Jeff make sure you get all the lubricant, BLO, off the shanks of the holddowns
Jr.
Hand tools are very modern- they are all cordless
NORMAL is just a setting on the washing machine.
Be who you are and say what you feel... because those that matter... don't mind...and those that mind...don't matter!
By Hammer and Hand All Arts Do Stand
[OP]
Member
George and Jr. - ok and ok. Advise accepted.
Contributor
You might try rolling some sandpaper around the holdfast with the abrasive side out. Leave the sandpaper in the hole if it wants to stay.
jim
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
Member
Could always abrade the shank of the holdfast with the corner of a mill file. Give 'er some bite.
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