Best sharpening table surface?

[Mike Allen1010]

I’m replacing my 40 year old rotting sharpening table with something,I hope more appropriate for the job. I use water stones, so given the typically wet environment, what is the best table top material?

Should I consider just wood construction with multiple coats of marines spar varnish? Don’t have much experience with wood in wet environments, but that sounds pretty sketchy to me.

The carcass is pretty nice frame and panel vertical grain Doug Fir and existing table Top is marine plywood. I purchased some inexpensive tile (I guess for the floor) and I was thinking about putting it on top of the plywood for durability against the water. What do you guys think? Appreciate any and all advice.

Thanks, Mike.

[Edward Weber]

How messy are you?
Kidding aside, do you want a top that repels water or contains water from spilling?

[Matt Riegerix]

I was lucky enough to have some teak scraps to laminate into a sharpening bench top. It’s holding up well, though I tend to wipe up excess water when I’m through.

[Tom M King]

Stainless steel sink with built in drainboard here. They come in all sizes, but I found mine on CL. It has the sink on one end, and a long drainboard in the 92" length. Seller said it came out of a hospital, and seems to be good quality.

I have two faucets, one with a double bend neck so I can cover the parts of the drainboard that I use. It's the first thing that gets moved into the old houses I work on. 2 gallon 120v water heater, and no trap drain that runs to the outside to empty on a sawdust pile, or through the wall when it's in the shop to empty into an Azalea bush.

It gets used for all sorts of things including sharpening. Three granite surface plates on the drainboard towards the sink. Wet grinder on the end.

[Tom M King]

Not a lot of picking there now, but did find this cute one.

https://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/...628955716.html

[roger wiegand]

I have an extra large, high quality, flat cafeteria tray, with some kind of non-skid surface on it that keeps stones from sliding around that nicely contains the mess and is easy to clean when necessary

[Richard Coers]

A sink cutout from Corian or Quartz

[William Fretwell]

Granite off cut, lots of weight for stability when sharpening, water friendly. Mine is supported at 3 points underneath so there is no wobble.

IMG_0231.jpg
Oh, did I mention it’s FLAT!

[Cameron Wood]

A piece of the original kitchen countertop from my '50s house- salmon color paisley Formica! Plywood was better then as well.

I wouldn't want tile where I'm putting down blades.

IMG_4256.jpeg

[Rob Luter]

The top of my sharpening station is Melamine. I have a shallow silicone tray that the stones sit in to contain the mess. I use Shapton Glass Stones so they don't need much water. Since this photo was taken I added stone holders to elevate them a bit.

[mike calabrese]

These come in aluminum, stainless steel and all price ranges. https://www.walmart.com/c/kp/stainle...l-baking-sheet
To capture your stone you can simply add a corral of just about any material like aluminum angle , attach with JB weld epoxy or typical silicone RTV.
calabrese55

[Andrew Hughes]

I have two pieces of glass I keep my station outside with a water hose.
i also use the spot for spray adhesive the over spray give the glass a sticky slip free surface.

[Mike Allen1010]

thanks for all the great ideas!! I’m checking local availability of a couple of suggested materials and will hopefully post some pictures of the final results.

[Reed Gray]

If I was going to use wood, I would use Ipe. It is very similar to teak as in oily, and very hard. If you can find a metal sink with a drain board that actually drains, that would be a good bet. I use diamond lapping plates and Trend lapping fluid. On the Shapton stones I have, I use an automotive glass cleaner which has no ammonia in it which can bother the nickel plating the diamonds are bonded to. I am not really sure about the value/worth of the Shapton stones. If my stropping compounds are 30,000 and 60,000 grit then why bother with them? My ultra fine diamond stone is 8000 grit. I can get see through shavings with that and my stropping set up.

robo hippy

[Richard Coers]

Actually a sink cut out from a Formica counter top will work if you put a couple of coats of paint on the edges and back side. All the choices are dependent on just how sloppy you are with sharpening. I've even just put down a piece of flexible cutting board on my work bench.