I'm about to build myself a bigger wrapping bench and the top I was going to paint since it will be plywood. I know its mostly a matter of personal preference but I was wondering what the mostly likely best color would be to paint the top. Originally I was thinking white but now I'm wondering if that may cause problems with glare from the lighting overtop bouncing back and making it hard to see when wrapping. Now I'm leaning more towards tan. For those that may have worked on multiple benches or went through the same thing as I am, what did you find was the best color? Thanks

I just installed a premaid counter top from Lowes

The sections are eight feet in length, rolled front, back splash and simply slide in place - too simple and cheap for me to consider anything else. 25 inch width.

The total cost for the finished section is under $80.00 - find the color you want and see if you can find one with a chipped end - they will do business to get them out of stock.

They come in many colors - I chose the light tan formica with and have been really pleased - it is up high because I hand wrap from a standing stationary position and move the rod.

[www.lowes.com]



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/14/2012 09:14AM by Bill Stevens.

I have been using the same thing Bill mentioned above, in teh same color for 10 years. Make sure you know if oyu will be sitting or standing. I set mine up fo rsitting, but now I stand when I wrap and my neck hurts all teh time. I am going to be making a band said to raise my benchtop about 12 inches

Recently moved form an all white wrapping room to one that is a little darker then tan (but not much)
I absolutely prefer white!!

It makes all things brighter and helps little dark things (micro guides) stand out better
The white makes all things brighter and gives a truer visual of what the thread colors are

For me it is easier to see mistakes and correct them before the rod is taken out into the sunlight fishing where they'll show up to late

Allan,
As Steve posted, I wrap in an all white room. The walls and ceiling are white, the 12 foot long counter top wrapping bench is white and the floor is light colored vinyl.
The bench is just a 12 foot piece of premade white counter top that has been placed on top of two 4 foot folding tables. The added two inches of height gave me just the right heigh for wrapping.
By using the folding tables, and the one piece of pre made counter top, everything is easy to move if the time ever comes to move anything. i.e. there is nothing big and bulky in the room that doesn't fold up.

Also, in the room, I have 5 foot long folding plastic topped tables for additional work surfaces. Again, inexpensive, portable if the time ever comes and 0 maintenance with the plastic top. I use the Flex Steel brand of folding tables which use a good strong steel backbone in the table so there are 0 issues with sagging and lack of strength.

I have bright florescent lighting every two feet in the room as well.

I wouldn't consider wrapping in a room that was not white.

If you research the subject, you will find that the human eye required about 10X more light for detail assembly than for other chores. I consider wrapping some pretty "detail" work.

In addition, over the guide being wrapped, I also have closely spaced high intensity halogen light to give the actual guide wrapping area about 10X more light than the general room light which is already quite bright.

My basic wrapping area is also placed in front of a south spacing window, so during the day time, I have the additional light from the south window.

My wrapping bench is long enough so that I can roll my power wrapper by my position on the bench. I have ball bearing rollers on the bottom of my rod wrapping bench so I stay in the center of the bench and roll the rod past me. This means that I don't have to constantly move my wrapping tools and myself up and down the bench.

Be safe and stay bright.

Roger



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/14/2012 04:23PM by roger wilson.

I use the same thing bill mentioned. Other benefits include when you spill finish, glue, etc - you can use a scraper blade and pop it all off formica. You aren't going to do that with plywood.

When I first built my bench, I placed a premade 8' piece over two cabinet bases. Super easy, looked great, gave storage space and I had little time involved.

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Like Alex put a Formica counter(second) top on 2 base cabinets (seconds) about 10 years ago for less than $100

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

Awesome guys, thanks for the info. I'll have to take a look at Lowe's and see if I can find a nicked counter top. I've already considered height and thats oneof the reasons why I'm redoing my bench.

My bench is topped with hard board and is 11 feet with cabinets for storage at each end. If I was to do it again I would have not put the cabinet at the right hand end and I would have made it longer and L shaped. With the lamps I have in the room a white table top would have been too much, I have 5000 lumin 5K Kelvin color laps 8' in two four foot tubes for a very natural daylight white color also give you a very crisp glare line for lining stuff up.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Thank you whoever you are

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