Sealing my new workbench, and other upgrades?

I mean mostly mechanical versus carpentry etc ?

 

Yeah mostly mechanical for now.

 

if at all possible I would hang the pegboard on the wall above the bench and not attached to the bench at all so if your hammering on something everything doesn't come crashing down. same thing if your sawing something in the vise.

 

I would do that except that this is the "nice garage" and the family freaks out about the idea of... You know, setting it up as a garage..

It's frustrating

 

...i would avoid using film finishes (shellac, varnish, poly, paint, etc.) on a benchtop:
- defeats the purpose of having a grippy surface
- will be susceptible to the film being chipped/gouged/damaged (..remember it's a workbench, contact w/ metal tools, etc.)
- film finishes more effort to repair...

i'd recommend an oil/varnish blend, like danish oil, ...easy to apply, ..easy to touch up, ..doesn't really build into a thick film unless you do a lot of coats, ...if that's a piece of MDF for your benchtop surface, it'll soak up a lot of danish oil though!

..as for the frame, ...do anything you want, ...primer and paint is fine as well...

 

Oh yeah I'm just sealing the frame haha.

if I ever find a good deal like Maple top or something like that I would definitely consider upgrading it.