Mini-review of my new Walko 3 Bench

[Brice Burrell]

I see that Walko's don't seem to be readily available anymore, at least where I am looking.  It seems that Timmy C no longer has them on his website.  Where would you get one nowadays?

From Walko's site in the Netherlands:

Importer for the USA wanted

08 September 2010
We are looking for a new partner in the USA to represent our unique products.

For more information mail to: info@walko.nl or call +31 (0) 35 65 50 191

Google on "walko table" to find out more about the WALKO.

At the price the Walkos what the retail for I believe they will be looking for a new importer for a long time......

 

[Sparktrician]

Interesting, too, that on this site - http://www.walkousa.com/products.html - there's the statement, "The Bamboo Tabletops are water-resistant (max. 24 hours)".  Looks like leaving them out in the rain for a week wasn't the best decision. 

  [sad]

 

[jmbfestool]

UHMW would be a very durable top but it's quite expensive. HDPE costs about half as much and would work fine.

Tom

Yeah thats the stuff I think!!

 

[dwillis]

I have a Walko 4 and have found that I use it less than my MFT, but on the occasions I use the Walko it performs okay.  Not that I'm raving about how great or poor it works, just okay.  Living in Colorado where it's dry I have noticed the outermost bamboo plies have some small splits, but the don't affect the function, merely poor esthetics (haven't tried leaving it out in the rain).  My only complaint about the Walko is getting poked by one of the many sharp edges, but then I manage to avoid poking myself with my chisels so it's an area of improvement for me. [embarassed]

I like the idea of rounding over the underside holes and applying additional finish, sounds like a short weekend project.

 

[NuggyBuggy]

I got my Walko-3 a few weeks ago when Woodcraft was clearing them out.  I was surprised at how big it was in person.  I was also surprised to find as much plastic as I did.  Finally, I found the process of removing and inserting the supporting struts to be very, very frustrating.  I've only used it a few times, but I think that when those times come, I'll be really, really thankful I have it.

 

[harry_]

In Frank's defense, I don't think that it is so outlandish to expect a tool, especially of that cost to have used waterproof glue on a laminate surface. I can understand his disappointment.

This is not to suggest that leaving it out in the rain for a week was is great idea.

 

[Deansocial]

i would replace the top with compact laminate

 

[jmbfestool]

i would replace the top with compact laminate

Can you tell me what that is?! A link to it?!  because what I am thinking off wouldn't be a good solution for out door use and having cuts into it.

JMB

 

[Deansocial]

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.carlick.co.uk/images/polyrey-compact.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.carlick.co.uk/news.html&h=280&w=400&sz=24&tbnid=07Xdd4idySROeM:&tbnh=87&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcompact%2Blaminate&zoom=1&q=compact+laminate&hl=en&usg=__z5GeS8jkNApVxaJ99w59kIFYEa4=&sa=X&ei=RoPATLKnKNTNjAfV3fyNCg&ved=0CDMQ9QEwBQ

 

[jmbfestool]

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.carlick.co.uk/images/polyrey-compact.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.carlick.co.uk/news.html&h=280&w=400&sz=24&tbnid=07Xdd4idySROeM:&tbnh=87&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcompact%2Blaminate&zoom=1&q=compact+laminate&hl=en&usg=__z5GeS8jkNApVxaJ99w59kIFYEa4=&sa=X&ei=RoPATLKnKNTNjAfV3fyNCg&ved=0CDMQ9QEwBQ

Not seen that before!  But I cant see it being any good after you cut 1-2 mm deep with your TS 55 or anything else which would damage the thin top layer.

Using something like Tom said http://www.wmuhmwpe.com/ecpshow.asp?lmmc=UHMW%2DPE+Sheet  OR  http://www.hdpesheet.co.uk/    I think is the best solution as this material is completely rain proof!  Also you can use normal woodworking tools to cut and drill it  so  cutting it slightly with your TS would not cause the blade much harm.  Also you can easily cut it and drill the hose to match the current bamboo tops.

JMB

 

[Deansocial]

JMB you have no clue what this is do you? It is the same material all the way through. To give you a clue most wtop jigs are made from it

 

[jmbfestool]

JMB you have no clue what this is do you? It is the same material all the way through. To give you a clue most wtop jigs are made from it

OH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  [embarassed]     I saw the picture and just replied straight away with out reading!!!!   I just saw layers in the picture!! and thought well that cant be any good! hahaha  You see I own the Festool worktop jig!  Made out of aluminium!!

 

[Frank Pellow]

Well, I left one of my two table tops out in the rain and weather for a week and the result is not good.  [sad]

The top surface was fine, but the glue holding layers together did not stand up.

Here is a photo:

[attachimg=#1]

I expect that I can repair the damage, but I am very dissapointed that I can't work with the bench in the rain.

For real? You are dissapointed that you can't leave the bench outside? You expected the tops to be ok in the rain and now you are dissapointed. I dont get it? What did you think would happen?

Yes, For real.

As can be seen in some of my earlier post in this thread, I want a bench upon which I can work outside in rainy weather and I investgated just what I might be able to do to my Walko bench to make this possible.   What I ended up doing was applying tung oil to the parts of the bench that I had rounded over.  I expected the glue on the plywood to hold.  Some others here thought that would work, so I was not alone.

But, I was wrong, so I am dissapointed.  [sad]

At least, I only conducted my experiment with one of the two tops.  Also, it appears that I was able to repair the damaged top.  [smile]

 

[Warrior]

I guess its not built for the .0001% of guys who want to work in the rain. LOL!

I bought an $1800 workbench once. Since it is more expensive than the walko it should perform flawlessly at he bottom of a pool too. That has got to be the most rediculous requirement for a workbench.

 

[nclemmons]

I also picked up the Walko 3 for 1/2 price when Woodcraft was closing them out.  Fortunately, the top of the Walko 3 is just about the identical height of the MFT/3 top, so it works well as an extension table for long pieces.  

I've found it to be a very sturdy table.  I also rounded over the bottom side of the holes with a 3/8 roundover bit and it allows the Festool clamps to easily be used through the holes.  Really like the adjustable heights for allowing me to lower the table when sanding or drilling drawers or other larger pieces.

I have not moved it out of my shop except to the garage for some projects and it's much more portable than the MFT in terms of weight and bulk.

It's a nice compliment to the MFT/3.  Not a replacement.

You could probably make replacement tables from Corian or some other solid surface material.  Not sure as to durability, but even with waterproof tables, you'd see some rust in time if it was outdoors.  The legs are galvanized, but I'd think they'd rust if left outside for an extended period.

neil

 

[PaulMarcel]

I agree with Neil: make the surface from solid surface and it won't move or get funky should you decide it needs to be in hurricane rains.  Contact someone with a CNC as the hole pattern for an MFT is trivial to code and route (my friend did it for 3 work tables in my shop and he's keeping his next solid surface offcuts for my Walko-4).

I live in Arizona, which makes Colorado look tropical.  When I got my tables, I slathered CPES (clear penetrating epoxy sealer) on it.  They are now considered water-proof, but since I don't swim well, I'll leave the Walko out of the pool.  I know 'rnt80' lives over in Mesa (~15 miles from me) and his tables started to check badly; he got replacements.  Ask any flooring place in Arizona: bamboo flooring (which the tables effectively are) and Arizona don't mix.

I wanted the wheel set when I ordered mine, but there are none on our continent (ah, NAINA again).  My mechanic is welding two very nice wheels to Simpson Ties L-brackets that will be attached to the side of the Walko legs so I can barely lift the far end to engage the wheels and scoot it around.  I don't have the wheels back yet, but will blog about the idea when they arrive.

LASTLY, I got a set of the table struts with the table.  Yes, it takes a couple times to get used to attaching them (the instructions actually tell you where the handle should be; life's nicer now that I read it).  They were so useful that I bought another set on clearance from Woodcraft for $40.  I had a big project that weekend and found that I used every strut to stack most of my parts on the Walko.  Since they won't be available anymore, I bought yet another set of table struts the next time Woodcraft put them on clearance.  I now have a couple more (4 to a pack) than I need, but they are ridiculously useful when processing rough lumber.  Or to hang tee-shirts out in the rain for free laundry (sorry Frank, just having fun; first thing I did was do your chamfer idea so I'm thankful for your posting )

 

[Frank Pellow]

I guess its not built for the .0001% of guys who want to work in the rain. LOL!

I bought an $1800 workbench once. Since it is more expensive than the walko it should perform flawlessly at he bottom of a pool too. That has got to be the most rediculous requirement for a workbench.

I certainly don't want to work in the rain, but on construction sites, a lot more people than  .0001% of workers who want to get the job done often need to work in the rain or snow (at least, that's what I have always found to be the case in Ontario).   [poke]

 

[Deansocial]

yep i work in the rain BUT i drie everything off carefully and would dream of leaving it out in the rain for a week. Thats just letting it penetrate

 

[Frank Pellow]

yep i work in the rain BUT i drie everything off carefully and would dream of leaving it out in the rain for a week. Thats just letting it penetrate

I don't intend to leave my bench out in the rain for as long as a week either -but I would like it to be possible to stand such stress.  Knowing me, I will sometimes either forget and leave it out overnight or will not get back to a job as fast as I intended to thus subjecting the bench to a soaking.

 

[jmbfestool]

yep i work in the rain BUT i drie everything off carefully and would dream of leaving it out in the rain for a week. Thats just letting it penetrate

I don't intend to leave my bench out in the rain for as long as a week either -but I would like it to be possible to stand such stress.  Knowing me, I will sometimes either forget and leave it out overnight or will not get back to a job as fast as I intended to thus subjecting the bench to a soaking.

Well you know what to do now?  Just make your own top but out of a different type of material which wont be affected by rain.  You can not expect sealer's to to keep your top from getting damage by rain. OKay fair enough if its something is for show you can seal it as no one will be causing alot of damage for water go get to it and it will be fine but as a work top which you will be cutting drilling banging scratching all sorts you can not use a sealer as you will just be removing it when your working on it unless you wanna be spending time at the end of every day giving it another coat where you damaged it.  Well if I was in your position and wanted it to be weather proof I would get http://www.wmuhmwpe.com/ecpshow.asp?lmmc=UHMW%2DPE+Sheet

JMB