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Thread: Roubo Bench Build

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Kincardine, Ontario
    Posts
    488

    Roubo Bench Build

    I have posted much of this in another forum but I thought it might be of interest here. There have been various excellent posts on the build process for “Roubo” style benches, but I took a bit of a different approach with respect to joinery and assembly. I incorporated a dovetail and through tenons directly into the laminations so there were no mortices to cut. The through tenon on the inside pieces is dovetailed top to bottom, while the front piece is dovetailed front to back. Here is the leg stock cut and ready for assembly.
    Bench leg.jpg
    It then occurred to me that instead of a pinned tenon to attach the front and back stretchers to the legs I could use an internal dovetail for max strength. The half-mortices were cut with a router on each of the two outside leg pieces. Here are a pic of the fitting process:
    bench dovetail fit 2.jpg
    Then for the short side stretchers I used a wedged tenon that went right through the inside two laminations of the legs:
    bench side rail glued.jpg
    Once those joints were made it was just a matter of gluing the bench together as a complete unit, one layer at a time. Of course it is critical that all the stock is milled to exactly the same thickness and correct widths.

    The Benchcrafted leg vise went together with no major issues but was time consuming, mainly because of the limited space I had to work between the front and back legs. Making holes go perfectly straight through 5-1/4” of material was a real challenge! To maximize the capacity of the vise I inset the nut into a 2” mortice. This was a real challenge, since my router barely fit in the space, fully plunged to 2”. Using a template, I had to slowly work my way around the hole, expanding it till I had a square. Then trimming the corners was a major issue. I had to sharpen up an old junk butt chisel and cut most of the handle off to be able to get a mallet on it. Here’s the result of 6 hours of sweat:
    bench nut.jpg
    The Veritas quick release tail vise was easier to install. There really is NO room for error in installing the mounting plate, and I fussed over this for some time.
    bench tail installed.jpg
    Of course no project is complete without a screw-up right near the end, so I decided to set a spinning router that had not been fully withdrawn on the bench top. I inset a new piece exactly the width of a lamination, and long enough to take out the divit. You can just see the extra piece in tail vise end.
    bench finished1.jpgbench finished3.jpg
    The whole process took me 68 hours. I think it worked out well in the end, and the joints will be rock solid long after I’m gone.

    Regards
    Hans
    Attached Images Attached Images
    "There is a crack in everything - that's how the light gets in"

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Kincardine, Ontario
    Posts
    488
    Just to give a better idea of how this thing was designed here are a couple of sketchup images including the details for the legs to top joint.
    Bench sketchup1.jpgBench sketchup2.jpg
    Here are a few more progress pics showing the glueup process.
    bench glueup3.jpgbench glueup1.jpgBench glueup2.jpg
    "There is a crack in everything - that's how the light gets in"

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    So Cal
    Posts
    3,739
    Beautiful bench hans.I esp like the thick legs.Is it yellow pine?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Kincardine, Ontario
    Posts
    488
    It's all ash except for the deadman rail, which is cherry (no reason, just had it handy).Thanks
    "There is a crack in everything - that's how the light gets in"

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Saratoga Springs, Utah
    Posts
    863
    Very Nice Work....
    Sawdust is some of the best learning material!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Fayetteville, GA
    Posts
    437
    Very nice bench built and your execution is superb. I love the leg/top dovetails. How do you like the Veritas QR tail vise in this Roubo config?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Stony Plain, Alberta
    Posts
    2,702
    As I said elsewhere, she is one sweet bench Hans... I'm sure it will serve you for many years.
    To me 68 hours is flying on a project like that. Nice work again.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    5,582
    Hans - very nice work and attention to detail. Going to have to start calling you Hans the Woodcrafter and I mean that as a compliment!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Grand Forks, ND
    Posts
    2,336
    Hans, very nice indeed, thats definately in the top 5 of nicest benches I've seen herer on SMC!!! Well done in every aspect.
    A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. My desk is a work station.

  10. #10
    Wow, to say I am impressed would be an understatement.
    Best Regards,

    Gordon

  11. #11
    What was your source for the vise hardware?

  12. #12
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Kincardine, Ontario
    Posts
    488
    Justin,The leg vise is Benchcrafted and the tail vise is Lee Valley.RegardsHans
    "There is a crack in everything - that's how the light gets in"

  13. #13
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Kincardine, Ontario
    Posts
    488
    Its been an awfully long time, but I just have to answer - it would be rude not to (sorry I didn't see the question earlier). The leg vise I'd Benchcrafted and the shoulder vise Is Veritas.

    regards
    Hans
    "There is a crack in everything - that's how the light gets in"

  14. #14
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    N Illinois
    Posts
    4,602
    Very nice craftmanship??? great joints!!
    Jerry

  15. #15
    Very nice, it is my on list to do.

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