Some specific bench questions. The long planned Roubo style bench in beech is about to get started (tired of looking at the stack of timber), and I'm wondering if anybody has found that the popular split top has downsides? It'll be hefty - 4in plus thick top, with matching understructure. i.e on the heavy end of the spectrum. The thinking so far is to use a Benchcrafted style leg set up with cross rails under and blind tenons into the top, and bolt up stretchers - to enable future disassembly if needed.
The extra clamping ability and ease of handling during build and afterwards all sound like strong arguments for incorporating a split top - and it would make wood movement less of an issue too. Wary though of supporting the two half width/half weight top pieces off just cross rails between the legs - of effectively halving the mass of the top, and leaving it totally dependent on the rails for support. i.e. the solidity and ability of a bench like this to absorb impacts when chiselling and the like without bounce is the whole point in making it heavy - it'd be a pity to give that away. It may not be an issue given that even a half top wil be a very solid piece of timber - but right now a one piece top is the plan...
Another basic is adhesives. Something like Titebond 2 extend is attractive, but I'm wary about longevity. A thread a couple of years ago floated the thought that a structural adhesive like liquid polyurethane might be a better if less convenient choice, but in absence of hard data (as opposed to marketiung claims) didn't reach any firm conclusions. i.e. both seemed to work fine. Has anything popped up since to change this view?
The choice of vise has evolved, but seems to have settled on the now almost standard DIY leg vise and wagon type at the end. I've ordered a Benchcrafted criss cross for the leg vise. Are these (the criss cross) holding up well in use? Any downsides?
Thanks