Workbench Advice

[Tim Cooper Louisiana]

Hello all!

I had a friend give me some lumber, and I need to make a workbench. I'm partial to a Roubo, but I'm not 100% sold on that style. What I got is 2 boards, both slightly over 10 feet long. 15 - 17 inches wide. One is 16/4 and the other is 12/4. I'd love the idea of using the big slabs and not having to laminate a bunch of stock. I'm not sure that this stuff would be thick enough once it's been dimensioned (is this the right term?). The wood is Ash, that has been air dried since 2000. We are in North Louisiana, and there isn't enough Ash around for the Ash borer beetles to be an issue. This is what I was told.

I have access to three more slabs that are roughly the same size in the 12/4. There is also some 8/4 stuff that is roughly 4' long that I could use for legs.

I was going to use some black locust, but decided to go with the ash. If I go Roubo, I may make the leg vise chop out of black locust. That stuff has got to weigh twice what the Ash does.

Anyone have any thoughts, or suggestions? I'm a complete newbie, and could use some advice. My friend also gave me some spalted sycamore. He's a pretty good friend .

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[Robert Hazelwood]

How bowed/twisted/cupped are these slabs? You'll need to estimate what the yield would be in thickness. If you use the 12/4 I'm guessing a best case finished width of 2-5/8 or so. That would be functional but on the thin side for a Roubo bench. I think it would work fine unless you want a really long bench, but most people go for a thicker top, closer to 4". Too bad you don't have another 16/4 slab, that would be perfect!

Alternatively, I think you have plenty of material to do a laminated top of any thickness you want. You'll need a way to rip the slabs into strips of the appropriate width (the width of the strips will be the thickness of your benchtop). A good circular saw would probably work. And you'll need a way to joint the surfaces of the strips for glue-ing them up face-to-face. Hand planes will work. Lunchbox planer would be handy.

[Kees Heiden]

Or use the 16/4 for the front and add a piece of 12/4 to the back. It doesn't have to be same thickness. You just need to make the rear legs a little longer.

[john zulu]

You did mention that you are newbie.... I will keep the wood until I am more comfortable with this project. It is a big undertaking. Wood of such dimension are hard to come by.

[ken hatch]

I know a Roubo bench is in fashion today but your slabs are perfect for making an English style bench. The English bench can be easier to make and I prefer working on it to the Roubo.

[Robert Engel]

I'm in the middle of a workbench build myself, and not to discourage you, but for me it was a year long process.

The toughest was deciding what kind of bench to build. I settled on the Scandinavian style with a shoulder vise.

I strongly recommend one of the workbench books either Landis or Schwarz.

I also would snatch up the rest of that lumber ASAP and get it into your shop and sticker it and forget about for a month or so.

Take it slow with the milling and re-sticker each time and let set for at least 2 weeks.

I can tell you from experience that even as you start building the bench, you can expect some movement, even with timbers this big.
Flattening the top is one of the most tedious time consuming parts (depending on how flat you want it). You'll need winding sticks, a long straight edge and a 7 or 8 jointer plane -- unless you have access to some big machinery.

I suggest you decide on your vises and get all the hardware before you start building.

The Roubo is one of the simplest designs. Anything with a tail vise or the Scandinavian type bench are more complicated.
Lots of people like the wagon vise in lieu of the tail vise.

[Denny Tudor]

I also was wondering what people thought about the nailed down plank top english bench featured on the Englishwood worker.

[Matt Evans]

That might be perfect for a roubo with a traditional tail vise. The varying thickness of the top would be pretty normal in that design.


Ash is a great wood, as is black locust. Id personally go with an ash top, black locust legs , chops and endcaps, as long as the material worked out to accommodate.

[Jim Koepke]

Tim,

Surely everyone here envies your problem. I know I do.

I have been using what was an inexpensive Sjoberg bench for about 10 years. Other than its light weight it has been a fine bench. It has given me insights toward a bench design that will work for me.

Everyone who builds a bench has to consider what will work best for their own needs, methods and projects.

As others have mentioned using the 12/4 at the back and the 16/4 at the front of the bench is an acceptable plan.

I like an apron on my bench. Nothing as deep as the apron on the typical English style bench, but something that would allow the use of a holdfast along the front. This works better for me than a deadman to support long boards for edge joining.

Many feel an apron gets in the way when clamping.

Different methods of work.

At one time a wagon vise seemed a good idea to me. For me it came down to how accustomed I have become to using my tail vise. My tail vise is nothing special, but it gives me more holding options than a wagon vise.

When all is said and done, if and when my bench ever gets made, it will not be confined in style or features to the various benches with world known names. It will be made with the wood available to me including features borrowed from all the others I have seen and will be something working with the way I do woodworking.

jtk

[Tim Cooper Louisiana]

There is already so many good ideas on this thread. Thank you so much! The slabs are pretty much dead flat, no discernible twisting or bowing. I have a friend who is going to help me build the bench, I'll include a picture of his Roubo bench. He thinks I should just buy some SYP and build the bench with it. Down here it's hard to find Ash this length and thickness, and he says he wouldn't use it for a bench. His is the only workbench I've used and so that's why I'm preferential toward the Roubo, and benchcrafted vises. As a newbie, I wouldn't tackle this project without his help or use of his shop and tools. He may own the entire Veritas catalog.

I like benches that use a mix of dark/light woods. I love the idea of black locust for the legs and end cap, but don't want to abuse the friend that is giving me the free wood. So many decisions...

[Jim Koepke]

He thinks I should just buy some SYP and build the bench with it.

If SYP was available in my area I think it would be my choice.

It might be good to build your 'first' bench with the SYP and get a feel not only for the process, but what features you like or want to change.

The ash and locust could be saved for the second bench or other projects.

Does the person who gave you the wood do woodworking? If not, maybe see what they would like that you could build for them.

jtk

[Tim Cooper Louisiana]

Tim,

Different methods of work.

At one time a wagon vise seemed a good idea to me. For me it came down to how accustomed I have become to using my tail vise. My tail vise is nothing special, but it gives me more holding options than a wagon vise.

When all is said and done, if and when my bench ever gets made, it will not be confined in style or features to the various benches with world known names. It will be made with the wood available to me including features borrowed from all the others I have seen and will be something working with the way I do woodworking.

jtk

I really liked Kees idea. However, the frustrating part is that I am new, so I have no idea what my preferences are. I've only tinkered around on a Roubo, so it's all I know. I liked what Ken said about the English bench. I had intended to go that route, but then my friend offered to help me build the bench, and I am torn. So far the only vises I've ever used are the benchcrafted leg and wagon. It's hard for my feeble woodworking brain to imagine any better vises.

[Tim Cooper Louisiana]

If SYP was available in my area I think it would be my choice.

It might be good to build your 'first' bench with the SYP and get a feel not only for the process, but what features you like or want to change.

The ash and locust could be saved for the second bench or other projects.

Does the person who gave you the wood do woodworking? If not, maybe see what they would like that you could build for them.

jtk

No, he's a Veterinarian and a hobbyist sawyer. He's not a woodworker though, but he's a really awesome guy. I do intend to make him something one day.

[Mark Fisher]

I was in the same position and just finished a Morovian bench. It is great for what I wanted. I don't have a lot of miles on it yet, but I find the leg vise fantastic. I used a Veritas inset vise instead of a wagon or tail vise. It holds surprisingly well and was easy to install. If I had to do it again, I'd go with a more traditional wagon or tail vise. I still don't understand why people would want a bench top in hardwood. I want my bench to dent before my project. I learned a lot in making the bench and it isn't as pretty....but it is solid and functional. I think it is a great way to learn hand tool woodworking, but I wouldn't want to use expensive wood if this is a learning project. The three designs I looked at were the Morovian, Roubo and English. I think they would all work great for my purposes, but the Roubo is a beast that I could never move out of my basement if I ever need to move. The Morovian knocks down easily, the benchtop can be replaced if desired and fit my reasonably small space. The English would have been fine too, but I wanted vises. Anyway, have fun with whatever you decide and don't be in a hurry.

[Kenneth Fisher]

I'd suggest building something like Chris Schwarz's knockdown English workbench out of SYP or 2 by material. It's a good inexpensive, solid bench. I think it's a great generic starting bench to let you start working and to figure out what you'd like or not like in a bench.