Another Roubo workbench build thread

[Ian Guy]

I am working on my first workbench build. I am using Douglas fir 2-by material from the home center. I am primarily working with an assortment of hand planes and and a table saw to rip the lumber down to size and joint the faces/edges. I am following the Benchcrafted classic around plans (similar to one of the plans in the Schwarz book). I am working on the top first and planned to do it in three sections and then glue all threes sections up for the final top.

I did the first section a couple nights ago, it is 7.25" and is made up of five pieces laminated on the faces. The thickness on the pieces is 3.25", I am aiming for a final top thickness of 3" so I have some extra room for leveling/flattening once all is said and done.

I have already run into an issue that I'd like to get some thoughts on. I have a gap in one of the glue lines. It is approximately 1/32nd in width and does not appear to be very deep (it definitely does not go through to the other side). It is only about an 1.5" in length along the seam.

What should I do at this point? Rip them apart? Fill with epoxy or something else? Make a butterfly spline/key and place it strategically? I would rather not start over with this section or rip it apart if possible, but I also do not want it to fail.

The wood is KD Douglas fir, the glue is Titebond II. If I can repair this section without ripping apart and re-gluing, should I put this section in the front, middle or back of the final panel?

The top with be joined to the base using half tenon and draw bore.

I think a picture is posted.

Any advice or help is greatly appreciated.

[Jim Koepke]

This is a great opportunity to learn about inlay.

A butterfly key is a kind of inlay. Make it decorative and when people comment on it you do not have to say it was to fix a flaw.

The piece could look like a hand plane, another tool or anything you like.

jtk

[Ian Guy]

Thanks Jim, are there any concerns about the overall strength of the glue line? The top is 7 feet long and 3+ inches thick.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

I would fill it with epoxy until the epoxy floats above the hole, and then after it cures plane it flush. It will still show, but will be smooth and not have a divot. Please note that epoxy soaks in and may soak at a different rate than the finish you use. This causes a different color- usually darker- to show where the epoxy was unless you plane down below where it soaked into the wood. To remedy this, mask the area so that only a thin line shows. Remove the masking tape before the epoxy fully cures while it is in the tacky stage.

edit- use a liquid epoxy like West system 105 resin or similar- not a gel epoxy that comes in tubes.

[Jake Rothermel]

I can't imagine that small a gap will ever be a problem (except, maybe, to your pride!) with a top that thick. Even if it goes halfway through that's still 1-1/2" of a good glue joint. If you had a dozen of those, maybe I'd think about a do-over, but only one? I wouldn't sweat it.

I like Jim's idea of accenting to point it out rather than hide it; but I don't think you'd have to even do that for structure if the seam's tight the rest of the way across. If not a butterfly, you could shim it with a wood shaving or fill it with a sawdust & glue "filler."

[Phil Mueller]

All good suggestions above. If it's only a cosmetic thing, you might just want to fill it with pine colored wood filler. I've used it for a few holes (drilled right through the backer board into the bench top), and it holds up fine.

[Joel Thomas Runyan]

If it's 1/32 over 1.5" span, it'll never be a strength issue, so put it wherever it will get seen least, which is on the underside of the bench. If it ends up on the top, just use filler made from the dust you've got from the table saw and a few drops of glue.

[Scott Tibbetts]

Fill with super glue i till level. Worked great for me.

[Jason Dean]

Any chance that gap coincides with a dog hole or tenon location?

[Joe A Faulkner]

If this is going to be on the underside, then I wouldn't bother doing anything at all. If it is going to be on the top, I might fill it with some sawdust and glue, but I'd avoid epoxy. You will be flattening the top now and again over the years and I would not want to contend with hardened epoxy when planing the top.

[Michael J Evans]

Ian,
I have nothing to add but thanks for asking this. I am glueing up a top for my Bench and ended up with a slight gap on the second to last board from the back. Was curious what to do as well.

[Ian Guy]

Thanks for the feedback and advice. I'm tempted to do a butterfly/bowtie key to expand my skills, but I may just go the epoxy route as it will definitely be quicker. I know there are a few other bench build threads currently, but I will try to post pics as I make progress on the bench.

[William Fretwell]

Do nothing at this stage except work out why it happened. You may have similar voids just below the surface that will appear when you plane it level, who knows? Just make the bench, then at the finishing stage fill the voids with epoxy after taping off the surface as Malcolm suggests. Colour issues aside it just makes the leveling easier.
My bench has many defects, knots & cracks. All the cracks are on the underside, the knots are pushed to the back of the bench. I filled all with West epoxy mixed with bronze powder to make them a feature and remind myself it is a work bench. They all but disappeared in the black walnut, only oiling the bench made them slightly visible.
Small defects are of no consequence, the bench won't fall apart. If you have enough clamps then it's just edge joining technique.
Your final glue up of the sections will require your best technique as the wood won't be remotely as flexible.

[michael langman]

Ian,
I am jointing my 2x4's for my bench top, now, and I had the dame thing happen to me, though I have not glued up anything yet.

Some of the Borg 2x4's have shallow spots along their surfaces. Jims idea of a butterfly sounds like a great idea, but is not really necessary for strengths sake.
You could buy a package of the tapered shims at the lumber supply next time there, and trim the shim to fit the gap and glue in place.