This is why I bought a bandmill, and saw my own lumber. Problem is, you also have to dry and store the lumber. My last batch of red elm got a case of powder post beetles. Great thing is, I don't have to buy lumber.
This is why I bought a bandmill, and saw my own lumber. Problem is, you also have to dry and store the lumber. My last batch of red elm got a case of powder post beetles. Great thing is, I don't have to buy lumber.
Steve, construction lumber is better for it's intended use when it's wet - it's less likely to split when it's nailed.
I would think lumber would need to be very dry to make a Roubo bench - any shrinking after the fact will pull the legs together, or maybe split the top.
And one last thought. I like the look of the Roubo bench, but I decided against making it. I made a separate top and base, and so if I want to I can easily remove the top to either transport it, or put it thru a wide belt sander. I'm not sure there are any advantages to the Roubo construction over making something the less sexy way.
Nice selection of wood but my enthusiasm fizzled after seeing their prices online. The same wood in the kit offered by Bell Forest Products is quite a bit less and that's delivered to my door. Too bad as we often go to Phoenix to check on other property we own there.
The Depot will order you anything you'd like from their distributor at pro desk in the store.
Check their website . Usually its free to ship to store if it's on/in their website inventory already.
My local carries cedar, poplar, oak, and clear(ish) pine. I suspect it's on their website too, but haven't verified it.
Using 2x4s is fine once dry but they will twist over time so you will probably have to plane the top flat a few times. As other have suggested order maple online.
Don
If this is your first woo working project, use stuff from the big box store. Once you build a work bench, be it roubo, English/Nicholson style, or whatever, you will realize what you don't like about it and want to change. Build it out of soft wood and use it for five years. You will know then what you want...
Hand planing, people have different preferences for height.
People have different preferences for work holding.
Some people love split to benches, some people hate them.
The list goes on and on...
My first thought was hey, it's just money. But if this is your first major woodworking project you would be crazy to spend that much - you could buy a serviceable bench for less than that.
When I built my last workbench I mostly stuff I had around: old 2x6 lumber left over from building my shop, constructed around a steel roll-around shop cart with nice drawers (which also made it easy to keep things square). Then I put a surplus laminated hard maple top on it that was made to go on a kitchen counter. Then I added a nice vise from my storage building. I had to spend about $4 for some lag screws and washers. Does the job and does it well.
JKJ
If you get the wet wood from HD as was said you need to sticker it.
Some pointers on stickering:
The base of your pile needs to have some strength. I have used pallets with success. You should have no more than 16-20 between pallets. The pallets need to be co-planer. 1"x1" stickers will work fine. The length should be the same as the width of your pile. You should run a sticker every 16-20". Make sure the stickers are vertically in line so you transfer the weight straight down to your base. Weight on top is good but not mandatory. Cover the top of the pile. Drying out of the sun is important. Since you are using softwood you will have an 8-12 month wait for dry wood.
This isn't sexy, and it might not be Roubo-esque.
Have you thought of just laminating multiple Ikea/butcher block tops?
It should be solid, flat, and heavy.
-Matt
In response to some of the comments and suggestions above I already have a large U-shaped work area that has a machinist vise and an old Record woodworking vise. The bench envisioned will strictly be for woodworking and mostly for use with hand tools. Years ago I built a sturdy workbench from plans purchased at Sears. It served me well over the years up to the time when it was left behind during our last move. I would like to kick it up a notch this time around with something special and challenging to build. After a few months of looking at workbench builds on YouTube and here the Roubo split-top seemed the most interesting. I don't have a lot of experience in woodworking so any idiosyncracies in the design will be probably not be felt and I will probably just work into it. As I've found with woodturning wood is my achilles heel here in NW Arizona and sticker shock with the price of hardwoods hasn't settled in yet. I was leaning in the direction of just using local softwoods but now after learning what is required to dry the only available wet wood I'm not sure that's the best way to go. So far pricing of hardwoods have been all over the place, the worst being from suppliers on the left side of the country. Of course hardwoods are cheaper east but shipping can easily be half the cost of the wood itself. I plan to contact Yoder Lumber in Ohio and see what shipping charges are from there. Their online prices for the wood itself have been the best so far. Hope this clarifies my thinking and direction. Thanks for all of the ideas and responses.
Last edited by Steve Mathews; 05-02-2017 at 8:08 PM.
The mill Chris is referring to is Yoder Lumber in Ohio.
Google says Las Vegas is an hour and 42 mins drive....pick up whatever hardwood you need, play a few slots and head home same day. Peterman Lumber says it carries a large selection of hardwood.
Scott Vroom
I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.