I am interested in making a Roubo bench. It is something that I have wanted to do for a while, and I was recently offered some white oak logs. I am considering hewing them and this might be a total hand tool build.
I need some help with a hewing axe. What can I get by with? Can I rough it out with a regular axe and then go at it with my planes? Or do I really need a broad axe or adze? I just need to get it in a form that my planes can handle.
The second concern is drying. When I used to reclaim old lumber it seemed like oak really likes to check. I’m going to build it wet like any other timber frame, but then I wonder if I should keep it outside for a while or something?