Split Roubo Workbench #11: The Legs - part II

Aha, looking good indeed. Very nice work, Scott!

-- Don't anthropomorphize your handplanes. They hate it when you do that. - OldTools Archive -

Looking like first class.
Those legs are beautiful.
Best thoughts,
Mads

-- MAD F, the fanatical rhykenologist and vintage architect.

Scott,

Wipe the nervous sweat from your brow (just chidding), your lookin’ good. ;-)

Patiently waiting the next update. – Len

-- Mother Nature should be proud of what you've done with her tree. - Len ...just north of a stone's throw from the oHIo, river that is, in So. Indiana.

looking good Scott.

-- http://timetestedtools.net - Collecting is an investment in the past, and the future.

This bench s going to be beautiful Scott. If you saw some of my mortises, you’d laugh your head off. The joints have never come loose though.

-- Andy - Old Chinese proverb says: "If you think something can't be done, don't interrupt man who is doing it."

Ahhh, more progress. The anticipation builds.

Thanks for the kind words.

I still have the legs at a length that will result in a finished height of 35”. Yet, the legs are already laid out at 1/2” increments if I decide to cut the legs lower the bench to 34 1/2” or 34”.

I was really suprised that the Grammercy holdfasts didn’t work.

This build is a wonderful learning experience. I am performing operations and using tools that I have never used before. Take for instance the Yankee brace. I have played around with and it doesn’t need TLC. But actually take that tool and bore real holes in a real project is awesome. I love that thing.

-- "It's only wood. Use it." - Smitty || Instagram - nobodhi_here

Good progress Scott and you bring up something I wrestled with last night. What is the best way to chop out a mortise this big?

I did two last night for my bench 5.5”Lx1.25”Wx2”D. It aint easy. I first tried boring it with my brace, in oak thats a lot of work, tried forstner bit in handheld drill but that burned the wood and wasn’t much easier. I finally hoisted it up on my drill press. It worked but I almost broke my little cheap drill press.

I didnt think about routing since I wasn’t sure if it would reach deep enough. I have a template router bit, I may double stick tape some stops and try that.

-- Mauricio - Woodstock, GA - "Confusion is the Womb of Learning, with utter conviction being it's Tomb" Prof. T.O. Nitsch

“Finally, I drilled a large 1 1/4” inch hole in the right front leg for access to a dog hole.”

I’m not clear on what that hole is for? Thats a big dog hole, I’m just trying to figure out if I need one of those. Thanks!

-- Mauricio - Woodstock, GA - "Confusion is the Womb of Learning, with utter conviction being it's Tomb" Prof. T.O. Nitsch

Mauricio, that hole is specific to this plan.

It is hard to see in the BenchCrafted pic but a dog hole sits right over the right front leg. On the left side, you skip a dog hole where the left leg is. I assume that the dog holes closer to the wagon vise are more valuable. Makes sense. So, in order to accomodate the dog hole you have to drill a verticle hole into the leg tenon and then the horizontal 1 1/4” hole for finger access.

Does that make sense?

-- "It's only wood. Use it." - Smitty || Instagram - nobodhi_here

Got you! Makes sense.

I figure if I have a dog whole right before the leg, then skip over it and continue at one whole every 3” to 4” inches I can cover pretty much any length of clamping on the wagon vise. The whole in the tenon would make it nice and consistent though.

Also, how far down from the top will the hole for your leg vise screw be?

-- Mauricio - Woodstock, GA - "Confusion is the Womb of Learning, with utter conviction being it's Tomb" Prof. T.O. Nitsch

... to be able to push the dogs out if/when they get knocked flush to the benchtop. And when the holes get filled with muck. Got it (I was missing that part, too)

-- Don't anthropomorphize your handplanes. They hate it when you do that. - OldTools Archive -

Mauricio,
I don’t know off the top of my head but i can look it up tonight when I get home.

-- "It's only wood. Use it." - Smitty || Instagram - nobodhi_here

It’s gonna be a beast when you’re done.

-- Brian Timmons - http://www.BigTWoodworks.com

Scott,

It’s looking great. I can’t wait to see the finished bench.