Project Information
It started as a bit of a joke. My wife wanted a table for our daughter Jana. She really likes my workbench. I got the idea to make a mini version of my own workbench (see the other project I've uploaded.) But once I started getting into actual design process, I didn't like how a replica would look scaled to her size. So, letting the wood dictate some of the constraints (it's made from a single 8'x10"x2" rough sawn piece of white ash) I came up with this design.
Dimensions are 27" x 16" x 18". The top and legs are 2" thick. True to the Roubo bench design, the legs are flush and square to the top (to provide a vertical clamping surface in addition to the obvious horizontal surface). Weight is approximately 40lbs.
I started it late Thursday evening (I am a habitually-procrastinating elf) I finished Saturday afternoon. Approximately 20hrs total project time.
Parts were assembled using a Festool Domino (my first project with this tool) and glue. I couldn't be happier with the performance of the Domino. My Minimax has a horizontal mortiser, which I used on my big bench with excellent results, but the setup time is considerably longer than the seconds it takes to use the Domino. From the clamping photos you might be able to see how I used the top as a clamping guide to make sure the legs and stretchers glued up nice and square.
Sanded using Abranet abrasives (first try with these… so far a very good impression. Long lasting, great dust collection.) I used a Festool ETS125 ROS and a Dynabrade 5" Spirit pneumatic ROS. The Festool is the best ROS I've used. But the Dynabrade ROS is so much lighter, smoother, quicker cutting, and cheaper. If you have the compressor to drive one of these things I highly recommend them.
The finish has yet to be applied (I left it a little too late to get it dry for Christmas.) I plan to apply Osmo Polyx Hardwax Oil (same finish as on our floors… it's food-safe/kid-safe, low-VOC, and reparable. All good qualities for this application.
My daughter (2yrs old) loves her bench… although it's currently being used to host her tea set. I guess I'll wait until she asks to drill it for dog holes.
Dimensions are 27" x 16" x 18". The top and legs are 2" thick. True to the Roubo bench design, the legs are flush and square to the top (to provide a vertical clamping surface in addition to the obvious horizontal surface). Weight is approximately 40lbs.
I started it late Thursday evening (I am a habitually-procrastinating elf) I finished Saturday afternoon. Approximately 20hrs total project time.
Parts were assembled using a Festool Domino (my first project with this tool) and glue. I couldn't be happier with the performance of the Domino. My Minimax has a horizontal mortiser, which I used on my big bench with excellent results, but the setup time is considerably longer than the seconds it takes to use the Domino. From the clamping photos you might be able to see how I used the top as a clamping guide to make sure the legs and stretchers glued up nice and square.
Sanded using Abranet abrasives (first try with these… so far a very good impression. Long lasting, great dust collection.) I used a Festool ETS125 ROS and a Dynabrade 5" Spirit pneumatic ROS. The Festool is the best ROS I've used. But the Dynabrade ROS is so much lighter, smoother, quicker cutting, and cheaper. If you have the compressor to drive one of these things I highly recommend them.
The finish has yet to be applied (I left it a little too late to get it dry for Christmas.) I plan to apply Osmo Polyx Hardwax Oil (same finish as on our floors… it's food-safe/kid-safe, low-VOC, and reparable. All good qualities for this application.
My daughter (2yrs old) loves her bench… although it's currently being used to host her tea set. I guess I'll wait until she asks to drill it for dog holes.