| Project by mjdinsmore | posted 09-16-2013 01:04 AM | 5637 views | 7 times favorited | 15 comments |  |
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Yes, yet another Roubo workbench! Nonetheless, they are handy benches to have because of their massive size and stability. It was kind of fun shopping huge mortises as well—I’ve never made any quite so big before! Living in the northeast (Boston), I didn’t have a handy source of great, cheap wood to make this beast. So I improvised and used fir for the top but used maple for the edges since fir has a tendency to want to split on sharp corners and it’s quite so strong edge-wise.
I’m currently adding a tail vice but that won’t really add much to the picture of my finished bench. I’ll add the dog-holes in the top after I have the tail vise in place so I can ensure it’s all aligned perfectly. I’m using a couple of vises from Lee Valley for the leg and tail vise.
The photos show it’s progress as I was making it. I improvised a little on the plan and made things a little beefier, but it’s generally true to form.
15 comments so far
CL810
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3928 posts in 3374 days
#1 posted 09-16-2013 01:24 AM
Nice bench MJ! Your wood choices not only make sense but they look good as well. Nicely done! Come join the fun at the smackdown thread. I’m looking forward to pics of your tail vise build.
-- "The only limits to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today." - FDR
mjdinsmore
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#2 posted 09-16-2013 01:29 AM
Thanks. I’m a frugal Yankee having grown up in the Northeast Kingdom in Vermont. I didn’t think it’d be appropriate to lay down $500+ for wood for just the workbench top. Finding an inexpensive wood choice was critical. Necessity is the mother of invention.
JayT
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6199 posts in 2597 days
#3 posted 09-16-2013 01:41 AM
Great job! Other than the whole building it backwards thing :-) It should serve you well for many, many years.
Your solution to using softwood for a bench is similar to mine (I used ash for the faces) It works great and helps keep costs down.
-- https://www.jtplaneworks.com - In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is.
mjdinsmore
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#4 posted 09-16-2013 01:52 AM
Haha, I should mention—I’m left handed! :-)
Sandra
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#5 posted 09-16-2013 01:52 AM
Great bench and good pictures also.
-- No, I don't want to buy the pink hammer.
hoss12992
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#6 posted 09-16-2013 03:10 AM
Great job on the bench
-- The Old Rednek Workshop https://www.facebook.com/theoldrednekworkshoptn
aussiedave
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#7 posted 09-16-2013 10:42 AM
Beautiful bench… you will get lots of use out of it….great job.
-- Dave.......If at first you don’t succeed redefine success....
Smitty_Cabinetshop
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#8 posted 09-16-2013 12:14 PM
Nice pictures, nice bench! Ditto to what CL810 said, put a Smackdown tag on this beast and join in the discussion there as well. Lots of good use waiting to happen, it’s a beast. Congrats!
-- Don't anthropomorphize your handplanes. They hate it when you do that. -- OldTools Archive --
mloy365
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#9 posted 09-16-2013 01:59 PM
Great job!
-- Mike - Northern Upper Michigan
CarterR
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#10 posted 09-16-2013 02:19 PM
What tail vise are you thinking of adding? I built mine without one and ended up adding the Veritas inset vise later. So far I like it.
-- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClTGAcJaoXizfbp04xpaokQ
helluvawreck
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#11 posted 09-16-2013 03:45 PM
This is a great addition to your shop. Congratulations.
helluvawreck aka Charles
http://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com
-- helluvawreck aka Charles, http://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com
Marty 529
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#12 posted 09-16-2013 04:00 PM
Really nice bench. I love how massive it is. Should be stable for sure
-- Marty, Ohio
GarytheGeek
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#13 posted 09-16-2013 04:48 PM
Great job, it looks fantastic. I’m sure it will be an heirloom!
DanO0417
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#14 posted 10-13-2013 04:50 PM
The bench looks great. Do you have any plans you’d be willing to share? I’m just starting out and I like the way this bench looks.
WhoMe
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1564 posts in 3629 days
#15 posted 10-13-2013 04:54 PM
Yea, another lefty bench…
Nice job and nothing wrong being frugal. Every time I price wood, I think of how much it is going to cost when I eventually build mine.
-- I'm not clumsy.. It's just the floor hates me, the tables and chairs are bullies, the wall gets in the way AAANNNDDD table saws BITE my fingers!!!.. - Mike -
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