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Thread: WIP Roubo bench

  1. #1
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    Default WIP Roubo bench

    Finally made a modest start on the Roubo ala Schwarz workbench. I found some nice seasoned 100mm x 2400mm Yellow belau posts which have been sitting in the workshop for the last 3 months. I've cut the legs from these and dressed them (4 posts between the softwood in photo1)and am quite happy with the heft and characteristics of this timber so will get another 6 for the top, and I may use 2700mm lengths. It will be a heavy beast. It will incorporate the leg vise and crochet and for the end vise I'm thinking of the wagon vise. Instead of the way Schwarz added this vise, I'm thinking of adding breadboard ends on a massive sliding dovetail so there is no possibility of a weak spot in the installation. Now I am just waiting for the long bit to arrive for the mortice borer which will get a big workout on this project!

    Cheers
    Michael

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  3. #2
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    Looking forward to this one Michael as i haven't decided a design for mine yet.
    prozac

    ____________________________________________

    Woodworkforums, cheaper than therapy...........

  4. #3
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    Looks like I've hit a snag with the timber chosen for the bench. Getting some deep checking on the dressed posts. Wasn't as dry as I thought I guess, wish I had a moisture meter. Don't really want to use it for the top if this is what I'll be dealing with.

    Has anyone put timber in the roof cavity to give it a hurry along in drying. I'm wondering if I lift a few tiles and store the undressed posts up there for a few months to dry.

  5. #4
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    Trying to dry it quicker will only make the checking worse - slap a coat of some sort of sealer on the ends if its not too bad then take a break for a few weeks. You'll have to do much the same thing for any more timber you get from the same source - end seal then wait until its settled down.

  6. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by bsrlee View Post
    Trying to dry it quicker will only make the checking worse - slap a coat of some sort of sealer on the ends if its not too bad then take a break for a few weeks. You'll have to do much the same thing for any more timber you get from the same source - end seal then wait until its settled down.
    Hi bsrlee, I'll put some sealer on the dressed stuff as you suggest. What I was thinking of putting in the roof was another 6 x 2400mm posts that I planned to get for the top. This lot that has checked sat in the garage for 3 months but that wasn't enough time to settle down, which is why I thought the roof might be be a good spot to move it along. Otherwise I'll be looking for another source.

    Cheers
    Michael

  7. #6
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    Roofs spaces will get extremely hot, and would send your wood warping like a banana. Seal and store in an area similar in air moisture to where the finished item will rest.

    I have a large lot of Yellow box that has been under cover for over a year now (after being cut down and slabed in the open for 4 years prior) and I will leave it for another 1 - 2 years before I will even attempt to build my dream bench.

    Which reminds me I still need to get the 150 x 150 x 1000 mm legs sorted. They will need 2 - 4 years to dry.

    I had a bad experience with a bench top coming apart due to wet timber, never again.

  8. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by thumbsucker View Post
    Roofs spaces will get extremely hot, and would send your wood warping like a banana. Seal and store in an area similar in air moisture to where the finished item will rest.
    I don't agree. Solar kilns operate at between 50-60ºC, so as long as I put some silver batts between them and the roof to minimize the direct radiant heat on the top side I reckon it will be fine. 3 months in the same area wasn't enough, I don't have 12mths or even 3 months to get on with this.

    Cheers
    Michael
    since found several articles on the web suggesting it is OK
    Last edited by mic-d; 24th October 2008 at 11:27 PM. Reason: new info

  9. #8
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    There's been a change of plans to this project. The assembly bench I've finished building to make the workbench on in the first photo has exceeded my expectations in robustness and also in weight so there is no way I will be storing it up on the ceiling. There is not enough room for two benches in my workshop so I've come up with another plan.
    In the second photo there is some old old oregon I picked up yesterday. I have two 6"x6" pieces and two 10"x2" planks (2.5m and 3.5m long). My idea is to build the business side of the Roubo bench with the 6x6's for legs (just 2 legs) and two 10x2's laminated face to face for the benchtop. So the benchtop will be a little under 250mm wide once the timber is dressed and will have a leg vice and possibly an end vice. It'll look like a Roubo cut down the middle. Now my crazy idea is to make this bench in such a way that it will merge perfectly with the assembly table, possibly on a permenant basis and ta da, a complete bench. Now, to pullout sketchup and work out how to do it
    Please can someone turn my photo?
    Last edited by watson; 1st January 2009 at 09:06 PM.

  10. #9
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    I didn't get Sketchup out, it seems to be working itself out. The oregon is dressed and the top glued up. I managed to wreck two sets of blades, well a final sharpen on one set and the first shapen of a new set, bloody concrete dust. I ended up doing most of the dressing with the #6 because the planks were too long for the Luna. Here's some photos of the M&T's. I think they qualify for 'bigstuff' on the own. There are some design limitations caused by fitting to the original bench. Because the overhang is short, I can't install a traditional end vise so I've picked up a Veritas Wonder dog and dogs which will do much the same job. I also picked up a couple of Veritas Hold downs to use in various locations as well as a tail vise screw to make a leg vise. Next I will be making a deadman and bottom stretcher and doing the glueup. Anyway 'til next time

    The legs are near enough 140mm and the top finished up at 230mm x 75mm
    Cheers
    Michael

  11. #10
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    If you're wondering how this bench is going to work, I've placed the main structure in the position were it will fit to the assembly bench. Eventually it will be the same height as the assembly bench, I've just cut the legs a bit oversize ATM. The leg vise will be mounted on the closest leg.

    I think it will be mounted to the structure of the other table by a couple of stub stretchers on each leg. Any other suggestions anyone?

    I'm also putting in a sliding deadman that will travel in a groove under the the benchtop the same way Schwarz did it. I have concerns about this because I think it will be a weak spot in the brittle oregon. I can't think of another way to mount it allowing it to be removed. I guess it will be about 15-19mm back from the edge and about 30mm deep any ideas?

    Cheers
    Michael

  12. #11
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    Michael, you could attach two battens to the underneath of the bench to act as guides for the deadman.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Groggy View Post
    Michael, you could attach two battens to the underneath of the bench to act as guides for the deadman.
    Thanks Groggy, I think this is the only safe way to do it, then if the batten should happen to break away from a knock, it hasn't affected the worktop itself.

    Thanks. How's your bench coming along?
    here is a photo from a different angle

    Cheers
    Michael

  14. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by mic-d View Post
    Thanks. How's your bench coming along?
    I checked it the other day, it's still there. I think I won't get back to it until the Christmas break, there's just too much painting and other renovation work to do.

  15. #14
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    Looks good Mic but I don't think I approve of sliding a dead man under your bench...

  16. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by funkychicken View Post
    Looks good Mic but I don't think I approve of sliding a dead man under your bench...
    Well FC, now you know what a deadman is. BTW, I fixed the jointer with about 20mins tinkering after I got back

    So here's a bit more progress on the bench. There wasn't any oregon left long enough to make the long lower stretcher of the bench, so I thought I'd have a bit of a play. Photo1 and 2 show a joint that might have various names, but this scarfed joint has been called a cogged and keyed scarfed joint (Another reference called it a tenoned table joint) . Anyway I have found old western and Japanese references to this joint so I don't know where it originated. It resists compression, tension and lateral loads which is why I chose it as a test. It's a moot point however, because with modern glues even a plain tapered scarfed joint would be strong enough. The other photos show the stub stretchers that will link the 1/2 Roubo bench to the assembly table. A plain M&T joint will engage with the legs of the Roubo and on the other side I've chosen a keyed (and dovetailed) M&T joint (some references call a loose wedge M&T a keyed M&T, so I changed my wording to a clearer description of the joint) as the best solution for a knockdown joint. The key can be knocked out to release the joint, but once driven in the dovetailed tenon is locked in tight. I chose this joint because the tenon can be much smaller than a loose wedged M&T joint, which was an important consideration given the smallish size of the assembly table leg.
    Last edited by mic-d; 19th November 2008 at 07:34 AM. Reason: clarifying joint names

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