Roubo Bench Issues and Questions

[derekcohen]

The sliding deadman runs on a triangular strip that I screwed to the top of the stretcher (rather than sawing the stretcher to a triangle) ..



This allowed for the removal of the strip when installing the sliding deadman, and in turn this meant that I could create a tighter fit with less play. In practice this worked extremely well. The sliding deadman moves very freely and still remains flush with the stretcher and legs. Tip: round the ends of the tenon for less resistance.

The deadman and the leg vise were buit from the same board. They are 1 3/4" thick.



So ... finally, the big picture ...



We'll finish it all off next weekend. So far it has been 7 weekends, including one in which the dog strip was replaced.

Thanks especially to Perry (Pops). HI really would have struggled these last few build sessions without his help.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Woodwould]

You should find the paler bench top much more pleasurable to work on than the old dark one.

[Groggy]

Beautiful work Derek, great feeling dropping that top on isn't it! That bench will outlast us all.

[IanW]

You should find the paler bench top much more pleasurable to work on than the old dark one.

'Sfunny, but some folks prefer a dark-coloured bench top to work on - it must depend on what you do, as well as general lighting, etc. I have a dark Eucalypt (Spotted gum & Tallow wod) top on my 'portable' bench and Maple (which was paler than Oak to start with, but now yellowed with age) on my main bench. It is definitely easier to see things on the pale top when it is clean, but as the day moves on & it gets covered with shavings & the general clutter, plus the job in hand, there isn't a huge diffference. I suppose you will say I need to learn to work more tidily. I agree, I do, & I try.....

Anyways, well done, Derek, a splendid result. Now get on with testing those tools you recently received -I'm waiting impatiently........

Cheers,

[Milo]

Bravo Derek!!!

It really is a great bench! If mine turns out anywhere near as nice I will be chuffed.

Bryan

[derekcohen]

You should find the paler bench top much more pleasurable to work on than the old dark one.

Thanks WW. From the outset my plan was to have a light coloured top. The difference in the amount of reflected light is amazing, compared with the dark Karri of the old bench. Dark works, but it requires more light, at least for my eyes

Regards from Perth

Derek

[derekcohen]

Beautiful work Derek, great feeling dropping that top on isn't it! That bench will outlast us all.

Hi Greg

It was a great relief .. although I was expecting the legs and top to do as told (they had been warned beforehand not to muck about).

There was one occasion when I was planing down the underside of the bench where I had replaced the dog strip, and Perry started taking measurements of the legs on the assembled base, specifically the distance between the mortices. Comparing the distance between the mortices on the legs and those on the bench he announced a difference of 0.5mm. I almost chucked it in with such bad news!

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Pops]

Hi Derek,

With such sturdy and heavy main components accuracy really paid off when when placing the top on the base it seems. One very solid bench now. But really, out by 0.5mm on those tenons positions, I did expect better.

Looks fantastic. I was impressed with the smoothness of the vices and sliding deadman given it has not had time to wear in yet. And the clamping pressure on the Leg Vice is achieved with much less hand pressure compared to my Record 53, (have not used a leg vice previously). The bench should be a real joy to use. And yes, having stood at both your old bench and the new bench, I can say that the light colour is a huge improvement over the old bench, for that location in your workshop.

Will be interested to hear your comments on the overall performace of the bench once you have given it a real workout on a project or two adn if there might be any enhancements to come.

A fairly quick build too I might add, given the new dog hole strip. I still have a couple of years of 'thinking' to go on my bench. Watching somebody else build one is much more fun.

Cheers
Pops

[andrewr79]

Very nice work Derek. Your diary of the build is helping me a lot - you've covered some questions I hadn't even thought about for my bench.

[ian]

With such sturdy and heavy main components accuracy really paid off when when placing the top on the base it seems. One very solid bench now. But really, out by 0.5mm on those tenons positions, I did expect better.

hi Pops, are you sure it really was 0.5mm and not your glasses?

[ian]

Great bench Derek

but tell us more about teh skate wheels

[Pops]

hi Pops, are you sure it really was 0.5mm and not your glasses?

Hi Ian,

Yep, measured it about 4 times, tardy construction I say. Am sure I measured it before I had a beer.

One thing for sure Ian, there was no way that base was going to be 'sprung' to fit into the mortices if they did not line up spot on. It is one very rigid base I can tell you.

Cheers
Pops

[ian]

Hi Ian,

Yep, measured it about 4 times, tardy construction I say. Am sure I measured it before I had a beer.

but were your glasses clean?
I'm now wearing progressives and have to continually check for parralax

One thing for sure Ian, there was no way that base was going to be 'sprung' to fit into the mortices if they did not line up spot on. It is one very rigid base I can tell you.

I don't doubt it
but springing the base 1 or 2mm would be realatively easy


says he who today arranged to have a bridge checked for "excessive" spring -- It's amasing how much deflection a 200T jack can exert !

[Pops]

but were your glasses clean?
I'm now wearing progressives and have to continually check for parralax

says he who today arranged to have a bridge checked for "excessive" spring -- It's amasing how much deflection a 200T jack can exert !

Hi Ian,

Yes, glassess are a pain when checking for straight, have to get a sight line through the centre of the lens or things go bendy, (and strangely beer seems to make the lens worse).

Well, I did have to get Derek to check my measurements, I had scratched the surface of one of my eyes last week, (had to be the good one didn't it) and the antibiotics made vision even more blurry.

So with one bung eye and one dodgy eye that 0.5mm might have been 50 or the tape could have been inches, was a bit hard to tell. Always pays to get a second opinion.

Cheers
Pops

[BobL]

Wow, Derek, that's one fabbo looking bench. Sometime when I retire ie maybe next year, a new bench is on my todo list. If mine can be 1/10th of yours I reckon I'll have done OK.