A Roubo is born (yes another bench thread)

[Michael Sobik]

Seriously, what's with all the benches lately? I blame The Schwartz. I debated whether or not to post these pics, since the bench isn't quite done yet, but what the hey.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=111415&stc=1&d=1235677300

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=111417&stc=1&d=1235677378

Drawbored baby! I made all the pegs with a dowel sizing plate I had waterjet cut. FYI white oak is really tough just in case you didn't know. I bashed those things with a huge hammer and couln't believe how much abuse they took.


http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=111418&stc=1&d=1235677378

Canyon for wagon vice. I'll post more pictures/info once I have it installed.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=111419&stc=1&d=1235677378

Dovetails size XXXL

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=111420&stc=1&d=1235677378

End cap has a giant mortice and tenon and is bolted through to the top. Also pinned through slotted holes in the tenon just for kicks.

Based on the bench in Schwartz's workbench book, but mostly a copy of Jameel Abraham's Deluxe Roubo that can be seen here:

http://blog.woodworking-magazine.com/blog/The+Deluxe+Roubo.aspx

It will incorporate a copy of Jameel's wagon vice with some changes I had to make (because I'm a little OCD and want things the way I want them :) )

I have two wedged through tenons left to cut, then I'll finally have some vice action (the legal kind).

It's SYP from Lowe's with an Ash endcap and vice chops. This has been a really fun project. I've never worked on anything quite this scale, and it's been a real learning experience. Cleaning up a 3/8" wide mortice is pretty easy, cleaning up a 2 1/2" wide mortice...not so much. Making a bench like this is a lot of work. Not work in the "normal" sence of woodworking, lot's of joints to cut, planning, finishing, etc, but rather lots of manual labor. I lost count of how many times I flipped that top over and dragged the thing around. I'm actually tired after working on this thing!

I flattened the top (and bottom) with a #5 and #7. I got to know my planes during that process. Intimately. Plus I gave my neighbor something like 5 trash bags of shavings for his garden. Also, plane shavings make great BBQ firestarters. Note to self: pay more attention on lamination glue ups. The top had something like a 1/4" cup on one end and was all wonkey on the other. I started crying when I realized how much work it was going to be to flatten it.

The worst part of building this bench has been that it's so good even half completed, it puts my other "workbenches" to shame and quickly accretes most of the tools in my shop. Every time I need to work on it I have to clear a bunch of junk off it. Not really such a bad problem I guess.

[Michael Sobik]

Some more pictures.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=111421&stc=1&d=1235677912

Sliding leg vice minus front chop. Is it really a leg vice if it's not in that position? Whatever, it's a sliding vice.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=111422&stc=1&d=1235677912

Ash parallel guides. Through motices of this size are somewhat difficult for me.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=111423&stc=1&d=1235677912

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=111424&stc=1&d=1235677912

The tenon on the back chop is removable and fits into a groove in the top that's been reinforced with 1 1/4" angle iron.

[Justin Green]

That's a nice looking bench!

[george wilson]

I really like to make workbenches !!! But,in my condition,I'd need help. My bench is beechwood 4" thick,about 26" wide by 8' long. At a country lumber mill,I saw a huge slab of beech at least 5"+ thick,abt. 10' long,and abt. 30" wide laying there. I bought it for a few dollars. Sure enough,it had a piece of barbed wire near 1 edge. I drilled it out,and plugged it tight with a boat shaped plug. Let it dry for several years in the shop.Finally,made a bench top from it. The legs are 4"X6".

New benches are really too nice to work on,aren't they? Yours is very nice. Recommend only using NERF tols on it!!!

[Billy Chambless]

Very nice!

[Zahid Naqvi]

very nice, hopefully mine comes out half as nice as this (if it ever gets started)

[Chuck Nickerson]

Great bench! You folks who can get SYP that looks like that at a BORG are very lucky. Here on the left coast, there is no SYP, only DF; and it's only that clear for 6" - 12" at a stretch. 8/4 hardwood starts at $4.50/bf.

[Jameel Abraham]

Nice bench, nice pics. Cool!:D

[Jim Becker]

That's really coming along wonderfully. Great project!

[Steve Pirrelli]

Nice Bench! When I build my 1st real bench it's gonna be a
roubo.

[Thomas Kila]

Michael,
I'm sure I am not the only person who enjoys these types of threads. And since "a picture is worth a thousand words", your photos are worth their weight in gold. (Especially for those looking to build something similar.) Mahalo!

[Dewey Torres]

Nice craftsmanship and no one will ever ask you if the dove tails where done with a router jig!:cool:

[Berl Mendenhall]

Where did the term wagon vice come from? I wish I'd used one on my big bench I built many years ago. I really like how they work, they're so stable. I always thought my tail vice worked fine until I saw one of these.

Berl

[Bob Easton]

Dang! That's a great looking bench! Fine work.

Truth be told, I'm drooling over the quality of your SYP. Compared to the DF I used for my bench (http://www.bob-easton.com/blog/?p=223), it's gorgeous.

[Michael Sobik]

Finally finished up the front vices on the bench last night. These things are crazy powerful. I can actually bend the 5/4 x 8" Ash tenon on the sliding vice's rear chop...and that's without a vice handle. I'm going to need to be careful.

Used wedged tenons on for the parallel guides for the first time. Pretty neat joint. I like bashing the wedges in. Gives me a real feeling of...well bashing :D

I discovered my first miscalulation on this project. I forgot to take into account the parallel guide on the sliding vice when removing/installing it. It won't tilt forward and out because the guide hits the front stretcher and you can't tilt it back because the front chop extends down past the front stretcher. I have to wind the front chop all the way out, then take the vice out. Not a huge deal since it's going to stay in 90% of the time, but I still smacked myself when I realized it.

Pictures...

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=112273&stc=1&d=1236352520

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=112274&stc=1&d=1236352520

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=112275&stc=1&d=1236352520

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=112276&stc=1&d=1236352520

[Berl Mendenhall]

Are you planning on using something like Jameel's rollers for your parallel guides? After seeing the video of how easily the vice moves in and out, made me a believer. Great job!

Berl

[Michael Sobik]

Ya know I almost ordered all the parts, but when it came down to it, I just didn't want all the extra stuff on it. Plus there's no real way to implement rollers on the sliding vice without moving the guide up and shortening the front chop. That asymmetry would drive me crazy. As it is, the action is okay. The vices will open and close enough to clamp and release whatever size stock you're working with, after that they bind. However, if I just toe under the front chop and lift it a bit, it moves pretty well.

[Joe Cowan]

Did you use a plan or read the books etc and come up with your own plan?

[Michael Sobik]

http://www.popularwoodworkingshop.com/product/1274/workshop-projects

and also took a lot of inspiration from Jameel's bench.

[Joe Cowan]

How about telling us how you went about milling the dovetail connection on the endcap.

[Michael Sobik]

That was Jameel's idea as well. Obviously the tail board is way to long to stand on end to saw. I used my jigsaw with a fine toothed blade and focused on making the cuts as straight as possible. Then came in with a paring chisel from the end grain side, again trying to make the tails straight, removing any dips or humps.

The endcap I cut just like a regular half blind. Saw down (I saw past the baseline for half blinds) and then chop.

Like everything with this bench, not technically difficult but complicated by the large size of all the components.

[Joe Cowan]

I was thinking (or not thinking) that you had run the dovetail the full length of the endcap. After looking at the blog you referenced, I see the dovetails are only on the ends of the endcap. It is hard for me to see the path to building this using a book etc to figure it out. The cutout made on the underside of the top for the screw, where did you find the plan for this?

[Michael Sobik]

You are correct. There's a large MT joint on the rear part of the top and endcap. That's responsible for keeping the cap and wagon vice hardware in line with the top. The DT is cut only in the front lamination is helps hold the front end of the endcap to the bench, resisting the force of the wagon vice.

The canyon for the wagon vice hardware was built in during construction. The size was determined by the wagon vice hardware which I designed. I'll post again when I finally get the vice finished and installed.

[Michael Sobik]

Well, thie bench is finally done. What a project. Here are some pictures and details of the wagon vice. Again, Jameel's wagon vice was the inspiration here, but there were a couple of things I didn't like about the Benchcrafted vice. If you're thinking of doing something like this yourself, you're not going to save any money over buying the Benchcrafted vice. I knew that going is, so not a huge issue. I'm just particular :rolleyes:.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=113991&stc=1&d=1238000899

Vice itself is 1 1/4" 4tpi left hand Acme thread. The wheel end has been turned down to 0.750" and the other end is supported in big Delrin bushing. This keeps the entire shaft supported without relying on the dogblock. All the other hardware is 0.500" 1018 steel waterjet cut (www.bigbluesaw.com (http://www.bigbluesaw.com)). The flange contains a bronze bushing and has bronze thrust bearings on either side. Handwheel is pinned with a 5/16" down pin.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=113992&stc=1&d=1238000899

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=113993&stc=1&d=1238000899

Prototype dog block. Block rides in grooves in the canyon. Delrin strips are snug fit in the dog block and slip fit in the groove. This keeps them captive, yet allows the block to slide back and forth smoothly. Someone had posted that this is the system LN uses in their wagon vice. I though it was a good idea, and it works great.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=113994&stc=1&d=1238000899

[Michael Sobik]

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=113996&stc=1&d=1238001541

Completed and in use! I'm really happy with the way this thing works.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=113997&stc=1&d=1238001541

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=113998&stc=1&d=1238001541

Completed bench with "helper" :p. Finish is oil/varnish blend with a coat of wax on the top.

Thanks for following this project and keeping me motivated!

[Berl Mendenhall]

Beautiful bench, very impressive.

Berl

[Jameel Abraham]

Awesome bench. You can't beat a Roubo!

[lowell holmes]

I can't believe some woodworker nearby wouldn't come help you for what he could learn by working with you. If you were in Galveston County, I would be calling you. Of course, I'm over the hill also and we probably would both need help.
:)

[Jared McMahon]

Beautiful bench. And I second some of the earlier posts regarding workbench threads. I'm on the edge of making my first real bench and each bench someone builds seems to add to the pool of ideas on what to do and/or how to do it.

[Paul Incognito]

That's a beautiful bench. When I have room for a full size bench, I'm going to build one like yours. Thanks for sharing your process.

[brian c miller]

Had a couple of questions about you wagon wheel vice design.

Did you use any thrust washers... looks like you have flanged bushings or maybe bronze washers or some combo there of?

What grade of rod did you go with; general or precision fit?

Did you turn the end of the shaft where it mates to the derlin block?

Thanks,
Brian