My workbench build

[Mike williams54]

Well, I've been working on my bench with the plans of posting up the build and finished project when I was done, but I'm in need of help now, I am using alder since it is available and pretty cheap. so far I have milled up all the boards for the top.
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Laminated them together using titebond III.
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Planed it all down, it's about 2.75" thick.
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I cheated and used my router to cut sliding dovetails in my left(no end vise side) end cap and bench top, and got it fitted together, that is where I am, I've been searching around on whether or not use glue since movement should be a problem, the dovetails are very tight fitting, and the front board of my bench is still not attatched yet, I'd like to use deper hand cut dovetails for the front board since the machine ones look, well, a little dinky.
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So there ya have it, I was thinking about using long lags, but don't know where to put them, and I'd rather not use any steel other than the vises in this bench, could i drill and glue in dowels? Again, not sure where they would need to go though. Any advice is greatly appreciated, and I will keep this updated as I go. Thanks!

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Are you talking about how to affix the legs/base when you refer to the long lags? I like the look of a through-dovetailed leg if you are up to it.

As as for the end cap, it looks good. It may be too late to change the dovetails now. I guess you could make them deeper and do a new end cap, but it doesn't look bad as is.

[Mike williams54]

I was talking about whether or not to glue the end cap on, the legs will be through open dovetail in front, and mortise behind it, like a typical roubo design. I still have one more board left for the front of the bench top, so i plan to make the dovetails for that one front board deeper(longer tails) atill using the smaller dovetails for the rest of the bench top and end cap. Im not very good at explaining this as I don't really know any technical terms, if their are any for what I'm doing. Basically, what I need to know, is do I glue any or all of the end cap onto the top, which would be end grain to straight grain(a no no) or do glue just the front board and leave the rest floating, lag the end cap on, dowel it??.. I have no idea.
i can open this part of the extra length of the end caps dovetails and fit my front board of the top in, and possibly glue it to the end cap?? From what I've been able to find online it can/should be glued.
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I know this isn't a piece of fine furniture, but I'm really doing this one, so I have a good bench, and two for practice, so I can make furniture, mistakes on this arent a big deal, it's not expensive wood, and it's just a bench, but I want to learn and make sure I'm doing things the right way.

[Reinis Kanders]

I think you just glue the front 1/4 or so. Bench wood movement then is directed to the rear. I am no expert though.

[Mike williams54]

That's what I was thinking, but I haven't been able to find anyone online that didn't bore a few elongated holes in the end cap for some bolts as well. I suppose I could always add them later if it needs them though.

[Mark Stutz]

I think I get what you are wanting to do. The larger tails on the front board will encompass the smaller dovetail sockets. If you glue those dovetails, and glue the front board to the bench, then I would let the others slide. i.e. no glue on the sliding dovetails. All the movement and any unevenness in the end cap will be at the back of the bench

[Jim Koepke]

I'd like to use deper hand cut dovetails for the front board since the machine ones look, well, a little dinky.

The two sockets you have showing could be connected by cleaning out between them just for the front piece/apron.

If desired, it shouldn't be too difficult to deepen it if it would look better.

As for gluing, just glue the front piece. That will allow for movement and keep it secure.

jtk

[Mike williams54]

that's exactly what I was trying to explain about enlarging the dovetails for the front board, and about where to use glue. Next up is to do that, and install the vises. I'll update when I get there. I'm sure i will have more questions as well.
Thanks!

[Brian Holcombe]

I would pass on glue entirely and pin the board at the front with a dowel.

Benches are work horses, they require occasional maintenance, so the ability to break them down is good one to retain.

[Mike williams54]

I didn't think of that, that is a really good idea Brian. I think I'll do that. I like the idea of being able to remove it if I need to.

[Judson Green]

That's what I was thinking, but I haven't been able to find anyone online that didn't bore a few elongated holes in the end cap for some bolts as well. I suppose I could always add them later if it needs them though.

I did and not as an after thought. Don't recall if I glued the front couple of inches or not, well I guess I did glue em to the the front apron piece.

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Not elongated but oversized by quite a bit.

You're looking at the back of the bench and that's the front apron with both end caps in the bench surface.