Split top Roubo question

[Larry Wilson]

I am looking for your thoughts on my upcoming split top Roubo build.
The big question is whether to use power tools or not. Should I just “git er done” real quick with power tools or should I practise my hand tool skills and do it all by hand. I have all the tools to do it either way (except for a large sander)
I know this forum is somewhat jaded towards hand stuff, but it is pretty tempting to just get the thing started and finished.
Thanks in advance
-- Shoot pool, not people

[William Fretwell]

If you have no agenda requiring a bench build it by hand. Enjoy the build and thought process. You may have to make the odd concession to machinery but you will still develop a greater affinity to the bench.

[Paul Sidener]

I have a garage full of power tools. I find I get more satisfaction building things by hand. It's your bench, build itow you like.

[Reinis Kanders]

You will learn to hand plane and sharpen if you do it all by hand.

[Christopher Charles]

Hello Larry,

Sounds like a great project-I built one and it has been a game-changer. I'm not sure we can answer the question for you... (I'd hazard to guess you already know the answer)...but you will hear enough opinions here to justify any approach :)

FWIW, i used more power tools than hand tools to build mine and the bench has allowed more and more hand tool use.

Best of luck and post pics of your project.

Chris

[David Eisenhauer]

I suspect many, many benches are built with a combination of power and hand tools - power for basic milling and hand for the joinery. It is your bench, do what feels right to you. Doing it all by hand will most likely improve your hand tool skills (if in fact you are not already familiar with hand tools), but doing it by hand (including initial milling) will take a longer time. Only you can judge the amount of time to spend on the bulid and when you would expect to need a fully completed bench for use. Either way, just get started and it will be ready sooner.

[michael langman]

Being 60 years old with a bad back and arms and shoulders worn out I am using my little 4" jointer and dw734 planer to square the 4 sides of my laminations. If I was younger and healthier then I probably would have done the planing by hand. Planing long boards straight and square is not an easy thing to do. It does take a lot of practice and technique to do. The bench project would be a good place to learn that.
Try planing and jointing 2 boards for your bench and see how it goes. Go slow and be attentive to how you are holding the planes and the work so you can make adjustments to how you are doing things. And when you are tired and if things aren't going well, walk away from it and come back later.
I am going to do my mortice and tenons by hand and finish plane the top by hand if it needs it. If the legs, and stretchers, aprons, are made square then then both sides of the split top on the bench should be reasonably close to being straight and flat yo each other.
I bought a 36" straightedge to check the top and finish with the plane as needed.