Glulam beam for Roubo Top??

[Steve Catts]

Hi Creekers,

I'll be starting on a Roubo before long. I look forward to the challenges of the joinery much more than gluing up the slab(s). I have wondered if any of you have, or know of anyone that has purchased SYP GluLam beams for use as the top. The beams would be on their side instead of upright. They are available 3-1/2" and 5-1/2" widths (thickness if a bench slab) and various depths (widths for a bench) that would work for a split top or a single slab top. I want my top to be 4" or so thick so I would need to run a 5-1/2" through the planer. Beams can be delivered cut to a precise length. I'm not sure about the price - sure it would be a premium but would sure save a lot of time. I would still need to glue up the legs and stretchers but they are less troublesome than the slabs.

Help me out folks, am I overthinking this? Should I not be stressing over making my own slabs?

Thanks

[Jim Becker]

Surfacing that stuff will be a "thankless task" as it's extremely hard on cutters. It would be strong and heavy, but you're going to kill one or more sets of knives and you also will not want to flatten it in the future with a hand plane should that need to be done for the same reason. But that's my opinion. I'd personally use something like ash for a project like this, even though so many of them are built with SYP and other similar materials.

[Jeff Bartley]

Steve,
Glueing up a top for a bench isn't that big a deal. And Jim is right on the money about flattening later. Don't stress over it!

[Tom Paulley]

Steve, you may want to check out Christopher Schwarz and Megan Fitzpatrick's LVL workbench:

https://www.popularwoodworking.com/articleindex/lvl-workbench

[Phil Mueller]

Steve, I was a bit anxious doing a 13 board glue up for my bench. Ended up gluing two, waiting an hour, add another, and so on. Doing it one by one took longer, but far less stressful getting the next board all lined up and clamped. Something to think about anyway.

[David Kumm]

Am I assuming correctly that you are talking about solid 5.5" widths of SYP glued face to face for a certain depth so when dressed they will look just like individual pieces laminated on site? My only issue with that would be if there are any defects that will only show up when you plane it down and what the moisture content is. I made a SYP Roubo bench but used kiln dried SYP. If not dried to <10%, the glulam will still move and need to be flattened a few times over the years. Dave

[Lonnie Gallaher]

If you want a cheap GLB, look for a construction site that is demoing an older commercial building. The GLBs are cut up and go to the wood recycler. You may get lucky and find just what you are looking for.

[Steve Catts]

Dave, You are right about the glulam. I think Jima nd others were thinking an LVL manufactured board/beam. I agree, those would kill sharp edges. The glulam would be no different than if I glued up 2" stock myself. Great point about the mositure content. I think the manufacturers indicate <12% moisture. If I were to source SYP from a good lumber yard, would it be less than that? I know the big boxes tend to have a lot of we 2x material.

Thoughts?

[David Kumm]

If the MC is <12% you should be good. When I glued up my own I did it in three pieces so I could lift each. First glued two and then the third. you can do most of the mortise and slot work before gluing. Dave