16/4 for Roubo benchtop

[Brian Behrens]

Howdy folks

I am about to embark on building a Roubo bench using the Benchcrafted plans and hardware. I want to use White Ash. Talking to one of my suppliers, I learned that he has a large quantity of 16/4 Ash that I can get a good deal on. I can't think of any drawbacks to using 16/4 to laminate the bench top slabs, but am I missing something? As far as I can figure, the only difference would be half as many glue lines on the top.


This is a significant expense for me so I wanted to hear some opinions before I purchase. The legs on the Roubo plan are also 3.5" thick, so it would save me from having to glue up the legs as well. Thanks!

[Mike Kreinhop]

Here is the first of nine parts showing a Roubo bench built with ash:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWgNkHBowV0

If I ever get a larger shop, I would like to make a bench similar to this.

[Jim Becker]

IMHO, the only downside is the weight of the individual timbers. If you can handle that...you're going to have a massive bench with fewer glue lines. :)

[Brian Behrens]

IMHO, the only downside is the weight of the individual timbers. If you can handle that...you're going to have a massive bench with fewer glue lines. :)

Thanks Jim. I was hoping you would confirm it's a good idea.

And thanks also to Mike. I have watched that series in the past. Aside from his pronunciation of Lie Nielsen I really enjoyed it. (He has me mispronouncing it in my head now and I can't stop!)

[Brian Holcombe]

I’m helping a friend later this month to joint and thickness 16/4 ash for a Roubo.

[Cliff Polubinsky]

Brian,

I built an ash Roubo with Benchcrafted plans and hardware 3 years ago. You've probably already thought it through but just in case here's a few things to consider.

I don't know which set of plans you're considering but I highly recommend the split top version. The clamping versatility is great and in addition it cuts down on the weight of the slabs you have to manhandle around. A full width top at 4" thick is going to be over 200 lbs. Making it two slabs will be a bit more manageable. My bench top is just under 4" and the whole thing, base and all is over 300 lbs.

Get a chain hoist and hydraulic table from Harbor Freight. If you can catch them on sale they're not too expensive. Your back will thank you for it and they'll come in handy for a lot of things later.

Good luck with your bench. It will be a great tool.

Cliff

[Thomas L. Miller]

Brian,
I agree with Cliff. I built a Roubo with Benchcrafted plans and hardware as well. I used ash. The only comment I'll make is that the sucker and all it's parts are really heavy. I built mine by myself and it did take some "lets think about how do do this" to get all the pieces moved around to glue up, joint and plane. I'm glad I did it and the bench is really a pleasure and looks great. Also, it's the last time I'm gonna build one! ;). Enjoy the journey,
Tom

[Mel Fulks]

It wiil make a fine bench. But over time material that thick often opens up a little at joints. Wiping the top with damp cloth makes it more liklely. That doesn't mean it's going to fall apart. Most old thick benches show that. But we moderns tend to be picky about expensive stuff.

[Brian Behrens]

It wiil make a fine bench. But over time material that thick often opens up a little at joints. Wiping the top with damp cloth makes it more liklely. That doesn't mean it's going to fall apart. Most old thick benches show that. But we moderns tend to be picky about expensive stuff.

I am pretty picky about my work. Would I be better off using 8/4? The 8/4 is cheaper anyway

[Brian Behrens]

Brian,

I built an ash Roubo with Benchcrafted plans and hardware 3 years ago. You've probably already thought it through but just in case here's a few things to consider.

I don't know which set of plans you're considering but I highly recommend the split top version. The clamping versatility is great and in addition it cuts down on the weight of the slabs you have to manhandle around. A full width top at 4" thick is going to be over 200 lbs. Making it two slabs will be a bit more manageable. My bench top is just under 4" and the whole thing, base and all is over 300 lbs.

Get a chain hoist and hydraulic table from Harbor Freight. If you can catch them on sale they're not too expensive. Your back will thank you for it and they'll come in handy for a lot of things later.

Good luck with your bench. It will be a great tool.

Cliff

Thanks Cliff. I am doing the split top. Luckily my other hobby is powerlifting. I think it will come in handy!

[Brian Holcombe]

If you can get it rift sawn it will help minimize the weird effects, or just use two solid slabs and no glue up. IMO the most common thing I think most do, including myself, is a bench that is too deep. 18-22” is enough

[Patrick Walsh]

Here’s my two cents and it will greatly differ from others.

I have a Roubo I built of 12/4 ash. It’s dimensions are 28x109x28”. The top is 5.5” thick the legs are 5.5x9.5.

I love that my bench is 28” deep and had I listened to others whom suggested anything less I’d be pretty upset in use. I have my bench situated so I can easily access it from all four sides. I hardly have any issues reaching across it. The additional room often offers me the support needed for larger projects. If not needed and making something smaller it’s easy enough to scoot it across from one side to the next.

I dont have experience with the bench crafted split top. I was however tempted when I built my bench to go that route. I liked the idea of ease of clamping and many options. I also liked the bling factor.

It was actually Brian above whom suggested a solid top free of as many voids as possible and with only holdfast and a leg vise would be plenty and preferable in use long term. He was 100% right about this part. I opted for a pair of Pete Ross Roubo hold fast, his plane stop and jus the classic bench crafted leg vise. The combination is perfect. I was pretty convinced prior to building my bench that a end vise was a must. I don’t struggle one little bit to hold down and or perform any operation with just my hold fast and the leg vise. I did put in a sliding dead man but just for bling. I don’t use it at all. It’s a piece of cake to just throw down a thin scrap and use the hold fat to hold the work down. Nothing more is needed imop.

If I could had sourced 16/4 I would had and you should to. I built my bench 100% without help until the top had to be flipped on the base. That was a pretty easy job with five men lol. Thank god I got my joinery right the first time. No room for fettling with five husky standing around that are not woodworkers but instead your neighbor whom is a landscapers help.

It was a major workout at times laminating the top. Get extension tablesmfor the jointer both infeed and outfeed. And be prepared for some work. I personally really like hard work so I found it great fun and a real hoot.

Have fun!

390465

390466

[Warren Lake]

I only watched a bit nice shop full of Wadkin stuff, Jack would like it there.

People still put material on the ground, doesnt anyone teach them it will pick up crap and chip knives? He measures and cuts his boards to length a bit oversize, he should cut his ends first and will learn that the first time there are cracks in the end that he hasnt seen and now they are in his cut to length material. Ive always cut ends off and dropped them on the floor, see some fall apart instantly only to recut a few more times to get to solid material, cracks that did not show looking at the end of the board.

This is interesting jointer technique. I,m not one to talk not using guards but know of two people who lost fingers on jointers with guards on them. In this case different type of guard non the less hes close enough that if he slips that guard is useless.

390467

Sorry to be negative its likely a really good series on building a great bench but i went as far as the screen save busy with other stuff those things struck me.

[Vince Shriver]

Patrick, I'm compelled to say that is one IMPRESSIVE bench. Dang. Great job.

[Patrick Walsh]

Thank you Vince.

I quite love it myself. I am also pretty proud of it. Of all my tools and I have some nice ones I think it is my favorite tool. I can only wish I had such a nice bench at work. Maybe someday if the boss lets me stop working so much, 132 hrs the past ten days and gotta work straigh through the weekend. If I kept track the hours would be much more as I don’t think I have had a day off in maybe 8-10 weeks. That second bench may never happen at this rate but I have to dream.

Only room I see for improvement is the classic twin tennon roubo joint. I was to scared to cut it when I built this bench, if I had it to do today I wouldn’t hesitate a bit. I’m not Ben sure the twin tennon is a improvement as it will move creating a work surface that would need continual maintenance at least for a while. One thing I like about my bench most is a giant uninterrupted top.

Also as someone suggested rift or QS material would be ideal if you can get it in 16/4. Recently I had to source a bunch of cherry and found one two suppliers that couple provide a fair amount of bf of QS 16/4 cherry.

I got lucky and my just happened to be a majority QS.

I say to all those that want to build huge benches don’t listen to the guys that say this that or the other thing. Build it to your space and to how and what you build.


Patrick, I'm compelled to say that is one IMPRESSIVE bench. Dang. Great job.

[Brian Holcombe]

Patrick, My friend John’s will be the same as yours, 28” deep. The wood is 10’ but once we cut the ends it will probably be 110”~. You guys both know your needs well enough to make a very informed decision. For me I use a workbench as a planing beam so I constantly wish it were much thinner and long as possible.

We’re using my jointer for the work, so I get to have a taste of what it’s like to build a monster bench. I think he plans to keep the top in individual slabs so that he can assemble it.

12/4 seems fine to me, I have a 12/4 planing beam that is plenty heavy enough for chopping.

[Mel Fulks]

I would rather work with 8/4. Easier and cheaper. But if you see it as compromise ,stick to your first choice.

[Brian Behrens]

Thanks Patrick. That is an incredible piece of functional art you have created!

[Brian Behrens]

Thank you everyone for all the great input and advice. I went and looked at the 16/4 ash. The price wound up being higher than he led me to believe on the phone. It will basically cost me double to use the 16/4 instead of 8/4. Based on this factor alone, I have decided to use the 8/4. I couldn't see paying an extra $500 to avoid the extra glue ups.

[Mike Manning]

Brian,

I built an ash Roubo with Benchcrafted plans and hardware 3 years ago. ...

Cliff

How about posting a pic (or two or three) Cliff? :-)

[Steve Catts]

Patrick - Great bench. Very nice work. How do your holdfasts do with the 5.5" top? Did you counterbore from the underside to lessen the length of 3/4" hole (or 1" if thats the size of your holdfasts).

[Brian Holcombe]

You might contact Horizon before you give up on 16/4. I don’t know the premium for it, but the last batch I saw was just incredible stuff.

[Patrick Walsh]

Yes try Horizon it where I got my lumber.

They are also great people to deal with and make spending money amjoy by comparison to many we have to give our hard earned money to because they have something we want and a terrible attitude to boot.

Your gonna have the bench for. Long long time. At least from my perspective and considering $500 is nothing. I’m also not a frugal guy with champagne tase ona beer budget.

[Patrick Walsh]

Thanks for saying somthat means a lot. I draw much inspiration from others so it’s nice when someone else is inspired by your work.

Thanks Patrick. That is an incredible piece of functional art you have created!

[Patrick Walsh]

Peter Ross holdfast made for 1” holes.

I did nothing but drill 1” holes. I can’t believe how well they work. I never would had believed it but what a dream they are. Working on this bench I almost never reach for anything but a hold fast.

The Peter Ross stuff is just exceptional. Imop a hand made bench deserves nothing less than hand made accessories. I would love to commission him to make me a handle to attach to the screw portion or moving portions for the bench-crafted leg vise. Don’t get me wrong the benchcrafted leg vise is great it just does not exude hand made the way everything else does.


Patrick - Great bench. Very nice work. How do your holdfasts do with the 5.5" top? Did you counterbore from the underside to lessen the length of 3/4" hole (or 1" if thats the size of your holdfasts).

[Christopher Charles]

Brian,

No matter whether you use 8/4 or 16/4, you have a kick-ash bench :)

I made my top from 8/4 maple and selected flatsawn boards for the top, which created a quartersawn top when laminated. I build as a split top, which I high recommend. With the caveat that I didn't like the split top and later glued the halves together. It was only then that I needed help with the build. I built it with the BC tail vise, which I use all the time.

Good luck and hope to see your progress posted here. And it will be o.k. if it takes longer than you think--mine took almost three years to finish :)

Best,
Chris