Roubo Build Nearing Completion

[JohnM Martin]

Finally finishing my first workbench build. Its been a great learning experience. I still have a few things yet to do on it in terms of accessories, but it is mostly there. Don't look too close :) but just thought I would share.

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[Sam Beagle]

Looks awesome

[John Kananis]

Pretty good looking. Are you planning on shaping the vise?

[JohnM Martin]

Pretty good looking. Are you planning on shaping the vise?

Yes, that and build a center tool tray insert are the two remaining big items to accomplish.

[David Eisenhauer]

Looks great, good stuff. I bet you will enjoy this for a long time.

[Tom Trees]

Tasty
I especially like that the tenons are not through and has a nice overhang.
Guessing your planing on adding the filler strip/flip up planing stop too, when it settles.
Nice work
Make sure to keep us updated, we loves our bench threads :)

Tom

[JohnM Martin]

Thanks, David!

[JohnM Martin]

Tasty
I especially like that the tenons are not through and has a nice overhang.
Guessing your planing on adding the filler strip/flip up planing stop too, when it settles.
Nice work
Make sure to keep us updated, we loves our bench threads :)

Tom

Thanks, Tom :)

Yes, the center strip/stop is next up... I guess I got a little antsy to share before it is completely wrapped up.

[David Myers]

Very nice.

I still remember the cool realization that all the stuff scattered around the shop was coalescing into a bench.


Then the day came to attach the top to the base and flipp it over. Suddenly there was a workbench in the shop.

Congratulations and thanks for sharing.

[Wojciech Tryc]

Looks great

[Jason Lester]

Looks really nice!

What do others think of the leg vises? I put one on mine, but not really happy with it. It's kind of awkward and the screw interferes with a lot of clamping operations. I'm thinking of replacing mine with either a twin screw or building a moxon add-on.

[David Eisenhauer]

Jason I have a BC leg vise and I like it very much and use it for lots of vise operations. That is just me, though, and I realize different folks use different methods. I suppose I use it for sawing as much or more than anything else, however it also gets used to hold something for a quick planing or spoke shave operation as well. I have a free-standing, split top Ruobo style bench which allows me to work on the opposite side of the bench from the leg vise if is in the way and that may be why mine is more useful than yours.

[Timothy MacMurtrie]

Great looking bench!!!!

[Noah Magnuson]

Nice wood contrast details. It's just a bench, but it adds a little fun without making it look like furniture. You will get a lot of satisfaction working on it. I am more jealous of the empty garage space around it. I am still clearing up and organizing my garage from last years move (working outward from my bench of course).

[David Myers]

Looks really nice!

What do others think of the leg vises? I put one on mine, but not really happy with it. It's kind of awkward and the screw interferes with a lot of clamping operations. I'm thinking of replacing mine with either a twin screw or building a moxon add-on.

I like leg vice and use it quite a bit. The sliding deadman on the other hand rarely gets used because the leg vice is strong enough to hold most stock at the lengths I use.

I do think a twin screw vice (Moxon or modern) would be superior for dovetailing as I do get some chatter when sawing wider boards. I may build a small joinery bench similar to Shannon Rodgers to address this and to raise the height of the operation.

[Jason Lester]

The chatter is what I struggle with when dovetailing wider boards or carcases too long to stay above the screw.

[Christopher Charles]

John, great looking bench. Mine’s coming up on its fifth birthday and I can’t remember life without it.

Re. Leg vise, I use mine all the time, though use my wagon vise at least as often. And it is not ideal for dovetailing wide boards but is fine for any less than about 4”. Also will eventually do a moxon or similar.

[Joe A Faulkner]

For dovetailing, sometimes I'll place scraps in front of and behind the work piece, and hold them just below the scribe line. With this configuration, I'll raise the end of the board 6-9 inches higher than the bench surface to saw the pins and tails. Sometimes I might use a small F clamp or quick release clamp to clamp the "sandwich", again adding to the stiffness. This is my temporary work around until I get around to building a moxon. At times, I've regretted the leg vise because I have to stoop a little to reach the handle, where as on a twin screw the handles are higher - not a big enough issue to motivate me to rework it though.

[David Eisenhauer]

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Following some slight thread drift, I include a couple of photos of my Moxon that works well for dovetail and similar work that like some elevation above my Ruobo bench top height. I ordered a 3' length of Acme thread rod, a couple of Acme nuts and the two handwheels from Internet vendors as a less-expensive version than kits assembled by Moxon-specific vendors'. I also added some suede leather to the inside of the chops for improved grip.

[Luke Dupont]

Looks really nice!

What do others think of the leg vises? I put one on mine, but not really happy with it. It's kind of awkward and the screw interferes with a lot of clamping operations. I'm thinking of replacing mine with either a twin screw or building a moxon add-on.


I assume that you have a lot of long wide work that you want to clamp vertically?

I've always made do with vises much shallower and much less in width than a leg vise. For what you seem to want, though, a twin screw moxon vise sounds like the perfect solution. They're easy to make, too. Just make sure the holes for the front jaw are made as slits so there's a little play and the vise doesn't lock up when adjusting one screw and not the other.

[Mike Brady]

There are two reasons I prefer twin screw vises....the two screws. No seriously, not having the single screw impeding the placement of the workpiece in the vice is priceless. In addition, the workpiece can to the floor whic means in can dovetail a 48” board with a width capacity of 18 inches. No Moxon needed in my shop.

Lastly by vise handle is at waist level, not down around my knees.