Split Top Roubo Base Suggestions
I’m currently in the process of building a split top Roubo bench a la Benchcrafted design plans. The 2 tops are 3”x12”x72” each. I’ll be installing the benchcrafted tail vise, but will be using a cast iron QR face vise instead of the leg vise. My plan is to have the outside edge of the left leg set in 14” from the left end of the top, and the outside edge of the right leg 17” from the right end of the top to accommodate the vises. This leaves the base 38” wide. I’ve seen several options for adjusting for shorter bench tops (like mine), but most of them advise no overhang on the left which works with the leg vise but not the face vise or eliminating the tail vise which I don’t want to do. My question is will the 38” base profile be an issue on the 72” bench? If it makes a difference, the top is European beech, and the base is Mesquite (crazy hard/dense), the legs are 4”x4”, the long stretchers are 2x4”, the short stretchers are 2”x4” (bottom) and 1”x4” (top). The final bench height will be 34” My plan is to attach the top with 1-1/4” bullet dowels, the long stretchers with BC barrel nuts and the short stretchers will be drawbored and glued with Titebond III. I already have all the wood s4s and cut to rough length, and the tops are already glued up, so I’m hoping not to make any crazy adjustments, but would like some opinions on what adjustments I might need to make since so far I’ve done a ton of research, but have only been woodworking for about 8 months now.
