Steve,
You may never get around to the Roubo . I expect the shop sized Moravian I'm building now will replace my Roubo/English bench that is my current main bench. Nothing wrong with the current bench but I find I work more on the small Moravian than the big English/French bench.
ken
Mathew,
My portable benches have 8/4 Beech slabs. The current build's slab is laminated from slats of 8/4 Beech and is ~90mm, just over 3 1/2", thick. It is one heavy sucker. I've used both DF and Poplar as base wood and both work well, I've Ash on order for this base but so far no joy. I may fall back on either one of the Oaks or Maple..
ken
Ken, bending down for that beautiful vise handle does not look friendly to my frequently aching back. Have you had any back issues?
Mark,
Yep, I had a laminectomy last year. No problem working the vise and parallel guide pin.
If you can find a good neurosurgeon and your problem is one he/she can fix sooner is better than later. After mine I felt like Peter Sellers in Dr. Strangelove, "Mein Fuhrer I can walk".
ken
Ken,
I have thought about that, not building a Scandy, especially after reading your reports.
If I like the Moravian as much as I think I might, I will just build a bigger version of the Moravian, and put the vise screw already in hand to work on an end vise on the bigger Moravian.
My thinking is that, like you, if I really like the smaller version of the Moravian I build first then my eventual main bench will also be a Moravian, just bigger and likely a bit heavier as well.
I will be watching for your eventual comments on how well you end up liking your latest Moravian as a main bench.
Stew
Last edited by Stew Denton; 10-24-2018 at 8:07 PM.
I've heard it called a Dutch Bench before too, not unlike Warren (but then I'm also from Pennsylvania). I've been planning a (real) workbench build for a while now, even have most of the rough lumber waiting for me in my *shop; but like many others, now all I really need is to make the time to build it. When that miraculous time arrives, I'll be building a Moravian (Dutch) Bench with an angled leg vise (because I think they look cool).
Why did I choose this style over all the others? Because all reports support them as wonderful workbenches and because I'm partial to their aesthetic design...angled legs look a challenge for me and they look cool. ... 'bout all the reason I need.
- Jake
*garage
Alexander,
The 8/4 Beech slab works well with no problems. That and a Poplar base makes a fairly light weight bench which works well for a portable bench. For my shop bench I'm I'm going for more weight with a heavier slab and a heaver base. Really for no reason other than "because". The light bench is very stable fore and aft but it is also slightly narrow so you can notice the light weight when sawing cross bench, not bad but noticeable.
ken
A later photo on the second build taken after adding a tool tray:
toolTrayInUse.jpg
Another with the travel bench playing grown up bench:
travelBenchInPositionC180427dscf2683.jpg
One of the great things about a portable bench is when needed, setting up in the back garden is a sheet of cake*.
travelBenchBackGardenA180501dscf2685.jpg
ken
*English was not the client's first language
Ken, I include a photo of two pieces of 8/4 hard maple that I've had sitting for almost 2 years with a Moravian bench in mind. I do need a round toit to make it happen. You comment about across the bench stability is something I've been wondering about. What do you think about splaying the rear legs from the actual working surface, say say twelve inches or so, to the back of the tool tray or extension? It would give the same angle as the end to end angles, approximately. The tool tray or extension could be supported on struts if needed. After using your benches you may have a thought or two about it.
Jim
Jim,
Two things about the portable bench, it was made to fit in the motor home sidebin so the base is narrow it is also very light. Change either and the cross bench stability will improve, it is not a problem now but just not as stable as fore and aft. Angled back legs would also work but with a slightly heavier or wider bench would likely be overkill.
ken