Split top Roubo bench on a budget

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Farmer Giles

The biggest tool in the box
Joined
6 Sep 2011
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Location
West Yorkshire
Seeing as my current woodworking "bench" is an OSB packing case side on two Workmates I thought it was about time I knocked a proper one together. I nearly did it 2 or 3 years ago after doing some research into my ideal bench, making some drawings and putting together a cutting list.

Unfortunately all I can find now is the cutting list and I can't reverse engineer the drawings from that so I went back to the books and was edging towards some kind of Roubo bench when I saw the Benchcrafted split top Roubo. It hit a chord as it had all the clamping qualities I wanted and I do remember having factored in a sliding deadman in my last design, but I'm not sure if I had a leg vice. However I've thought about it I like the idea that Benchcrafted have developed from the old Roubo plans of the criss-cross, but I don't want to pay that kind of cash. I also like their tail vice. 8)

So I have bought some Douglas Fir, which I think strikes the right balance between density, stability and cost, a couple of metal hand wheels off fleabay for about 6 quid each, and a couple of York 24mm acme threaded bars and nuts from Axminster for about 20 quid each . I shall fabricate the Roubo criss-cross mechanism from stuff I have in my workshop, I have the tools for this.

The timber cost 360 quid however there is nearly enough wood for 2 benches as I have some other mini projects in mind so in reality about 200 quid's worth is for the bench. Add about 60 quid for the hardware and I bought the plans from Fine Tools. So hopefully it should come in around 300 quid or so if I don't count any holdfasts etc.

The timber was plain sawn, I didn't think I needed to quarter saw it as much will be laminated, I saved on the cutting cost and less wastage. I also bought a 14 foot x 20" pippy oak log for a future dining table and other dining furniture however as the missus hasn't nailed the design she wants yet it is still at the sawmill waiting instructions :roll: This will be partly quarter sawn, at least the planks for the top and any rails will be. We won't know how deep the pippy bits go into the log until we cut it but its looking good.

The Douglas fir is at about 14% to 16% moisture and my shop is around 12% ambient so as I'm not intending to do much for a few months and the top is made up of small pieces I think it will be good enough for a bench soon. I'm not even thinking about using the oak until next year.

Here's a couple of pics of the bench timber and my oak log

The black marks aren't knots, just muck from loading it. There are a few small knots in the larger sections which I can cut around but the rest is knot free.
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and the oak log
P1030725.JPG

There is a shake that goes through the log but the sawyer reckoned he could cut around it and as the centre is off to one side so we should be able to get some nice wide boards for the top. Its a bit of a lottery but I think that is part of the fun!
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Next update when I make progress on the criss-cross or the top. it may be a while!

Cheers
Andy
 

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Looks like a nice pile of Douglas fir ! Looking forward to seeing your wip as things progress ;)
Coley

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk
 
Looking forward to it - wouldn't your timber dry out faster and more evenly if air can get to it all round - i.e. store it properly on 'spacers' or whatever they are called?
Just a thought
Regards
Mark
 
gasman":bawpsu01 said:
Looking forward to it - wouldn't your timber dry out faster and more evenly if air can get to it all round - i.e. store it properly on 'spacers' or whatever they are called?
Just a thought
Regards
Mark

Hi Mark

I hadn't had time to get it off the trailer yesterday, its my neighbours trailer and he has a job for it tomorrow so I shall be clearing a space for it in the barn and it will be on stickers by this evening :D

I think the rule about junk expanding to fill available space may become part of the Standard Model of the universe, its not dark matter that is the missing component, its junk. I cleared out the bottom barn last year and the junk has already expanded into this space. :)

Regards
Andy
 
I am excited for you - making my roubo bench was one of the best thing I ever did. I bought a couple of books on the subject, did a lot of research on the vices. I got a wooden vice from Richard Maguire but the thing I use more by far is the tail vice. I bought the Veritas tail vice kit from Axi and spent a long time getting the vice built around it - it has transformed the way I work with wood
Anyway very best of luck
Mark
 
andy,

where did you purchase the timber? It looks some nice douglas fir.

Mark
 
Hi Mark
Its a wholesale place about 15 miles from Hull, it used to supply high quality timber to the boat trade but that art has largely died. He deals with DF, and larch and then mainly hard woods, the staple being English oak. He doesn't resell cheap imported softwoods. I shall PM you the details, he does collection only and reasonable quantities, he won't just cut enough for a coffee table!
Regards
Andy
 
I'm currently on the same project farmer Giles. Although you will probably be finished before I get my wood organised. I'm just waiting for a second hand felder combination to be delivered, but felder don't seem to be any great hurry.

I'm watching this with interest.

Good luck.
 
gasman":3b1pvxhk said:
I am excited for you - making my roubo bench was one of the best thing I ever did. I bought a couple of books on the subject, did a lot of research on the vices. I got a wooden vice from Richard Maguire but the thing I use more by far is the tail vice. I bought the Veritas tail vice kit from Axi and spent a long time getting the vice built around it - it has transformed the way I work with wood
Anyway very best of luck
Mark

thanks Mark, any pics of your bench?

Cheers
Andy
 
Journeyman_uk":1oxzfnlz said:
I'm currently on the same project farmer Giles. Although you will probably be finished before I get my wood organised. I'm just waiting for a second hand felder combination to be delivered, but felder don't seem to be any great hurry.

I'm watching this with interest.

Good luck.

I'm not sure if mine will be finished before yours, I'm also building a Toylander for the kids (I now hate MDF!!) and renovating an old tractor, and finishing the rebuild of a milling machine, and I just started to rebuild my radial arm saw.......... I may be a while!

Cheers
Andy
 
Ok you win on commitments, I took the time to paint my workshop walls and floor, add a cyclone to my power tool extractor, respray the rusty old microclene 1000 I found at the tip (apparently someone bought it on eBay and it didn't work so trashed it - just a bent impeller base that needed hammering out). I'm just about ready for the felder and then off to buy the wood! So not much to do there then :)
 
I moved the timber up to the workshop on Friday, here's it all stickered up. I asked the sawyer about quantities and he's OK with smaller orders as long as people can pick up, he's not doing mail order. He's a very nice helpful chap and will cut to your specification. He's called Karl at Geenix Saw Mills, North Cave 15 miles from Hull, mobile 07544861005
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Cheers
Andy
 

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Woodmonkey":3sd1b9p4 said:
I'm interested how you can tell the oak will be pippy before you've planked it?

Very good question! its not in the photos but on the other side of the log it is covered in burrs where small branches exited. The log will be pippy and have interesting grain but I will not (or knot!) know is how deep and how much until it is sawn, that's part of the gamble but you do pay less. If the timber merchant opens it up and finds glorious grain he will charge more for the timber. I'm looking forward to getting it sawn, worst case is that its very superficial and I just get some decent oak.
 
Grahamshed":1xtqx82x said:
I always enjoy watching a good bench build. Lots of piccies please :)

I shall try and accommodate :)

Here's the handles and screws, an 8" hand wheel for the leg vice and a 5" for the tail vice. I shall order 2 x 4" for a moxon vice. Also there's 2 x 24mm ACME threads/nuts for the tail/leg vices. I shall take the bit off where the T bar goes through and drill larger holes in the hand wheels to fit with some kind of keyway and/or pin then top 'em off with a nice wooden centre button.
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Cheers
Andy
 

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Farmer Giles":1bn9jyl3 said:
Hi Mark
Its a wholesale place about 15 miles from Hull, it used to supply high quality timber to the boat trade but that art has largely died. He deals with DF, and larch and then mainly hard woods, the staple being English oak. He doesn't resell cheap imported softwoods. I shall PM you the details, he does collection only and reasonable quantities, he won't just cut enough for a coffee table!
Regards
Andy


Hi Andy. I live in Hull. Could you give me the details for this place please? I generally use Arnold Lavers....but options are always nice.
Ive just built a Roubo myself...... post936517.html#p936517 if youre interested.

Thanks.
Chris.
 
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