Best workbench any ever made?

[Chris Knight]

I have followed this guy's blog through the building of this bench and it is truly inspirational. Here is a video of it in use showing how versatile it is.

I think I am in love..

Chris Schwarz has talked abut it on his blog so you might have seen it already but the video is new.

http://khalafoud.com/media/roubo.wmv

You can get to his blog here http://oudluthier.blogspot.com/ I really do recommend you follow the whole of the bench story it's a terrific read for any woodworker.

 

[Paul Chapman]

That tail vice is a real cracker, Chris 8) I've always liked that style - there's a similar one in the Scott Landis book. Some good examples of stock preparation as well - in particular the use of a long plane on a relatively short work piece. Excellent stuff. Thanks for posting.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[devonwoody]

I tried the download at 7.55am and it was only loading at 45kbs. so I guess everyone is looking.

Try siesta time

 

[wizer]

Absolutely amazing. Mesmerising in fact.

I've always wondered what all the fuss was about with the roubo bench, now I understand.

I'm off to immerse myself in that blog.

 

[Paul Chapman]

On other thought on that bench, Chris. No, it's not the best bench ever made, in my view. The one feature that virtually all bench designs fail to address is how to hold work pieces so that you can work on them easily with fenced tools (rebate planes, combination planes, etc). The only design I've seen that tackles this problem is by Jake Darvall. Here's a link to his thread on the Australian forum where he posted details of his "fish scaler" device http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au ... hp?t=38354

This was his first go at it, so it's a bit crude, but I reckon the idea is brilliant. If I ever build another bench I'll take his idea and try to develop it.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[OPJ]

Yes, I really like that tail vice idea - thanks for the link, Chris. I see a lot of benches with great big vices hanging off the end - this video shows that when you're only working off the front edge of the bench, you don't need much at all.

 

[wizer]

I have indeed been reading his blog, look at this infill plane he made from a kit:

http://khalafoud.com/images/personal/bresekit23.jpg

(I linked to it as the file is huge)

It's lovely

 

[Chris Knight]

Tom,

Thanks, I hadn't seen the plane. I wonder what the knurled knob in the blade is for?

 

[wizer]

I don't think he mentioned that in his write up, or perhaps I missed it. It's a Ron Bresse kit. I can't imagine what it might be for actually.

 

[Steve Maskery]

Beautiful, yes .Some excellent ideas, especially the tail vice. And you can just hear how sharp his planes are. Wonderful.

But.

Is it just me who thinks that leg vices are the work of the devil? Yes, you can hold things at one side without the sort of racking that you can get with a Record-style, but those huge bosses sticking out the front are real bruisers.

Am I being a miserable killjoy here? I don't mean to be. In every other respect I love it, but not the leg vices. And where on earth (or at least, where in my already-full workshop) could I keep a spare leg vice assembly?

I love the retro music though!
S

 

[newt]

The leg vices could remove your tackle if you slipped, but even so a lovely bench, I would order one straight away but my wksp is to small

 

[MikeG.]

This guy uses ivory in his work..........
...........If I ever met him I would introduce his testicles to his fancy vice and convince him of the error of his ways........

Mike

 

[Chris Knight]

Paul,

I can use fenced planes on my existing bench just by hanging the workpiece over the edge slightly. One could do that with this one too.

Mike,
If you want a discussion on the use of ivory - please, please use the general forum not hijack a thread with something that is bound to turn into an emotive argument.

 

[Paul Chapman]

Paul,

I can use fenced planes on my existing bench just by hanging the workpiece over the edge slightly. One could do that with this one too.

That will sometimes work, Chris, but it depends on the size of the workpiece and how close the dog holes are to the edge of the bench. However, it doesn't always and I often find that I have to devise a work-around. I thought Jake's idea was really innovative (as is a lot of his stuff) and he's the first person I know of who has successfully tackled this problem (probably because, like me, he makes extensive use of fenced planes).

Having said that, I don't want to detract from the quality of that bench - it's a real cracker.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Chris Knight]

Paul,

Yes Jake does have some very good ideas, I have often admired them. I hadn't seen the fishscales though - thanks for the link.

 

[Benchwayze]

It's driving me crazy...

I wish you guys would stop lauding the tail-vice!
I am trying to justify NOT having one, because they look to be a real fiddle to make. The one I like is Frank Klausz's in Landis's 'Workbench Book'. But, in the end I'll probably slap on my spare Paramo quick-release instead of just using it as an extra clamp! ](*,)

Regards John

 

[Benchwayze]

Thanks for that link Chris.

I am impressed with the bench for sure.
I also noticed that his non LN planes seem to be in great fettle and cut like a dream!

Thanks again Chris.

Regards
John

 

[Chris Knight]

John,
I know what you mean about the tail vice being a fiddle to make - the one in the video is more complicated than that type need be however. I just got Chris Schwarz's book on workbenches and he made a "wagon vice" similar to the one in the video but in a much simpler way. However, with Schwarz's version, you have to accept the handle on the end of the tail vice moving out as it's unscrewed. In the video, it's only the dog that moves linearly, not the handle.

 

[Benchwayze]

The leg vices could remove your tackle if you slipped, but even so a lovely bench, I would order one straight away but my wksp is to small

Come on Pete!
Make a scaled down version yourself! (hammer)

regards
John

 

[Benchwayze]

John,
I know what you mean about the tail vice being a fiddle to make - the one in the video is more complicated than that type need be however. I just got Chris Schwarz's book on workbenches and he made a "wagon vice" similar to the one in the video but in a much simpler way. However, with Schwarz's version, you have to accept the handle on the end of the tail vice moving out as it's unscrewed. In the video, it's only the dog that moves linearly, not the handle.

Chris,

Yes, I was going to mention that in my post, but I couldn't recall if 'wagon' was the right word; the book is upstairs and my gammy knee is playing up today! So rather than I left it out!

In the Landis book, Fortune has a simpler tail-vice too. Not a corner vice, but a straight block that moves along in one lump. Needs dovetailed ways though to be firm and I have enough to worry about, without buying a milling machine! (Like Philly's!)

Regards
John