Split Top Roubo Bench Build

[Gene Davis]

Ok, Mr Nuthin, you gotta start thinking about what to do with this rube bench you're gonna finish soon.

They're made for hand work, you know, and you ought to put it in a part of your shop where there ain't no power, so you can't operate anything on it or near it that spins or jiggles or random-orbits or anything else you might hurt yourself with.

I'm just sayin.

Want some inspiration?  Go over to the Sawmill Creek site and tune into the Neanderthal channel, find any build thread there by Mr Brian Holcombe, and see how he does it.  His most recent is a bed build.

 

[iamnothim]

Ok, Mr Nuthin, you gotta start thinking about what to do with this rube bench you're gonna finish soon.

They're made for hand work, you know, and you ought to put it in a part of your shop where there ain't no power, so you can't operate anything on it or near it that spins or jiggles or random-orbits or anything else you might hurt yourself with.

I'm just sayin.

Want some inspiration?  Go over to the Sawmill Creek site and tune into the Neanderthal channel, find any build thread there by Mr Brian Holcombe, and see how he does it.  His most recent is a bed build.

[member=2952]Gene Davis[/member]  I have bookmarked Brian's member page on sawmill creek and I will be sure to take a look.  Thanks

I have given some thought to projects but I have to finish the blue pine cabinets, counters, shop floor, and a few convenience items for hose and rail storage.  Next I have to finish building the mirrored closet doors for my son's room.

Then I'm open.  I've given some thought to copying a friends rocker pictured below.  When I mended it for him I took all the dimensions.  I also want to build a console for the amp I built.  It'll be loosely based on a Jory Brigham mid century design.

EDIT:  I'm pretty sure I posted some of these before.  Sorry for the duplication.

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[VW mick]

Now I really like that last picture .The console for your amp

That's the sort of thing I'd like to get into once I've got my workshop sorted

And keep up the good work with the bench I'm going to mis this thread when you've finished it

 

[iamnothim]

Now I really like that last picture .The console for your amp

That's the sort of thing I'd like to get into once I've got my workshop sorted

And keep up the good work with the bench I'm going to mis this thread when you've finished it

Ya know what's cool about that console?
The entire "C" frame is a giant sandwich of 3/4" plywood "Cs".  Look closely at the end edge.

 

[iamnothim]

Pretty much work'n on little stuff.  The router plane arrives tomorrow afternoon and then I can start gett'n jiggy on the rails and stretchers.  Having some anxiety on that...cuz.....Everything has to meet up at "X" or....

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[VW mick]

Now I really like that last picture .The console for your amp

That's the sort of thing I'd like to get into once I've got my workshop sorted

And keep up the good work with the bench I'm going to mis this thread when you've finished it

Ya know what's cool about that console?
The entire "C" frame is a giant sandwich of 3/4" plywood "Cs".  Look closely at the end edge.

Oh yes that's really cool. Would use a lot of sheets though and be quite wasteful

 

[iamnothim]

Mick,
There are ways around the waste.  Sinc it's laminated and very busy you can cut the "C's" in the middle at staggered locations on the side.  The seams will get lost.

This way you are cutting Hockey Sticks out of the plywood and there is far less scrape

 

[iamnothim]

More on the console. 
Just like the Roubo top, dominos will be an effective way to line up the strips.  I'd lam two or three then use a flush trim router bit.... Lam some more and repeat.

It' really an ingenious design.  Might be able to apply a veneer if you made cauls.

 

[VW mick]

Yes you definitely got me interested (sorry to keep this of topic. But it's not the first time lol)

But I'm easily distracted from the 5 or 6 (at least ) projects I've got on the go at the moment 

 

[bkharman]

I did a small drawer front like that and it came out all kinds of awesome. It is a lot of work though. Not so much the cutting but the cleanup work. And mine were a bunch of rectangular sticks!!!  It does look awesome though... It would be a fun project. Hmmmmm

 

[iamnothim]

I did a small drawer front like that and it came out all kinds of awesome. It is a lot of work though. Not so much the cutting but the cleanup work. And mine were a bunch of rectangular sticks!!!  It does look awesome though... It would be a fun project. Hmmmmm

Shut up
That looks amazing. 

 

[Cheese]

I like that....great look.

 

[bkharman]

Luke I think your bench is looking pretty amazing! I love poking in on this thread at least daily. All sorts of entertaining!!

I have been itching for a new project lately but I think I am going to coffer one one my ceilings. I did my family room a few years back and it came out great. This time I am not going to miter. I am going to work on my coping.

Keep up the great work on that Bench!

Cheers. Bryan.

 

[iamnothim]

Luke I think your bench is looking pretty amazing! I love poking in on this thread at least daily. All sorts of entertaining!!

I have been itching for a new project lately but I think I am going to coffer one one my ceilings. I did my family room a few years back and it came out great. This time I am not going to miter. I am going to work on my coping.

Keep up the great work on that Bench!

Cheers. Bryan.

If you don't have it, get the Collins Coping foot. 
I have the barrel version of the Carvex. It took some getting used to but I really like using it blade up. 

 

[Tyler Ernsberger]

Luke I think your bench is looking pretty amazing! I love poking in on this thread at least daily. All sorts of entertaining!!

I have been itching for a new project lately but I think I am going to coffer one one my ceilings. I did my family room a few years back and it came out great. This time I am not going to miter. I am going to work on my coping.

Keep up the great work on that Bench!

Cheers. Bryan.

Coping is awesome.  I cope all my trim all the way down to shoe molding.  I have done so many miles of trim,  I can cope very fast and accurate with a coping saw.  Make sure your pushing the blade to make the cut.  I always keep the blade so it cuts on the down stroke to minimize tear out.

 

[bkharman]

Luke I think your bench is looking pretty amazing! I love poking in on this thread at least daily. All sorts of entertaining!!

I have been itching for a new project lately but I think I am going to coffer one one my ceilings. I did my family room a few years back and it came out great. This time I am not going to miter. I am going to work on my coping.

Keep up the great work on that Bench!

Cheers. Bryan.

If you don't have it, get the Collins Coping foot. 
I have the barrel version of the Carvex. It took some getting used to but I really like using it blade up.

I have had (and used!) my Collins on my Carvex for quite a while. Very easy to learn and with a small blade can butter through crown!

I have also used it to make some contoured waves for our kids play last year. All the dads helping loved my Carvex... Except one of them, he called me a show off and I called him a d!--  everyone laughed and then came over to look at the saw and my 1400. It was a good day to be Bryan that day.

Cheers. Bryan.

 

[iamnothim]

I have had (and used!) my Collins on my Carvex for quite a while. Very easy to learn and with a small blade can butter through crown!

I have also used it to make some contoured waves for our kids play last year. All the dads helping loved my Carvex... Except one of them, he called me a show off and I called him a d!--  everyone laughed and then came over to look at the saw and my 1400. It was a good day to be Bryan that day.

Cheers. Bryan.

Figured you had to have one.
EDIT:  You Be Bad!  You da man!
EDIT EDIT:  They must have Phreaked Out when you had that saw under the work  [eek]

Coping is awesome.  I cope all my trim all the way down to shoe molding.  I have done so many miles of trim,  I can cope very fast and accurate with a coping saw.  Make sure your pushing the blade to make the cut.  I always keep the blade so it cuts on the down stroke to minimize tear out.

Since I don't run molding that often I haven't "become one" with the process.  When the magic happens, it's like, "&$^@ that looks good".  Then the skill fades and I chew through extra molding.... but I keep honing the skill.  Hands down there is no better method for crown and base.  In climates where wood moves seasonally, I should think it's the only way to install.

 

[iamnothim]

The project is entering a new phase that is quite daunting for me.  That being building the base.  Obviously the tenons must be square, the rails and stretchers in equal dimensional pairs, with equal shoulders, that fit snug into the mortises, yielding a base that has square, vertical and horizontal planes on all four sides.

The end cap came out alright, but it was a one off M&T joint and nothing else was dependent upon it.  The base has 12 M&T joints and 4 wedge joints on the top.  My history with multiple dependent joints is not good.  When I made new legs for a friends table I had to resort to a “creative method” of leveling the table.  (See Photos).  This is not an option for this bench.  I can’t “jimmy- jerry-johnny-rig / McGuyver" fixes on something this big.  There’s no hiding a mistake behind Bondo, stain, and paint.

It’s got to be spot on.  The height of the legs came out to within 1 /64” - 1/32" length, bottom to shoulder.  I think that will be fine with the wedge tenons.  Pretty happy with their vertical fit and the alignment of the leg faces to the top front face of the slab.  "Now" I have to cut the rails so the legs end up hitting the mortises side to side and front to back on the slab.  That’s the critical dimension.  I also can’t have any leg to rail shoulder gaps or vertical slop. The deadman's has to fit tight between the top of the front rail and the front edge of the base.  It must be solid in a deep mortise because there will be clamping pressure against the tenon.

All the base joints (rails & stretchers) are draw-bored.  I haven’t done one but, like the wedge-tenon, they look to be a bit forgiving and very solid.

I have to fight my tendency to rush right into making something from the production materials.  I didn’t do this with the wedge tenon and I got good results.  I Must make  practice tenons until I am certain I can replicate them.  Replicate is the word of the day.

I am forgoing the barrel nuts in the rails because their primary function is to allow the table to be disassembled.  Because of the leg wedge-tenons that ain't gonna happen.  Thus all the joints in the base will be draw-bored.

NOT LIKE THIS....

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[iamnothim]

While waiting to do the tenons I squared and planed all the rails and stretchers.  I also chamfered the edges.
I wanted to see where I would take the finish.  I knew I wouldn't use color but I had to see it on some scrap.  Horrible.
I took some Arm-R-Seal and applied it to a stretcher.  It's a satin finish and it looks "alright".  Still need to dry, sand and re-coat.  But I might not bother.

I did something I don't usually do, and thats sand to a very high grit.  1000/2000.  Rockler is dropping Festool and they had a box of 2000 half price.  So I decided to try it.  It really started looking nice.  Then I applied some "Tre-Wax.  I think that's the way I'm going to go.  It's so clean.  If needed I can add more, and if I tire of it I can easily strip it off.  I have also heard good things about "Bowling Ally Wax?

Another plus is I can apply it before assembly.

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[iamnothim]

This is one beautiful tool.  Now I have to lear how to use it..

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