Another Roubo build here. This is something that I really need. My old workbench that I built 30 years ago has gotten a bit rickety for hand planing I have found. I want something solid, so the only thing that moves when I plane a board is the plane. So I have begun to embark on a Roubo build. First step is the glue up.
Leveling it up.
I decided to go with poplar for most of the top. I have a cheap source of kiln dried poplar. I also think it is kind of soft for this application so for the front of the bench and the dog hole strip I am using ash. The bench will reside against a wall and most of the abuse will be on the front side where the wagon vise and leg vise will go. I am using Benchcrafted hardware for both the wagon vise and the leg vise.
Second step is to create a large rabbit for the wagon vise screw. This was a major excavation and a plunge router was employed. You are looking at the underside here.
Here it is finished.
The next step is bolt on the end cap. Here are the nut pockets I excavated for the bolts that holds the end cap.
Next up are the huge dovetails for the side to end cap joint.
Then to make the pins on the end cap. The end cap is red elm, I had a piece of this that was about the right size and I thought would be good for this application. This is still in progress and where I will end for tonight.
-- Bondo Gaposis
11 comments so far
blackcherry
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2900 posts in 1988 days
#1 posted 123 days ago
Very exciting stuff here, enjoy your build which is the fun part. Will be watching this beauty in progress best of luck…BC
jap
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1029 posts in 219 days
#2 posted 123 days ago
good start
-- Joel -- http://diversitywoodworks.wordpress.com
Cantputjamontoast
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306 posts in 1597 days
#3 posted 123 days ago
i’m watching!!! thank you for sharing!!!!!!!!!!!]
-- "Not skilled enough to wipe jam on toast!"
ShaneA
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3952 posts in 763 days
#4 posted 123 days ago
Looks like you are off to a good start.
Smitty_Cabinetshop
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6373 posts in 783 days
#5 posted 123 days ago
Great setup, plan and progress!
-- Don't anthropomorphize your handplanes. They hate it when you do that. -- OldTools Archive
walden
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65 posts in 187 days
#6 posted 122 days ago
Great start! You’ll love the bench. I used Ash for the entire top on mine. It has worked out great, but it was a workout to flatten by hand! The popular might also keep the top from getting too slick. Mine turned out way too slick, so I am about to do some seasonal flattening and will rough it up a bit so boards won’t slide around so much.
Good luck on your build.
Brandon
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3727 posts in 1116 days
#7 posted 122 days ago
Looking very, very good. I really like the way you are doing the bolt-on end caps. If I were to build another one, I’d do the end caps that way. Looking forward to more posts on this build.
PS, how’s that mallet holding up for you? It was nice to see it in your shop.
-- "hold fast to that which is good"
bondogaposis
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1236 posts in 516 days
#8 posted 122 days ago
Brandon, that mallet is working great. This project has a lot of big mortises and I find that I am reaching for it all of the time. The balance is great, thanks again.
-- Bondo Gaposis
mileskimball
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42 posts in 179 days
#9 posted 122 days ago
Looks terrific!
-- Miles
ejvc
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55 posts in 125 days
#10 posted 121 days ago
You did this in one day? That’s pretty amazing. Onwards!!
-- Building stuff with my daughter (5). Pretty new to woodworking, I mostly sew...
bondogaposis
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1236 posts in 516 days
#11 posted 121 days ago
No, I did not do all of it in one day, I wish. This series of photos covers 3-4 hrs of shop time/day spread out over a week.
-- Bondo Gaposis
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