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This is my Benchcrafted-inspired split-top Roubo workbench. Eight feet long, 29" wide, 35" tall, and weighs about 300 pounds. Includes a leg vise, tail vise, and sliding deadman, and was built over six months. Primarily constructed of Burrill fir 2×4s from Home Depot, but also birch, white oak, red oak, cherry, soft maple, hard maple, walnut, makore, and sapele. The vises are built with Lee Valley tail vise screws, and Benchcrafted's crisscross keeps the leg vise parallel.

I'm primarily a hand tool woodworker and prior to this worked on a small old dining table that is bowed, unstable, and lightweight. I also have a wall-mounted work area that is flat and reasonably stable however it's 39" tall. Working on this bench with two awesome vises has been an amazing change. I've said it before, but I find the adage "it's a poor carpenter who blames his tools" to be very false-this bench has made me a better woodworker both because of the skill I developed in building it and because it's the right tool for the job.

I blogged the build, where there's a lot more detail:

Gallery

Comments

· Registered
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186 Posts
Dan
That is a beautiful bench ! Very nice work, looks like it will last a lifetime
Eric
 

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949 Posts
Wow! What a beauty! I bet this bench will be around for a long long time! Nice work!
 

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7,198 Posts
That's a great looking bench. I can't wait to start my bench this winter.
 

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1,192 Posts
Nice work, and I see you already have an apprentice!
 

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8,785 Posts
Great looking bench… your shop helper looks pretty psyched about it too…

only one problem that I see….. you built it backwards :^p
 

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14 Posts
Wow what an amazing bench!! I need to get off my * and build one. I have been wanting to do one for about 5 years now.

RFCB
 

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111 Posts
Thanks for all of the kind words, all! Indeed, this is a left-hander's bench.
 

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29 Posts
This is great work! I have yet to build my own bench. I too, use old dining tables for my benches. Right now they are still sturdy as I've only used them for about 2 years. I hope that when my time comes to build a bench I get results similar to yours!

Beautiful work!
 

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97 Posts
Dan,
Great looking bench. You are inspiring.

I am in the process of closing my business to be able to retire. Once that is complete, I've got plans to build my bench. Like Frank Klauz says, every woodworker should have a good bench. IMO, that's not blaming your tools.

Marty
 

· In Loving Memory
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10,409 Posts
Nice job Dan and congratulations on your 'Daily Top 3' award.
 

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turned out great! One of these is definitely on my bucket list. Good job.
 

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74 Posts
This bench and your blog entries regarding its construction were a pleasure to see. An excellent job. I especially love the gapstop color contrast. Really nice work !
 
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