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2K views 12 replies 11 participants last post by  RandAlThor 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I want to build a split top Roubo bench. I plan on using Douglas Fir. My question is, would I be better to laminate the top in the usual fashion or would it be better to have a solid chunk of wood that is 4" thick x 12" wide? It would certainly be less work that way. Are there disadvantages to a solid piece like that?
 
#2 · (Edited by Moderator)
I think a solid slab would be more likely to warp and twist with changes in temp and moisture. A laminated top will be more stable because the individual boards have grain going in many different directions and the grain doesn't continue from one lamination to the next. It's sort of the same reason that plywood is more stable than a solid board. It will also be more difficult to get a slab that is completely dry on the inside so it will continue to dry out after you build it and accounting for that movement may be more difficult.

My 2 cents.
 
#3 ·
Doug fir is very difficult to plane well in my experience. Maybe its just me, but it gives me fits.

I used a hem-fir lamination on my bench, just so it would be easier to flatten. Its pretty soft, but that bench will outlive me.

Doug fir timbers are generally pretty wet, it would take a very long time to dry out enough that i wouldnt be concerned about it warping.
 
#7 ·
Buy 2×12s and cut them down. They are usually way more dry than 2×6s. I did this for my stumpy nubs version of a roubo. I did let them sit in my garage for a few weeks to acclimate. Laminating them also helps with stability a lot, vs using one solid piece. One year in and my bench is still solid and flat. 100% doug fir.

Brian
 
#9 ·
I had read a couple books, including a couple from Chris Schwartz. One of his even had good plans in it.
Look at wider boards and cut them down to size. You will tend to find less knots in the wide boards.
I too am on the west coast. And the doug fir is what I have too. Its all very wet from the big box store. I have dried it fairly quick by setting it up with stickers, covered with a tarp to make a tent, and had a box fan blowing through it 24/7 for a few weeks.
 
#10 · (Edited by Moderator)
Boy I'm late to this thread. I built a split top Roubo last summer out of Doug Fir. I used 4×12's for the two top pieces. I did laminate a 3/4" strip of oak to the leading edge to keep it from dinging up too much, but have been happy about the lumber. I knew the top would shrink so I planned for this to happen in the slot area. I built my filler strip with spacers in it that I could swap out with thicker ones as the top shrank. My idea has worked since the mortices keep the tops flush with the front and back and my slot in the middle has grown as the wood adjusts to being indoors. The top has stayed flat though. However if it doesn't, planing it was a breeze and any future re-flattening will likely be about 15 minutes effort and a couple of quick coats of finish.

You can read about my build in the projects section at. http://lumberjocks.com/projects/337329

Wood Table Hardwood Wood stain Flooring
 

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#13 ·
I'm building my first bench now out of fir, my advice is to be more selective with your board choices than I was. I had a truck for a few hours and bought 6 2X10's and was not as picky as I wish I would have been. Ask the employees to get a fresh pile down if the boards look picked over (I grabbed the 6 best boards out of 12 boards total and have had a heck of a time working around or with the knots). Besides the knotted areas it's planing nicely (currently using a scrub plane on it before installing legs then switching to a jointer plane).
 
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