# Maple vs. Ash for workbench leg vise



## Smile_n_Nod (Jan 20, 2011)

I'm still at the beginner stage of woodworking, so when I build something from plans, I'm reluctant to deviate too much.

I need to buy some lumber for the leg vise and other parts of a Roubo workbench. The instructions say to use ash, but my local lumberyard does not carry ash thicker than 4/4. They do have 10/4 maple that is about 9 inches wide, which the size I need.

Is there any reason why I could not substitute maple for ash for the leg vise? Are there benefits to using ash for a leg vise or other parts of a workbench?


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## cabmaker (Sep 16, 2010)

Were it me I would prefer maple. I certainly cant come up with any reasons to specify ash in a design for a leg vise.


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

Maple will work just fine. Ash, oak, hickory…..so what? I have oak on my bench. Hasn't fellen down yet.
Bill


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## WDHLT15 (Aug 15, 2011)

Go for it.


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## GregInMaryland (Mar 11, 2010)

Brett,

If for some reason you want all the wood to match (i.e. all oak, all maple, all ash), why not just laminate two or more pieces of 4/4 material to make your chop? That is what I did for my chop, and so far it works well.

Greg


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## Smile_n_Nod (Jan 20, 2011)

Greg,

My top is going to be southern yellow pine (per Chris Schwarz's directions), so nothing but pine would match any way. 

I know that maple is used for benches, I just didn't know whether ash had some benefit for leg vises over maple.

Thanks.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

I would use the ash. Ash is very tough and springy. Maple
is hard and brittle. Ash is generally cheaper than maple as
well. Hickory, oak and elm have similar characteristics to ash.

I suggest ripping the flatsawn ash and laminating up a jaw.


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