# Roubo Schmoobo- A hybrid approach to that massive dovetailed bench



## BigRedKnothead (Dec 21, 2012)

*Millin it up, layin it out, gluin it up*

Here's my attempt at building a Roubo bench (with those sweet dovetailed legs) combining power and hand tools. Many of have us seen Chris Schwarz write about doing this with project all hand tools. I opted for my hybrid ways for a couple reasons: 
1) I don't have the hand tools nor the skill to pull this off by hand yet.
2) This is my hobby (a rather involved one). I want to enjoy it. Chopping out morties by hand for days on end doesn't sound like fun to me.

I should also note, I hadn't planned on blogging this, but a few friends and Ljs were interested, so here it is. I just shot pics to show progress, not really as intructional, but I think you'll get the point.









It all starts with a load of 8/4 white oak for my top. I used my jack plane to roughly true up one edge and ripped them to 4 1/2 in. Can you hear my tablesaw in this pic begging for a new owner?
Why white oak for the top? Becasue I can get it as cheap as southern yellow pine here, and because I am secretly in love with the oak tree.









Several hours of milling (jointer and planer) I have some trued up stock ready for layout.

















I didn't take a pic of the layout, so I'll jump ahead with pic that'll show you how it ends up. Oh contraire, those dovetails and mortises are cut on the tablesaw before glue up. As for now, I layed them out so they would be directly accross from each other.









This is how I did the dovetails/mortises. The angled cuts were done with the tablesaw at 45 degrees (you will need someone to help support the long end). Then I used a dado stack to hog out as much as I could. Followed by a good ol chisel to get the rest. The square mortises can just be done with the dado blade. My tenons are 1 1/2 in thick, with a 2 in space between. These can be adjusted if you are no using 8/4 stock.
I suppose one could line up their mortises with the laminated glue joint. But I chose not to.









Massive glue up in sections. I have an 8in jointer so the inner sections have 4 pieces. I was careful on the out sections to keep my dovetails and mortises lined up.








After my sections were dry. I milled them some more, being careful with the outer sections. I really didn't want my jointer to hog a chunk out of my dovetail. Help was needed to support these heavy sections. Retired neighbors come in very handy. 
Then I only had a to add the two outer sections, paying close attentions to my layout lines. If they are not truly accross from each other, the base cannot be square.









How about some legs? I got a deal on knotty old Iowa walnut shorts. Should make some cool legs. Actually, the legs are pretty much done. I blog about them tomorrow. I've had my fill of photobucket for one night.

Click on part two at the top of the blog if you want to see the rest.


----------



## Lsmart (Jan 1, 2012)

BigRedKnothead said:


> *Millin it up, layin it out, gluin it up*
> 
> Here's my attempt at building a Roubo bench (with those sweet dovetailed legs) combining power and hand tools. Many of have us seen Chris Schwarz write about doing this with project all hand tools. I opted for my hybrid ways for a couple reasons:
> 1) I don't have the hand tools nor the skill to pull this off by hand yet.
> ...


I have tons of cedar, fir, pine and larch, spruce, birch… trade you for some oak? probably to far to travel oh well. nice looking work look forward to seeing more.


----------



## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

BigRedKnothead said:


> *Millin it up, layin it out, gluin it up*
> 
> Here's my attempt at building a Roubo bench (with those sweet dovetailed legs) combining power and hand tools. Many of have us seen Chris Schwarz write about doing this with project all hand tools. I opted for my hybrid ways for a couple reasons:
> 1) I don't have the hand tools nor the skill to pull this off by hand yet.
> ...


For some reason those pics set off my antivirus.


----------



## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

BigRedKnothead said:


> *Millin it up, layin it out, gluin it up*
> 
> Here's my attempt at building a Roubo bench (with those sweet dovetailed legs) combining power and hand tools. Many of have us seen Chris Schwarz write about doing this with project all hand tools. I opted for my hybrid ways for a couple reasons:
> 1) I don't have the hand tools nor the skill to pull this off by hand yet.
> ...


No antivirus alert for me (scanned the web page too) but then I am on my tablet with a different non Windows/Apple OS.

*BigRedKnothead,* you have made some progress and it's starting to look good and I like your writing with a little touch of humor. Is that native Iowa oak?

I have some 100 year old native Iowa red oak … all the way here in San Jose California!


----------



## BigRedKnothead (Dec 21, 2012)

BigRedKnothead said:


> *Millin it up, layin it out, gluin it up*
> 
> Here's my attempt at building a Roubo bench (with those sweet dovetailed legs) combining power and hand tools. Many of have us seen Chris Schwarz write about doing this with project all hand tools. I opted for my hybrid ways for a couple reasons:
> 1) I don't have the hand tools nor the skill to pull this off by hand yet.
> ...


Yes, the oak and walnut are from a small-time lumber guy here in Southwest Iowa. I wouldn't mind trading to get a little more variety, but, of course, there is the logistcs.

The virus thing is peculiar becase my computer was giving me warnings when I tried to resize the photos with photobucket. I ended up resizing with a different program before uploading with more success. Sorry if it gave anyone grief, but I think there is something up with photobucket.


----------



## Mike53E (May 13, 2012)

BigRedKnothead said:


> *Millin it up, layin it out, gluin it up*
> 
> Here's my attempt at building a Roubo bench (with those sweet dovetailed legs) combining power and hand tools. Many of have us seen Chris Schwarz write about doing this with project all hand tools. I opted for my hybrid ways for a couple reasons:
> 1) I don't have the hand tools nor the skill to pull this off by hand yet.
> ...


Big red, time for another blog entry on those legs. I glued up the center section of my top the other day, I have access to a 21" planer. But 15 boards at once was a mess I may not have gotten it all done before the open time expire but I don't know what the significance of that will be. I left off the outer six boards I still need to cut the mortises.


----------



## BigRedKnothead (Dec 21, 2012)

BigRedKnothead said:


> *Millin it up, layin it out, gluin it up*
> 
> Here's my attempt at building a Roubo bench (with those sweet dovetailed legs) combining power and hand tools. Many of have us seen Chris Schwarz write about doing this with project all hand tools. I opted for my hybrid ways for a couple reasons:
> 1) I don't have the hand tools nor the skill to pull this off by hand yet.
> ...


It's done. Just click on the next blog in the series at the top of the page.


----------



## buck_cpa (Mar 26, 2013)

BigRedKnothead said:


> *Millin it up, layin it out, gluin it up*
> 
> Here's my attempt at building a Roubo bench (with those sweet dovetailed legs) combining power and hand tools. Many of have us seen Chris Schwarz write about doing this with project all hand tools. I opted for my hybrid ways for a couple reasons:
> 1) I don't have the hand tools nor the skill to pull this off by hand yet.
> ...


Nice bench. On the leg vise, how far down from the bench top did you put your screw?


----------



## MagicalMichael (Dec 26, 2016)

BigRedKnothead said:


> *Millin it up, layin it out, gluin it up*
> 
> Here's my attempt at building a Roubo bench (with those sweet dovetailed legs) combining power and hand tools. Many of have us seen Chris Schwarz write about doing this with project all hand tools. I opted for my hybrid ways for a couple reasons:
> 1) I don't have the hand tools nor the skill to pull this off by hand yet.
> ...


You have had the bench for 4 years or so now. Have you had any movement of the top against the legs pinned on both sides?

Michael


----------



## BigRedKnothead (Dec 21, 2012)

BigRedKnothead said:


> *Millin it up, layin it out, gluin it up*
> 
> Here's my attempt at building a Roubo bench (with those sweet dovetailed legs) combining power and hand tools. Many of have us seen Chris Schwarz write about doing this with project all hand tools. I opted for my hybrid ways for a couple reasons:
> 1) I don't have the hand tools nor the skill to pull this off by hand yet.
> ...





> You have had the bench for 4 years or so now. Have you had any movement of the top against the legs pinned on both sides?
> 
> Michael
> 
> - MagicalMichael


Not really. I'm sure there are times of year where you could hang a square over the edge of the bench, and the leg won't be dead square to the top. But, it sure doesn't affect the use of the bench.

If I build another, I'd probably do a split top. Hooking drawers and casework on the middle gap would help my work.

4 years? Where did the time go? ;-)


----------



## BigRedKnothead (Dec 21, 2012)

*How about them dovetailed legs.*

"Simpler is better, except when complicated looks really cool." Besides, I try to challenge myself every project. The dovetails/mortises are time-consuming, but they make the bench.









After milling up the 8/4(2in)walnut, I picked the best looking pieces for the face/dovetails. In a bonehead move, I milled the walnut exactly the width of the dovetail/mortises. I should have made them a little wider to give myself some play when I had to laminate the legs later. They turned out alright though. I did however, leave them long. That way if I messed up a tail, I could just lop it off and try again.
Anyway, scribed and cut the tails on the tablesaw. This was a little tricky. I have a left-tilt saw. I made one cut while the piece was flat, and the other on edge. A sacrificial fence was needed to line up the cut. My home depot hand saws in the background explain why I didn't attempt this entirely by hand. This pic is right before I had to finish the process with hand saws.









Like any machined tenons, I tried to make them barely oversized. Used a dado blade to take hog off material on backside for thickness. Then the hand tools. Not gonna lie, took a couple of hours with chisel and plane to get that piston fit. One more project where my Lie Nielson Rabbet plane was worth it's weight in gold. Why don't I have anything else by LN? Oh right, I'm just a po white boy. A freckled one at that.










With the dovetails done. I laminated two more pieces of 8/4 stock. Dado blade used to juse like any other tenon. However, care taken to line everyting up with dovetail.










To avoid any variances in lining up. I did the last leg lamination with the leg instailled. Worked alright. Masking tape to keep the leg from gluing to the top was a good idea.










Wifey snapped a shot of me truing up the legs with my prized stanley 8c. Would ya look at the size of that gargantuan cranium. It's like an orange on a toothpick!










Bam! Now we're getting somewhere. Sidenote: Going with 37" for bench height. I know C. Schwarz is shreeking. But I'm 6'6" with a bad back. I can always trim it down if I don't like it. Who's gonna help me turn it over to trim the legs after it's done? Anyone? Anyone?



















Not too bad for my first dovetails. Huge ones at that. It has went as well as I could have hoped. Surely I'm not the first guy to do it this way, but I just pulled from my furniture making experience. I am definitely more experienced with power tools. But the hand tool skills are developing. I have already used planes more on this project than any other. There's not much fear factor on a bench. Little tearout, woopdeeedooo.

Questions and suggestions welcomed. Heck, make fun of me if you want! I love to laugh.
Happy shavings ya'll, Dan


----------



## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

BigRedKnothead said:


> *How about them dovetailed legs.*
> 
> "Simpler is better, except when complicated looks really cool." Besides, I try to challenge myself every project. The dovetails/mortises are time-consuming, but they make the bench.
> 
> ...


Out-friggin-standing! Very cool, from the #8C to the dovetails to the walnut. Congrats, will follow along!


----------



## CL810 (Mar 21, 2010)

BigRedKnothead said:


> *How about them dovetailed legs.*
> 
> "Simpler is better, except when complicated looks really cool." Besides, I try to challenge myself every project. The dovetails/mortises are time-consuming, but they make the bench.
> 
> ...


Love the walnut. It's gonna be a beaut!


----------



## shampeon (Jun 3, 2012)

BigRedKnothead said:


> *How about them dovetailed legs.*
> 
> "Simpler is better, except when complicated looks really cool." Besides, I try to challenge myself every project. The dovetails/mortises are time-consuming, but they make the bench.
> 
> ...


Beautiful. I like the contrast between the legs and top, and I love red oak workbenches.

Are you going to add some stretchers on the legs to prevent racking? Maybe dovetailed stretchers?


----------



## BigRedKnothead (Dec 21, 2012)

BigRedKnothead said:


> *How about them dovetailed legs.*
> 
> "Simpler is better, except when complicated looks really cool." Besides, I try to challenge myself every project. The dovetails/mortises are time-consuming, but they make the bench.
> 
> ...


Thanks guys. Starting the stretchers tomorrow. Probably just pegged mortise and tenon. More oak. Still thinking about a sliding dovetail or breadboard for the ends for the top.

Also can't decide if I should glue the leg to the top. It's so heavy and tight, there's no way it would lift. I dunno.


----------



## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

BigRedKnothead said:


> *How about them dovetailed legs.*
> 
> "Simpler is better, except when complicated looks really cool." Besides, I try to challenge myself every project. The dovetails/mortises are time-consuming, but they make the bench.
> 
> ...


i guess it's ok if you like that kind of thing. I meant the perfect dovetails and the tight tenons and all. It doesn't leave much room for the shims and wood filler though! That would cut out my whole day 2.


----------



## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

BigRedKnothead said:


> *How about them dovetailed legs.*
> 
> "Simpler is better, except when complicated looks really cool." Besides, I try to challenge myself every project. The dovetails/mortises are time-consuming, but they make the bench.
> 
> ...


looks good so far


----------



## Boatman53 (May 21, 2012)

BigRedKnothead said:


> *How about them dovetailed legs.*
> 
> "Simpler is better, except when complicated looks really cool." Besides, I try to challenge myself every project. The dovetails/mortises are time-consuming, but they make the bench.
> 
> ...


Nice job on those dovetails. And a simpler take on that whole joint. Thanks for taking the time to share it. I'll look forward to the next installment.
Jim


----------



## chrisperoni (Feb 2, 2013)

BigRedKnothead said:


> *How about them dovetailed legs.*
> 
> "Simpler is better, except when complicated looks really cool." Besides, I try to challenge myself every project. The dovetails/mortises are time-consuming, but they make the bench.
> 
> ...


looks great and your head is a normal size- no huge pillow needed.


----------



## BigRedKnothead (Dec 21, 2012)

BigRedKnothead said:


> *How about them dovetailed legs.*
> 
> "Simpler is better, except when complicated looks really cool." Besides, I try to challenge myself every project. The dovetails/mortises are time-consuming, but they make the bench.
> 
> ...


Ha! Wondering if anyone would catch the "so I married an axe murderer" joke. Classic. Little Ferris Bueller in there too. "Anyone?"

Couldn't help but joke around to spice up the blog. But I must be stuck on the old movies. Haven't had cable for years. I'd rather be in my shop anyway.


----------



## mochoa (Oct 9, 2009)

BigRedKnothead said:


> *How about them dovetailed legs.*
> 
> "Simpler is better, except when complicated looks really cool." Besides, I try to challenge myself every project. The dovetails/mortises are time-consuming, but they make the bench.
> 
> ...


I see you flexing the guns in front of your lady! LOL. It came out great man. Good work!

Wow, what a great idea on laminating the legs, you saved so much chopping!


----------



## earbogast (Nov 3, 2015)

BigRedKnothead said:


> *How about them dovetailed legs.*
> 
> "Simpler is better, except when complicated looks really cool." Besides, I try to challenge myself every project. The dovetails/mortises are time-consuming, but they make the bench.
> 
> ...


That's really nice


----------



## BigRedKnothead (Dec 21, 2012)

*Stretchers, Vises, Finishing up*

The difficult dovetails done. But it was far from complete. On to the stretchers:








I hogged out most of the mortise with a forstner bit. Then cleaned em up with my mortising machine. That machine is just too slick not to take advantage of. 








The stretchers are a piece of 8/4, and a piece of 4/4 oak laminated. The front stretch has that peak angle designed to be the runner for the deadman. Unlike other designs, I made small cheeks on my tenon. No other reason than I belive this to be a big factor in the strength of the joint. Check out my neighbors sweet Napoleon Dynamite snow boots.








I admit, I didn't drawbore the legs. I glued and pinned them. I don't think there is any way this joint will loosen. i'll let you know if it does in the next hundred years;-)








Now we're getting somewhere. I made my retired neighbor sign a waiver before he helped me turn it over.








Next I had fun one afternoon making the leg vice and deadman. The were made from two of the better looking walnut shorts I had. Here's roughed out after the bandsaw. 
















Then I played with planes and scrapers for awhile. I had this design in my mind before I even started the bench. This chunk has some burls toward the top which made it interesting. Little danish oil and we're lookin about right.

NOW…..Breadboard Ends:








I use breadboard ends all the time in my furniture. I took a couple extra shots of my method because I realize not everybody realizes there is funtion behind the design. Meaning, one has to leave room for the wood to expand our it could blow out. 
I do the bulk of the work with a router, and tune the joint with hand tools. That being said, I've never done this joint on a 4" thick top. I admit, it was a bear. Here's the first step. Well let me back up. I did the bottom rabbet before I turn the bench over. Always thinkin. 








Then I attached two scraps to true up the tongue with a pattern bit.








The end cap is made with a dado blade. Then I use my rabbet plane to get the right fit. I drill the holes on the end cap on the drill press. Fit it, then use a brad point bit to mark the holes on the tongue. Notice only the center hole is the same hole. The others have 2 holes drilled side by side. Then cleaned up with a chisel or round file. Now, when pegged, the top will be able to expand and contract. 








Fit the pegs as needed. Block plane and was can help. Only put a little glue towards the top of the peg. 








Here's shovel, can ya'll dig it?








Robbed the vise off of my old bench for my end vise.








Similar breadboard thing. But I beefed up this end.








Next I busted out the stanley 8c and flattened this bugger. I also have a veritas low angle jointer. For some reason, it caused worse tear out on oak. I even honed it at a different angle. I want my money back;-P Got the rest of my life to get better at it I guess. 








Marked and drilled some dog holes. I've always be decent at drilling straight free hand. A long bit helps you eye it.








I knew there was a chance my gramercy hold downs wouldn't work well on a 4" top. I was right. So I took a stepped bit, or unibit, and reemed my dog holes from the underside of the bench. This took care of the problem. 








Next a planing stop done like our forefathers did.









The stop rod for my leg vise (to keep it from racking) is made from a landscaping nail. Thrifty.








Lastly, some oak boards for my lower shelf. I was diggin the two vise setup already. Another coat of danish oil and good German beer later, I have a bench. Final pics can bee seen on my project page.

I almost couldn't believe I had done it. My old bench, now just a sharpening station in the background, shows how far I've come in 5 years. I'll close this blog with something I posted elsewhere on this site:

"I will forever encourage people to build their own bench. It's such a great opportunity to practice your skills while being easy on yourself because… it is just a bench. My first was Schwartz's $175 bench and I used the tar out it. Just today it got demoted for my new roubo, but I'll keep it. Build one. Not up to your standards, sell it, and build another. That's how we improve, by just doing it."

Questions, comments welcome. Really only started this blog because a few guys asked how I was doing that darn dovetail joint. But I'm glad I did.


----------



## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

BigRedKnothead said:


> *Stretchers, Vises, Finishing up*
> 
> The difficult dovetails done. But it was far from complete. On to the stretchers:
> 
> ...


very nice build.


----------



## mochoa (Oct 9, 2009)

BigRedKnothead said:


> *Stretchers, Vises, Finishing up*
> 
> The difficult dovetails done. But it was far from complete. On to the stretchers:
> 
> ...


Great attention to detail man. I really like the unique shape you put on the chop.


----------



## grfrazee (Jul 17, 2012)

BigRedKnothead said:


> *Stretchers, Vises, Finishing up*
> 
> The difficult dovetails done. But it was far from complete. On to the stretchers:
> 
> ...


That bit you did with straightening the breadboard tongue with a pattern bit is very ingenious. I wish I had read this entry before taking on the breadboards on my bench - it would have been a bit easier.

Did you do anything special to the planing stop to keep it in its hole or is it just friction-fit?


----------



## papargbear (Jun 26, 2008)

BigRedKnothead said:


> *Stretchers, Vises, Finishing up*
> 
> The difficult dovetails done. But it was far from complete. On to the stretchers:
> 
> ...


Great job!


----------



## eao2012 (Jan 14, 2013)

BigRedKnothead said:


> *Stretchers, Vises, Finishing up*
> 
> The difficult dovetails done. But it was far from complete. On to the stretchers:
> 
> ...


This is a great write up, Dan. I wish everyone would write a good article explaining their design thinking and construction process for every project that they do. It's a great way to spread the knowledge whether you are the teacher or the learner. In architecture school, I would always have to explain my design intentions and how my project came to completion during my critiques so I guess they just ingrained the habit into my being  Again, I'm very impressed!


----------



## BigRedKnothead (Dec 21, 2012)

BigRedKnothead said:


> *Stretchers, Vises, Finishing up*
> 
> The difficult dovetails done. But it was far from complete. On to the stretchers:
> 
> ...


Thanks guys. Seems like I crammed a lot in this last entry without a ton of detail. Part of me cringes to sit down and do the blog because its time-consuming (I'd rather be in my shop hehe). But I know how much I've learned from other folks taking the time, and I just hope ya'll can gain a little from what experience I do have. Also, having a smartprhone with a camera in my pocket makes it pretty easy to snap photos of progress.

grfrazee- My 2" pattern bit was barely able to reach thick top. Of course, if the tongue is much over 1/4", your gonna want to do it in multiple passes. I even done this by starting with the scrap oversized and then ripping it down some. 
The planing stop is just friction fit. Whenever I chop a mortise by hand. it always ends up wider in the bottom. I ripped it oversized, then jack-planed it til it was snug. Works fine so far.


----------



## Xyloid_Curt (Sep 8, 2012)

BigRedKnothead said:


> *Stretchers, Vises, Finishing up*
> 
> The difficult dovetails done. But it was far from complete. On to the stretchers:
> 
> ...


Thanks for posting this, it is nice to see the construction process.


----------



## sb194 (Feb 19, 2010)

BigRedKnothead said:


> *Stretchers, Vises, Finishing up*
> 
> The difficult dovetails done. But it was far from complete. On to the stretchers:
> 
> ...


That is a damn nice bench. Something to be proud of. It will last a long time and can be passed down to the next generation.

Sean


----------



## Gibney (Jan 29, 2013)

BigRedKnothead said:


> *Stretchers, Vises, Finishing up*
> 
> The difficult dovetails done. But it was far from complete. On to the stretchers:
> 
> ...


Do you have any pictures of how you buried your end-vise into the end cap? I'm working the same design - and think the breadboard end with pegs will work great, but am not sure what do to with the endcap and vise (a 7" rockler, but looks like the same basic design as yours.)

thank you


----------



## Buckethead (Apr 14, 2013)

BigRedKnothead said:


> *Stretchers, Vises, Finishing up*
> 
> The difficult dovetails done. But it was far from complete. On to the stretchers:
> 
> ...


Beautiful bench! How many board feet do you estimate are in the bench top?


----------



## BigRedKnothead (Dec 21, 2012)

BigRedKnothead said:


> *Stretchers, Vises, Finishing up*
> 
> The difficult dovetails done. But it was far from complete. On to the stretchers:
> 
> ...


Buckethead- there are 14 literal 2×4x8 footers. If my math is right, it's about 75 board foot dressed. Probably 100 ft rough.

Gibney- I beef up that end a little. Maybe these pics will help


----------

