User:Lukas/Bench

"Private" page about my CoMaking bench - feel free to read on, but it's more of a note to myself than something I would expect to be interesting ;-)

The bench will be a Roubo style workbench and set up in the office. It will be made out of Douglas fir planks and end up about 1.5 m wide to fit into "my" corner.

Walls

• backboard: 125 × 134 × 2 cm (H × B × T) plywood, needed to hold the shelves/distribute weight over the plasterboard wall
• sideboard: 150 × 120 × 2 cm for hanging tools

Top

• laminated douglas fir Glattkantbretter
  • 300 × 14.4 × 2.7 cm boards cut in half two times (across & lengthwise) -> top approx. 150 × 75 × 7 cm
  • not jointed as we didn't have the equipment yet - top planed by hand after assembly
  • a biscuit joiner would have helped with the glue-up - without it, some boards slipped
• 3 sliding dovetails (Gratleisten) to prevent warping, made of oak
  • right one not installed yet - groove too wide and may interfere with tail vise...

Understructure

• legs consist of three laminated douglas fir Glattkantbretter
  • final size: 14.5 × ? × ? cm
• stretchers for stability & straight legs
  • four horizontal ones near the bottom
    • will also hold a simple storage shelf
    • front sunk into the legs as a dovetail, sides & back just screwed on for now (don't need to be flush)
  • perhaps also add diagonals on the sides?

Planned Features

• woodworking vise - on the right face, as tail vise? front should ideally be flush for planing
• 3/4" holes for holdfasts or bench dogs
  • some in the top (one row in the woodworking vice's direction for sure), some in the legs
  • exact layout TBD, can be drilled as the need becomes clear
• plane stop on the far left (far enough from the wall to pull through with each plane)
• storage options: just some "floor" for now
  • perhaps (partial!) cabinet/drawers later
  • or a second floor, with a cut-out to allow comfortable sitting at the bench?
• sliding deadman with further dog holes to support large pieces that need planing on their edges?
• horizontal twin screw ("Moxon") vise - non-permanent to leave room in the front?
• tool well? could fill gap on the back left (obstacle on the right that prevents the bench to be fully against the wall)
• leg vise on the right?
  • would there be enough flush space left for planing?
  • perhaps the vise could be screwed off whenever that much space is actually required

Further Inspiration/Research

• Stumpy Nubs' Roubo Workbench
  • similar top & leg lamination with mortises/tenons cut before the glue-up; I left out the threaded rods though (used them in my first Roubo Workbench)
• Jay Bates' southern yellow pine workbench - only found after all the main decisions where made, but luckily in agreement with my wood choice:
  • "Softwood Workbench VS Hardwood Workbench"
  • basic build video
  • adding vises - nice DIY leg & parallel vise (although with American hardware)
  • adding a storage cabinet
  • upgrades after some time of using it (especially interesting part about the leg vise)
• how to flatten a workbench top with handplanes