Thursday, May 30, 2019

Ash log Roubo project 5, the completed bench.

The two leg vises each had a parallel guide installed. I made a mortise and tenon joint with lightly tapered run out, so the guide was thoroughly fixed be means of a couple of wedges.
I made two lines of holes, so I can adjust the parallel guide with 1" increments.

A groove was routed in the underside of the top, and a sliding deadman was made and installed. A bunch of holes were drilled in that one too. 

My old bench was never fitted with a shelf, I have often thought that it is one of the few things that could make a good bench better, so for this one I wanted to install one. 
The shelf itself was made out of small ash boards of varying width. I simply milled whatever pieces I could find from the large log, and to avoid live edges, they were all trimmed. 
The shelf lies loose on top of a batten that is screwed to the stretchers. I positioned the shelf so that the ends and the rear was flush with the top of the stretchers. That way it will be easy to sweep debris of the shelf, or push/pull a heavy object in and out of the shelf.
The front stretcher carries the sliding deadman, so that one ends in a triangular shape that raises above the shelf.

The ends of the slab were sawed square and they and the top were planed using a couple of hand planes.

I purchased a really nice Record quick release vise from Brian Eve, and I plan on installing it at some point. But I'll wait a bit because the wood is still moving a lot as a result of it not being completely dry.

I think that I need to run the tap through the threaded holes in the legs too when the bench dries, just in case the wood movement distorts the legs and thereby shrinks the holes.

The bench hasn't received any sort of finishing, but I might give it a coat of linseed oil to protect the surface a bit.

I told Gustav, that I would like him to have the bench, since he will train to become a carpenter. So we have installed it in the shop so he can start using it.




Completed Roubo work bench.

Twin leg vises and sliding deadman.

Rear of the bench (now on a clean floor)

Shelf is flush with the top of the rear stretcher.

The patched up top of the slab.

Spindle with apple hub and ebony pegs for the dowel.

Complete with Roman numerals.

This end will feature a Record quick release vise at some point.

16 comments:

  1. I love your ebony pegs. Where on earth do you get ebony?

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    Replies
    1. You need to have a friend from Spain who has got some :-)

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  2. Wow, massive and beautiful, bravo.
    That bench should serve your great-great-great-grandchild (and beyond)
    You got it dated, now you need to sign it :-)

    Brgds
    Bob and Rudy

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Bob.

      I suppose you got a good point in that I ought to sign it. It might be fun for some great-grand kids etc. to see that it was great-granddad Jonas that made the bench.

      Please give Rudy a treat from me.

      Brgds
      Jonas

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  3. Wow, that is some bench!
    Hope it will help Gustav become a skilled and proud craftsman!

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    1. Thanks Ty.

      I hope too, that it will inspire him in his endeavors to become a skilled craftsman.

      Brgds
      Jonas

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  4. That is one good-looking and massive bench! With that sliding deadman, does the top have a tenon this fits into a groove cut in the underside of the top? Or are there some battens screwed the underside of the top between which the deadman slides?
    Matt

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    1. Hi Matt.
      Thanks for the nice comment.
      the sliding deadman ends in a tenon that fits in a groove in the underside of the bench. I made the groove as far back as possible, so the tenon is more or less made by rabbetting the upper part of the sliding deadman.

      Brgds
      Jonas

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  5. Great Bench! turned out well, and twin leg vises... that's luxury.

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    1. Hi Jeremy.
      Thanks for the nice comment.
      I am a bit envious at Gustav now that he has got such a fine bench. I suppose that is a prime indicator that the bench turned out well :-)

      Brgds
      Jonas

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  6. Jonas,

    I'll join the others, a nice looking simple bench (the best kind). Good move on the lower shelf deign.

    Not many things in life that give as much pleasure as the first few days after completing a bench build just stepping back with drink in hand and looking at your new bench. I may have to build another just for that joy :-).

    Congrats, good job,

    ken

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    1. Hi Ken

      Thanks for the nice comment.
      I can totally relate to that feeling you describe, I found myself going into the shop - just to look at the bench, and palm it and turn the spindles etc.

      To be honest, I already have a future build in progress.
      The process is not very far yet, but I made a slab top out of beech, so I am sort of waiting a bit for it to dry out a little before I try to make a bench out of it.
      But with 6" thickness it is going to take a while before it will be dry to the core.

      Brgds
      Jonas

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  7. Hi Jonas! The bench looks absolutely awesome! I especially like the look of the leg vices. Even the fillers have added character. Well done my friend!
    Bill

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    1. Thanks Bill.

      I think it came out really well too.
      I like that the tree stood at the house of one of Gustav's first real co-workers place.
      He worked as a "broom-boy" at the local tractor dealer. And he especially liked this guy Claus because he would sometime have Gustav help him in some real mechanical work. And now Claus' old ash tree will hopefully serve as Gustav's workbench for many years to come.

      Brgds
      Jonas

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  8. You won me over with 'patched up top of the slab'. I get annoyed with benches made from furniture grade lumber. The best benches are made with lumber that only has one good face. Well done, sir

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    1. Thank you Mitchell

      Since the top was milled from the crotch part of the log, I wanted to be sure that it didn't open up suddenly.
      And like you say; it is a waste to make the top out of furniture grade lumber.

      I expect the top to move quite a bit for the next year or so, since the wood was fresh when I started the bench build.

      Brgds
      Jonas

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