Roubo type bench discussion

[arnman]

I am in the very early stages of thinking about building a new workbench.  I really like the Roubo style for the thick top and heavy construction.  A few things I would like to throw out there for discussion:

1) I am concerned about having the legs flush with the front edge of the table.  It seems like my feet would keep hitting the legs when I am working at the bench.  For me, that would be a big annoyance.  I know the benefit of the flush legs is for ease of clamping to the front of the bench.  I think I could achieve the same effect with a 4" offset from front of leg to the table edge - but adding a 4" wide filler block on the front of the legs - maybe for half the height of the legs?  It seems like a lot of extra wood, but that would only be a minor trade off. 

2) I already have a nice metal woodworking vice.  It is not quick release, but it is very dependable.  I think I would have to hog out quite a bit of the 4" benchtop thickness to use a metal vice on this type of bench, and I might regret that in the long run.  Does anyone have any comments on the metal vice with this type of bench?  With a little encouragement, I could be swayed to take a hard look at the Benchcrafted vice.

[theoldfart]

I've never had an issue with stubbing my feet on my bench legs. You usually work towards the center of the bench.

As far as legs flush with there top, it has worked quite well for me. I use a sliding dead man along with dog holes on the leg. It makes working with wide stock really easy.
I built my Roubo style bench about four years ago and have not considered any changes.

My front vise is a leg vise. Lake Erie screw with a Bench Crafted criss cross, an outstanding set up as far as I'm concerned. I did mount a vintage Sheldon QR vise in the tail vise location and it did require a bit of careful excavating since i used breadboard ends on my bench.

Hope this helps.
Kevin

[tablesawtom]

For a leg vise to work properly,  the bench top and bench leg need to be flush with each other and the bench top can not move. If the top is not rock solid the chop will move the top when trying to clamp. If the leg vise is on the left side 95% of the time a person is working just to the right of the vise. My leg vise is far enough off the floor to get a push broom under it, so with the actual leg part of the vise and the handle keeps one far enough back so you still have a kick space. The leg would be on the left for a right handed bench.

I am not a fan of the roubo type bench but I did put a left handed roubo type bench on the back side of my bench. There are times when a need arises when it is easier to work left handed so I incorporated the leg and wagon vises into the build. 

The roubo bench is a well proven design. I know you are concerned but if it caused a lot of problems in the past it would have been changed to get rid of the problem, but the design has stood the test of time. The pictures are just so you can see how I chose to do it.

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Tom

[arnman]

Great comments.  Thanks.

Tom, that is a great looking bench.  I wish I had space like that to move the bench out away from the wall.  At first, I thought you had an opening behind the Roubo section, but I guess it looks more like a tray in some of the other pictures.

You are probably right about the lack of a toe-kick not being a problem.  I don't ever remember anyone commenting on it.

I was thinking a split top would be nice to aid in clamping things down to the bench.  That has always seemed like something my current bench is lacking.  But instead of a full-length opening between table sections, I will probably make a solid top with a line of slots (maybe 2 inches wide, 4 inches long) along the middle of the table.

[wmickley]

1) I am concerned about having the legs flush with the front edge of the table.  It seems like my feet would keep hitting the legs when I am working at the bench.  For me, that would be a big annoyance.  I know the benefit of the flush legs is for ease of clamping to the front of the bench.  I think I could achieve the same effect with a 4" offset from front of leg to the table edge - but adding a 4" wide filler block on the front of the legs - maybe for half the height of the legs?  It seems like a lot of extra wood, but that would only be a minor trade off. 

There are about a dozen workbenches in Roubo's illustrations. They all have a top flush with the legs, as do almost all 18th century benches in France, England and America. They also have stretcher beams between the legs. The stretcher should be off the floor enough that your toe can easily go underneath the stretcher. We also sometimes sit on a stool at the bench with our feet on the stretcher. 

Plate 300 shows someone sitting at the bench with feet on stretcher:

[arnman]

wmickley, I can not see the image you posted. The problem may be with my computer.

I am going to do some experimenting with my current bench to see if the lack of toe kick space will be a problem in practice (for me).

I also noticed that the traditional European type benches like Sjobergs have the stretcher at the bottom of the legs that extends into the area where you would stand.

This might be a non-issue. I have yet to hear of anyone complain about kicking or tripping on the bench leg.

[adamcherubini]

I think the Nicholson style bench is easier to build, mobile, cheap to build and super effective. I think it has few or no cons. Easier to integrate vises.

When Roubo built benches, trees were cheap and sawing was expensive. When sawing became cheap, benches made from thinner boards became more popular.

Don’t let me talk you out of whatever you want to build.

[msweig]

One nice thing with the low stretcher is you can hook your toe under it for leverage. It isn't something I do often, but when I do it is nice. So play around and see how far you want it off the ground (a good place to start is your kitchen cabinets. Try it there while wearing yours shoes, and that should give you an idea of you need lower or higher).

Mark

[tablesawtom]

I put a kick board all around the bench. I am getting quite old and it is to hard for me to get down and get anything that rolled under the bench. The kick boards are held in place with magnuts. I can take them off and I have bench movers casters to move it around if need be I drilled screw holes all the way through the legs and put in tee nuts so I use machine screws to fasten them on with.

If I was in tight corners then i would just leave them on. and move the bench out when needed. You mentioned a split top. Mine is a split top jit is just not what everyone thinks of as a split top

My tool tray pulls out for cleaning and clamping and sawing. The sawing pictures was taken before the bench was finished It is still used for sawing with the bottom of the tool tray pulled out.

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[tablesawtom]

If I could give anyone that is willing to listen it would be to make the bench movable so it can be worked on all side. even if it is in a garage and shares space with a car. THe car can be moved out and then the bench can be moved out to work on. 

My bench is so heavy I use a lever and fulcrum to raise the bench high enough so I can snal the bench rollers in place and the same to lower it in place.