Workbench TWO - A new Roubo style bench build - Day 3

[Bartee]

So I am finally building a new workbench. My original bench has served well. Solid core door with two vises.

The new bench is “roubo” style bench. A few descriptive items:

250 board feet of “soft” 8/4 maple.
Dimensions: 88" long x 28" wide x 36" high
Top: 3½" to 3¾"
Plan: Benchcrafted Spit Top Roubo
Vises: Horvarter Twin Vise and Horvarter Tail Vise


This has been on the list of things to build for several years. The vises were purchased October 2011. The wood October 2013.

I am blogging day by day about the build. More pictures etc.
mysaw.com/workbench-two-day-1/
mysaw.com/workbench-two-day-2/

Day 1








Day 2 Glue up of first 4 boards

[AgGEM]

Split top was one of the best improvements I have made in my shop. It opens up opportunities for clamping that have been so useful to me.
Ag

[Alex Grigoriev]

Oh, the fancypants Hovarter vise!

I got one for my bench that I'm building. Hope it will work well.

[Bartee]

AgGEM said:

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Split top was one of the best improvements I have made in my shop. It opens up opportunities for clamping that have been so useful to me.
Ag

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Thanks for the comment but...

Well.... I was not planning on a split top. I have looked at them and I just think I will be ok without it.

[Bartee]

Alex Grigoriev said:

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Oh, the fancypants Hovarter vise!

I got one for my bench that I'm building. Hope it will work well.

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I really like them. I make boxes so a 25" wide twin vise that I can close with one hand is very appealing.

And I just LOVE great engineering.

So we shall see...

[Bartee]

Day 3 was exciting. The first slab of 4 was ready to come out of the clamps. The first process was to get the slab through the jointer and planer to get 4 sides square.

The glue, while very different from my standard Titebond II or III really did not present any problems. I scraped off any excess that would have made the slab off on the jointer.

The big problem is just the mass of the slab. It is heavy and 8 ft long. Pushing this over the jointer requires the in-feed and out-feed rollers stands to be exactly the correct height and solid. Both are a challenge. I did became familiar with the “feel” of the process. Not that it became any easier, I just was able to control the material better. I had to push hard downward to keep the slab in contact with the jointer bed. This was workout. When I moved to the second side in the jointer, to create a square to the first side this became more difficult. A LOT of pressure had to be continually applied to keep the first flat side in contact with the rip fence on the jointer. I ended up with one side almost exactly square. The other side not as good. It will require some hand plane work to tune it exactly.

After milling the section ( slab ) finished at 6 9/16" x 3 3/4" So will take 4 sections plus one more piece to get close to the 28" width I want. As for the thickness, I started with 3 7/8" first cut from the 8" stock. So I am sure I will end up with my 3 1/2" target top thickness.

Full comments and story are in the picture album on the blog post...

http://mysaw.com/workbench-two-day-3/

[AgGEM]

Bartee said:

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[blockquote]AgGEM said:

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Split top was one of the best improvements I have made in my shop. It opens up opportunities for clamping that have been so useful to me.
Ag

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Thanks for the comment but...

Well.... I was not planning on a split top. I have looked at them and I just think I will be ok without it.

---

[/blockquote]

So sorry. Your plan indicated split top. Too each his own.
Ag

[Mike Brady]

The Horvarter vises. These are literally the first mention of these I have seen in a woodworking forum, although I have been aware of them for several years. Apparently these have never received the blessing of certain hand tool luminaries, and thus, relative obscurity. Good for you to venture into them. Your bench is looking to be something very special. I'm a split top guy myself. This is a build to watch closely.

[Alex Grigoriev]

Mike Brady said:

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The Horvarter vises. These are literally the first mention of these I have seen in a woodworking forum, although I have been aware of them for several years. Apparently these have never received the blessing of certain hand tool luminaries, and thus, relative obscurity.

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The Schwartz was very impressed with it, and posted on Popwood about it. But I think Mr Hovarter needs to team with one of the first tier WW tool companies to manufacture and market it. It's a shame that such fine concept lingers in obscurity.

[dlgWoodWork]

I looked at getting a Hovarter vise but decided to build my own wagon vise. It was more labor but cheaper to build my own. It looks to be a great vise and I look forward seeing Bartee build it into this bench.