This is a joint project with my friend, James. We are building a riff on the famous Plate 11 workbench from Roubo’s “The Art of the Joinery,” along with coordinating mobile stands for James’s chop and bench saws.
Northern hard maple boards for the top.
Cutting top boards to length with a couple of inches extra.
Using the tracksaw to rip a straight edge of some of the lumber.
Top boards cut to width and length plus a bit extra.
A rough idea how the 4″ x 24″ x 72″ top will look once it’s all glued up.
Based on an average density of 44 lb/ft3 for hard maple, the top alone should weigh about 175 pounds.
Test clamp up of top without glue. Need more clamps.
Test clamp up of top – end view.
Ah, nothing like a sunny winter day in the workshop, milling lumber for a project.
All the maple for the basic bench top and base, milled to rough dimensions and (almost) ready for glue ups.
Rough parts cut for sizing and laminating. From left to right, four legs, two long rails, and five short rails.
Short stretcher glue ups
Long stretcher glue up
Ripping glue ups to final size
Heavy plastic protects bar clamps from glue squeeze out
Just the right amount of glue squeeze out for good bonding
Cooking in the clamps
Jointing one face of laminated stretcher
Major components set up in rough final configuration
Major components set up in rough final configuration
Nearly a gallon of Titebond III PVA glue was used
Applying glue to five boards at a time for glue up of the top slab
Working quickly, a grooved rubber roller spreads out glue in an even layer
Seven sessions of five boards at a time resulted in a complete slab glue up
Top slab ready for flattening operations
Laying out the custom router sled
Positioning plywood rails for flattening
Fabricating the custom router sled
Fabricating the custom router sled
Complete router sled with handle in first trial position
Using the “string method” to set plywood rails parallel to each other
Small nails offset one string by its diameter
When the strings touch, the two rails are parallel
Underside of router sled showing relation of the bit to the slab
Four sets of passes on each side of the slab generated a lot of chips
Light cuts were required with such a large bit in the hand held router
The whole process took several sessions over two shop days
Some of the maple shavings will make great fire starters
The finished slab with flat and parallel surfaces
The Amana router bit left a pretty smooth surface
Retractable workbench casters are in
These casters will be ganged in pairs for parallel lifting of each end of the workbench
1 3/4″ straight cutting bottom clearing router bit
Top Slab ready for the next operation
Several passes of the track saw from both sides squared off the slab ends
Trak saw’s 2″ depth of cut was barely able to get half way through the slab
Leg blanks used to lay out mortises. Shoulder cuts for 2 1/2″ tenons
Using the bandsaw to make the cheek cuts for the leg tenons
Completed leg tenons just needed a little cleanup with chisel and block plane
Building a router jig for leg mortises
1 1/4″ Forstner bit was used to hog out initial material
Mortise layout lines with centerline for drilling
Drilling that first hole was a bit nerve racking
Combination square used to check depth of drilled holes
Four leg mortises with initial material removal
Router jig positioned and clamped
First level of material cleared with 1″ straight bit with top follower bearing
Even with light, the routing operations were done mostly by feel
Two passes with the router left about 1 1/2″ of material to be removed with hammer and chisels
Old die makers trick, but using pencil lead instead of diemaker’s blue
The pencil lead indicated tight spots for additional chisel work, speeding fitting process
Tools of the trade
Four legs fitted and ready for trimming to length
Easing corners with a block plane
Cutting leg mortises with a dedicated mortiser
Who says you can’t drill square holes
Short rail tenon cheek cuts on the bandsaw
Marking mortise locations on the long rails
Rail assembly dry fit
The York vise arrives from England
York HVR803 was well packaged
Woodworking vise with ten-and-a-half inch jaws
Drilling leg holes in legs on the drill press
Custom jig for hand drilling peg holes in bench top
Jig clamped and ready for next hole
I didn’t think you could break a half inch drill bit with a hand drill
Modifying retractable caster bracket for 3/8 mounting bolt
T-Tracks from Rockler for the top of the workbench
Rail assembly secured with four inch screws
Cutting red oak dowling to length for pegs
Chamfering and waxing pegs on the lathe
Chamfered, waxed pegs ready for assembly
Pegging leg-and-stretcher subassemblies
Leg and rail subassemblies ready to lift into place
Leg and rail subassemblies glued and clamped, ready for pegs
Transferring peg holes to leg tenons
Square, sturdy base
Legs pegged to bench top
Long rails pegged to legs from the inside
Trimming oak pegs with a flush cut saw
Pegs trimmed flush and ready for a little sanding
Excess peg lengths trimmed
Fully assembled upside down workbench
Marking lag screw holes for vise mounting
Holes located and ready to bore with custom perpendicularity jig
Four vise mounting holes bored for four inch lag screws
Mounted York vise showing fifteen inch opening capacity
Assembled bench with vise and retractable caster brackets mounted
Cutting two 24 inch lengths of square steel tubing to connect retractable caster levers
Drilling retractable caster levers for attaching steel tubing
Steel tubing allows foot-activation of both casters
Upside down workbench ready for at least four guys to turn over!
T-Track and hardware kits from Rockler … on sale!
Four 48″ T-tracks and hardware
Ready to flip!
Flipped!
Router with edge guide and 3/4″ straight bit
Routed grooves 3/8″+ deep for T-tracks
Blue anodized T-track close up
Cutting 12″ off each T-Track with a triple chip grind non-ferrous metal blade
The triple chip blade cuts aluminum cleanly
T-track installation with #6 screws every two inches
Maple jaws with oak dowel dogs added to the
Oak dowel dogs line up with T-tracks
Vise has a steel dog on the bench centerline
T-track stops being fabricated
Pilot center hole in T-track stops
Drilling clearance for the T-bolt head
An assortment of T-track stops
Getting ready to add the Marietta Wood Works brand
Marietta Wood Works burned in
Closed 6×12 UHaul trailer for delivery rain or shine
All four components loaded up and ready to be strapped down
Workbench with cabinet
I am looking forward to seeing all the great projects James will do on his new workbench!
Rob and James with his new workbench
Chop saw and bench saw stands adjacent to the workbench
Decorative face frame on the back of the workbench cabinet