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Has anyone built a Roubo style (or other style) bench using Douglas Fir for the top slab?
Large Fir beams can be readily sourced so I thought it might make a good option. One might need to edge join 2 beams to get to the 18-22' desired width. My main concern was if it was found to be splintery or too soft, though I don't think softness would be an issue.
Thoughts? Experiences?
-Sam
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According to the Janka Scale, fir is soft. If your beams are "old growth" that would be a little harder. I used aged/recycled SYP (glued face to face) and have been surprised at how well it has held up.
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08-17-2017, 10:26 AM
(This post was last modified: 08-17-2017, 10:27 AM by Haryo.)
I believe that is precisely what Chris Schwarz used here:
https://blog.lostartpress.com/2012/04/15...sy-pieces/
Some softness is okay in a workbench, because you'd rather dent the bench then the piece you are making on it.
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08-17-2017, 12:57 PM
(This post was last modified: 08-17-2017, 12:59 PM by Rob Young.)
(08-17-2017, 06:55 AM)pinsntails Wrote: Has anyone built a Roubo style (or other style) bench using Douglas Fir for the top slab?
Large Fir beams can be readily sourced so I thought it might make a good option. One might need to edge join 2 beams to get to the 18-22' desired width. My main concern was if it was found to be splintery or too soft, though I don't think softness would be an issue.
Thoughts? Experiences?
-Sam
Yes. Reclaimed Douglas Fir beams. They were tapered so we ended up getting just over 4" of usable thickness. Built three benches for the KC Woodworkers Guild using these to make tops. 4 pieces per top. Other than people having the very bad habit of resting their behinds on the vices to kibbitz, the benches have held up well.
My Roubo bench at home is made up from "new" bought D.F. 2x6 material from the Home Depot. Built it several years ago. Plenty heavy, plenty stiff, plenty durable and no issues with wearing out. And I don't sit on the end vice.
(I swear, what is wrong with some people that they feel it necessary to rest their sometimes considerable weight on the darn vice chop!?!)
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(08-17-2017, 06:55 AM)pinsntails Wrote: Large Fir beams can be readily sourced so I thought it might make a good option.
Where?
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If you look, you shall find. Seek salvaged wood. I could buy a slab and chainsaw voids between legs from it. SYP and DF are very similar in properties. Around here, SYP is an exotic species.
I have two 5" thick laminated DF beams obtained from Seattle Second Use. The legs are solid 4" DF. sloped beams tapering from about 10-inches to 6" at the floor. Rails and cross pieces are 2x6 and 4x6 DF. I might have obtained one lam. beam separately, but I have a usable bench for about $40. It is solid. Really. Solid. The thickness of the beams play havoc on holdfasts.
I may drop one beam top and go with 2x deck for the balance of the top. Unless I wale away on the back, a full-width thick slab is not necessary. This bench breaks down.
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My Roubo is Doug Fir. I used 2"x10" ripped in half, ended up with a top just over 4" thick. I used hard maple for the bench hook, chop, leading edge of the top, and the end where the tail vise is installed. Those areas take 90% of the abuse. Probably wouldn't hurt to use maple for the dog hole area as well.
But the Doug Fir holds up well, and hardens over time as the sap sets up. Take a Doug Fir board from a 30 year old structure and try to drive a nail through it. You can't. It gets that hard.
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My workbench is made of Douglas fir 4x4's, and a couple of Douglas fir 2x12's. I love it.
![[Image: wXL6KYawsw8Kt7OVGNllUWz-HSV_duZI7CEM10dJ...6-h1924-no]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/wXL6KYawsw8Kt7OVGNllUWz-HSV_duZI7CEM10dJC3RUreolxCEV4fxV9aIrCmyW6IUL3_XWG99TOhKQxGrMyIABGWBUk_kMCmsuqZKcBJzHEALy3xiAwlhDB7J7LTfvYDIFdsiTTgozhTA70k7UAZCnyXm4ZfPaGzALtvUMHglz47m3c4D58B4O_QueRjVxbG79wwP_bnmj-2cs_O1gubsHluMd1jp9Vnawa0zuG8bdUEDUXDpdIERa800BXj7WgktNJNyYGr8563DweDba07eS7GqdHKOY9M9Saqg2w-SN5UwihS-kHdfOaAnUrhwry41xCsscZbNPMecd8GahrOJomi9QfNPVVtl-YXcefLo0jEEu0KOZVOGWZAB3bU2BxLke64jItl5_8dcT7A9rdNYezEE_jv9wU08FyibtMeBoxFk0PFheAME4hBn_ZLAn_1Zkoj41_x6Q2NHIQfzCoeSWai5eKPNwoMukKaW4HoKzkBHIpxycMZZ1c8jFQQSgerq8FEFmpDwzIn6XNcqrJvRLGCPgZxvhU_irxKAHaaubqmCz82KUJAZhq54nMdncZy6Di4YJzdXieTuWBFp_kFra_PyDTIfjUd3uSERUMf8i0BPfE4xt=w2566-h1924-no)
I used to have a thread on my workbench build, but it disappeared because of the old "add a comment each year or the thread will be deleted" rule. If you want more details on how I built my workbench, you can read the whole saga here:
http://giantcypress.net/tagged/roubo/chrono
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(08-17-2017, 10:26 AM)Haryo Wrote: I believe that is precisely what Chris Schwarz used here:
https://blog.lostartpress.com/2012/04/15...sy-pieces/
Some softness is okay in a workbench, because you'd rather dent the bench then the piece you are making on it.
Thanks, I had not seen this post. Good vibes on Doug Fir.
Sam
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(08-17-2017, 02:35 PM)iclark Wrote: Where?
Doug Fir beams are often used as exposed interior beams in lodge / post & beam style construction. Any good lumber yard can source them for you. Also, structural beams are sometimes made from laminated DF 2x material (known as glulam
https://www.bc.com/manufacturing/boise-glulam). These can be ordered in very large dimensions. I'd love to see a roubo bench made from a slab 14" thick and 48" wide! That would be crazy!
-Sam
