How to Build a Roubo Bench Base // Building the Base of a Roubo Bench

This is how I built the base of my split top Roubo bench. I have a whole series of videos detailing the entire process of building a split top Roubo workbench. Here is the playlist: • Roubo Workbench // Com...
I am using the Benchcrafted bench builder's kit. It comes with the plans, glide leg vise, tail vise and all necessary hardware.
Video 1: Roubo Bench Building Tips // How to Get Started:
• Roubo Bench Building T...
Benchcrafted's website: www.benchcraft...
/ @garynelles

[@garynelles]

Leave a comment to let me know if you like this video format or not and if you have any suggestions too!

[@dkbuilds]

That bench is looking sick! I'm super jealous. Great work Gary

[@garynelles]

Thanks DK. That means a lot coming from you!

[@KentuckyFriedTendies]

I'm glad I stumbled across your channel; I'm going to be building a Ruobo soon as well and you've helped me think through some of the steps. Your videos are well done and you have the makings of a successful channel. I hope you'll keep making videos!

[@garynelles]

Thank you for your kind words. I appreciate that more than you know. I do have a lot of videos I would like to make so keep your eyes peeled!

[@benjhind]

Great advice Gary. Love the tips on precision

[@garynelles]

Hey Ben! Thanks for watching. I appreciate it. I try to build all my projects as if they were furniture (even the bench) so I try my best to be precise. Thanks for watching!

[@tateaustin]

Nicely done Gary. I like the grain choices for your leg and stretchers with the small amounts of ambrosia.

[@garynelles]

Thanks! The stack of soft maple I was able to get had some really nice boards in it! Thanks for watching and commenting. I appreciate it. It really helps the KZbin algorithm.

[@fredpierce6097]

Outstanding instruction……. I subscribed without hesitation!

[@garynelles]

Thanks Fred! I’m glad you liked it. I appreciate your viewership!

[@TheBillPayingHobbyists]

Maybe a fun future build. Looks like a nice slow moving project to teach gooooood patience. Thanks for sharing. Subscribed!

[@garynelles]

Thanks! It definitely took a long time due to filming. I could likely have built it in half the time it took me if I didn’t film it. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@TheBillPayingHobbyists]

@@garynelles I know exactly what you mean. Between filming and editing, hardly get any woodworking done.

[@garynelles]

Ya, some days I feel like not bothering with KZbin at all.

[@meleader]

Ready start mine. Great explanations.

[@garynelles]

Thanks for watching the video Malcolm, I appreciate it very much! Let me know if you have any other questions as you go through your build!

[@bill50013]

Gary that was a great video thank you.

[@garynelles]

I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching. I’ve got more videos coming so stay tuned!

[@areuaware6842]

Looking good.

[@garynelles]

Thanks for watching. I appreciate it.

[@Mikey__R]

I built my first real bench back in 2010. It's done very well for itself, but I never really finished it before putting it to use. It's a Holtzappfel, or a Roubo with twin screw and a knock down base. I used cheap 2x4s, and unfortunately the parts are starting to twist and pull themselves apart. I'm planning on building a decent replacement, using hardwoods and nicer vice hardware. I'm enjoying getting inspiration from this video series.

[@garynelles]

Any bench is better than no bench at all. I love my Roubo. Definitely use hardwood for your next bench. You won’t regret it. Thank you for another comment…. Keep them coming!

[@Mikey__R]

@@garynelles over in the UK, sycamore can be pretty affordable. I understand it's similar to soft American maple, so perfect for this kind of thing. The other alternative is using oak beams. They're also produced up here for architectural uses, so also reasonably cheap if you don't mind air dried to a higher moisture content.

[@garynelles]

I would personally avoid air dried lumber for a bench if it’s greater than 2” thick but that’s just me. I would be concerned that it would still move around and my bench top may not stay flat all year long.

[@carlson.douglas.w]

Hi Gary When you use the brads for glue up alignment, do you leave them in there? Or do they end up getting cut off as the pieces are slightly oversized? I really like that idea but also fear hitting one accidentally on the table saw (saw stop) or jointer. Probably not going to happen though. I can't imagine that you hit them with any blades, as careful as you are with layout

[@garynelles]

I usually place them in the waste area to avoid exactly what you were talking about but Brad nails are such soft metal anyways they won’t damage a circular saw blade with carbide teeth. I don’t know if they will trip the saw stop brake though because I don’t have one. Do any other viewers out there know the answer to that?

[@carlson.douglas.w]

@@garynelles anything that's conductive can and will trip the brake. If the brad is steel, it will do it. I will just have to be careful to mark the location and not hit it. I really like that idea though, using the brads! All good!

[@carlson.douglas.w]

Hi Gary, question for you. Your bandsaw sure seemed to cruise right through that 8/4 soft maple. Curious what size and what size motor you have? I have a standard 14", 15 amp 1.5HP bandsaw and an wondering if it will do as well as yours appeared to. Thanks

[@garynelles]

Hey Douglas. My bandsaw is a 14” King Canada. It is not that powerful. I actually had to go look up the specs because I haven’t bothered to look it up for a long time. The motor is 7.5A and there isn’t a HP rating that I could easily find. I think a while ago I found documentation that said it was 3/4 HP. As long as you have the saw tuned well and you have a good sharp blade installed (at least 5/8” wide) you shouldn’t have any issues. I made a video a while back about tuning a bandsaw. Here’s the link if you want to check it out: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eKucpIOwnrSNg9Usi=s8TgbAWh8MZdqv2C I hope that helps and answers your question.

[@carlson.douglas.w]

@@garynelles it absolutely answered my question, and once again it's refreshing to learn that you're using comparable equipment to what i have. Most 14" bandsaws have a motor in that 1 to 1-3/4 HP range. If it's drawing 7.5 amps, i assume you have it wired for 220v current? (It doesn't really matter, you've answered my question. I'm just curious!).i would expected it to pull 15 amps but double the voltage is half the amperage, so that's why i asked.

[@garynelles]

Mines 110V.

[@M.Elyami]

Two marking gauges... must be nice to be rich 😄

[@garynelles]

Ask your mom to buy you one…. It worked for me 😂 All joking aside thanks for watching bud I appreciate it.

[@M.Elyami]

@garynelles Mentioning your mother in gratitude is a respectful thing, may she be blessed, and mine gave me much more than tools already, I have 2 fancy ones already, I have so many tools I need to organize soon to start making stuff instead of buying tools and expensive wood and not having one project finished yet 😅

[@meleader]

No link!

[@garynelles]

Hey Malcolm. What link did I forget to include?