Several months in the making, my workbench is finally complete. I built it utilizing the Roubo design from the book Workbenches from Design & Theory to Construction & Use by Christopher Schwarz. I've learned that good work is simply impossible without a good bench. This bench measures 24" wide and 66" long. Its mass combined with its work holding capacity make it a highly functional tool. I am very pleased with the result and am convinced that I could not have done better.
The top is laminated strips of 3 1/2" thick x 1" wide Yellow Birch which I hand picked from a local mill. The base is inexpensive softwood from the Home Depot. Hardware is limited to a vise screw for the leg vise (top right photo) and a veneer press screw for the wagon vise (bottom left photo) plus some various nuts and bolts. I am left-handed so my vise positions are setup accordingly. I added a couple of brass bench dogs and a Veritas surface clamp is used on the sliding bench jack (bottom right photo).
Most of the hardware was sourced from Lee Valley Tools. I credit the company Bench Crafted with the slick gliding innovation on the leg vise. Parts and instructions required to build a similar vise are available on their website.
