So, I am a pretty lucky dude and have access to some slabs for a roubo bench build. I can basically get them in any size I want in white or red oak. Would white oak work well for the bench? Would red be better? I was thinking a split top with two 12″x6″ slabs. Is that too thick? Slabs will be green (air dried and maybe up to a year before I will obtain them)
I could also just take an older already cut 30″x4″ red oak slab. I was thinking white oak would be better with the grain and porosity. Thoughts?
Replies
White oak is far better, closed grain is an asset when cleaning up from glue and spills and it is much harder and heavier . Are Roubo benches meant to be made of green wood ?
I think they can, green is relative with a giant slab. They never fully dry in the center (or atleast not for decades) it would be a few years dried.
Go with the white. If the slabs are already cut make sure they are indoors or at least under cover. (When were they cut and from where in how big of a tree?) Heavy is always good, but getting a 6" slab dry and flat puts your build off a coupla years. Grab the red oak slab for the structure if you can.
Agree- white oak better than red. A green slab will work well for a Roubo. There will be lots of movement in the first few years but it will settle. You should search FORP3 online. French oak Roubo project 3. Lots of good information and pictures
Awesome, I will check it out
My opinion, In this case, choose the driest you can find and build it now, don’t wait a year. I love my ~4.5” thick 2x construction pine Roubo. I wish I would have built it earlier in my woodworking journey. Solid, doesn’t move. It doesnt matter the porosity or grain. Your gonna be doing any number of woodworking things on it and it will get stains, nicks, scratches, etc in it. If you want it “fresh” run a plane across it, and it is as clean and fresh the day you built it. Finally, one last thought, find the driest you can find now, and build it now, don’t wait. You will regret waiting...
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I have a bench that works now, and won't be able to actually pick up the slabs for atleast a year but probably a little more. I can have them cut to any dimension I choose though and start to dry.
Here's a great book on workbenches, with in depth discussion of slabs. There is a link on that page for a pdf download. I highly recommend it.
https://lostartpress.com/collections/books/products/the-anarchists-workbench
Thank you! I actually live within driving distance of their store front and am excited to make a visit. Only recently learned that, damn virus will make me wait though
So I have a bench that meets my needs and a number of projects ahead that will cause the nebch build to wait. I am also saving up for quality vices. Looks like white oak it is! It will be a year or more before I can get the slabs anyway. It will be from family with a sawmill on their land and dozens of acres of mature white oak that is being chopped up in the coming months, so they are made to order.
Thanks for the replies!
Look into the Benchcraft vises, while I admit they are in another league price wise they are well suited to a Roubo bench design and if properly done this bench will last a lifetime and possibly another generation or two.
Get them cut over in length. Even if they coat the ends slabs that thick will definitely check.
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