New workbench design

NOTW

Notw
Senior User
Sometime in the near future, perhaps over the winter I would like to build a new workbench. I would consider myself a hybrid woodworker leaning more towards power tools but really enjoy learning and practicing with hand tools. I have a bunch of heart pine I would like to use to create at least the top, might have to by some home center SYP for the base. The crossroads I have come to is I can't decide if I should go down the road of a traditional split top roubo Benchcrafted or if I want to build a Moravian workbench Free Workbench Plans for the Moravian Workbench | Wood and Shop.

I'm see a lot of roubo style benches but I really like the take down option of the Moravian (even though I will in all honesty only take it down if I move again) So my question is for those of you with Moravian or Roubo style benches what are the advantage of one over the other?
 

zapdafish

New User
Steve
i'm building a less beefy version of the moravian workbench to use as a reloading bench inside the house. I bought the dvd and fell asleep a few times listening to the guy, lol. He's right up there with David Charlesworth. I wanted mine to be portable and I was quite surprised at how sturdy and solid it is with just the legs and stretchers held together by the tusk tenons. The plans you got will be as sturdy as anything other bench styles. I don't even have the top built or attached to it yet and that thing is extremely sturdy. I think the canted legs would probably resist racking better against lateral forces. If you put a storage cabinet underneath, you loose some storage space due to the angled legs.
I was about to say if its good enough for Roy Underhill, its good enough for me but I just looked at some pics of the Woodwright's school and apparently they don't use Moravian ones but they do offer classes to build them.
 

Graywolf

Board of Directors, President
Richard
Staff member
Corporate Member
I have the Moravian bench and I love it. It's preformed well for the past two and half years.
 

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
I went a slightly different way. Mine has a solid 18 x 60 x 3 inch laminated top and the legs are removable for more easily moving it around.

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189193
 

NOTW

Notw
Senior User
I'm actually surprised I would not have thought the Moravian style would be as popular. Looking at the Will Myers design the back portion of the bench is a shelf and not work bench surface. Seems like this would just be an area filled with random tools and wood shavings. Did those of you who have the moravian style do the shelf and if so do you like it?
 

Jeff

New User
Jeff
I'm actually surprised I would not have thought the Moravian style would be as popular. Looking at the Will Myers design the back portion of the bench is a shelf and not work bench surface. Seems like this would just be an area filled with random tools and wood shavings. Did those of you who have the moravian style do the shelf and if so do you like it?

Don't build it with the shelf if you don't want it. The shelf is removable for easy cleaning just by giving it a shake or two.


 
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Graywolf

Board of Directors, President
Richard
Staff member
Corporate Member
189213

The tool tray is a double edge sword, the solid top is the same, any horizontal surface in a shop is an invention to collecting stuff. It really is in how you work that matters, My personal habits are to clean after every major operation. It only takes a few moments. I personally like having a tray it gives me a space to set tools needed durning the tasks I'm preforming, and the tools are below the work surface so I can't knock them off the bench. They get put away after those tasks. The work surface on my bench is 14" wide, I've have found that to be more than enough surface to preform any task needed for woodworking. However, if you want a solid bench top, this bench design lends itself to what ever modifications you desire, ether way this is a fine bench. Good luck, and ask any questions you care to.
 

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