One of the most important workbench plans ever published appeared in A.J. Roubo's 18th-century masterwork “L'Art Du Menuisier&rdquo (The Art of the Craftsman). Roubo's simple and hulking workbench offers everything that the modern woodworker needs in a bench, whether you use hand tools, power tools or both.
Roubo's bench is simpler than almost every other design out there — so it's easy to build — yet it excels at all of the workholding tasks in a woodshop.
In this video, Christopher Schwarz shows you how to build the Roubo workbench using only hand tools (though you can use power tools if you wish). Schwarz, the author of Workbenches: From Design & Theory to Construction & Use (Popular Woodworking Books) also shares his insights into this influential workbench form, which he has been using exclusively since 2005.
