Joinery bench design opinions

[Phil S]

I am working on building four Pennsylvania spice boxes that require a lot of dovetails, but I do not get much time in the shop. So after trying various tables in the house - kitchen table was marginal and a tv table was worse - I decided to build a small joinery bench that will fit in the corner of the kitchen.
It will be 20 x 22 x 38 tall. The top will be a recovered locker room bench made from 1 1/4 x 1 1/4 strips of hard maple glued up in three layers for a 3 3/4 thick top. I plan on wrapping the top with 1 x 4 hard maple dovetailed at the corners. Three of the legs will be 4 x 2 3/4 hard maple and the fourth leg will be 6 x 2 3/4 to accommodate the leg vise hardware. The stretchers will be 4 x 1/3/4 and attached to the legs with draw bored tenons.

My question is what is the best way to attached the top ??

 

[Mark Johnson]

Phil, I would think about domino floating tenons. Use more than one on each leg and have the "fixed" tenons all be on the same side of the bench. I don't know how large a tenon your machine can make, but the XL machine can make very substantial mortises. Otherwise, I would add an upper apron to the design and screw the top down.

 

[Roy G]

Roubo-style, with the legs coming up through the top.

Roy G

 

[Rwe2156]

Both my benches are based on a trestle design.

They are really not too hard.

But the Roubo thru the top type legs would be easier. But you still have to make stretchers.

 

[KenOfCary]

Stretchers will add a lot of stability, even in such a small bench. Preventing racking.

 

[Bill Clemmons]

Stretchers will add a lot of stability, even in such a small bench. Preventing racking.

+1 for the stretchers. They are also a good way to attach the top through elongated holes.

 

[Phil S]

I have decided to go with the Roubo-style legs where they mortise up thru the top. With the leg vice hardware attached to the leg and the chop pushing against the apron of the top, it would seem important to have a very solid connection between the legs and the top and the thru tenons appear to be a good choice. Thanks for the input

 

[KenOfCary]

Sounds to me that you have a very good plan in mind. Please post some pics of the progress as well as the finished project.

I really think that a lot of people that need to work in a living room or other than a dedicated shop could really use this project as a very useful adjunct to their work.

You always come up with unique solutions to problems, and I really value your opinions and unique solutions to problems. Please carry on my friend.