Moravian Workbench

I'm in the short rows of my full sized copy of the portable Moravian workbench based on the Will Myers video . There is more information on Will's blog Eclectic Mechanicals. After building a number of Roubo and Moravian benches and working on each style bench I'm convinced for either first time builders or even experienced bench builders the Moravian style bench is the better bench.

I've built a number of workbenches the first was very loosely based on photos of benches in early issues of Fine Woodworking. I didn't have a clue but that bench was in my shop full time until being replaced by my first Moravian bench build a couple of years ago. Most of the other builds were based on variations of the French style or Roubo bench and for the last two years Moravian benches. There is nothing wrong with a French bench but I think the Moravian bench is a better bench for most woodworkers for several reasons, First is cost, then ease of build and finally the fact that the Moravian can be easily broken down and moved.

Wood is getting very expensive. For the same stability the Moravian bench will use less wood than a Roubo style bench. My French/English bench when built using European Beech ~three years ago cost just over $1200 USD for the wood. The current Moravian build that is approximately the same size using the same European Beech (literally out of the same stock of Beech at the wood store, I've been working the stack down for the last three years) cost less than $700 USD.

The joints used on a Roubo are not difficult for the most part but they are bigger than most woodworkers are use to making and they need to be well done to maintain stability. Other than the long stretcher mortise the joints on the Moravian bench are large but close to normal sized and the long stretcher M/T joint needs to be very loose, no precision needed. Bottom line on the build differences of the two benches, triangles are stronger than squares.

The most important difference is once a full sized Roubo is built, it is in place. Moving it to a new location is very difficult. The Moravian can be broken down to move. Even the full sized bench I'm currently building can be moved with ease. Each component, base, stretchers, and vise separates and can easily be moved by one person. The slab depending on size may need two people to move to a different location.

There is little difference in utility between the two styles of benches, it mostly depends on devices installed and how you like to work. Either bench will do the job and do it well.