Roubo Bookstand: Another Way to Do It

Yes, I thought the saga of the Roubo Bookstand article from the February 2011 issue was over (“It’s awesome!” “It’s crap!” “I like mushy peas!”).

But no. Here we are weeks later, and there is still more to write.

Reader William Smith has built a version of the bookstand using a novel method. Instead of cutting the bookstand out of one piece of thick wood, he built it up using laminations of thinner material. See the photo below, which explains it all.

Smith had contacted me when he was first pondering a laminated bookstand. I was skeptical. So take your victory lap, Mr. Smith.

This version is white pine that is bordered by butternut. In addition to changing the construction method, Smith also made some design changes:

• The shape of the top leaf (against which the book rests) is wider than higher (10” x 8”) to accommodate larger books when open.

• The profiles on the top and bottom leaves have a “cloud lift” shape that follows the Golden Ratio.

• For the leaves that rest on the tabletop, rear leaf is 2″ longer than the front leaf to reduce the incline of the book.

• The bottom edge of each of these leaves is beveled.

• A removable “book stop” was added to keep an open book from slipping off the stand.

— Christopher Schwarz