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18K views 80 replies 17 participants last post by  monkeymeetsrobot 
#1 ·
Prepping the wood and parts

I am making a raised panel bench seat that is enclosed for the bedroom. As always, storage is at a premium at our place. I'm making this bench to go along a long wall will let us sit to put on our socks and still have a storage space.

In my mind it will look like this. It's just a sketch and that's how I usually start. The length will be 54 inches and the height 20 inches. Since it's actually a sitting bench it will be quite squat as a chest would be much taller.
.
Rectangle Font Parallel Diagram Pattern


The wood I've chosen will be cherry. It's my first time working with it. I must say it's pretty nice to work with. The other woods i've worked with to date are oak, maple, mahogany, and black walnut, along with some soft woods.

After jointing the edges I cut all pieces to length and then ripped them to 3" width.
Table Wood Picture frame Flooring Floor

Wood Tool Workbench Hardwood Machine tool


.
The next step was to cut the ends of the stiles.
Furniture Wood Table Floor Flooring

Furniture Table Wood Flooring Floor

.
Then route the rail edges. The bit is an ogee shape. The raised panels will be also.
Wood Flooring Floor Hardwood Wood stain

Wood Interior design Automotive design Flooring Floor

Gas Auto part Wood Circle Carmine

.

There they are done. Next time I'll be prepping and gluing up the insert panels and the top.
Wood Hardwood Composite material Plywood Wood stain
 

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#2 ·
Prepping the wood and parts

I am making a raised panel bench seat that is enclosed for the bedroom. As always, storage is at a premium at our place. I'm making this bench to go along a long wall will let us sit to put on our socks and still have a storage space.

In my mind it will look like this. It's just a sketch and that's how I usually start. The length will be 54 inches and the height 20 inches. Since it's actually a sitting bench it will be quite squat as a chest would be much taller.
.
Rectangle Font Parallel Diagram Pattern


The wood I've chosen will be cherry. It's my first time working with it. I must say it's pretty nice to work with. The other woods i've worked with to date are oak, maple, mahogany, and black walnut, along with some soft woods.

After jointing the edges I cut all pieces to length and then ripped them to 3" width.
Table Wood Picture frame Flooring Floor

Wood Tool Workbench Hardwood Machine tool


.
The next step was to cut the ends of the stiles.
Furniture Wood Table Floor Flooring

Furniture Table Wood Flooring Floor

.
Then route the rail edges. The bit is an ogee shape. The raised panels will be also.
Wood Flooring Floor Hardwood Wood stain

Wood Interior design Automotive design Flooring Floor

Gas Auto part Wood Circle Carmine

.

There they are done. Next time I'll be prepping and gluing up the insert panels and the top.
Wood Hardwood Composite material Plywood Wood stain
craftsman, your off to a great start.
cherry sure is nice to work with. are you going to sew up some padding to sit on? it would be a shame to cover up a nice cherry top though!
i need to get a router table set up. i may make my own table, as you have done. but what kind of router lift would you recomend? there is so many choices. i'll probally use a dedicated porter cable router.
nice to see you presenting another project, on these warm sunny days.oopps you live on the east coast not in northern california.sorry
 

Attachments

#3 ·
Prepping the wood and parts

I am making a raised panel bench seat that is enclosed for the bedroom. As always, storage is at a premium at our place. I'm making this bench to go along a long wall will let us sit to put on our socks and still have a storage space.

In my mind it will look like this. It's just a sketch and that's how I usually start. The length will be 54 inches and the height 20 inches. Since it's actually a sitting bench it will be quite squat as a chest would be much taller.
.
Rectangle Font Parallel Diagram Pattern


The wood I've chosen will be cherry. It's my first time working with it. I must say it's pretty nice to work with. The other woods i've worked with to date are oak, maple, mahogany, and black walnut, along with some soft woods.

After jointing the edges I cut all pieces to length and then ripped them to 3" width.
Table Wood Picture frame Flooring Floor

Wood Tool Workbench Hardwood Machine tool


.
The next step was to cut the ends of the stiles.
Furniture Wood Table Floor Flooring

Furniture Table Wood Flooring Floor

.
Then route the rail edges. The bit is an ogee shape. The raised panels will be also.
Wood Flooring Floor Hardwood Wood stain

Wood Interior design Automotive design Flooring Floor

Gas Auto part Wood Circle Carmine

.

There they are done. Next time I'll be prepping and gluing up the insert panels and the top.
Wood Hardwood Composite material Plywood Wood stain
Thanks doordude, I have the larger triton router in my table. It has a built in lift and is very powerful. Lots of good lifts out there though but pricey.
Yes I'm on the cold east coast of Maine but I have a shop that is easily heated in about 20 minutes. After that I'm in my shirtsleeves.
I haven't blogged much lately as it's been a long winter. Finger infection then c.diff disease which was a bear to get rid of. On the mend now though.
 

Attachments

#4 ·
Prepping the wood and parts

I am making a raised panel bench seat that is enclosed for the bedroom. As always, storage is at a premium at our place. I'm making this bench to go along a long wall will let us sit to put on our socks and still have a storage space.

In my mind it will look like this. It's just a sketch and that's how I usually start. The length will be 54 inches and the height 20 inches. Since it's actually a sitting bench it will be quite squat as a chest would be much taller.
.
Rectangle Font Parallel Diagram Pattern


The wood I've chosen will be cherry. It's my first time working with it. I must say it's pretty nice to work with. The other woods i've worked with to date are oak, maple, mahogany, and black walnut, along with some soft woods.

After jointing the edges I cut all pieces to length and then ripped them to 3" width.
Table Wood Picture frame Flooring Floor

Wood Tool Workbench Hardwood Machine tool


.
The next step was to cut the ends of the stiles.
Furniture Wood Table Floor Flooring

Furniture Table Wood Flooring Floor

.
Then route the rail edges. The bit is an ogee shape. The raised panels will be also.
Wood Flooring Floor Hardwood Wood stain

Wood Interior design Automotive design Flooring Floor

Gas Auto part Wood Circle Carmine

.

There they are done. Next time I'll be prepping and gluing up the insert panels and the top.
Wood Hardwood Composite material Plywood Wood stain
hey there dan, have missed you, glad to see your feeling better, what kind of disease did you get or have…. i dont know what c.diff is..im looking forward to seeing your bench, i have been working with some cherry also, and i really like it..have fun with this and i shall follow along…i did another chess board for a fellow jock and now im making me and my wife a nice wooden tv tray…the lap kind…will post in a few days…
 

Attachments

#5 ·
Prepping the wood and parts

I am making a raised panel bench seat that is enclosed for the bedroom. As always, storage is at a premium at our place. I'm making this bench to go along a long wall will let us sit to put on our socks and still have a storage space.

In my mind it will look like this. It's just a sketch and that's how I usually start. The length will be 54 inches and the height 20 inches. Since it's actually a sitting bench it will be quite squat as a chest would be much taller.
.
Rectangle Font Parallel Diagram Pattern


The wood I've chosen will be cherry. It's my first time working with it. I must say it's pretty nice to work with. The other woods i've worked with to date are oak, maple, mahogany, and black walnut, along with some soft woods.

After jointing the edges I cut all pieces to length and then ripped them to 3" width.
Table Wood Picture frame Flooring Floor

Wood Tool Workbench Hardwood Machine tool


.
The next step was to cut the ends of the stiles.
Furniture Wood Table Floor Flooring

Furniture Table Wood Flooring Floor

.
Then route the rail edges. The bit is an ogee shape. The raised panels will be also.
Wood Flooring Floor Hardwood Wood stain

Wood Interior design Automotive design Flooring Floor

Gas Auto part Wood Circle Carmine

.

There they are done. Next time I'll be prepping and gluing up the insert panels and the top.
Wood Hardwood Composite material Plywood Wood stain
I love getting ready for a big project like that.
 

Attachments

#6 ·
Prepping the wood and parts

I am making a raised panel bench seat that is enclosed for the bedroom. As always, storage is at a premium at our place. I'm making this bench to go along a long wall will let us sit to put on our socks and still have a storage space.

In my mind it will look like this. It's just a sketch and that's how I usually start. The length will be 54 inches and the height 20 inches. Since it's actually a sitting bench it will be quite squat as a chest would be much taller.
.
Rectangle Font Parallel Diagram Pattern


The wood I've chosen will be cherry. It's my first time working with it. I must say it's pretty nice to work with. The other woods i've worked with to date are oak, maple, mahogany, and black walnut, along with some soft woods.

After jointing the edges I cut all pieces to length and then ripped them to 3" width.
Table Wood Picture frame Flooring Floor

Wood Tool Workbench Hardwood Machine tool


.
The next step was to cut the ends of the stiles.
Furniture Wood Table Floor Flooring

Furniture Table Wood Flooring Floor

.
Then route the rail edges. The bit is an ogee shape. The raised panels will be also.
Wood Flooring Floor Hardwood Wood stain

Wood Interior design Automotive design Flooring Floor

Gas Auto part Wood Circle Carmine

.

There they are done. Next time I'll be prepping and gluing up the insert panels and the top.
Wood Hardwood Composite material Plywood Wood stain
Very nice. How does your bench clamps work? Seems interesting.
 

Attachments

#7 ·
Prepping the wood and parts

I am making a raised panel bench seat that is enclosed for the bedroom. As always, storage is at a premium at our place. I'm making this bench to go along a long wall will let us sit to put on our socks and still have a storage space.

In my mind it will look like this. It's just a sketch and that's how I usually start. The length will be 54 inches and the height 20 inches. Since it's actually a sitting bench it will be quite squat as a chest would be much taller.
.
Rectangle Font Parallel Diagram Pattern


The wood I've chosen will be cherry. It's my first time working with it. I must say it's pretty nice to work with. The other woods i've worked with to date are oak, maple, mahogany, and black walnut, along with some soft woods.

After jointing the edges I cut all pieces to length and then ripped them to 3" width.
Table Wood Picture frame Flooring Floor

Wood Tool Workbench Hardwood Machine tool


.
The next step was to cut the ends of the stiles.
Furniture Wood Table Floor Flooring

Furniture Table Wood Flooring Floor

.
Then route the rail edges. The bit is an ogee shape. The raised panels will be also.
Wood Flooring Floor Hardwood Wood stain

Wood Interior design Automotive design Flooring Floor

Gas Auto part Wood Circle Carmine

.

There they are done. Next time I'll be prepping and gluing up the insert panels and the top.
Wood Hardwood Composite material Plywood Wood stain
You always come up with very nice designs and then implement them beautifully! This one looks like another good one. Was your C. diff the result of the antibiotic therapy for the finger? This happens a lot in horses and is often fatal.
 

Attachments

#8 ·
Prepping the wood and parts

I am making a raised panel bench seat that is enclosed for the bedroom. As always, storage is at a premium at our place. I'm making this bench to go along a long wall will let us sit to put on our socks and still have a storage space.

In my mind it will look like this. It's just a sketch and that's how I usually start. The length will be 54 inches and the height 20 inches. Since it's actually a sitting bench it will be quite squat as a chest would be much taller.
.
Rectangle Font Parallel Diagram Pattern


The wood I've chosen will be cherry. It's my first time working with it. I must say it's pretty nice to work with. The other woods i've worked with to date are oak, maple, mahogany, and black walnut, along with some soft woods.

After jointing the edges I cut all pieces to length and then ripped them to 3" width.
Table Wood Picture frame Flooring Floor

Wood Tool Workbench Hardwood Machine tool


.
The next step was to cut the ends of the stiles.
Furniture Wood Table Floor Flooring

Furniture Table Wood Flooring Floor

.
Then route the rail edges. The bit is an ogee shape. The raised panels will be also.
Wood Flooring Floor Hardwood Wood stain

Wood Interior design Automotive design Flooring Floor

Gas Auto part Wood Circle Carmine

.

There they are done. Next time I'll be prepping and gluing up the insert panels and the top.
Wood Hardwood Composite material Plywood Wood stain
ok…i think i got it,,does it mean a vitamin c deficiency
 

Attachments

#9 ·
Prepping the wood and parts

I am making a raised panel bench seat that is enclosed for the bedroom. As always, storage is at a premium at our place. I'm making this bench to go along a long wall will let us sit to put on our socks and still have a storage space.

In my mind it will look like this. It's just a sketch and that's how I usually start. The length will be 54 inches and the height 20 inches. Since it's actually a sitting bench it will be quite squat as a chest would be much taller.
.
Rectangle Font Parallel Diagram Pattern


The wood I've chosen will be cherry. It's my first time working with it. I must say it's pretty nice to work with. The other woods i've worked with to date are oak, maple, mahogany, and black walnut, along with some soft woods.

After jointing the edges I cut all pieces to length and then ripped them to 3" width.
Table Wood Picture frame Flooring Floor

Wood Tool Workbench Hardwood Machine tool


.
The next step was to cut the ends of the stiles.
Furniture Wood Table Floor Flooring

Furniture Table Wood Flooring Floor

.
Then route the rail edges. The bit is an ogee shape. The raised panels will be also.
Wood Flooring Floor Hardwood Wood stain

Wood Interior design Automotive design Flooring Floor

Gas Auto part Wood Circle Carmine

.

There they are done. Next time I'll be prepping and gluing up the insert panels and the top.
Wood Hardwood Composite material Plywood Wood stain
When you take a long regimen of antibiotic it can kill all the bacteria in your colon. When that happens c.diff, a bad bacteria of opportunity grows and takes over. It is not a fun time and it doesn't like to give up the real estate. Another antibiotic is used to kill it and hopefully your own good bacteria regrow. Mine have taken nearly all winter. You're pretty much delegated to be near a bathroom all the time and in my case it caused bleeding. I became extremely anemic and had to be admitted to the hospital for a blood transfusion. Anyway. Things are much better and so far the c.diff is being held down and I'm getting back to normal. So far…

The bench clamps are part of the workbench design. Fine Woodworkings 'new fangled workbench'.
 

Attachments

#10 ·
Prepping the wood and parts

I am making a raised panel bench seat that is enclosed for the bedroom. As always, storage is at a premium at our place. I'm making this bench to go along a long wall will let us sit to put on our socks and still have a storage space.

In my mind it will look like this. It's just a sketch and that's how I usually start. The length will be 54 inches and the height 20 inches. Since it's actually a sitting bench it will be quite squat as a chest would be much taller.
.
Rectangle Font Parallel Diagram Pattern


The wood I've chosen will be cherry. It's my first time working with it. I must say it's pretty nice to work with. The other woods i've worked with to date are oak, maple, mahogany, and black walnut, along with some soft woods.

After jointing the edges I cut all pieces to length and then ripped them to 3" width.
Table Wood Picture frame Flooring Floor

Wood Tool Workbench Hardwood Machine tool


.
The next step was to cut the ends of the stiles.
Furniture Wood Table Floor Flooring

Furniture Table Wood Flooring Floor

.
Then route the rail edges. The bit is an ogee shape. The raised panels will be also.
Wood Flooring Floor Hardwood Wood stain

Wood Interior design Automotive design Flooring Floor

Gas Auto part Wood Circle Carmine

.

There they are done. Next time I'll be prepping and gluing up the insert panels and the top.
Wood Hardwood Composite material Plywood Wood stain
thanks craftsman for the info. i thought you had recovered from the finger surgery. sorry to hear you've been fighting another complication, of the finger. but hopefully your on the mend now. also glad to hear your toasty in your shop. it will keep you occupied as you watch snow fly across the lake. at least it looks nice in my mind.
keep up the blog on your project.
 

Attachments

#11 ·
Prepping the wood and parts

I am making a raised panel bench seat that is enclosed for the bedroom. As always, storage is at a premium at our place. I'm making this bench to go along a long wall will let us sit to put on our socks and still have a storage space.

In my mind it will look like this. It's just a sketch and that's how I usually start. The length will be 54 inches and the height 20 inches. Since it's actually a sitting bench it will be quite squat as a chest would be much taller.
.
Rectangle Font Parallel Diagram Pattern


The wood I've chosen will be cherry. It's my first time working with it. I must say it's pretty nice to work with. The other woods i've worked with to date are oak, maple, mahogany, and black walnut, along with some soft woods.

After jointing the edges I cut all pieces to length and then ripped them to 3" width.
Table Wood Picture frame Flooring Floor

Wood Tool Workbench Hardwood Machine tool


.
The next step was to cut the ends of the stiles.
Furniture Wood Table Floor Flooring

Furniture Table Wood Flooring Floor

.
Then route the rail edges. The bit is an ogee shape. The raised panels will be also.
Wood Flooring Floor Hardwood Wood stain

Wood Interior design Automotive design Flooring Floor

Gas Auto part Wood Circle Carmine

.

There they are done. Next time I'll be prepping and gluing up the insert panels and the top.
Wood Hardwood Composite material Plywood Wood stain
Great start to a what will be a great bench. I'm currently making one for Blondie as well. I have a bad habit of not looking at the Blog section here so I'm catching up… On to part II Smile….
 

Attachments

#12 ·
Just the glue-ups

Rectangle Font Parallel Diagram Pattern


After making all the rails and stiles or the entire frame. I temporarily put them together on the bench to get an idea of the sizes of the raised panels. Today I cut and jointed some cherry and glued them all up

Four raised panels on the front and four on the back with two larger ones on the sides.

Wood Flooring Hardwood Gas Composite material

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Wood Table Hardwood Wood stain Flooring

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And the top…
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Wood Computer keyboard Workbench Table Flooring
 

Attachments

#13 ·
Just the glue-ups

Rectangle Font Parallel Diagram Pattern


After making all the rails and stiles or the entire frame. I temporarily put them together on the bench to get an idea of the sizes of the raised panels. Today I cut and jointed some cherry and glued them all up

Four raised panels on the front and four on the back with two larger ones on the sides.

Wood Flooring Hardwood Gas Composite material

.
Wood Table Hardwood Wood stain Flooring

.
.
And the top…
.
Wood Computer keyboard Workbench Table Flooring
so far so good…..its going to look mighty fine, wait until the cherry starts to darken, i love that look…another fine piece from the dude on the lake…
 

Attachments

#18 ·
Raised panels, dry fit and one side glue-up

Today I had a few hours. I cut the panels to size then routed them with an ogee raised panel bit.

Furniture Table Wood Wood stain Flooring

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Wood Hardwood Wood stain Flooring Rectangle


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I decided to put some pocket hole screws on the inside on the rails/stiles for added strength. People will be sitting on this.
Wood Workbench Wood stain Plank Flooring


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Next a dry fit of the front of the bench. Everything fit pretty good but it was a bear to get all parts into their slots at once. To tighten it up a bit I decided to take a 1/16 of both sides of two panels. I'm amazed (shocked actually) that my measuring and calculations ended up fitting so well. I thought I'd have to make more adjustments than this. The setup math is scribbled on my bench top. The back sides parts were cut at the same time so it should fit as well.
Table Wood Wheel Loom Art

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Finally the glue-up. I clamped everything then inserted the pocket hole screws. I left one clamp on to keep my setting of squaring the panel off till the glue dries.
Wood Rectangle Floor Flooring Table


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Next time out I'll do the back panel. The sides are one larger raised panel. Those will be easy. Left to do is assemble the sides. I've decided to use a 3/4 plywood bottom to save my cherry wood. I've yet to plane the top, make the skirt type legs for the base and I've got a sale coupon at rocklers for March 16th. I will purchase and try some gel stain and topcoat. I've seen some of the projects finished with it here and it looks pretty nice. Oh ya, hinges too. Boy they are expensive. I wonder if 4 blum hinges would work?
 

Attachments

#19 ·
Raised panels, dry fit and one side glue-up

Today I had a few hours. I cut the panels to size then routed them with an ogee raised panel bit.

Furniture Table Wood Wood stain Flooring

.
Wood Hardwood Wood stain Flooring Rectangle


.
.
I decided to put some pocket hole screws on the inside on the rails/stiles for added strength. People will be sitting on this.
Wood Workbench Wood stain Plank Flooring


.
.
Next a dry fit of the front of the bench. Everything fit pretty good but it was a bear to get all parts into their slots at once. To tighten it up a bit I decided to take a 1/16 of both sides of two panels. I'm amazed (shocked actually) that my measuring and calculations ended up fitting so well. I thought I'd have to make more adjustments than this. The setup math is scribbled on my bench top. The back sides parts were cut at the same time so it should fit as well.
Table Wood Wheel Loom Art

,
,
Finally the glue-up. I clamped everything then inserted the pocket hole screws. I left one clamp on to keep my setting of squaring the panel off till the glue dries.
Wood Rectangle Floor Flooring Table


.
.
Next time out I'll do the back panel. The sides are one larger raised panel. Those will be easy. Left to do is assemble the sides. I've decided to use a 3/4 plywood bottom to save my cherry wood. I've yet to plane the top, make the skirt type legs for the base and I've got a sale coupon at rocklers for March 16th. I will purchase and try some gel stain and topcoat. I've seen some of the projects finished with it here and it looks pretty nice. Oh ya, hinges too. Boy they are expensive. I wonder if 4 blum hinges would work?
Wow, the panel is looking good.

Staining- Do you realize the cherry is going to darken?
 

Attachments

#31 ·
Remaining panels glued up and then box assembled

Today I glued up the other three sides. By applying a pocket hole screw to the back side of each joint I was able to remove the clamps and keep on working. The base is a piece of 3/4" birch plywood. I may (or may not) finish the bottom with cedar later on. I haven't decided yet. Grizzman mentioned it and now it's in my head.

I first glued and screwed the ends to the plywood by placing the ends off the side of the bench on the rail of my 'newfangled bench'. The end panel was flush with the bench top and I simply put the plywood bottom over it and glued and screwed it on. Next I turned the unit of bottom and end panels upright and applied glue to the wide front and back panels. After lining them up clamps were applied. I'll fashion some round over corner braces after and glue them in to reinforce the corners. I contemplated forty fiving the corners but remembered that in other projects placing one board on the edge of another and sanding makes the seam often almost impossible to see. The corner stiles of the ends are 3/4" narrower so when the front glues onto them it will bring the corner pieces on the ends to a full 3".

Property Cabinetry Interior design Wood Building


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Building Wood Interior design Hardwood Flooring


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Wood Flooring Floor Wood stain Varnish


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This is a fun build so far. Tomorrow I'll work on smoothing the top. That should take some time. I'll also, if I have time, cut the skirt/legs for the bottom edge. Now that I am well again life is good.
 

Attachments

#32 ·
Remaining panels glued up and then box assembled

Today I glued up the other three sides. By applying a pocket hole screw to the back side of each joint I was able to remove the clamps and keep on working. The base is a piece of 3/4" birch plywood. I may (or may not) finish the bottom with cedar later on. I haven't decided yet. Grizzman mentioned it and now it's in my head.

I first glued and screwed the ends to the plywood by placing the ends off the side of the bench on the rail of my 'newfangled bench'. The end panel was flush with the bench top and I simply put the plywood bottom over it and glued and screwed it on. Next I turned the unit of bottom and end panels upright and applied glue to the wide front and back panels. After lining them up clamps were applied. I'll fashion some round over corner braces after and glue them in to reinforce the corners. I contemplated forty fiving the corners but remembered that in other projects placing one board on the edge of another and sanding makes the seam often almost impossible to see. The corner stiles of the ends are 3/4" narrower so when the front glues onto them it will bring the corner pieces on the ends to a full 3".

Property Cabinetry Interior design Wood Building


.
Building Wood Interior design Hardwood Flooring


.
Wood Flooring Floor Wood stain Varnish


.
This is a fun build so far. Tomorrow I'll work on smoothing the top. That should take some time. I'll also, if I have time, cut the skirt/legs for the bottom edge. Now that I am well again life is good.
Coming along very nice!
 

Attachments

#44 ·
New top and skirt!

The past couple of days I made some more progress. I used my raised panel router bit to made a cove type molding for the skirt around the bottom of the bench/chest. it sits on the chest in a rabit cut into the back of the skirt. After gluing it on I decided it needed some reinforcing so that it wouldn't get broken under the weight of people sitting on it. I cut some oak strips and glued and screwed them under the chest and against the molding.
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Table Wood Floor Flooring Art

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Brown Wood Flooring Floor Wood stain

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Building Wood Shelf Wood stain Hardwood

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With all of these joints it will take awhile sanding and cleaning it up before finishing.
Wood Floor Hardwood Wood stain Flooring

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Next, while that was all gluing up I took the top that I had previously glued together and squared it off and cut it to size. I used my smoothing plane and stanley 80 scraper to smooth it down and then sanded it to 80 grit. I was going to put an ogee edge on it but with the cove skirt on the bottom I decided a cove edge would match better.
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Window Table Wood Flooring Floor
 

Attachments

#45 ·
New top and skirt!

The past couple of days I made some more progress. I used my raised panel router bit to made a cove type molding for the skirt around the bottom of the bench/chest. it sits on the chest in a rabit cut into the back of the skirt. After gluing it on I decided it needed some reinforcing so that it wouldn't get broken under the weight of people sitting on it. I cut some oak strips and glued and screwed them under the chest and against the molding.
.
Table Wood Floor Flooring Art

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Brown Wood Flooring Floor Wood stain

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Building Wood Shelf Wood stain Hardwood

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With all of these joints it will take awhile sanding and cleaning it up before finishing.
Wood Floor Hardwood Wood stain Flooring

.
Next, while that was all gluing up I took the top that I had previously glued together and squared it off and cut it to size. I used my smoothing plane and stanley 80 scraper to smooth it down and then sanded it to 80 grit. I was going to put an ogee edge on it but with the cove skirt on the bottom I decided a cove edge would match better.
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Window Table Wood Flooring Floor
I love Cherry. Is there any other wood that looks so crisp and neat?

Good looking cabinet.
 

Attachments

#62 ·
All sanded and yet to be horned rail glued up

Woodworking is often so therapeutic.

Today I did the tedious job of sanding. Thank God for my Bosch ROS and my mirka paper. That stuff just doesn't wear out. I'm still using some of the same pieces from 4 projects ago and some were large like beds.

Anyway, I scraped all the seams to remove the glue and level them. Then I started with 80 grit and worked down to 320. When all is said and done I'll do a final 400, vacuum it with a brush and use a tacky semidried shellaced cloth to remove the dust from the pores.

As it stands, this is how it looks now. The hinges, ordered from amazon, will be arriving any day now so the top is just set on the chest to see the fit. I worked really hard the other day scraping and sanding to get it as flat as possible. I've decided that I'm going to use some pure tongue oil I had left over from a walnut bed I made a few months ago and then I'll spray some satin finish poly over it. The first wipe on of tongue oil will be cut 50/50 with spirits the second (and maybe third) coats will be straight.
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Wood Cabinetry Wood stain Picture frame Hardwood

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Picture frame Cabinetry Window Wood Table

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I'm going to put a rail on the inside edge of three sides (back and sides) of the cover. I've seen a lot of bench seats like this with everything from straight strips of wood to more ornate ones that have decorative cuts on the top. I'm going to attempt to carve a curved horn styled one keeping with the theme of cove molding on the cover, bottom skirt, and raised panel indents. Since it will have to joint at two 45 degree angles at the two back corners of the chest I am going to carve the entire three sides as one piece of molding so that when I do cut those angles the thing will join well.
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Rectangle Parallel Automotive exterior Drawing Line art

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I'll make a cardboard template for the outside curve so it's uniform all the way across. I guess I'll will start with a plane then eventually change to the spoke shave. I've carved guitar necks so It should work okay. After, I'll take 2" strips of cloth sandpaper from worn out 48" sanding belts and use it over the curve like polishing shoes with a cloth. A low grits it really works well. The inside curve will again be cut with that raised panel router bit I used for the skirt molding at the bottom of the chest.

I glued three pieces of 2" cherry together in case I wanted a wide base at the bottom of the rail molding. I can always cut it narrow. Kind of hard to add wood later on. This strip is about 90" long, enough for the three sides. When carved it will be about 1 1/2" tall. We'll see how this goes. My next entry might show a perfectly straight piece of wood instead. It all depends on if I've bitten off more than I can plane with this last piece decorative molding. It's a long piece of wood. Probably going to take quite awhile to do it and especially to get it uniform from one end to the other. We'll see. Thanks for reading. This was a long explanation. I hope it made sense.
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Wood Flooring Floor Hardwood Engineering
 

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#63 ·
All sanded and yet to be horned rail glued up

Woodworking is often so therapeutic.

Today I did the tedious job of sanding. Thank God for my Bosch ROS and my mirka paper. That stuff just doesn't wear out. I'm still using some of the same pieces from 4 projects ago and some were large like beds.

Anyway, I scraped all the seams to remove the glue and level them. Then I started with 80 grit and worked down to 320. When all is said and done I'll do a final 400, vacuum it with a brush and use a tacky semidried shellaced cloth to remove the dust from the pores.

As it stands, this is how it looks now. The hinges, ordered from amazon, will be arriving any day now so the top is just set on the chest to see the fit. I worked really hard the other day scraping and sanding to get it as flat as possible. I've decided that I'm going to use some pure tongue oil I had left over from a walnut bed I made a few months ago and then I'll spray some satin finish poly over it. The first wipe on of tongue oil will be cut 50/50 with spirits the second (and maybe third) coats will be straight.
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Wood Cabinetry Wood stain Picture frame Hardwood

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Picture frame Cabinetry Window Wood Table

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I'm going to put a rail on the inside edge of three sides (back and sides) of the cover. I've seen a lot of bench seats like this with everything from straight strips of wood to more ornate ones that have decorative cuts on the top. I'm going to attempt to carve a curved horn styled one keeping with the theme of cove molding on the cover, bottom skirt, and raised panel indents. Since it will have to joint at two 45 degree angles at the two back corners of the chest I am going to carve the entire three sides as one piece of molding so that when I do cut those angles the thing will join well.
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Rectangle Parallel Automotive exterior Drawing Line art

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I'll make a cardboard template for the outside curve so it's uniform all the way across. I guess I'll will start with a plane then eventually change to the spoke shave. I've carved guitar necks so It should work okay. After, I'll take 2" strips of cloth sandpaper from worn out 48" sanding belts and use it over the curve like polishing shoes with a cloth. A low grits it really works well. The inside curve will again be cut with that raised panel router bit I used for the skirt molding at the bottom of the chest.

I glued three pieces of 2" cherry together in case I wanted a wide base at the bottom of the rail molding. I can always cut it narrow. Kind of hard to add wood later on. This strip is about 90" long, enough for the three sides. When carved it will be about 1 1/2" tall. We'll see how this goes. My next entry might show a perfectly straight piece of wood instead. It all depends on if I've bitten off more than I can plane with this last piece decorative molding. It's a long piece of wood. Probably going to take quite awhile to do it and especially to get it uniform from one end to the other. We'll see. Thanks for reading. This was a long explanation. I hope it made sense.
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Wood Flooring Floor Hardwood Engineering
I like the bench, nice job. I like making my own moldings also this one looks like a lot of work but will look good.
 

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#67 ·
Roll over molding

I made the roll over molding for the top back and side edges of the cover. It actually went quite well.
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I first jointed the three strips that I had glued together then passed them through the planer to get a squared off strip.
Wood Hardwood Wood stain Engineering Varnish

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Next I put it through the router table with the raised panel bit in it to make the inside curve or cove.
Wood Flooring Floor Wood stain Hardwood

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I planed the back side of it after cutting a few corners off on the table saw.
Wood Table Flooring Floor Wood stain

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So, I'm left with a roughed out outside curve on the back of the cove.
Wood Interior design Flooring Floor Hardwood

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The final step is to take some long strips of sandpaper ripped from the 48" sanding belts used on my belt sander. You hold them like you were going to buff shoes and slap it back and forth to get smooth curves surfaces.
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The finished molding (except sanding)
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Property Wood Interior design Floor Wood stain

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Wood Interior design Architecture Shade Floor
 

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#68 ·
Roll over molding

I made the roll over molding for the top back and side edges of the cover. It actually went quite well.
.
I first jointed the three strips that I had glued together then passed them through the planer to get a squared off strip.
Wood Hardwood Wood stain Engineering Varnish

.
Next I put it through the router table with the raised panel bit in it to make the inside curve or cove.
Wood Flooring Floor Wood stain Hardwood

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I planed the back side of it after cutting a few corners off on the table saw.
Wood Table Flooring Floor Wood stain

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So, I'm left with a roughed out outside curve on the back of the cove.
Wood Interior design Flooring Floor Hardwood

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The final step is to take some long strips of sandpaper ripped from the 48" sanding belts used on my belt sander. You hold them like you were going to buff shoes and slap it back and forth to get smooth curves surfaces.
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The finished molding (except sanding)
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Property Wood Interior design Floor Wood stain

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Wood Interior design Architecture Shade Floor
That's a good way to do it nice job coming along very good. I am not a big fan of cutting coves on a table saw even though you can get any apex you want. For anyone that likes that method here is the calculator. http://www.finewoodworking.com/pages/nmw030_pop.asp
 

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#72 ·
Three coats of waterlox and one coat of poly to go

I've got three coats of waterlox on it. When it's plenty dry, about a week or two (it's shiny wet in these pictures) I'll wet sand it lightly with 600 grit wet/dry paper and then spray a coat of polyurethane. I've also yet to install the hinges. Four chest hinges. I'm going to install the hinges on the front as the bench will be up against a wall and opening from the front would necessitate pulling it away from the wall. Opening from the back would eliminate this. Because it's for occasional storage this shouldn't be an issue.
I've also got a earthy colored paisley upholstery material picked out for a thin 1" pad on the top. Sister is good with the sewing machine.

And Grizz… I've decided not to do a cedar bottom at this time. They birch ply will have to do for now.. Sorry ;-)

Furniture Fixture Wood Wood stain Cabinetry

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Wood Flooring Wood stain Floor Hardwood
 

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#73 ·
Three coats of waterlox and one coat of poly to go

I've got three coats of waterlox on it. When it's plenty dry, about a week or two (it's shiny wet in these pictures) I'll wet sand it lightly with 600 grit wet/dry paper and then spray a coat of polyurethane. I've also yet to install the hinges. Four chest hinges. I'm going to install the hinges on the front as the bench will be up against a wall and opening from the front would necessitate pulling it away from the wall. Opening from the back would eliminate this. Because it's for occasional storage this shouldn't be an issue.
I've also got a earthy colored paisley upholstery material picked out for a thin 1" pad on the top. Sister is good with the sewing machine.

And Grizz… I've decided not to do a cedar bottom at this time. They birch ply will have to do for now.. Sorry ;-)

Furniture Fixture Wood Wood stain Cabinetry

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Wood Flooring Wood stain Floor Hardwood
Nice job it came out very good you should be happy with it and get lots of use from it.
 

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