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Garden Bench with Table #1: Sketchup plans

Blog entry by Greg Wurst posted 518 days ago 3383 reads 6 times favorited 16 comments Add to Favorites Watch
no previous part Part 1 of Garden Bench with Table series Part 2: I hate drilling dowel holes »

I really liked a garden bench posted by steveosshop and decided to design one myself so I didn’t have to buy the plans:

Click for details

So, after getting some rough dimensions from other benches and eyeballing his project I came-up with the following design:

Much the same as the original, it’s built with 2×4 and 2×8 lumber and 1×4 pine. Construction is butt joints and dowels, but you could make it mortise and tenon or screw and glue if you wanted.

I wasn’t happy with what I felt was a lack of support across the middle of the bench, so I redesigned the back to incorporate a couple more legs for added support.

I then saved the file under another name and started exploding the parts to get some dimensions.

Most of the roundovers are 1 1/2” radius. The seat curve has a 3/4” radius and the rear or the seat slants at a 7 degree angle.

With the dimensions I created a material list and cutting diagram.

Wood needed is just 6 2×4x8’s, 2 2×8x8’s, and 2 1×6x8’s. You could also just use 4 1×3x8’s and not have to cut to width.

If you would like the Sketchup files and Excel material list you can get them here:

http://cid-258899c12334cc4d.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/Garden%20Bench?uc=4

I just finished a coffee table and am currently “forbidden” to start another project for a couple weeks at least. As such, I’m not sure when I’ll get to start building this but hopefully soon. Thanks for looking!

Greg

-- You're a unique and special person, just like everyone else.


16 comments so far

View Todd A. Clippinger's profile

Todd A. Clippinger

5642 posts in 994 days


posted 518 days ago

You guys with the Sketchup skills make me deeply jealous.

Nice job – and so fast!

-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://amcraftsman.com

View Greg Wurst's profile

Greg Wurst

716 posts in 727 days


posted 518 days ago

Hey, I’ll trade you skills if you want! ;)

The nice thing about Sketchup is everything comes-out perfect. If my woodworking skills would only match I’d be in good shape. :)

-- You're a unique and special person, just like everyone else.

View teenagewoodworker's profile

teenagewoodworker

2481 posts in 662 days


posted 518 days ago

sketchup is so awesome (if you know how to use it which i don’t). you’ve got a great start here! thanks for the post!

View TedM's profile

TedM

1843 posts in 627 days


posted 517 days ago

Greg, thanks for the Sketchup!

-- I'm a wood magician... I can turn fine lumber into firewood before your very eyes! - http://www.woodworkersguide.com

View Seer's profile

Seer

92 posts in 537 days


posted 517 days ago

That is just what I have been looking for thanks for the info. I use Cad and I will see if I can put it in that also.

View Scott Bryan's profile

Scott Bryan

20651 posts in 716 days


posted 517 days ago

Greg,

This is a nice looking design. You have a good start on this piece. It is a shame that you have to wait 2 weeks to start it but it will be worth the wait.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

View Brad_Nailor's profile

Brad_Nailor

1214 posts in 852 days


posted 517 days ago

Nice Sketchup work! I like the 3D cutlist.

-- David, South Windsor, CT "I love the smell of sawdust in the morning"

View JasonH's profile

JasonH

137 posts in 722 days


posted 517 days ago

Favorited! Thanks for the work you put into this. I made the mistake of showing my wife, and now it’s on my to-do list.

-- Living on the square...

View Greg Wurst's profile

Greg Wurst

716 posts in 727 days


posted 517 days ago

I put it together this morning in about 4 hours. I love building stuff in Sketchup. I’m starting to get pretty good at it.

-- You're a unique and special person, just like everyone else.

View Todd A. Clippinger's profile

Todd A. Clippinger

5642 posts in 994 days


posted 517 days ago

Is your background in computers?

-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://amcraftsman.com

View Greg Wurst's profile

Greg Wurst

716 posts in 727 days


posted 517 days ago

Yeah, I’ve been playing with PC’s since I was 10. I run the computer system in the school system I work in. I always like computers because my handwriting stinks and I can’t even draw a conclusion. Computers let me express my creativity without the ability to draw a straight line. :)

-- You're a unique and special person, just like everyone else.

View Greg Wurst's profile

Greg Wurst

716 posts in 727 days


posted 517 days ago

I made a slight boo-boo with the material list and cutting diagram. I forgot the inside seat bases were 1” longer to meet the front rail. You can see the difference here:

I updated the material list and cutting diagram, so you may want to download them again:

http://cid-258899c12334cc4d.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/Garden%20Bench

-- You're a unique and special person, just like everyone else.

View Mark Shymanski's profile

Mark Shymanski

1555 posts in 607 days


posted 517 days ago

Thank you for the great post. Being mindful of what Damocles posted I’ll just favourite this and show my wife later when I get a little further along on my project list :-)

The cut list is really well done, very clear.

-- ...it's rennovation time!!!

View Rickey's profile

Rickey

1 post in 672 days


posted 517 days ago

Nice work Greg. I am computer savy but don’t know Sketch Up. What do you recommend as the best way to learn it? Just dive in or have you discovered something to flatten the learning curve. Also the files are read only will this prevent us “copiers” from bringing the file in Sketch Up and modifying it?

View Greg Wurst's profile

Greg Wurst

716 posts in 727 days


posted 517 days ago

Rickey,

I’ve noticed if you open the file directly from SkyDrive they give you that read-only message, so just save it somewhere first before opening it and you should be fine. You could also do a save-as as well.

As for learning Sketchup, the Google tutorials are a great place to start:

http://download.sketchup.com/OnlineDoc/gsu_win/GoogleSketchUpHelp.htm

http://download.sketchup.com/downloads/training/tutorials50/Sketchup%20Video%20Tutorials.html

For woodworking related Sketchup work, I learned a great deal from Gary M. Katz, in particular check his Bookcase video and follow-along:

http://www.garymkatz.com/recent_articles.html

-- You're a unique and special person, just like everyone else.

View steveosshop's profile

steveosshop

208 posts in 520 days


posted 499 days ago

Nice job on sketchup. I need to get better with that and save myself the money on plans. Have fun with the bench!!

-- Steve-o

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