nice looking bench. by the look of the background, do you harvest your own logs for the furniture. i ask because i have been asked to build some rustic furniture. but i don't live in a woods with saplings to cut. do you know of a source to purchase them. any tips on building would we cool.
Hi Mike,
Thanks for the compliment. The Cedar I used for these benches was given to me. My neighbor at our cabin found a bunch of short pieces that the loggers left at their logging site. They cut off to 100", & leave the shorter stuff. I have some Tamarack & Tag Alder growing on a bog on my property, but I mostly use the Tag Alder for smaller projects. Although I built a porch railing with some of my Tamarack last year.
I purchased a "Logman Tenon Maker" from "Rockler Hardware" last year. It works quite well. It requires the use of a large router, & it has templates to cut 5/8", 1", 1 1/2", 2", & 2 3/4" tenon's. Once the router is adjusted properly, you don't have to reset your router when changing templates. You rotate the wood by hand while feeding it to the machine. Rockler also sells a book along with the machine, on making Rustic furniture, with some plans in it. Although I haven't use their plans. It explains the proceess fairly well. It's almost like playing with "Tinker Toys", like when I was a kid.
It looks like you built three of them for your back yard by these pictures. I love the backs as well. I like the rustic look being that it is my favorite. The ingravings are beautiful too.
Dick, you are too much. I looked over your projects a while back and must have missed this beaut. It is wonderful. I am just amazed at your versatility and ability to go from one thing like a sailboat to carving to well, everything. This piece is just terrific and I'm glad it re-surfaced so I got a chance to see it. Am going back to your projects to make sure I don't miss any other gems. Thanks for sharing these things with us.
Those are 3 great benches. The back webbing is a wonderful touch. I live in the TX. Hills Country and we have an abundance of cedar that we clear and burn from our properties. You have given me some ideas on ways to use the wood rather than have it go up in smoke. Thanks. Did you use any finish on the benches or just keep them bare wood?
Great bench Dick. I especially like the web in picture three. I like seeing the rustic style here at LJ. It is inspiring.
Mark, you bring up an interesting point. Recently somebody clear cut many acres of wood near me…when one thinks of the cost of wood today - it makes one wonder about all of the wood that never sees the light of the woodshop…
Thanks Guys!
I give them a coat of thinned boiled linseed oil.
The loggers won't be leaving much anymore . Our local power plant has switched to burning wood.