LumberJocks
DAILY DEALS Cast Iron Coffee Mill Mechanisms and Coffee Mill Well Kits, with FREE Downloadable Plan!  |  Makita Makita Recon LCT203W 10.8 Volt Lithium Ion Impact Driver 2 Pc Kit

A Drifter's Bench

Project by RobS posted 876 days ago 816 views 0 times favorited 20 comments Add to Favorites Watch

Or should I say driftwood bench.

On our last trip to Sargent, Texas we went to the beach. As I walked the beach I noticed a number of different sized boards that, over time, had drifted up amongst all the other branches, limbs etc. I grabbed three, a rough 48” X 13” X 1” plank, probably off some ancient pirate ship, a 78” X 6” X 5/8” board, probably from some poor soul’s ruined, hand built life raft, and a 48” X 4” X 1” piece that already had barnacles attached.

All my family just shook their heads as I strapped the trio to the top of the vehicle and brought them home on the 400 mile trip. After cutting the smaller two to length and width as I saw fit, I built the support. I then used the wide plank for the top after cutting off the jagged, shark bitten ends.

The bench measures 18 inches tall and 41 inches wide, the finish was two coats of Watco Teak Oil. Now anytime someone feels the need to visit the beach, they just need to walk out on the back deck and take a seat.

Thanks for looking.

-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX


20 comments so far

View oscorner's profile

oscorner

4572 posts in 1205 days


posted 876 days ago

Wow, pirate ship, life raft and barnacle boards! What a find. I made an exceptional bench and what a story that you can tell of how it came to be.

-- Jesus is Lord!

View scottb's profile

scottb

3402 posts in 1221 days


posted 876 days ago

Even driftwood is bigger in TX!

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/

View WayneC's profile (online now)

WayneC

5988 posts in 992 days


posted 876 days ago

Any sand or other related issues for working with driftwood. I’m wondering if it is worth a trip to the coast… Is this another potental source for reclaimed wood?

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

View RobS's profile

RobS

1243 posts in 1201 days


posted 876 days ago

Thanks OS!

Yes Scott, although.. I suppose it could be left over Katrina remnants. Just adds to my story…

Wayne,
I definately noticed sand in the larger plank as I was sanding it for final finishing, it has numerous tiny holes and as i brushed it off after sanding, I could still feel loose sand on the piece, after some high pressure air the feeling almost subsided. Other than looking closely for nails, no other worries.

As far as a source, for a few projects sure, I will definately be looking again next time I go. You have to be picky though, some boards I looked at were too far rotted or water logged.

-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX

View Karson's profile

Karson

25801 posts in 1295 days


posted 876 days ago

Great Story Rob.

Nice bench.

Scott great comeback on TX driftwood.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

View dennis mitchell's profile

dennis mitchell

3789 posts in 1209 days


posted 876 days ago

Wow you get your wood presanded!

-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com

View TreeBones's profile

TreeBones

1557 posts in 918 days


posted 876 days ago

View Bob Babcock's profile

Bob Babcock

1808 posts in 981 days


posted 875 days ago

Nice bench, great story, great find….I’m heading for the beach….I’ve got 1500 miles of coastline to search, and that’s just Massachusetts.

-- Bob, Carver Massachusetts, Sawdust Maker http://www.capecodbaychallenge.org

View scottb's profile

scottb

3402 posts in 1221 days


posted 875 days ago

That’s funny Dennis.

Not as likely to find Katrina wood up here, much more likely to find bits of pirate ships, or maybe an old whaling ship!

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/

View BlueStingrayBoots's profile

BlueStingrayBoots

465 posts in 896 days


posted 875 days ago

I knew Noas Ark was real,finally some evidence! LOL

View RobS's profile

RobS

1243 posts in 1201 days


posted 875 days ago

Thanks for all the great comments. One rather obvious point that you need to consider when searching for driftwood of the larger variety. Your public/ state beaches are normally pretty clean. All of the driftwood/ seaweed, etc is gathered up and disposed of, so you need to get to those out of the way, semi private beaches, that’s where all the good garbage (uh I mean wood) is….. :)

-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX

View Bill's profile

Bill

2561 posts in 1056 days


posted 875 days ago

Maybe you can find an old shipwreck on a beach. That would give you lots of wood (unless it is steel).

Good job on the bench Rob.

Gotta love it…shark bitten ends….

-- Bill, Turlock California, http://www.brookswoodworks.com

View mot's profile

mot

4903 posts in 931 days


posted 875 days ago

What a great bench and story. Great comments too. “Even driftwood is big in Texas.” HAHAHAHA

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

View MsDebbieP's profile

MsDebbieP

14159 posts in 1055 days


posted 875 days ago

what a great story behind this wood—- now THAT is history!

what I want to know is: is the family still shaking their heads? Or are they loving their little drifter’s bench

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

View RobS's profile

RobS

1243 posts in 1201 days


posted 875 days ago

Oh, they love it, even my 16 year old son said, “Dad, why don’t you sell this stuff, there is not another bench like this anywhere in the world?” Maybe next time I’ll have more hands on deck as I comb the surf.

Thanks for the kuddos, Bill, Mot and MsDebbie!

-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX

View MsDebbieP's profile

MsDebbieP

14159 posts in 1055 days


posted 875 days ago

sounds like the time I dragged my daughter through a cemetery as I was doing some genealogy work—now, she can’t pass by a cemetery without wondering what/who she might find …
Your family won’t be able to look at a piece of driftwood in the same way (or not look) ever again!

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

View frank's profile

frank

1503 posts in 1100 days


posted 874 days ago

Hi Rob;
—-well now here is a great story….great bench….great history, and if this is what sharks are eating down in Texas, I would like to see a picture of that shark!

Rob;....I really like that top there, and then those legs….now I know where ZZ and Willie ; get their songs from down in Texas Town ....

Thanks for sharing this one.
GODSPEED,
Frank

-- --frank, NH, http://frank.wordpress.com/

View RobS's profile

RobS

1243 posts in 1201 days


posted 874 days ago

Thanks Frank, I was hoping you’d get a chance to see this. I always think of you when I’m working with the free form pieces. Great song videos too.
Thanks again!

-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX

View DrSawdust's profile

DrSawdust

231 posts in 992 days


posted 873 days ago

Rob, you my friend are a ‘complete’ worker of wood. From start to finish, you leave nothing undone. I really enjoyed all the thought you have put into this. Being from Central Texas my boys thought this was sooo coool.

-- Making sawdust is what I do best

View Roz's profile

Roz

461 posts in 681 days


posted 611 days ago

COOL project! You sound like a free sprit.

-- Terry Roswell, L.A. (Lower Alabama) "Life is what happens to you when you are making other plans."

You must be signed in to post the comments.

  • View all advertisers
  • Advertise with us

DISCLAIMER: Any posts on LJ are posted by individuals acting in their own right and do not necessarily reflect the views of LJ. LJ will not be held liable for the actions of any user.

Latest Projects | Latest Blog Entries | Latest Forum Topics

HomeRefurbers.com

Latest Projects | Latest Blog Entries | Latest Forum Topics

GardenTenders.com :: gardening showcase