Mataki Willowgrove Walkway Bench

Very cool. The rock in the tree has me asking why? Hope all your thoughts on expansion and contraction works. Nice to give back, 6 ft of rain a yr? Wow!!!!!! I don’t think we even get 6 inches a yr here in So Cal. Beautiful river! What’s your dogs name? My girl Is Kiana, she is a Chlt Lab.

-- Ken, "Everyday above ground is a good day!"

What a beautiful setting for a resting spot.

Your bench should last for many years.

I’d like to add that you’ll never have to worry about the wood drying out.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

Ahh what a great gift to share..I can hear the water running and darn near smell the smells! I would be grateful if you could share a picture of the bottom area of the stand part. This would be great to place in my backyard! With winter coming closer it’s my shop time to come up with outside projects! Thanks for sharing.
Krum

-- Cathy Krumrei

Pretty darn nice-

-- rob

Your bench looks like it will last for years in a very beautiful place. Well done.

Simple but well done

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

Good story, great bench, nice participation in your community….serenity in action, well done.

-- "You get what you inspect, not what you expect"

Large can be as beautiful as small. It’s all relative though because in the end we all turn to dust. BTW, isn’t that bench a little close to the river?

Regards,

-- Jim

Thanks for all the nice comments.

ken (ken90712): The rock in the tree? well, that’s rock art. Placed there on purpose by the artist and like all art, subject to many interpretations! Our dog is a black lab, german shepherd mix named Spunky, which is a rather inappropriate name here in New Zealand but he is from Portland, Oregon so we’re sticking with it He obviously prefers lying in the dirt to my bench. Yes, the 6’ rain/year makes the forests here a magical place. The landscape is well designed to cope with it. The NZ beech forests work like a huge sponge and it’s got a brilliant drainage system :)

Cathy, I’ll get a photo of the business part of the bench next time I am out there.

Outputter Jim. You must be a Keynes fan who once said “In the long run, we are all dead”. Actually the bench is about 30’ from the river high up on the embankment. High water is a regular occurrence here but if it ever came up as high as the bench, we would be dust much sooner than anticipated!

-- Steve, New Zealand, www.steveracz.com

nice!

-- Matt, Napa, CA...fun is beautiful...just trying to have some fun...

Steve, Great story and a Great Bench. Perfect for the location.

-- John @ Myrtle Beach

Haven’t been to NZ, but if I ever do, I’ll rest a spell on your bench!

-- Dean

I finally had a chance to visit my bench again.

It’s been about a month since it was installed. Summer starts unofficially here about the beginning of November and we’ve had relatively little rain. Already the 12” top top has shrunk by about 1/2”.

Here are some more pics as promised of the undercarriage details (as few as there are ) and a shot of the shrinkage of the top away from the crossrail. The rail is only glued in the center so that any shrinkage is accommodated without cracking the top.

The top has cupped somewhat as well, despite gluing the grain of the boards in opposing directions.

-- Steve, New Zealand, www.steveracz.com