LumberJocks
DAILY DEALS Painter’s Pyramids  |  Makita Makita Recon LCT203W 10.8 Volt Lithium Ion Impact Driver 2 Pc Kit

Lutyens garden bench finished

Project by jembo posted 821 days ago 2199 views 7 times favorited 32 comments Add to Favorites Watch

-Better late than never, my too late entry for the summer awards 2007.

This is for my lovely wife Ellen.

I took my time with the details when I knew it was not going to make the deadline. The buttons are ebonized walnut, covering holes drilled for templates.

Face glued laminated beech panels, festool domino joinery finished with an outdoor oil. Beech in not the ideal outdoor wood but the bench sits in a sheltered porch. Plan from FWW, watch out for some errors in the cut list if interested.

-- James - Geneva, Switzerland


32 comments so far

View Douglas Bordner's profile

Douglas Bordner

3421 posts in 957 days


posted 821 days ago

Absolutely glorious.
Before I got started back into woodworking, that piece was one of my ultimate goals. Still is…but I am on a slightly different path just yet. Glad to see it executed so nicely. You have done yourself proud, and your clients will be thrilled.

-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.

View Bob #2's profile

Bob #2

3037 posts in 915 days


posted 821 days ago

lovely result.
How many hours?

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

View WayneS 's profile

WayneS

34 posts in 824 days


posted 821 days ago

Beautiful work James!

The buttons are a very nice touch. Seeing work like this makes me realize just how far I have to go.

-- Wayne - Newbie looking to learn!

View jembo's profile

jembo

105 posts in 907 days


posted 821 days ago

Difficult to say how many hours, started last week in June, full saturdays, couple hours sundays (no machines sundays – swiss law), 2 or 3 evenings in the week. My guess about 90 hours, but that does not include all the hours spent thinking about a project, and I know I’am not alone on this point…lol

-- James - Geneva, Switzerland

View TomFran's profile (online now)

TomFran

2513 posts in 887 days


posted 821 days ago

Outstanding project! Very beautiful.

I’ll bet I could get a Domino if I could make one of these for my wife ;^D
  • How do you like the machine?
  • How much quicker can you do mortise and tenon joinery with this machine?
  • Do you think that it’s worth the money?

That Swiss law is a good one. There ought to be at least one day out of the week for peace and quiet. We have the other (6) days to make noise (and sawdust). And besides, I bet you can use hand tools on Sunday ;^D

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

View bryano's profile

bryano

546 posts in 827 days


posted 821 days ago

Wow thats a nice piece of work. love the joinery.

-- bryano

View MsDebbieP's profile

MsDebbieP

14156 posts in 1054 days


posted 821 days ago

Jaw-dropping magnificent.

It is definitely a winner. Gosh this is SWEEEEEET

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

View jembo's profile

jembo

105 posts in 907 days


posted 821 days ago

Thanks for the compliments.

TomFran, the domino is amazing, it is truely a great machine. It takes 3 secounds to make a mortise, there are about 60 domino joints in this project, it has taken me nearly 8 weeks, without the domino maybe twice as long.
One great thing about the domino is the ease of correcting a mistake, if you cut a mortise out of line, you glue in a domino. wait an hour and cut a new mortise, no loss of strength to the joint. In my final assembly I discovered 2 out of line joints, it took me 30 mins to correct, just gotta clean residue off the domino cutter.
I think it is worth the money, but I still plan on hand cut joints also.

-- James - Geneva, Switzerland

View dennis mitchell's profile

dennis mitchell

3789 posts in 1208 days


posted 821 days ago

View Thos. Angle's profile

Thos. Angle

4013 posts in 856 days


posted 821 days ago

James, you have done yourself proud!! I’ve always admired these benches. I think part of it is the top board on the back. I reallt like how it looks like a furled ribbon. Great job. I sure wish we had that law here.

-- Thos. Angle

View TomFran's profile (online now)

TomFran

2513 posts in 887 days


posted 821 days ago

Dowelmax or Domino. I just gotta have one of these for better joinery!

I know people have done without them for centuries, but people did without table saws for centuries too, but I don’t many woodworkers who would be without one today.

Thanks for your comments on the Domino, Jembo; it was helpful to me.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

View TreeBones's profile

TreeBones

1557 posts in 917 days


posted 821 days ago

View DAN 's profile

DAN

6438 posts in 876 days


posted 821 days ago

great looking piece, very well done.

I’ve never worked with beech, what is it like to work with ?

Is it rot, weather and insect resistant ?

-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever

View Bill's profile

Bill

2561 posts in 1055 days


posted 821 days ago

Very nice work James. I am sure the wife appreciates the time and effort you put into this. Well done.

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

View MsDebbieP's profile

MsDebbieP

14156 posts in 1054 days


posted 821 days ago

Here is my Interview with the DowelMax people.
I love it… makes it so easy

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

View RickL's profile

RickL

83 posts in 834 days


posted 820 days ago

Very nice bench and excellent work. I’m sure your wife will love it.

-- Rick, Jackson, TN "Do What You Like. Like What You Do" Life Is Good

View Karson's profile

Karson

25792 posts in 1294 days


posted 820 days ago

Great looking bench. I was going to make one for the Summer Contest, but I couldn’t get past the joinery portion of the challenge.

I’ll get mine made someday. I was looking for some 2 X 8” cypress wood and didn’t come up with any.

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

View Rob's profile

Rob

112 posts in 823 days


posted 820 days ago

Beautiful bench. Should receive an award just for being!
Don’tcha just love the Domino? So flexible, fast and accurate. Some would say almost too accurate!
Wait till you get a chance to use the Kapex SCMS. Unbelievable.

Rob

-- http://www.damnfinefurniture.com

View Bob Babcock's profile

Bob Babcock

1808 posts in 979 days


posted 820 days ago

Wow…absolutely beautiful…I think I’m lucky you were late.

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

View Skinna's profile

Skinna

26 posts in 830 days


posted 820 days ago

sensational piece of furniture and a magnificent display of your craft work – well done.

-- Skinna - Australia... I won't stop at murder if that's what is necessary to get the job done

View Jeff's profile

Jeff

91 posts in 841 days


posted 820 days ago

I like the back rest on this bench, the whole thing is great, but to me the back stands out the most

-- Jeff B.

View Napaman's profile

Napaman

3482 posts in 970 days


posted 817 days ago

very nice…my summer awards entry has not posted yet either…i was 3 hours too late…I am glad that you took the time to make this perfect…beautiful job…

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

View Andy's profile

Andy

570 posts in 802 days


posted 785 days ago

Great workmanship James! Thats quite a project for anyone to tackle and you did it very well.Love the details.

-- " If I can make it,so can you" Andy in Oregon

View Dominic Vanacora's profile

Dominic Vanacora

504 posts in 763 days


posted 735 days ago

Wow, I’m at a lose for the proper words to tell you how I feel about this beautiful piece of workmanship. The artistic back alone has a great look. It has an elegant look to it. It invites you to sit down and enjoy the view knowing you got the best seat in town. I just got an other favorite to my short list.

-- Dominic, Trinity, Florida...Lets be safe out there.

View Bob A in NJ's profile

Bob A in NJ

522 posts in 892 days


posted 713 days ago

Wow, really nice accomplishment here, congratulations on a

-- Bob A in NJ

View mot's profile

mot

4901 posts in 930 days


posted 713 days ago

This just came back around. What an amazing bench. Beautiful work!

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

View shiney5757's profile

shiney5757

79 posts in 664 days


posted 663 days ago

I am just starting a bench project and this lovely bench has inspired me, thanks very good job.

-- I cut it twice & it was still too short

View rikkor's profile

rikkor

11335 posts in 768 days


posted 663 days ago

Glad to see this come out of the archives. Great bench.

View trifern's profile

trifern

7894 posts in 660 days


posted 527 days ago

Stunning bench.

-- My favorite piece is my last one, my best piece is my next one.

View steveosshop's profile

steveosshop

208 posts in 519 days


posted 491 days ago

Thats a awesome bench!!

-- Steve-o

View Timbertim's profile

Timbertim

3 posts in 126 days


posted 126 days ago

Looks very sturdy, love the design!

-- http://hubpages.com/hub/Outdoor-Storage-Benches

View a1Jim's profile

a1Jim

16695 posts in 470 days


posted 126 days ago

Hey Jame
A real knockout great great bench beautiful

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

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