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Maple and walnut bench

Project by Daren Nelson posted 134 days ago 559 views 0 times favorited 17 comments Add to Favorites
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Daren Nelson

286 posts in 311 days


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bench maple walnut router joining

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Maple and walnut bench Maple and walnut bench Maple and walnut bench Click the pictures to enlarge them

My camera is not cooperating. But I have not posted a project for awhile, so here is one fuzzy pictures and all. I was playing with a new toy, I mean tool. A sawmill/woodworker buddy of mine has a really cool dovetail spline making jig. It is just a mitered joint and the splines are cut it with a dovetail router bit. Makes a strong joint and I like contrast too. I can see myself using this alot, even though I am not much of a “router guy”. This was the first time I used it, I’m sure I will post more projects where I use it more.

-- Urban logger, http://nelsonwoodworks.biz/


17 comments so far

View teenagewoodworker's profile

teenagewoodworker

1739 posts in 174 days


posted 134 days ago

wow those dovetails are impressive. the whole bench is great to and i like the choice of woods. keep up the good work.

View GaryK's profile

GaryK

8274 posts in 394 days


posted 134 days ago

Nice looking bench! The dovetail splines are a great touch.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

View TexasTimbers's profile

TexasTimbers

8 posts in 221 days


posted 134 days ago

That’s a nice looking bench for sure. I don’t care how many times I see walnut and maple together it never gets old. I like the detail of the wedges at the feet bottoms and skirt. Nice touch. And I love those joints! :-D

-- www.powdercreeksawmill.com www.dovetailspline.com

View ben's profile

ben

140 posts in 276 days


posted 134 days ago

Daren—bench looks gorgeous. I agree with Texas—walnut and maple are 2 peas in a pod.

I am curious—is there any sort of stretcher or other support, or is the shape just an upside-down-U? I guess more to the point, I’m curious if you’ve built something like this before, without stretchers, and if it held up over time.

-b

View Damian Penney's profile

Damian Penney

593 posts in 397 days


posted 134 days ago

Neat, the dovetail splines almost give it the appearance of the maple being draped over the bench.

-- I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso

View Daren Nelson's profile

Daren Nelson

286 posts in 311 days


posted 134 days ago

ben that is a good question, first one I would have asked too, yea just an upside down U. I myself was a little (ok, more than a little) skeptical until I used this system. I have never tried to build anything without some sort of stretcher and think it to last, until now. The straight grain splines are driven fit (they are tapered) into the slot the router cuts in the piece. I was amazed once I was done (I am not going to detail what I did to try to break it, it would just make me sound crazy) I would have a hard time flipping it over and kicking it part, seriously. I called my Dad who is a woodworker, way better than me and he is coming to pick the jigs up this week, he’ll freak too.

-- Urban logger, http://nelsonwoodworks.biz/

View Lee A. Jesberger's profile (online now)

Lee A. Jesberger

2204 posts in 385 days


posted 134 days ago

Hi Daren,

That’s a great looking bench.

The contrasting woods is perfect. The dovetails are really nice.

Lee

-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com

View darryl's profile

darryl

704 posts in 732 days


posted 134 days ago

I had the same thoughts as Ben that this piece would be a bit on the flimsy side. Creating a piece that is durable yet looks delicate is fantastic!

-- ~ www.darrylmasterson.com ~ www.woodworkingdungeon.blogspot.com ~

View Scott Bryan's profile

Scott Bryan

8049 posts in 228 days


posted 134 days ago

That is a very nice looking bench. Maple and walnut compliment each other well. The dovetail splines add a beautiful detail to the bench. Great project.

Thanks for the post.

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

View libris's profile

libris

17 posts in 146 days


posted 134 days ago

Great looking job. Contrast btw. maple and walnut very good and the dovetail splines also good matched your design. Gorgeous project~

-- Libris, South Korea

View Dorje's profile

Dorje

1711 posts in 403 days


posted 134 days ago

Good looking bench Daren! It’s construction reminds me of this chair#.

(The site this is on is worth thoroughly checking out too..)

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

View cajunpen's profile

cajunpen

5291 posts in 472 days


posted 134 days ago

Daren that is beautiful. I am curious about the dovetail spline jig. Can, or will you, provide any more detail on the jig? Is it a shop made jig – or is it something that we can purchase?

-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/

View rikkor's profile

rikkor

6700 posts in 280 days


posted 134 days ago

So I am guessing the joints are mitered and the splines are perpendicular to the face of the miter? It really looks nice.

-- Maplewood, MN

View Daren Nelson's profile

Daren Nelson

286 posts in 311 days


posted 133 days ago

cajunpen (and everyone else) yes it is a store bought thing. Here is a link that shows how it works, pretty simple really. http://www.dovetailspline.com/index.html I did not post it before #1 I did not want to sound like I was advertising…and #2 if you check out it, it demystifies my work for sure. What looks like hours of lay out and labor in reality is about 15 minutes worth ;-)
Dorje, I checked out that guys site, pretty neat stuff. He even has a splined bench ($1200+) what a kick in the pants. Mine is going to sit on the back porch with muddy boots under it.

-- Urban logger, http://nelsonwoodworks.biz/

View CharlieM1958's profile

CharlieM1958

3704 posts in 624 days


posted 133 days ago

Really cool bench. I’m going to have to take a closer look at that jig.

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

View RobS's profile

RobS

1025 posts in 712 days


posted 133 days ago

Nice work Daren, I was going to ask about a stretcher also. Back porch, mud and boots?? It should be in a showroom. Great job.

-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX

View woodup's profile

woodup

105 posts in 349 days


posted 131 days ago

I like the contrast of wood colors and the draping effect off the edges. The dovetail ‘accents’ are nicely spaced.

-- Michael, Fort Worth, TX. "I wood if I could!"

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