| Project by RobS | posted 117 days ago | 466 views | 2 times favorited | 29 comments | ![]() |
Well, it’s going somewhere but it’s not going anywhere….
My SIL asked me to make a bench for my BIL; stating that he has always wanted one for their mountain cabin in New Mexico. She knew I dabbled in woodworking and trusted me enough to come up with something after showing me a couple ideas from catalogs via email. She said she’d be happy to pay for the lumber and the labor as she wanted to surprise her husband with it as a gift. She only asked that it be rustic, to match the feeling and decor of the cabin.
Right away I was thinking thick, bulky wood and started pricing some rough sawn cedar at the local stores; then along came this… some found wood of rustic proportions. After purchasing a used planer, I was pleasantly surprised to uncover the wood’s hidden colors and also determined that these boards were treated with a turpentine type chemical, probably explaining why they lasted so long outdoors. As I worked with it I could smell the treatment but the wood was dry enough to work without gumming up any of my tools.
I initially assumed I would be making the typical four leg bench, but being a fan of the unique, I had to at least “brain/book/web-storm” for some other ideas…Then I recalled my appreciation for Jojo’s shower stool, how he indicated the way all the joints worked together. I emailed Jojo and asked him some more detailed questions about the stretcher and the angles involved.
Wanting to keep most of the weathered/nail-holed edges intact and not wanting to cut almost 3” mortises thru the bench top’s center; I elected to go with this design, which I really don’t know what to call, its almost a reverse mortise and tenon. Figuring that cutting the slots to accept the legs would be easier to attack from the side. With the tightness of those joints and massiveness of the wood, I probably could have left it at 2 legs and the top. I did not think it had that finished look yet at that stage and thought the wedged stretcher would tie and tighten it all together…It did add a little to the bulk though, as the bench weighs in at almost 90 pounds with measurements of 61”(w) x 12”(d) x 18”(h).
Sanded from 60 to 150 to 220 and finished with two coats of Watco teak oil, I am happy with the final product and hope the recipient will be too when it is unveiled in less than a week (good thing he doesn’t surf the net).
So that’s the story….from muddy banks to mud room. Thanks for looking.
-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX
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29 comments so far
Robb
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308 posts in 323 days
posted 117 days ago
Wow Rob! That’s a terrific looking bench, and from found lumber, no less? I’m duly impressed. I hope the recipient is as well! Nice work.
-- Robb
jeremy
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46 posts in 168 days
posted 117 days ago
Very nice!!
-- Jeremy, Saratoga, NY
tenontim
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614 posts in 133 days
posted 117 days ago
Nice Rob. Very rustic and creative.
-- Tim -- http://tmuli.com
scottb
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2739 posts in 716 days
posted 117 days ago
great bench, and what a find in those old boards! (as soon as the snow is gone, I’ve got some woods to tromp through…) good things that isn’t headed for the post office!
-- The opposite of war isn't peace. It's creation. -- Wood T's: http://www.printfection.com/snbcreative
Lee A. Jesberger
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2041 posts in 368 days
posted 117 days ago
Hi Rob
Very good looking bench. You did a nice job of keeping the typical “clunky” look of a bench at bay.
The joinery is nicely done also!
Lee
-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com
CedarFreakCarl
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280 posts in 442 days
posted 117 days ago
Great bench Rob! Sure looks like heart pine to me which would explain the turpentine/pinesol smell, imho. As a matter of fact, pine is what is used to make turpentine from.
-- Carl Rast, Pelion, SC
john
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651 posts in 770 days
posted 117 days ago
Great job Rob !! I am a big fan of rustic furniture.
That will last for centuries.
-- John in Cranbrook http://www.extremebirdhouse.com ....http://community.webshots.com/user/cranbrook2
Scott Bryan
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7771 posts in 211 days
posted 117 days ago
Hi Rob,
This is a very nice looking bench. It has solid joinery and thanks for the story behind it.
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.
Dorje
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1694 posts in 385 days
posted 116 days ago
Rob – I remember when you found that wood…
You really used it to a great effect here! Good looking solid bench! Great joinery.
-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA
cajunpen
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5256 posts in 454 days
posted 116 days ago
Beautiful bench. I think that you joinery was very clever and is well executed. He should be quite happy with it – he certainly won’t have to worry about the wind blowing it over or it roting anytime soon.
-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/
Jojo
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312 posts in 361 days
posted 116 days ago
Again, a very nice rustic piece Rob, and the exterior pics even look better than the previous. The turpentine gives it an amazing-looking grain. It almost doesn’t look like pine. I bet your BIL will be as in awe as we all are.
-- Jojo · shopless in Kyoto
Dadoo
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1398 posts in 379 days
posted 116 days ago
Nice! Real nice! Glad to see something so nice came out of those old timbers Rob. Beautiful wood pattern too.
-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!
RobS
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1000 posts in 695 days
posted 116 days ago
Wow! All great comments, thanks so much! Coming from all of you means a lot to me.
Carl, thanks for the guess on the wood, I’m not exactly sure what it is, although it is very heavy but figured most of that heft is from the treatment, whatever it may be.
Scott, good luck on your quest.
Thanks again to all.
-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX
CharlieM1958
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3510 posts in 607 days
posted 116 days ago
I’m not usually a big fan of “rustic” but this bench is really beautiful. Great looking wood, too.
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
Thuan
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152 posts in 207 days
posted 116 days ago
I think it’s great that something so rustic and simple has half a world of thought put into it. That great looking bench will be enjoyed for generations.
-- Thuan
schwingding
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119 posts in 214 days
posted 116 days ago
Great bench! Unique joinery method, too – way easier than the other way around.
-- Just another woodworker
dennis mitchell
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2796 posts in 703 days
posted 116 days ago
You pulled some beautiful color out of that wood! Nice
-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com
teenagewoodworker
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1682 posts in 157 days
posted 116 days ago
wow great job. i love the rustic look!
hap
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131 posts in 178 days
posted 116 days ago
great work.
-- hap, gunbarrel city tx.
clieb91
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275 posts in 324 days
posted 115 days ago
Rob, Bench looks great. I like the reverse mortise and tenon concept, gives it a very good look.
CtL
-- Chris L. "Don't Dream it, Be it."
rikkor
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6465 posts in 263 days
posted 114 days ago
That is really impressive. It really has stunning grain figure, and I like the leg-attachment.
-- Maplewood, MN
RobS
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1000 posts in 695 days
posted 114 days ago
Thanks for all the positive feedback. I appreciate all of you taking the time to look, read and comment.
-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX
Gary
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285 posts in 713 days
posted 114 days ago
I like everything about this’n.
UnbelievableLuck
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4 posts in 117 days
posted 114 days ago
wow, really great. i love the angles of the legs, it creates a very light weight feel despite the thickness of the stock. the joinery is very creative. nice grain too. great work.
frank
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1277 posts in 595 days
posted 112 days ago
Hello Rob;
—-well yes, here I come in late as usual with my .02 cents worth….
What a ’bonzer’ of a cabin bench and very much ’prodigious’ in size and feat of work-man-ship. I have been wondering when and to what use, you were going to put these boards to, that you had shown us in one of your previous blog stories. And now that I’ve seen the result of your work….and labor in the art of unique, I’m glad for the wait. I might add that one of the first points my eyes were drawn to on this bench, was the finish you gave the wood….and what a great finish therein.
And now for the wood joinery that you have used here on this piece….or in your own words; ”....its almost a reverse mortise and tenon.” This type of wood joint is what I would call a ’bridle joint’ as shown in the following link…. Bridle joint
Well take care over the weekend of moving this one….and,
Thank you for sharing this one with us here at LJ.
GODSPEED,
Frank
-- --frank, NH, http://frank.wordpress.com/
RobS
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1000 posts in 695 days
posted 107 days ago
Thanks for the joinery lesson Frank, in looking at the link and adding the information that the legs on this bench have a 10 degree splay, this is actually an Oblique Bridle Joint. Then, of course, I added oak dowel pins to the joints so technically it could be a Pinned Oblique Bridle Joint. Thanks for your kind words Frank, as always you are too kind.
Gary and UBL, thanks to you too.
-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX
Roz
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243 posts in 175 days
posted 105 days ago
Abosultly beautiful! Perfect looking joinery and a great display of the natural beauty of the wood.
Thanks for sharing.
-- Terry Roswell, L.A. (Lower Alabama) "Life is what happens to you when you are making other plans."
Dick Cain
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4290 posts in 688 days
posted 105 days ago
It has a great look to it, & the wind will never blow this one away.
-- Dick Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1
TreeBones
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1340 posts in 412 days
posted 60 days ago
This is a great bench Rob. I like the same style you lean towards.
-- Ron, Twain Harte, Ca. Portable on site Sawmill Service http://westcoastlands.net/Sawmill.html http://westcoastlands.net/SawBucks2/phpBB3