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Bench fit for a Cabin

Project by RobS posted 607 days ago 982 views 3 times favorited 34 comments Add to Favorites Watch

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


34 comments so far

View Robb's profile

Robb

356 posts in 813 days


posted 607 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

View jeremy's profile

jeremy

50 posts in 658 days


posted 607 days ago

Very nice!!

-- Jeremy, Saratoga, NY

View tenontim's profile

tenontim

1319 posts in 623 days


posted 607 days ago

Nice Rob. Very rustic and creative.

-- Tim -- http://tmuli.com

View scottb's profile

scottb

3391 posts in 1206 days


posted 607 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!

-- 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 Lee A. Jesberger's profile

Lee A. Jesberger

3709 posts in 858 days


posted 607 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

View CedarFreakCarl's profile

CedarFreakCarl

562 posts in 932 days


posted 607 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

View john's profile

john

1161 posts in 1260 days


posted 607 days ago

Great job Rob !! I am a big fan of rustic furniture.
That will last for centuries.

-- John in Belgrave http://www.extremebirdhouse.com ....http://community.webshots.com/user/cranbrook2

View Scott Bryan's profile

Scott Bryan

20080 posts in 701 days


posted 607 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.

View Dorje's profile

Dorje

1768 posts in 875 days


posted 606 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

View cajunpen's profile

cajunpen

5970 posts in 945 days


posted 606 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/

View Jojo's profile

Jojo

581 posts in 851 days


posted 606 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 · http://www.japanese-woodworking-tools.com/ · http://twitter.com/japanesetools

View Dadoo's profile

Dadoo

1724 posts in 869 days


posted 606 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!

View RobS's profile

RobS

1231 posts in 1185 days


posted 606 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

View CharlieM1958's profile

CharlieM1958

7467 posts in 1097 days


posted 606 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"

View Thuan's profile

Thuan

185 posts in 697 days


posted 606 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

View schwingding's profile

schwingding

122 posts in 704 days


posted 606 days ago

Great bench! Unique joinery method, too – way easier than the other way around.

-- Just another woodworker

View dennis mitchell's profile

dennis mitchell

3785 posts in 1193 days


posted 606 days ago

You pulled some beautiful color out of that wood! Nice

-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com

View teenagewoodworker's profile

teenagewoodworker

2470 posts in 647 days


posted 606 days ago

wow great job. i love the rustic look!

View hap's profile

hap

223 posts in 668 days


posted 606 days ago

great work.

-- hap, gunbarrel city tx.

View clieb91's profile

clieb91

679 posts in 814 days


posted 605 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."

View rikkor's profile

rikkor

11338 posts in 753 days


posted 604 days ago

That is really impressive. It really has stunning grain figure, and I like the leg-attachment.

View RobS's profile

RobS

1231 posts in 1185 days


posted 604 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

View Gary's profile

Gary

437 posts in 1203 days


posted 604 days ago

I like everything about this’n.

-- Gary, Florida

View UnbelievableLuck's profile

UnbelievableLuck

4 posts in 607 days


posted 604 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.

View frank's profile

frank

1492 posts in 1085 days


posted 602 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/

View RobS's profile

RobS

1231 posts in 1185 days


posted 597 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

View Roz's profile

Roz

441 posts in 665 days


posted 595 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."

View Dick, & Barb Cain's profile

Dick, & Barb Cain

6991 posts in 1178 days


posted 595 days ago

It has a great look to it, & the wind will never blow this one away.

-- -** 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

View TreeBones's profile

TreeBones

1558 posts in 902 days


posted 550 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

View FrankLad's profile

FrankLad

185 posts in 188 days


posted 186 days ago

I like this style as well. Looks very sturdy!

-- Frank, Mississippi, http://www.stoutwoodworks.com

View Jay Neale III's profile

Jay Neale III

113 posts in 213 days


posted 184 days ago

That’s beautiful!

-- Read my amazingly insightful blog at http://jn3Woodworks.blogspot.com/

View a1Jim's profile

a1Jim

15557 posts in 456 days


posted 180 days ago

rustic fun

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

View bradyvan's profile

bradyvan

22 posts in 527 days


posted 96 days ago

great lines and workmanship. I wish you had entered this in the contest!

-- -Brady, Austin, Texas, Y'all

View RobS's profile

RobS

1231 posts in 1185 days


posted 95 days ago

Thanks Brady. Guess I stayed away from the contest on this one cause I like to build contest entries during the contest time frame. And I think this contest was technically a Garden bench contest, and while I’m sure this could last a long time in a garden environment, it is safely tucked away in a NM ski lodge…

Thanks for deeming it contest worthy though….

-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX

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