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A couple of years ago a guy at a garage sale gave me a couple of pine slabs. They were about 6' by 18" by 2" thick. We used them for around our fire pit and just put them on plastic crates. This worked fine for years. But not any more. My second daughter is getting married (I mentioned this earlier in another post) and this bench needs to be official and nice, but primitive. So they came to me. I had to fix it. And believe me this is one of the easier tasks.

So from some pallet wood (my favorite kind) I cut some 2 1/8" square stock by 17" long. On the tablesaw I put a 45 bevel on it to give it a little bit of a rounder shape.

I bought a 2 1/8" forstner bit, this was the most expensive part of this project. I drilled the four holes in the slab in a 95 degree angle. (see pic #2)

Next I took the forstner bit and used it to mark a 2 1/8" circle on the end of the stock for the legs. (see pic#3) This would give me an exact outline to follow.

The next step is VERY exciting for me. I own a draw knife, but never had a purpose for it. With the draw knife I was getting close to my Forstner bit marking, but not hitting it. (see pic #4) With a spoke plane I finished it to the line perfectly. (see pic#5)

Next is a saw cut with the band saw for the wedge.



After that, I installed the leg in the hole, put the wedge in the sawcut, and beat it home. Now the cut for the wedge needs to perpendicular to the grain. (see pic#6)

After that I cut off the waist at the top end flush with the bench, and use my Stanley 9 1/2 to get at all the way perfect.





Thanks for visiting with me.
And one thing I was wondering about, in the rain and the sun, what do I do with that end grain…..

PaBull.

Gallery

Comments

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That turned out GREAT. I like the bench
 

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That is outstanding! Nicely done on the legs, they look much better than milk crates!
Thanks for sharing.
Well done.
 

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Here are some more pictures. Last night is was late and it was dark, so the pictures were not the best.
This is what I started with, the board on crates by the open fire pit.



And here the finished bench one more time in the back yard.



Pb.
 

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Canadianchips, thanks. My daughter likes it too.

Enoelf, right on, the pictures above are for you. Out with the milk crates.

Pb.
 

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Is your fire pit a dryer drum? Way to recycle, and I'll bet it makes a super hot bed of coals quickly.
 

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Hazelton,
Dryerdrums are the best *********************************** fire drums!
Pb.
 

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Nice Legs! and curves too! LOL
 

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Old kranky, are you staring at my legs again….

Pb.
 

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Great looking bench. Reminds me of the old shaving horses with a few parts missing. Great hand tool project.
 

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The name of the game is ,I like it like that,cool bench.
 

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One of the best small charcoal grills I ever had was a car wheel/rim mounted on a pipe. It let the perfect amount of air in under it and a round grill sat on it perfectly.
 

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For the end grain problem- Oil finish- put it on every spring. That's what I do. Nice job on the bench! Love it!
 

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Thanks for the tip, would Tung oil work you think?

Pb.
 

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Tung oil doesn't hold up too well outside. I have used spar- but after 2-3 years outside in the elements (in PA) the spar literally peels off in sheets. I am thinking just BLO- rub it in and re-apply as needed as time goes by.
 

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Okay, I do have a can of BLO. It will go on tonight before we get more rain.
Thanks for for your help Rivergirl.
Pb.
 

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Yeah well Mads- just watch the hand holding on the bench ala Jamie in Scotland aye? ;)
 

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;-) love is love.
 
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