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Custom freeform bench(Finished)

Started by T Welsh, October 08, 2011, 06:48:03 AM

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T Welsh

Had a friends father ask me to build a free form bench for his front porch at a birthday party the other day.built one for his son a year ago from a slab of Yew(another thread) so we talked and he said you pick the slab and you make all the call,s. asked him if he liked light or dark wood,what type of finish ect. he said I like dark woods and it will go outside so what every will hold up to the elements go with it. so here,s the slab that I picked 12/4 Walnut getting wire brushed so I can see whats there!! and chalk for lay out. will take picture of progress till completed. Tim








WDH

I love the wormy edges!  (I love walnut!)
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Banjo picker

I have a slab of white oak I am going to make one out of ...Chris suggested after I get the legs attatached...to put it back on the mill ,clamp it down and level the legs with the saw...sounds like that should work   8)  Tim
Never explain, your friends don't need it, and your enemies won't believe you any way.

zopi

I love those wormy edges...I have a little whack of pecan with wormy edges,  that blew down in isabel...been trying to decide what to male with it for a couple years...
How're you going to attatch the legs? Frame, and screwed down or mortise and tennon with wedges? I like the look of the endgrain with wedge in the top of the bench..
Got Wood?
LT-15G GO chassis added.
WM sharpener and setter
And lots of junk.

sparky1

looks like the makings of a very very nice bench!!
Shaun J

T Welsh

Phase#2 I got to playing with the chalk and came to the trimming stage. I felt like I needed to keep the side defect/knot in the slab. I,ll figure what to do with it down the road! its a little dotey on the bottom and is semi detached. but I came upon the form so far, will walk away from it for a couple of days and will come up with something! Tim








WDH

That thing is screaming to be a bench  :).
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

T Welsh

WDH, Its in a very rough form right now! just shaped,(chain saw) and roughed out with a belt sander. I did get it through the planner and got both sides flat. need to dig through my stock and come up with a simple trestle type base. but I want to use mortise and tenon joinery to fasten the base to slab and then wedge the tenons from the top. as for a finish,I will talk to the owner and find out his preference of oil or poly. Its going to sit outside and I will have to give him a quart of tung oil to keep it from drying out, if he goes with poly,I was thinking Helmsman by Minwax. I don,t know yet,its a long way to that stage, any suggestions! Tim

beenthere

T Welsh
What do you mean by "sit outside" ?

In the weather, rain, sun, and maybe snow?
Or just unheated but protected from weather as in a covered veranda or gazebo?
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Lud

I'd suggest soaking in some thin Cyanoacrylate (CA) to toughen up that knot.   It suggested to me a bird's beak.  If you carved an eye and a hint of the head and body you could feather it.....maybe some woodburning like Jeff does.  Nothing really deep or overworked.   Could add a real personality to the bench.   Good Luck! 8)
Simplicity mill, Ford 1957 Golden Jubilee 841 Powermaster, 40x60 bankbarn, left-handed

T Welsh

Quote from: beenthere on October 09, 2011, 12:46:30 PM
T Welsh
What do you mean by "sit outside" ?

In the weather, rain, sun, and maybe snow?
Or just unheated but protected from weather as in a covered veranda or gazebo?
Yes the first! in the rain,sun,snow,uncovered and out in the nasty!!! I am not even concerned about it right now, early stages of the build, but I will have to confront it, and how to best protect it when it comes time.( I have no control what the owner will do with it after it leaves my hands) but I will do my best to pick the right finish and educate the effects of the outside to him before it goes bye bye. Tim

T Welsh

Had another rain day and got to do a little more work on the bench, cut out the trestle bottom and stretcher and cut mortise and tenons and I am now fitting the tenons. will upload pictures when I get a chance. Tim

T Welsh

Got to phase 3 and stared on the bottom of bench,wanted to stay with free form,dug around the shop and found some cut off ends that worked for me! layed them out and cut mortises in them for stretcher,dug around the thicker stock cut it out and then cut tenons on each end and then fitted then together, they came out good and tight. then cut mortises in stretcher for wooden keys to hold it tight. will start to attach the top to the base later,everything is sanded to 80 grit for now! Tim








metalspinner

That's gonna hold together no matter what the weather throws at it. 8)
I do what the little voices in my wife's head tell me to do.

WDH

That is the way I have done it too.  Very strong and shows element of design.  Nice!
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

T Welsh

Had another rain day and finished the bench. it is sanded to 220 grit all over and to 600 grit on top and end grain. will ask customer how he wants it finished. from what I know its going to sit outside and in the elements!!! yes,rain,snow,sun,fog. I have been thinking about this for a day or so and have come up with Helmsman by Minwax. tung oil will do also,but will have to be oiled every so often. I dont think shelac or varnish will hold up to the out side very well. any thoughts or suggestions would help. but it all boils down to what the customer wants. will upload the picture later today. Tim

WDH

Marine spar varnish like they use on the exposed wood on expensive yachts or boats would be my bet.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

T Welsh

Ok, Its assembled and sanded and now ready for finish! Tried something new this time with the slab attachment, drilled and installed pegs with wedges and glue. 







The grain started to come alive while sanding it and I normally stop at 180 max. but the more I went up in grit the prettier it got ,so I stopped at 600. Still waiting for choice of finish from customer, WDH, I will check out the marine spar varnishes while I wait for the answer. Tim

beenthere

The only one I'd recommend would be Watco Teak oil
http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=51

If being outside, I wouldn't put on any varnish. An oil will allow for easy re-finishing. This one is for use on teak on boats. But that is just me. (and I might even consider not putting any finish on it at all)

It does look great.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

scsmith42

Peterson 10" WPF with 65' of track
Smith - Gallagher dedicated slabber
Tom's 3638D Baker band mill
and a mix of log handling heavy equipment.

WDH

Oil would be more maintenance, but the UV rays won't mess it up much, and it would be easy to do, and it won't flake or peel off.  Beenthere may have the best practical answer, although, no doubt the spar varnish would offer more protection, it but is so aggravating to mess with. 

It seems like that if it was oiled at least annually, it would probably hold up good given that it is walnut as long as the base is not in direct contact with the dirt.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Dale Hatfield

Spar varnish by anyone is junk . Turns yellow, Peels.
A log oil or any of the Cabbots products are my  choice.
If you use any products that have an oil base better stock up . They are slowly pulling from the shelf in a lot of states.
Game Of Logging trainer,  College instructor of logging/Tree Care
Chainsaw Carver

T Welsh

I am leaning towards tung oil if its going outside, I know it will need recoated every so often, but it will be better for the bench in the long run. varnishes and poly,s have a tendency to peel off after a couple of years in the elements, I refinished an oak door in helmsman by minwax and it held up pretty good. I have used cabbots products before and have been impressed by them. Tim

Marc Thornton

That is an awesome bench.  Very nice and natural feeling.  I love how you can see the one leg through the hole in the bench top. 

T Welsh

Marc, Thanks, I love to play with my wood. on you post of turning green waste into recycling. this is just another aspect of how you can do it! Am I a cabinet maker(NO) but I have ideas, and my father told me to follow my instincts and this is where 30+ years of doing that has lead me, do I make mistakes,YES, every so often! but its a great way to get that (added value) out of my profession. I will tell you what I quoted the customer $400 to $500. as it turned out from the out come I am short selling myself, but like I said I am not a cabinet maker. If I where to market this bench in the right area I am sure I could get thousands, but I would rather build and sell than play the starving artist game. hope this puts a real grasp  on life in the wood bizz in perpective for you ! Tim

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