garden bench for the summer months

[Redd]

Hi all, good morning to you.

I dont see newbie section so I'll put this in here.

We want a garden bench, so I said, okay, I'll throw one together, get it done fast, it'll be grand. So I made that, which you can see below. But then the problem formed in my head, that's not pretty enough dammit, it needs to be prettier. So I'm in the process of making it more interesting to the eye.

It will be obvious from the pics below I am no carpenter or woodworker. My material is steel, and no matter how many woodworking tools I buy, I find it hard to invest mentally in the material. I don't know how that reads to you, but what it means in practical terms is that I have zero interest in doing dovetail joints or similar to bond this.

But, saying that, if someone can suggest a really cool or suitable joint I might give it a go.

Ideally I'd like to bind the back and the sides with the stuff they use to bond rafters together, the metal plates with hundreds of spikes in them, I don't know what they are called.

Can anyone suggest alternative, easy ways to put this together please? At the moment its aligned with biscuit joints and thats all.

If I cant find a better idea I'll weld together some metal to support the back and sides, for each joint.
You can see the first version has metal plates to hold it together, but I think they look rubbish. I would like to just have bare wood on the surface facing the viewer.

The below are in chronological order:

latest version, need to fix this together, would love suggestions... dowels? joints? metal sections, glue?

It needs to be strong because I'm going to be drunk, and standing on this. I weigh 12 stone.

thanks for reading,
redd .

 

[ColeyS1]

It needs to be strong because I'm going to be drunk, and standing on this. I weigh 12 stone

Funniest thing I've read this year !!!
Welcome to the forum !!
The one you've made looks good, wood perhaps rounding the ends of a few bits make it look a little softer looking?
That comment made me proper belly laugh !

Coley

 

[MattRoberts]

I agree - the first thing that struck me was that all of the wood needs chamfering or rounding over with a router. I think it will make a big difference.

In terms of joinery - nothing suits chairs better than mortise and tenon, but they can be fiddly to do, especially given the angles you're working with.

If your metal braces are strong enough, then a spray of black paint would do the trick. If they're not strong, then lapped joints or tenons are the way to go. You could use bridal joints with bolts through?

 

[AndyT]

Another approach for making what you want without cutting joints:

Instead of the 3 x 2 you've used for the supports, use three layers of thinner wood. (The easiest stuff to buy planed will probably be about 19mm thick.)

Build up your supports from three layers of this, sandwiched together, but at each intersection change the pattern so that one piece runs all the way through and is overlapped by others as much as possible. A bit like overlapping the bricks in a wall.
Glue and screw (or nail) to hold it all together.

 

[Redd]

Coley ya, is it a garden bench or an outdoor drinking platform.... im not sure... - both.

Andy I like your idea, its a very good one, however I've spent all my wages for this months so I'm going to have to make do with what I have. Lol this was supposed to be cheap and simple but has already turned into a black hole for both time and money, but its fun, and a worthwhile investment of both I think.

Matt hi ) ...bridal joint, I like that, its an interesting one and looks appropriate. However I've already taken the material off, will have to see what stocks I have left to implement that one.
Same with tenon joints. I think I would have done something like that had I though about it beforehand. Hmmm. One thing I will say is that its nice working on this scale with material this size, its enjoyable. Had a look on google and something like this would have been a winner, big and chunky and effective.

 

[Redd]

well I came up with a plan, I'd like to think its a devious plan, but at the very least its -a- plan. Buttresses.

I have a plasma cutter, and I have plate steel, so I'll build supports and then I can jump on the thing to my hearts content. Thanks all for your suggestions, most kind and welcoming of you. I'll post up a pic when its done, maybe mid next week.


sorry here is a rubbish MS paint rendition, but you get the idea

 

[MattRoberts]

Your MS paint drawing skills are superb. That's positively lifelike

 

[ColeyS1]

I like the plate, it's what you do. Perhaps if the plate were a little bigger with a few dome nuts, you may not even need wood joints if you use enough. Industrial style.

Coley

 

[No skills]

Do you have a router? I'd go with your metal plates and just sink them in the timber by routing the shape of the plates into the timber. If you don't want to see the plates then keep them on the inside of the leg assemblys.
If the routed recesses are a tight fit it will help with strength a fair bit.

 

[beech1948]

Issues are:-

1) The back is at such an acute angle that it will have to bear all of the strain of your body when you recline and this will act to break the joints. You will need to have a leg coming from the back to the ground. I see you have this in your last photos and a mortice and tenon would be a good way to join these. An even better way would be to add a foot from the rear leg to the first seat leg and possibly through to the fron again with M&Ts.

2) The seat has a hump in the middle that would possibly become uncomfortable to sit on. Could this not become a wave shape so there is a hollow to place your bum in and a knee roll to rest your lower legs on.

 

[Redd]

hi guys, am still tapping away at this and enjoying it too. will take a pic in a bit on show where im at.

Beech hiya, how can i make that wave?

I cant seem to see passed the current 2x4 configuration, I'm so used to seeing park benches that config wont leave.

was wondering, - do i need gaps in the wood, would something like slotted timbers work, similar to the ones used in floors work.....
At this stage I dont mind spending more on the correct seating surface, i have enough in it to want to get it right, but am out of ideas.

sorry not up on the woodworking nomenclature.



edit, pics
__________________________________________

this will be fitted midway underneath, not flat against the back like as shown

made this bit tonight, not enough light to get a good pic.

 

[n0legs]

You say you weld, why not make a matching pair from 100x50 box.
Bolt down the slats, job done. Maybe get them galvanized.
Brushed stainless would be nice but cost.

 

[Redd]

that's a very good idea. however I'm that far down this path that I might as well continue.

 

[ColeyS1]

I'd say the slat idea you have at the moment would be better than tongue and groove. Putting some rounds on everything will definitely look different, perhaps make it a little more comfortable.

Coley

 

[ColeyS1]

I've only just spotted you're remaking the whole bench- I thought you just wanted to tweak the original!

Coley

 

[Redd]

Yah thats right Coley. Not far left to go. Am going to put it on braked castor wheels too, because we tend to have to chase the sun around the garden, as the day progresses.

My girlfriend was able to lift the previous version, but said that that it would mess her back up to do it regularly.

Someone asked did i have a router, yes I do, and I'm going to round the edges of the slats.

We are both going to sand it, its a lot of wood and I'd like recommendations please on what types of sander to use?
I was thinking a belt sander might be the best. I have a little bosch random orbit sander, but its too small for this amount of rough wood.

Better half is going to take care of painting it. Then I can get back to working on my truck and leave you all in peace )

 

[Racers]

Blowlamp the fuzz of it before sanding.

Pete

 

[Redd]

to what end Pete? - sorry, googled it just there and all I'm getting is 'how to remove paint'.

I have a mapp torch, but I reckon your talking bout a blowtorch with less heat?

appreciate any and all ideas ) cos I will not think of them.

 

[Wuffles]

If it's really rough wood Redd, Pete is suggesting using actual flames with your mapp torch to get rid of the things that are next to impossible to sand off generally...at least that's how I read it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Redd]

my girlfriend likes the idea of a belt sander, and who am I to argue! - I'm looking forward to playing with it.

here is leg 1

Its pretty solid actually, I'm pleasantly surprised. I can pick it up and it doesnt move about at all. I can see now what people mean when they say biscuit joints are useful for alignment.

We've decided to pump more money into the thing to make it look nice. As per usual its spiraling into a money vortex.

1. belt sander
2. planed 2x4 slats x 12
3. brackets x 24 - to attach the slats in such a way that that no screws are revealed



I'll throw it together with the existing rough slats in the meantime.