garden bench for the summer months

[Wuffles]

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.

Looks nice and strong with that steel under it. Tidy job. Not sharp edges is it?

 

[ColeyS1]

Looks like you're making good progress ! What size router have you got ? Have you got a round over bit ?

Coley

 

[Redd]

thanks guys )


Wuffles hey, yes as a matter of fact they are all sharp lol, I neglected to tidy up the steel.

I was going to leave the rust, there is something nice about materials in theyre natural form. However I'm going to paint the steel with metal paint, direct to rust type stuff, so I'll clean up the edges when I'm doing that.


Coley I have a 1/4 inch router and yes I do have that type of bit. For what section do you mean?

 

[Wuffles]

I like a bit of rust with some lacquer over to capture it, looks nice to me. It's all been banned from the house unfortunately so I can only do it in the garden now.

 

[ColeyS1]

I like rust to, I'm really starting to embrace it ! I bought some rust coverter which seems to really have opened the flood gates for ideas. I'm gonna wait a little while more and then think about sealing the saw blade I plasma cut out a while back.

I was just thinking of the round over bit for the slats. I bought a box of bits and pieces and there's a 1/2 shank round over bit in there. Not amazingly sharp but would have done the job if you didn't have one

Coley
Edit:

This stuff looks like it leaves a lacquery finish, perhaps save lacquering stuff ? Best stuff I've used to date, quite thick in comparison to hammering stuff I've used before.

 

[Racers]

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.

The rough stuff left from sawing can be burnt off with a torch, it saves time sanding.

Pete

 

[Redd]

Nice of you Coley thanks.

Cheers for clearing that up Pete.


For aesthetics I'd like to bevel the slats and also inset them into the sides.

The only bit i dont know is how to take the section out of the sides. Hope this drawing gets across what I mean:

 

[MattRoberts]

Make a jig for your router to take that section out, and then square up the corners with a chisel. Search on YouTube for 'hinge jig' to see what I mean

 

[Redd]

sweet thanks

 

[Redd]

got the other leg done. Will throw a temp version together for the weekend, this evening. The sun is shining here.

 

[Wuffles]

got the other leg done. Will throw a temp version together for the weekend, this evening. The sun is shining here.

Needs a Cinzano Bianco and a couple of MotoGP brolly girls.

 

[Redd]

its going to get bits of both those tomo

 

[Roughcut]

its going to get bits of both those tomo

We wanna see pics.
Preferably bikini clad (them not you)!

 

[ColeyS1]

I feel I've had enough cider to check it's rigity !

Coley

 

[Redd]

hi all. so I did a bit more with this, nearly done with it. I bought 9 x 1 inch timber lenghts for the center. Will prob start spanning it this evening.

I braced it all last night. I quite like it so far, its huge and its pretty low profile, which is what I was going for.

I'll hammerite the metal, and clearcoat the timber.

I bought a belt sander. Its an old one as it turns out, with odd sized belts that no-one stocks anymore - 100x560mm. I found belts for it on ebay, they should arrive today. It has a big motor, I'm looking forward to playing with it.

 

[Wuffles]

If you'd carried the steel brace up the back, could you have done away with the rear wooden legs? Not that I'm saying you want to do that, it's just when you added the legs you weren't going to use any steel structure were you?

 

[Fitzroy]

You're going to need some big ass cushions for it, that's a lying down sleeping in the sun with a beer type of bench you're making.

 

[Redd]

Wuffles, Fitzroy hi there

Fitzroy you are correct. Alls i need now is some sun, honestly im here now building, its drizzling and im like whats the point! but ill persevere.

Itll pay off one oif there fine days.

Wuffles, ahh, yeah, naw I think I was always going to brace it with steel. I could have braced it with wood but, steel is more suitable? plus the back legs serve an aesthetic function. Its plenty strong now anyway. Will sit four people no bother im thinking, have friends up over the weekend so if the sun shows its head we'll see.

 

[Redd]

I bought ronseal clearcoat. - Its not clear!

Isn't there anything that will leave the lovely milky colour of sanded wood?

like this, in fact i didnt varnish this cos i wanted to keep the colour

heres another table i made a while back

 

[ColeyS1]

Looking smart now ! I like the steel addition that belt sander looks a bit of a workhorse. Have you only bought it for this job, or got a few more things you can use it on?
When the sun arrives and you've got a cold beer in your hand all your effort will seem worthwhile

Coley