Rustic live oak bench with Thunder Mountain RR legs

[caveman]

 

This was an outside slab off a live oak that John and I sawed several years ago.  The log was opened with a sharp blade that had a tooth out of set evidently.  I sanded the top, first with 36 grit and then 80 but left the saw marks.  Some folks think they look cool and frankly I did not want to spend the time sanding an outside bench down to 240 grit.  The slab was about 10' long before I cut this section off of it a few days ago. 

Last weekend, after sawing some cedar, we rearranged the mill shed and added a little storage and this was stacked in the way taking up space.  It was time to burn it or use it.  The legs were cut out of the middle of some short pieces of what used to be Disney's Thunder Mountain RR.  In the next picture, is one of the pieces shown.  I cut the legs out of the middle.  The drill was a handful to hold when cutting 2" tenons on dry IPE.  One of these days I need to build a jig for tenoning like Mr. Widehead made.  The bench top is 18 1/2" high.  I prefer sitting a little higher but sometimes the material dictates the dimensions.  It is good to find a use for these short pieces.

It do be some kinda heavy doh - darn thing could be used in the pool.

[jwade]

very pretty table. thanks for posting the pictures.

[123maxbars]

nice job!

[WDH]

Love it.

[WV Sawmiller]

Cavey,

  Good looking bench. I used to make them that style but now I use 2" live edge slabs and let the tenon extend through then cut off the excess. My tenons are 1-1/2" and yes, they will beat you to death or at least break your wrist cutting them and the mortises with a half inch or larger drill. I've made them out of oak and a lot of ash but never tried live oak which should be harder than anything I have cut.

[caveman]

WV- the live oak is in the 3200 neighborhood on the Janka scale whereas Quercus alba (white oak) is 1360.  The Ipe that the legs were made out of is Janka 3680.  I will try to bring a few scraps to Jake's Georgia project to share with some folks.  

[WDH]

Looks like that you are Janka'ed out. 

[caveman]

I did not know any other way to relate how hard this stuff is without comparing it using an established metric like Janka's scale. Makes me want to start using bald cypress, which is only 510 on the same scale.

The Janka Hardness Test for Hardwoods   


 

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

$300
Nice!

[WDH]

1 SGU is not enough.

[fishpharmer]

  Caveman, very nice bench!  2 SGU, kinda rolls off the tongue.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

............ kinda rolls off the tongue.

Like Ray attempting to eat Grits.  :D :D :D

[thecfarm]

Hey,hey now. Don't make me chase you around with that blue rubber band again.   :D

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Hey,hey now. Don't make me chase you around with that blue rubber band again.   :D

:D :D :D

[caveman]

Y'all must be kidding, SGU's.  What kind of exchange rate can I expect with that, trying to get my goat?  I doubt that grits would make Ray ill but they might cause him to feel under the wether? :D  

If I could sell these things for $300 I would make them by the 100's and have the legs piled up like cord wood.

[thecfarm]

Careful caveman,I have more than one blue rubber band. :D He don't need any help picking on me. ;D  ;D

[LeeB]

Cutting tenons on round leg stock is a job best done outside. 

[caveman]

John and I sawed a bunch of oak slabs about a year ago to use for benches for a wedding venue.  Anyway, the owner has not purchased the slabs or commissioned us to make the benches since telling us she needed 50 more benches.  John and I planed a few slabs last weekend for him to use to build a Christmas gift for his inlaws. 

He has since applied tung oil.  The slight spalting and ambrosia beetle holes look appropriate on this bench.  Hopefully JMoore will post finished pictures.


 

 

[WDH]

That one looks like that it will sit well. 

[Nebraska]

Very well indeed.

[caveman]

I saw the bench again today when I stopped by to borrow an extension for my pressure washer.  He has it looking sharp with the oil finish.