Custom freeform bench(Finished)

[Den Socling]

I do hope the new owner reconsiders putting that bench outside. It belongs in a museum. When he asked for the bench, he probably expected a rough slab.

[T Welsh]

Den, Thank you for your compliment. I just got an e-mail from the owner and its going outside in front of his fish pond. he also asked me to install a hole in the leg that he can chain it down so it wont walk away :D. I am not going to put a hole in the leg. he can go around the stretcher if he wants to chain it up. Going to go with Helmsman 3 or 4 coats should do. I have used it before and I know what the results will look like. Tim

[Roxie]

That is beautiful!  Please be sure to post a picture after the finish.   

[T Welsh]

Will do Roxie, its the beauty of the wood and the free form that does it for me! when the poly goes on and dries it will look like a sheet of glass on it. Tim

[T Welsh]

Job got canceled because of snow, went to woodshop and it was 42 degrees in there! Grabbed the bench and brought it inside to apply the first coat of Helmsman spar urethane. I love this part of the build as soon as penetrates the wood grain comes alive. here,s a couple of pictures







I am thinking its going to need about 3 to 4 coats to be finished the way I like it. I just finished a table top for wifey,s coffee table and I wasnt happy until the sixth coat. She bought it and called me a said its real wood honey,well when she had me unload it out of the truck,I pointed out to her,yes honey it,s real wood over partical board. we let it go for a couple of years and she said why dont you make a real top for it ;D. (she knows just how to say things to me!) Tim



It turned out like glass

[blaze83]

Tim,

very, very nice, love the walnut bench.....  what kind of wood is in your coffee table top? walnut around the edge, and character white oak?  not 100% sure, very nice work though  8)

steve

[T Welsh]

Steve, Your guess is very close,its red oak with a walnut wrap. I want to thank you guy,s for all the compliments so far, it really means a lot to me! I am a self taught woodworker,I make mistakes all along the process of builds and projects and have leaned from my mistakes. it truly means that I have started to progress when my peers compliment my work. I am my own worst enemy when it comes to anything I get into, my favorite quote is ( perfect is good) came from a brother of my best friend while sawing and building a timber frame barn for his wood shop, I have always had a great respect for his work and when we finally got it under roof and had a few beers to honor all the hard work that went into the barn and one of his friends asked how he think it turned out and he said that quote. and he was right. Tim

[WDH]

It is amazing how walnut transforms when you put a coat of finish on it.  Truly one of the miracles of the woodworking world.  I want to make one of those ofter seeing yours!

[shelbycharger400]

i learned the hard way..with that helmsman... it will show 400 sanding grit, it did on my table
i know that picture dosn't even begin to show the grain/ detail and color

did you experience the first one or 2 coats just suck'd right in, almost had to pour it on, then the 3rd seem to want to sag real easy?

Nice job on the bench!

[T Welsh]

shelbycharger400, It drank the first coat like a cold beer on a hot day. Tim

[metalspinner]

Lookin' good. ;)

Since you mentioned this will end up outside by a pond, some extra protection at ground level would be marine epoxy scraped into the endgrain on the leg bottoms. That should keep moisture from wicking up into the leg.

he also asked me to install a hole in the leg

How do you install a hole? :D

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

he also asked me to install a hole in the leg

How do you install a hole? :D

MetalSpinner,

Well, first you cut out a hole with a holesaw...  < GRIN >

Herb

[T Welsh]

metalspinner, Good idea with the end seal on the bottoms of legs!! But when I brought it into the house I noticed a little wobble in the bench and I started to finish it already, will sand and put another coat on tonight. How am I going to get a straight and level cut off a finished bench put it on the woodmizer upside down and make a small adjustment cut 8). What ya all think of that brainy idea! some times I get ahead of my self and I get in trouble. you guy kill me with the install hole thing. I just repeated what the customer asked and didnt even think. I got a good laugh. Tim

[beenthere]

When you flip it over to put the finish on the bottom side, do it on the WM and level the legs at the same time.

Doesn't mean they won't need it again when the top moves some more, but can hope.

For the hole, first make the cutout and then install the hole after. ;)

[T Welsh]

(quote)Doesn't mean they won't need it again when the top moves some more, but can hope.
beenthere, you have done this before havent you! I know that when I cut the base out and put it together it was dead on. now a week later its not level. slabs of wood move big time. It hit me as soon as I read your post, I brought the bench in from an unheated shop into a woodstove heated house ;D Tim

[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

[WDH]

Make the hole a little larger that you need because the hole will shrink with the legs  :D.

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

The thing about a hole, there ain't nuthing to it...

Herb

[jamesamd]

Well done! Beautiful work!
Jim

[T Welsh]

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

Tim,I can see I,m in with the right crowd,seems we all think alike. I could put the bench on a level surface and scribe and cut with a circular saw,but thats how everyone else would do it. I have bigger tools! Tim

[Sprucegum]

I doubt the ground out by the pond will be perfectly level - your bench is already perfect as is.

And you can tell him the hole is already there; you just left the wood in it  :  ;)

[T Welsh]

Sprucegum, Your right,but I,m anal. prefects good. I wont let it go until I am pleased with it. I keep pushing my limits to see if I can make it perfect. You guys and the hole thing. You all have failed to notice that I already (installed) the hole. Its on the slab,mother nature helped! :D. 2nd coat went on last night,and its twice as clear and really is starting to fill all the grain and look like glass,I wont stop until a good solid finish is on. I,ll get pic,s later tonight,before 3rd coat on. Tim

[Marc Thornton]

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

Tim,

I totally understand where you are coming from.  The further you can get down the value chain, the more little pieces of the pie.  Your take on that piece is much better than starving.  I also bet your customer will talk it up and show it off which will come back three fold.

[T Welsh]

Marc, I like pie pieces heck,I want the whole pie! and your right about coming back three fold,that is the way I do everything,I try no to gouge,but I do want to be paid well for my efforts. I always give the customer a little extra and it has paid off in spades over the years. 2nd coat sanded to 600 grit and 3rd coat just went on! here,s a couple of pictures. Tim

[beenthere]

You are not gonna wanna let that beauty outta the house. Just looks too good to sit outside by a pond. IMO