Bench build

[thumblessprimate1]

I love the fine wood work similar to what the Japanese do. Tough stuff craftsmanship.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

fine joinery isn't delicate. it can withstand the elements. that this is confounding to people is odd to me.

Perhaps I didn't explain my point. The enemy of wood is water. I'm not worried about the joinery - I'm worried about wet wood. Show me a wooden structure 300 years old and I'll bet it has extensive stone footings and a sound overhanging roof (that has been regularly repaired / replaced).

My wood benches last five years (?) before they need to be replaced due to rot. The same bench in my house would last indefinitely...

To defeat water you use finishes. The enemy of finishes is the sun. Etc, etc...

 

[Cadillactaste]

I have a cypress arch hammock stand...on my second one actually. The first they said could withstand winter elements and such. And it fell apart... So I had to buy another one because we love having a family hammock where more than one person can lay on it. We now disassemble it for winter,which is now what the company suggests...to allow it to last longer. Anything in time will eventually show some sort of weathering...be it wood or what have you. Wood...is more likely to show decay down the years...but can still be appreciated while you have it. As with our hammock stand...when it goes, we'll buy another because I like the looks of it as well as the family size hammock it can hold.

 

[Skinnygoomba]

Perhaps I didn't explain my point. The enemy of wood is water. I'm not worried about the joinery - I'm worried about wet wood. Show me a wooden structure 300 years old and I'll bet it has extensive stone footings and a sound overhanging roof (that has been regularly repaired / replaced).

My wood benches last five years (?) before they need to be replaced due to rot. The same bench in my house would last indefinitely...

To defeat water you use finishes. The enemy of finishes is the sun. Etc, etc...

I have brass feet in the plans for this one.

I'm not worried about it, white oak was used for boat building for many centuries.

 

[Cadillactaste]

I have brass feet in the plans for this one.

I'm not worried about it, white oak was used for boat building for many centuries.

Those brass feet might work...ground contact with any wood has it's issues.

 

[Skinnygoomba]

 

[Tieball]

Extraordinary woodworking

Excellent woodworking is a passion of mine. Keep the progress photos coming...this is very cool!

 

[Skinnygoomba]

Thanks,

Here you go;

More to fallow tomorrow since it should be complete by then. I have to install the feet and then put it outside.

 

[Skinnygoomba]

 

[Derek91]

Nice work skinny, it looks good but I don't think it's gonna stay that pretty for long man. I can't imagine it not swelling and tweaking the first hard rain. I do water damages every day for a living And any wood is gonna swell and tweak when wet unless you had a finish that could prevent any water absorption. Like a bar top has or somthing to that nature.
I'm not meaning this to hate in anyway because the workmanship is amazing and it turned out great. I just would hate to see it not stay that way man.

 

[Dav4]

Well done, Skinny. I used to live in one of those 300 year old post and beam houses, and the huge mortise and tenon joints built into the frame of that house were a beautiful thing to look at and obviously worked quite well, as the house was still fairly square despite 3 centuries of use and abuse by the inhabitants and the elements. Old school joinery, whether it be mortise and tenon or dovetail, has always implied a high level of skill and craftsmanship in my eye, and is meant to last. The fact that you've used both in this project is wonderful. It looks great.

 

[Skinnygoomba]

Nice work skinny, it looks good but I don't think it's gonna stay that pretty for long man. I can't imagine it not swelling and tweaking the first hard rain. I do water damages every day for a living And any wood is gonna swell and tweak when wet unless you had a finish that could prevent any water absorption. Like a bar top has or somthing to that nature.
I'm not meaning this to hate in anyway because the workmanship is amazing and it turned out great. I just would hate to see it not stay that way man.

Well done, Skinny. I used to live in one of those 300 year old post and beam houses, and the huge mortise and tenon joints built into the frame of that house were a beautiful thing to look at and obviously worked quite well, as the house was still fairly square despite 3 centuries of use and abuse by the inhabitants and the elements. Old school joinery, whether it be mortise and tenon or dovetail, has always implied a high level of skill and craftsmanship in my eye, and is meant to last. The fact that you've used both in this project is wonderful. It looks great.

Thanks Gents!

Dav, I appreciate the sentiment! As a woodworker my inspiration in progressing from modern assembly methods (dowel joints, ect) to traditional joinery is just that, there is plenty of proof that traditional joinery can last for hundreds of years.

Derek, if the wood were to sit in water it would be ruined, that is true. However, for the same reason that a fence post does not self destruct or any other outside structures are that the wood will expand and contract at the same pace. That is part of the planning for a job like this, since wood swells along the width. What you wouldn't want to do is 'lock it in' which is to run straight grain perpendicular to one another and fix it on both ends.

I don't take offense to your concerns, they are fair points to discuss.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

there is plenty of proof that traditional joinery can last for hundreds of years.

...IF you keep it dry

Some joints on a chair I made. Note the floating back braces that bend to fit your back (I used wax in the slots as a lubricant). I expect this chair to last indefinitely as long as people don't abuse it. I wouldn't leave it in the rain though Nor would I want someone to leave a wet bonsai sitting on the seat for a couple of weeks

Don't get me wrong - I understand all the points you are making. However I don't think you would want this bonsai bench to end up looking like a fence post that has been out in the elements for several years.

 

[Skinnygoomba]

Gorgeous work! Being from SoCal have you been up to Maloof's place? My wife and I went this year and we had a great time (.did the whole house tour). By contrast we did the nakashima tour recently and loved it as well.

I think my wife has designs in this bench, so likely it will be saved from the elements very soon.

Next up;

Bonsai stands for inside. I'm building them in walnut.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Bonsai stands for inside. I'm building them in walnut.

Walnut is probably my favorite wood, depending on the project.

I have a large stand planned as well - walnut - with a "floating" top design. I just don't have enough hours in the day for all my projects I look forward to seeing your work!!

 

[Dav4]

When ever you two build your stands, please post pics of the process. I'm planning to reacquaint myself with woodworking once my kids are in college...bonsai stands in various sizes and styles are at the top of the list.

 

[Cadillactaste]

I love the nice clean lines...it's sitting on pavers,surly also will help not having total ground contact. 12" deep right? Any plans on making another...deeper to hold larger pots?

 

[DhD47]

I love your work. You are a master of wood for sure!

Dave

 

[Skinnygoomba]

Thanks for the kind words!

I love your work. You are a master of wood for sure!

Dave

I love the nice clean lines...it's sitting on pavers,surly also will help not having total ground contact. 12" deep right? Any plans on making another...deeper to hold larger pots?

Considering that a pot could overhang the sides a hair before looking odd, I think 12-13" across the width is a huge pot. For reference those are 17" flats that the pines are in, and I'll reduce those to much smaller pots when they are ready in a few (5-10) years.

Walnut is probably my favorite wood, depending on the project.

I have a large stand planned as well - walnut - with a "floating" top design. I just don't have enough hours in the day for all my projects I look forward to seeing your work!!

I rotate through a bunch of different woods, but walnut is nearly always one of my top choices. I am also I love with white ash, it's just gorgeous to work with handtools and can have incredible figure. My pile is like a catalog of exotics, but I rarely use them anymore outside of small fittings and such, they're just getting to be crazy expensive.

When ever you two build your stands, please post pics of the process. I'm planning to reacquaint myself with woodworking once my kids are in college...bonsai stands in various sizes and styles are at the top of the list.

Will do! I plan to deviate in style from one to the other, but they will look right paired together.