ceriano
Shohin
That's a beautiful collection!
Show Us Your Bonsai Benches
- Thread starter Gsquared
- Start date
Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
Thank you. That photo goes back a way!
Shogun610
Masterpiece
Deep Sea Diver
Imperial Masterpiece
Looks great!
It’s the standard warehouse Bonsai bench!
Cheers
DSD sends
It’s the standard warehouse Bonsai bench!
Cheers
DSD sends
badatusernames
Omono
Do you recommend staining your benches or is unstained pressure treated fine you think? How often are you guys replacing boards if you aren't protecting them?
penumbra
Imperial Masterpiece
I think that is a personal choice. PT lumber doesn't need it it just may enhance the appearance to you. If you do stain new construction pt lumber, it needs to cure for at least 6 months or it will take the stain randomly if at all.
badatusernames
Omono
ahhh good to know. unstained it is.
Shogun610
Masterpiece
Yeah I love the rugged pallet look .. and the bricks and pallets were free.. I’m at the point now when I design my back yard to handle more benches .. I don’t even want grass just enough for my dog to do his business .. just benches , cheap gravel, grasses and plants to divide and create space ,wooden frame green house , outdoor pizza oven and patio..Looks great!
It’s the standard warehouse Bonsai bench!
Cheers
DSD sends
penumbra
Imperial Masterpiece
I hope you get every it of it and more. Sounds like a dream for me.
badatusernames
Omono
I found Buehler's book on bonsai benches and it has inspired me
Materials have been ordered
Materials have been ordered
penumbra
Imperial Masterpiece
Where did you find yours? It is a pretty pricey book for 108 pages and I can't decide if I should or shouldn't. I am not sure I would use it other than look at the picture as I have several benches already up and have already decided how to build some others.
But not having seen the book I am curious.
badatusernames
Omono
I think I stumbled across a cheap copy on abebooks or something, I don't recall it being very pricey.
Honestly, I'd say that it has provided some inspiration, but I wouldn't over-pay for the book. I don't think anything I'm going to end up doing is going to exactly mirror the book at all, it just gave me a foundation to determine the type of bench I wanted to build and the types of materials I would need. I doubt anyone with more experience in this kind of stuff than me really needs it, I'm just not much of a craftsman in terms of woodworking, but there are some cool projects like a stone top bench (tons of work but looks cool), ideas like a shohin bench, etc that I wouldn't have considered otherwise.
penumbra
Imperial Masterpiece
Thanks for the feedback.
Vinnie Charity
Shohin
I’m a woodworker and I’d be happy to answer any questions you guys and gals may have about building bonsai benches...
Shogun610
Masterpiece
Type of wood .. do wood slabs cut work well for this? How thin should the boards be to not allow for water to pool .. what type of stains and what type of wood junctions for best support?
I want legs not put in ground for portability.
Forgive my crude drawings I’m at work on lunch haha
Attachments
Japonicus
Imperial Masterpiece
This cedar pot has been in full Sun and moist, just over 3 years now. A few months on the ground for 2 Winters.
It's an alternative to treated lumber which needs several months to "cure" dry out
before you can apply any stain of your choice. I think I used MinWax regular penetrating stain, either Red Chestnut
or Colonial Maple or combo of those 2. I was shooting for a terra cotta look.
The treated unstained 4x4's in this picture have cracked a little, but nothing as much as the pot where it freezes
with moisture inside. Any stain outdoors will need to be refreshed occasionally.
I like Cabot Australian Timbre Oil Mahogany Flame but can only find in 1 gallon size. Is for decking and siding.
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Shogun610
Masterpiece
Gotcha .. when I mean wood slabs I meant live edge! trying to go for that look.. but I’d assume the stains would work for waterproofing
Japonicus
Imperial Masterpiece
Awesome! We just ordered a black walnut Amish live edge kitchen table to go with our living room mantle and shelf I made.
I hate staining good wood, I frown upon that and painting it brings out my bad side. Thompsons makes a clear.
I would go for UV protection in a clear myself. Show the natural beauty of the wood off
Shogun610
Masterpiece
Yeah now I just need to find the live edge slabs.but that’s after I find a house.. which in itself is way more complicated than bonsai at the moment.. it’s a good distraction thoughAwesome! We just ordered a black walnut Amish live edge kitchen table to go with our living room mantle and shelf I made.
I hate staining good wood, I frown upon that and painting it brings out my bad side. Thompsons makes a clear.
I would go for UV protection in a clear myself. Show the natural beauty of the wood off
Japonicus
Imperial Masterpiece
So @jmmzpsu14 I really don't understand the support question vs the drawing.
The drawing looks like you want to mount it in a shelf fashion, sorry.
Then, as long as the slab is supported or secured I mean, it shouldn't warp, but thicker would take longer to crack.
If you can, place the growth rings in a rainbow arc not cupping up, but narrow at the top, and wider apart on the bottom
side. That will HELP, prevent cupping which will hold water, but, you can place a board in the Sun
and it will draw the ends and or edges up. Secured down, will prevent most of that.
Maybe @Vinnie Charity can dial in your illustration better than I.
But here are 2 examples of how I've supported live edge slabs in a shel like manner.
www.ebay.com
www.ebay.com
Live edge may or may not include bark, still legit without. With, may separate outdoors IDK.
Cracks and crevices should be filled too being in PA (freeze/expand) if outdoors for the Winter.
I've never used a resin filler, and an epoxy pour plastic type finish, like a bar top, will scratch terribly.
The drawing looks like you want to mount it in a shelf fashion, sorry.
Then, as long as the slab is supported or secured I mean, it shouldn't warp, but thicker would take longer to crack.
If you can, place the growth rings in a rainbow arc not cupping up, but narrow at the top, and wider apart on the bottom
side. That will HELP, prevent cupping which will hold water, but, you can place a board in the Sun
and it will draw the ends and or edges up. Secured down, will prevent most of that.
Maybe @Vinnie Charity can dial in your illustration better than I.
But here are 2 examples of how I've supported live edge slabs in a shel like manner.
You can scroll through a listing to find dimensions
Security Measure
Security Measure
Cracks and crevices should be filled too being in PA (freeze/expand) if outdoors for the Winter.
I've never used a resin filler, and an epoxy pour plastic type finish, like a bar top, will scratch terribly.
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