A project well out of my usual

[Crazyraceguy]

For the last few decades, most of the focus was on cabinets and Architectural features/fixtures. I suppose, to some degree, part of it could be called furniture? Though that's not how I see it. I have done a few actual furniture projects, but they were for friends/family or myself. They were all side projects though.
My latest project, in the home shop is essentially a commissioned piece. It's not really though, since it's a favor for my daughter's back yard. That makes it a job that not only doesn't pay.....it's costing me.
It's a simple thing that I decided to take "over the top", while remaining true to the original. It's a simple metal-arm swing-bench.
It's far older than she is, always in the back yard, as a child. It went to her when she bought her own house, a few years ago.
It has had a rough life, out in the weather for decades.
When I was asked to fix it for her, a few of the cross slats were broken, but all of them were water damaged. (split/rotted)
It was painted originally, but it was requested to make it better. However, I had no clue how crudely this thing was built.
The only part I was saving was the metal frames/arms. Apparently, it was "home made", but who knows when?
Once it was apart, the arms don't even match each other. I cut the weld joint of one and evened them out as much as possible.
All the while, in search of some White Oak. A former co-worker runs a little side business cutting and drying lumber. He had a nice stack, in one of his storage areas. I got 3 pretty large pieces from him. They were air dried and of course rough.
I got them home and the actual work started. Turns out they really were dry enough to use, under 8%.
The original slats were through-bolted, with carriage bolts, long since sunk into the wood, looking bad, and even rusting, paint notwithstanding.
I chose to use threaded inserts, from the back, and nice stainless steel hardware, chains and all. The custom blended hardwax-oil, that I made for it, is still curing, so it hasn't been returned or reinstalled yet. For an indoor piece, it would be fine, but to sit out in the weather (getting into the 30s at night) not yet.
I thought I had more progress pics, but I guess not? I'll update when it goes back home.

 

[luvmytoolz]

What a fantastic project!

I love these sorts of jobs that have a bit of history or age, and are being rejuvenated to be put into use again.

 

[PaulMarcel]

Looks really nice. I refinished a similar bench long ago, replacing all the slats, but I kept the carriage bolts. I like your idea much better; cleaner look and prevents water intrusion

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Looks really nice. I refinished a similar bench long ago, replacing all the slats, but I kept the carriage bolts. I like your idea much better; cleaner look and prevents water intrusion

Thank you.
That was my goal. I also left the back and bottom edges nearly sharp, with the tiniest of edge break, hoping to break the surface tension, so the water would drip off. The top corners are a 45 degree chamfer, rather than roundover.
I'll get a pic of the bolts, from the back, when I hang it. They are really low profile, flatter than a carriage bolt, with a 4mm hex.

What a fantastic project!

I love these sorts of jobs that have a bit of history or age, and are being rejuvenated to be put into use again.

Thanks, It was fun. She will be shocked, I'm sure.
This one of those silly projects that no one would pay what it actually costs to do it. No one in the right mind anyway, which is mostly why I have learned so many different things in my life. Either I couldn't or wouldn't pay for it, so I had to do it myself.

 

[rvieceli]

Very nice CRG. Wonderful figure and grain in those slats. Should have plenty of years ahead of it.

Ron

 

[Packard]

I would preface that the project looks great. My questions are about the choice of material and the finish.

I would not have thought oak would be suitable for outdoor furniture. The Internet is of mixed opinion on the subject, some saying it is an excellent choice, others saying it is a mistake.

One listed the low moisture content of oak as an issue, as it would absorb moisture outdoors. I was thinking only about rot. I probably would have used cedar. Other choices are expensive (teak or mahogany).

I am of the opinion that with a good film-type finish it should do well. The oil-wax probably needs yearly applications.

 

[Michael Kellough]

@Packard, did you specify white oak? It’s quite suitable for outdoor projects.

 

[Cheese]

White oak has been a favorite of the wooden boat building guys for years...

Love the use of hidden fasteners along with threaded inserts, that adds years upon years of maintenance free use.

You mentioned low profile head fasteners with hex drives, do they look like these?

 

[Packard]

@Packard, did you specify white oak? It’s quite suitable for outdoor projects.

I did,and the responses seem evenly divided pro and con. I only read a few of the responses. Here is my search:

Google Search

 

[Crazyraceguy]

I would preface that the project looks great. My questions are about the choice of material and the finish.

I would not have thought oak would be suitable for outdoor furniture. The Internet is of mixed opinion on the subject, some saying it is an excellent choice, others saying it is a mistake.

One listed the low moisture content of oak as an issue, as it would absorb moisture outdoors. I was thinking only about rot. I probably would have used cedar. Other choices are expensive (teak or mahogany).

I am of the opinion that with a good film-type finish it should do well. The oil-wax probably needs yearly applications.

White Oak is great for outdoor projects. It is more rot resistant than most other types of timber. Red is the bad one. It is very much like a bunch of straws, pulling moisture right up in it.
Cedar would have been my (reluctant) second choice, basically determined by cost. (If I would not have been able to secure the WO at such a good price)
My concern with the Cedar is the stiffness/sturdiness. It might have worked, if the slats were wider or thicker, but I was trying to maintain the original look. Personally, I would have liked it wider anyway, but not true to the original.
Teak and Mahogany are both cost prohibitive, for this project. At this point, I have over $200 in materials alone. Time? who knows? (I probably don't want to know)
Film finishes peel, at some point anyway, and are far more invasive to refinish. The oil finishes cannot peel, since they are not a coating. Tung Oil is supposed to be very good as an outdoor finish. The wax can do nothing but help.
Now that it is sealed, a simple application of wax alone, should be sufficient, for quite some time.
We'll see...

Very nice CRG. Wonderful figure and grain in those slats. Should have plenty of years ahead of it.

Ron

Thank you. I wish it would have continued all the way across, but it is pretty nice on that one end. You really couldn't see it, when it was still rough.



@Cheese They are very similar, but not quite as heavy duty.

 

[luvmytoolz]

For signage, yeah cedar's great, but I agree wholeheartedly that for something being sat on outdoors White Oak is the better choice over cedar.

Apart from being really soft, cedar when exposed tends to split and break little splinters off, which can be annoying as well as catching fabric threads. White Oak seems to stay more intact outdoors.

 

[Cheese]

@Cheese They are very similar, but not quite as heavy duty.

Ya, just curious because despite being painted black, they're manufactured from 410 stainless so that they're magnetic. Just perfect for an upcoming aluminum fence gate project that's in the works. What caught my attention besides being manufactured from 410 SST was the thin profile thickness of the head, the large head diameter and the hex drive, a great combination of features for so many applications.