elegant curves in 8/4 stock for seating

[Holmz]

All proposed pattern bit approaches involve cutting the board on strips. Something I would like to avoid doing on a piece like this. The bench calls for a solid or a book matched piece.

At the traffic light I considered that if the arcs were on a template then they just go higher and the template does not need to be accurate for teh flats.
Just two arcs (or 3).

Very good point. Another approach could be to register the strips in a jig, perhaps on a piece of plywood and use a large circle jig to cut the arcs. The key to the flats is to not touch them with the router,IMO. No pattern needed.

I like ^it^.

One could even use MDF.
In your method one could have the circle jig hold a router and using the router's edge (The side of the bit) to get the arcs.

I got my forepaws onto the end of an RO150 the other day and got stuck into a band sawn slab.
It seemed that the removal rate of the machine made it difficult to have a flat piece. Is that my technique or would it be difficult to have a bench without waves using an RO150 ?

 

[tiralie]

Is that my technique or would it be difficult to have a bench without waves using an RO150 ?

Your technique. Many people have problems managing the RO150. For me the key is to always have the hose over my shoulder, relax, and use the right paper.
Having the hose over my shoulder helps to keeps the sander in a neutral position This keeps it from being pulled (down) by the hose creating wild movements and over corrections which can cause dips and cupping in the surface.
Tim

 

[mouppe]

I really liked the picture of the bench you posted and I actually had something similar in mind for my side entrance.

So I have been working away on the bench and today I used my router to remove the waste from the seats.

I used a moveable fence clamped to the bench top, and with the large base on my OF1400 and a bowl-shaped bit routed flutes across the top. I moved the fence from right to left, lowering the bit a little more each time. After reaching the halfway point of the curve, I would reduce the depth of cut. The fence meant that the flutes stayed square to the edge.

Now I can plane, scrape and sand the seat smooth with the router having removed 95% of the material.

I don't how to rotate the images, or why they posted like that- sorry.

 

[ear3]

Nice progress [member=7882]RL[/member] and thanks for the visual demonstration.

 

[TomE]

The sweeping arc of a pendulum comes to mind for some reason....... I wonder......if.

 

[mouppe]

Here is a photo of my finished bench.

 

[Holmz]

Nice!

 

[bobberner]

Very nicely done!