Gothic Garden Bench

[Ajax]

This is a project I completed last Spring.  I thought I would give Peter's Gothic Garden Bench a try using my new Domino XL700.  My build process was different than Peter's. 



Whereas Peter used Festool's OF1400, Carvex, and Rotex 150 to get the seat, legs, and trestle to form and then used long screws to connect everything, I used the following:

1) Festool TS55 to rough cut the various pieces (seat, legs, and trestle); I started with a single piece of white oak
2) Ridgid jointer and Makita planer to dimension the pieces
3) Grizzly Bandsaw and Bosch router (w/circle jig) for more intricate cuts
4) Domino 500 and Domino XL700 for ALL joinery (I opted for epoxy rather than Titebond III and I used cut-to-length domino stock, not Sipo)
5) Rotex 90 and 150 for final sanding
6) General Finishes water-based sealer

 

[Ajax]

There are not many cuts in this project.  They key is accurate layout.  I took screen shots of Peter's Youtube and scaled everything based on a known size.  I made my bench 3:4 of Peter's.  I did this because a) my stock was not wide enough to fit Peter's specs, b) the bench is for my 4 year old daughter.

 

[Ajax]

Now that the legs are cut, it's time for clean-up.  Rotex 90 put to work.

 

[Ajax]

Same approach for the trestle: bandsaw for cuts, drill using 3-hole template, clean-up using Rotex 90, Ridgid sander, and hand sanding.  All edges then cleaned up with a 1/8" roundover.

 

[Ajax]

Time for some Domino work....the legs...

 

[Ajax]

Each leg gets 5 mortises....2 for connecting the top, 3 for connecting the trestle.  Again, layout and smooth slow plunging is everything.  The 500 and 700 are accurate if you go slow and don't try to force things.

 

[Ajax]

Now for the trestle...again, layout is everything...then smooth slow plunging with the 700...

 

[Ajax]

The moment of truth...dry fit the legs to the trestle...cross fingers, insert sanded-down dominoes, and pound away with the deadblow hammer.  Use clamps for final fit. 

SUCCESS. 

Now take apart, get out the epoxy, and put it together.

 

[Ajax]

Give it a day to dry and then go for the top. 

Again, layout is key (I don't have pics of the layout marks on the top).  Then make smooth plunges with the 700 into the top.  I forgot to take pictures of that process, but the trick was to go slow and to secure the 700 as much as possible to the flat workpiece because it tended to slide a little as it started to cut.  One thing I did was to clamp down blocks around the fence of the 700 to prevent it from "walking" as I made my 4 vertical plunges into the the underside of the bench top.

SUCCESS

After dry fit I got out the epoxy and connected the base to the top.

I then spent some time cleaning up the bench with the Rotex 90 and 150 and some hand sanding.  I used a General Finishes' Exterior 450 Clear Water Based Topcoat.  I was less impressed with this finish.  Peter used his beloved Osmo finish on his bench.  I couldn't find this Osmo product state-side.

 

[Stone Message]

Excellent piece of work and I feel flattered that you have kept to the overall design. What an interesting coincidence - my bench was made for my daughter too.

The key difference is that you have used some lovely lumps of oak - mine all came from the skip at the timber yard and cost me nothing. At one stage I nearly cut the pieces up for firewood but I realised that I could bring it to life.

Super piece of work and I know one 4 year old young lady is going to love her daddy.

Peter

[attachimg=1]

 

[epicxt]

Bench looks great Ajax! Not sure where you're at in the us but you can download a list of US distributors athttp://www.osmona.com/dealers.shtml

I know here in the PNW there are several nearby and more cropping up that aren't listed yet.

 

[rljatl]

Thanks Peter and Ajax.  I am going to have to build one of these Gothic Garden Benches.

Bought the wood for my MFT cart this weekend.  The weather here in Atlanta is starting to get cooler, so I'm looking forward to cranking up the woodworking projects.

Don't have a planer yet or the room for it, so looks like I'm going to have to buy a Rotex 150.    ;D

 

[wow]

GREAT JOB! And thanks for the detailed documentation on it.

You should consider printing it out - perhaps in book form - and giving it to your daughter as a keepsake?

 

[Ajax]

Excellent piece of work and I feel flattered that you have kept to the overall design. What an interesting coincidence - my bench was made for my daughter too.

The key difference is that you have used some lovely lumps of oak - mine all came from the skip at the timber yard and cost me nothing. At one stage I nearly cut the pieces up for firewood but I realised that I could bring it to life.

Super piece of work and I know one 4 year old young lady is going to love her daddy.

Peter

Thanks Peter.  It's a fun project: just 4 pieces but a variety of ways that it can be done.  In the end you have a beautiful but sturdy bench that everybody can enjoy.

BTW: you do a great service to the woodworking community with your videos.  I like how you present your material and you always leave me inspired to do more with woodworking.