Philip Berman
09-12-2011, 3:13 PM
I needed a place to set out food in the backyard while entertaining that could not be reached by my lovable but mis-behaved Lab who steals food when no one's looking (or maybe if ya are looking, he's not fussy). Besides the requirement that it be taller than Cole on his hind legs, I also wanted something that would just remain in place all the time and not be an added burden to backyard cleanup after a bbq. So here's what I came up with - started with a bunch of meranti someone had given to me, I tapered the inside faces of 4x4's, a couple of mortises in each leg, and meranti aprons of 4/4 stock with a fancy bottom edge. I also placed a couple of stretchers between the front and back aprons as additional support for the stone, which is 2"-thick limestone with rock-edge faces. It's going to live permanently right where you see it, as the stone slab is roughly 400 pounds. No finish, just let the meranti grey and age gracefully - didn't want the futile effort of a finish on a piece that's going to have to endure a southern exposure, 4 seasons, chlorinated water from the pool, and a very unhappy but tenaciously persistent Lab that can't reach the food. I had wanted to put a bead along the bottom edge of the aprons but the meranti is so brittle and hard that neither carving tools in my inexperienced hands nor a beading tool proved satisfactory so I had to forego that detail. Any and all criticism is welcome. Thanks for looking.
Philip
Philip