Now the Deacon can sit down...

[Lee Schierer]

Here's a gift I made for the church we attend. We recently completed a new building and needed someplace to sit and put on your boots in the coat room.

It is made from a photo I saw on the web with some modifications. I scaled all the dimensions from a photo to come up with a dimensioned drawing. The original was a Mission style and had flat panels on the front sides and back. I decided that raised panels looked better than the flat panels in the original.

It is made from red oak, all the joints are mortice and tenon. The front, side and back panels all have tenons into the corner posts as does the cross piece on the back and all the slats. The mortices were cut with a drill press morticing tool. It is solid oak except for a small piece of oak plywood that makes up the inner bottom. There is also a raised panel on the back. The small end panels were made from one piece of wood, so the grain patter repeats top to bottom. almost like book match. It is stained with a Min Wax American Walnut stain and finished with Deft Semi-gloss clear wood finish. It took about 20 hours to make the whole thing including finishing. There is about $90 in materials. The seat does lift up for storage. The bench is about 44" long

Thanks for viewing

[Silas Smith]

I find that I have the most fun building a project when I know I am giving it away. The bench looks GREAT!

[Bryan Nuss]

You have done a beautiful job on the bench! The grain-matching is a work of art. I love the design.

[Dan Gill]

Great bench, Lee. I made a speaker's stand for my Bible class, and I love seeing it each week. Lately, I've been wanting to make a lectern/speaker's stand/podium/whatever you want to call it for our sanctuary. I've been going to a men's class, "Quest for Authentic Manhood" and Robert Lewis, on the DVD, uses a really interesting stand for his notes. It got my creative thoughts going, and I sketched several designs I thought would be nice. But I suspect I won't get asked to make one for our church - we have an acrylic lectern, and I don't think our leadership wants to change that. It has the great advantage of being clear, so it doesn't have to be moved out of the way to see a baptism.

[Mark Hulette]

I find that I have the most fun building a project when I know I am giving it away. The bench looks GREAT!

I agree completely- don't know what it is but I get a kick out of giving them away too!

BTW, Lee- nice looking bench! Since it's solid oak I'll bet it's not exactly lightweight!

Can only deacons use it? :D :D :D

[Frank Pellow]

And, when he sits down, I trust that he will admire what he is sitting upon. I know that I would. Well done!

[Jerry Olexa]

You should be proud! EXCELLENT job and for a good cause...

[Pete Rosenbohm]

Now thats what i call a deacons bench,nice work looks great:D

[lou sansone]

nice work and for a great cause


lou

[Ernie Hobbs]

Nice work!

Since March Madness is upon us, would this be an appropriate time to say "Go Deacs!"?
(Wake Forest University Demon Deacons)

[Robby Phelps]

Looks great. Very nice proportions as well. I also like how the grain matches so well. I have always felt that seperates the perverbial "men from the boys" when it comes to woodworking.

A very pleasing and symmetrical piece, and for a great cause. Double kudos to you.:D

[Herb Blair]

Very Nice, great work!

[Lamar Horton]

Very nice bench, What type of hinges did you use for the seat/lid?

[Jim Becker]

That turned out really nice, Lee. Good and sturdy...it will last for years and years and be very helpful to people, too.

[Byron Trantham]

Lee, very nice job! I like the balance.

[Lee Schierer]

Very nice bench, What type of hinges did you use for the seat/lid?

The hinge is a full length piano hinge. It was 48" long, but I cut it down to the length I needed for the seat. There are also support cleats along each side of the seat inside the storage area and the seat is suported on the entire front, so the hinge really doesn't work very hard.

[Jim Stastny]

Great looking bench. I'm sure it it will get a lot of good use.

[Corey Hallagan]

Wow, great looking piece!

Corey

[Keel McDonald]

Nice, nice, nice! Who said money is the only thing you can tithe to the church. Time and talent can be given as well. And you certainly outdid yourself.

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Very nice work! I like the lower panels...looks great!

[Allen Hough]

Our church will be moving into its new worship center soon, and we need to create a new podium or lectern. The comment has been made that we'll need to provide space on it or near it for the speaker's lap-top and his powerpoint connection to the projection system.

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

[Jason Tuinstra]

Great looking bench, Lee. I'm sure the deacons will be very happy with it... along with the elders, and even the pastor :D :p Nice job, as always.