Small bench design

[Scott Welty]

I've been asked to make 4 small benches for pre-school. My design: all 1 inch oak. Wondering if I should bury the stretcher into a dado in the legs?

Thoughts?

Scott384734

[glenn bradley]

Not to over complicate things but, for a long life in preschool use I would through-tenon and wedge it. If dado'd and a failure was experienced years down the line, a school custodian could easily place a couple of screws for a repair. It should provide years of service just as it is depending on use.

[Dave Richards]

Another option would be to attach the stretcher to the legs with sliding dovetails.

How do you plan to attach the seat to the legs and stretcher?

[Scott Welty]

Probably counter sink and plug screws to legs and stretcher to hold the seat.
Through tenon and wedge . . .well that will be a new skill! 4 inch stretcher so tenon would be ....???? And the 4 inches was chosen at random. Looked about right.
Scott

[Dave Richards]

I expect you could get by with a 3" wide stretcher and it would look fine. Maybe like this (https://flic.kr/p/26v65nG).