Lumber Run !

[steven c newman]

Time to re-supply the woodshed. Road trip to the Hardwood dealer....he had a few 10' planks of Ash 1 x 6

Took along a saw or 2..
.500170
As 10 footers will NOT fit the back of my Chevy....so...hand the camera to the Lumber Guy..
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And get busy....
500172
Goal was to cut the seven 10 footers down to 5' lengths...
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Stack the 14 planks into the back of the Chevy Equinox....pay the guy his $30......and head back home...

And THAT was the woodworking for the day. Handsaw that seemed to work the best...was the Disston No. 7, 7ppi with nib.

Should be enough lumber to last most of May?

[steven c newman]

Hopefully...there will be enough to build a 4' wide "Garden Bench" with...we'll see...

[steven c newman]

Modeled after Norm Abram's English Garden Bench.....need to clean off the bench....and do some lay outs...before too much else gets done.....Bench will reside in my Gazebo.

4 legs will be glue-ups....as for the arm rests? We'll see......may rotate the rests 90 degrees...?

[steven c newman]

bench needed to be cleaned off, first...
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Boards hauled to the shop..
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A "pattern" was marked out..and bandsawn...
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Then 3 more cut out to almost match...
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And 2 were then glued up...
500245
One back leg of the bench. Will glue up the other back leg, tomorrow..
Stay tuned...

[steven c newman]

Leg #2 is in the clamps..waiting on glue to cure.....

Intend to clamp BOTH back legs together, and plane, drawknife and beltsand them until they are exact matches to each other...

Too many health issues today....things can wait until tomorrow...

[Stew Denton]

Steven,

Looks like you have a good project lined up, and enough lumber to keep you busy for a while. I love the prices you pay for your lumber. You did well.

The good news for me is that I now live in an area that has lots of trees, and there are sawmills in the area, so hopefully lumber will be a bit cheaper for me here than it has been before. Although from what I have been able to find out, it is nowhere as cheap as you buy it. I could always go to Lowes or Home Depot, but of course their oak is about $10 a board foot, that is once I get a place to work. Ten bucks a board foot, no thanks.

Stew

[steven c newman]

Front face of the Back legs are done...
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Had to beltsand the top of the legs until they all matched...
500372
Next..flip this mess over...
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So I can work on the backs of the legs....
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BEFORE I can allow the jointer to work...need to remove the dried glue...we have ways...
500375

Trying to decide which Jointer to use...
500376
The No. 7c...or still use the No. 8c...

Stay tuned...

[steven c newman]

Just a bit more clean up was needed..
500489
A couple "high" spots to level out....Back legs are now ready for joinery.....need to mill and shape the 2 front legs....and the seat supports on the ends...arm rests will be flat....

Need to meander to the shop...and start a bit of lay out work....

Stay tuned...

[steven c newman]

Front legs have been cut to rough shape...
500528
2 blanks per leg...the other 2 blanks?
500529
Decided to keep one of the off-cuts per blank....
500530
Figured I could glue these up into the seat supports that go between the front and back legs...

So...right now there are 4 blanks...2 front legs, and 2 seat supports....sitting in a forest of clamps....for about a day, maybe....may add a taper to the front legs....we'll see..

Stay tuned..

[steven c newman]

Front legs now have a taper...
500632
Curved sections cleaned up, until they match each other..
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Set these 2 parts aside...
500634
While I worked on the seat supports....
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"The Plan" for the ends of the bench....

All that work, toes were getting cramps....so..
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I think this will do for one day's work....Quitting Time!

Stay tuned...

[steven c newman]

In a bit of a rush...as I will soon be getting Cataract Surgery....might put a crimp in the schedule...
500648
Started out like this...had to finally move it to on top of the bench...
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Then, transferred the laid out marks to the back leg...
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And chop that out...
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Then another dry fit..
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Then see how it looks, standing on the floor...
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And a dry run with the clamps...
500654
All gaps closed up.

2 mortises done...6 more to do...plus the ones to hold the back's slats....

Stay tuned...

[steven c newman]

40 minutes in the shop, today....to chop and fit 2 mortises...1" deep..
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Dry fit the first one..looking for any gaps....
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Same on the other end....then dry fit all 3 pieces together...
500700


Have to mill 3 rails, tenon the ends...lay out the mortises for those....BEFORE any glue up can happen....much easier to chop, that way...
Stay tuned..

[David Carroll]

That's looking good! I'm looking forward to the finished article.

DC

[steven c newman]

Back is very sore, today..right between the shoulder blades....and...I am a sweaty mess....currently having a Tonic & Gin....just to cool down..
500769
3 planks were cut down to 48" lengths...Ripped for width....then tenons were milled,,
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The top or Crest rail was band sawn to shape...
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A bit rough..we have ways..
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Once I got the depth set just right....there was a few high spots to remove..
500773
Rest of the edges needed jointed..
500774
Used 2 planes for that...
500775

Maybe tomorrow, I can lay out and MAYBE chop 6 mortises to house these rails....maybe glue the end frames together?

We'll see...

[steven c newman]

Task for today, before the back said it was quitting time....
500814
Lay out 6 mortises....lay out a couple 12mm Mortise chisels...
500815
then see how far I can get...
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Should be deep enough..
500817
Dry fit....I got 3 mortises chopped, and one tenon cut
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So the arm rest can be attached. later....

I also managed a glue up!
500819
Added a clamp to pull the ends of the legs straight..
500820
19-1/4" at both the seat and the feet...

Let this sit for a day...stay tuned...

[steven c newman]

The reason behind chopping those mortises...before a glue-up? Much easier to do the mortises for the 3 rails now, then try to chop them AFTER the glue-ups..
500821
Have also decided to shorten the tenons on the rails to 3/4" length...as I intend to add a dowel through each glue joint.



I used the Narex 12mm to clean out the floor of the mortises....and remove most of the chips left by the Japanese Mortise chisel...

head on that 24oz hammer was working loose....got to looking at why...hmmmm, no steel wedge? Fixed that....

Back, right between the shoulder blades is hurting...was working too hard, for a Friday.....am now working on a Tonic & Gin & OJ to cool me down....

Try again, tomorrow, eh? Stay tuned..

[steven c newman]

Second Tenon has been sawn..
500877
Just hand saws...
500878
Frame #1 is out of the clamps...
500879
Frame #2 needed 3 mortises chopped...before it could be also glued up...
500880
Might head back to the shop in a bit...have 3 rails to work on..
500881
Have to trim the tenons square and to size....couple are a smidge too long..2 will need notched...
500882
To fit around the tenon from the seat support.

Mid seat supports: Norm used 2, because his version is 5' wide....this one will be about 4'....May get away with one? otherwise, they will be 16" on center....Hmmmm...we'll see..

[steven c newman]

Rails have squared up and the tenons trimmed to size....dry fit..
500900
The only place in the shop to test the fits....and do a measurement for slats for the back of the seat...counting a 3/8" tenon on each end of the slat...slat needs to be...
500901
1/2" x 2" x 24-1/4"

There is 46" between the 2 frames.....Slats start 1" from each frame...with a gap of 1" between each slat.....figure I'll need to mill 15 slats..today...IF my limited math skills are correct..

Figure the 2 seat supports will be enough...at 16" on center?

Looks like this will be a rather busy week?

[steven c newman]

Needed 15 slats...rough sawn..
500905
Then resawn down to 1/2" thick..
500906
Sawn side needed flattened...
500907
Stash the off-cuts for a later Project
500908
Set up to mill tenons on the ends of the slats..
500909
only 29 more to make....

stay tuned..

[steven c newman]

Tenons are milled, just need fine tuned...

had to make another lumber run, today.....4planks @ 1 x 6 x5' Spent $6 for 10bft of Ash....need those for the slats for the seat...was down to just a single 1 x 6 x 5'....not enough.

[steven c newman]

Tenons are all fine tuned as much as I can....have laid out about half of the 30 Mortises I need to chop, tomorrow.....Mortise gauge is set,,,chisel sharpened....have to set up the Mortise Jig.

Was on Laundry Detail, tonight....May take a camera along when I load the dryer up? We'll see...

[steven c newman]

Lay outs..started here..
500971
By the time I got to #15...
500972
Space between #13 and #15 was a bit wide....than the 1".....centered #14 and called it good...
Tools were laid out..
500973
Will try to use the mortise jig, we'll see...
500974
May just go with the Leg vise and a couple clamps, instead...try out the brand new H-F 6" F style clamp ( took an older one back to the store, wasn't holding, replaced for free)
Guest for supper?
500978
Could be....

Dryer will be done about 2300 hrs, ZULU....and that will be it for today

Stay tuned..

[steven c newman]

Breaktime!!!! Have 10 mortises chopped and dry fitted....only 20 more to go.....shoulder was starting get sore....also had to refresh the edges of 2 chisels...
Film in a little bit...

[steven c newman]

Lots to chop..
501013
5 done, out of...30..
501014
Test fit....
501015
10 done...next 5 are laid out...One chisel is a Witherby 1/4"....more of a paring chisel...the other?
501013
1/4" New Haven Edge Tool Co., more of a mortise chisel.

Had issues with a clamp being a bit "slippery" with all the chopping going on...will try a less slippery one...
501016
Has those BIG square pads....we'll see...other end is also being held by the Crochet at the end of the bench, along with the clamp...

instead of moving the board as I go....I'm the one getting moved...was starting to get a might crowded..
501017
For this Fat Body....so, just lay out the last 5..and switch things around to the other end of the bench. Yes, I am indeed sitting down while chopping.

We'll see how this afternoon goes....stay tuned...

[steven c newman]

Bottom rail's mortises are done, now..
501049
All 15 of them...Then made sure things line up with the Crest rail...
501050
Figure a way to clamp the crest rail to the bench...
501051
And lay out the 15 Mortises for the Crest Rail...
501052
Then see how far I can get...
501053
Before the hands start cramping up....21 mortises today....
501054
no pre-drilling allowed, either....all done with just the chisels seen here..

Have 9 more to do..tomorrow...then we'll see...

[Mike Manning]

Looking great, Steven!

[steven c newman]

In addition to 21 mortises chopped, I also mowed the yard....was a bit too busy, I guess...lots of cramps this morning...
Thought about using the router table to speed things up..
501135
Way way too loud, and too many burn marks...plus, each part needed 4 trips...one for each corner....so...
501136
Decided to try something different...
501137
Not just any spokeshave..
501138
I think I'll used the curved side...Seymour Smith & Son....
501139
Quiet as can be...and zero burn marks! Plus, I can do 2 corners at once...

Got a couple slats done..hands style want to cramp up...along with the back of the legs

Basically, I took the day off...mainly to rest up...try again tomorrow, to get the last 9 mortises done....then see about a seat and the arm rests..
Stay tuned..

[steven c newman]

Bad day today..started out with 3 hours of cramps in the feet, calves, and hands....

Even broke the bandsaw blade.....
Yep..one of those days...
501147
Fresh DNA on the Project....next to last mortise..had a splinter..that somehow found the right index fingertip...left a nice hole, too.

Dry fit..plan was to see how well this will fit the frames...
501148
It didn't...was supposed to 23-1/4" between the top and bottom rail....mortise for the crest ail was off by 6+"....too high....
501149
Plug the old mortises..then, once ALL the slats are the same length, then I'll lay out the new location...

One of THEM days...you'll have that, on the "Bigger Jobs"

[steven c newman]

Yep,one of them days...bandsaw blade broke, while cutting out a pattern for the Arm Rests..quick trip to Lowes, tonight...
501154
Last one they had in stock, BTW....

It was also time to empty the scrap bin..
501155
Hauled this out to the backyard..
501156
1/3 of that trash can....

I think I've done quite enough, for one day....

[steven c newman]

Slats are done...all are the same length, too...
501183
As this will not do.....then a dry fit...
501184
Supposed to be...15 slats?
501185
Well, there is a #15...but no mortise for it? Hmmm

Re-locate the top rail's mortise...
501186
Patch in the old one is known as a "Dutchman"...if done right..
501187
They are hard to detect....unless YOU want them to be seen..
501188
Test fit the rails and the slat...fun will begin..when I go to glue up all 14 slats at once....

Stay tuned...

[steven c newman]

Roh-KAY, Raggy....this is going to be...
501263
"Very IN-ter-esting".....and this was just a dry fit? Imagine trying to glue this up...with just 2 hands!

501264
Each one of these 28 tenons need a coat of glue, before being slid into the 28 Mortises.....Hmmmmm.start at one end, and work (QUICKLY) to the other end? And, ensure the entire mess IS square, to boot.....

I am quite sure that cussing will be involved, today....

[steven c newman]

Must be getting slow in me Dotage? Took a little over half an hour from start to...
501265
Including hauling two planks to the shop for this to sit on...and NOT fall off the top of the tablesaw...view from the basement steps..
The clamp down on the end?
501266

Needed to be placed UNDER the assembly....diagonals were pulled, several times...until both read 56-3/8".....close enough for the girls I run around with?

Worked up a sweat...big time....forgot to turn on the shop fan. :mad:

Think I'll sit a spell, and cool down.....yes, there was indeed Drill Instructor level cussing going on....a BIG screwdriver helped to get more than a couple slats to line up and fit into the mortises.....

Stay tuned...

[steven c newman]

Dry fit Day...
501321
had ONE clamp that will be long enough...a second one?
501322
"Missed it by THAT much, Chief.."

So, next Pay Day...I go out and BUY 2 piece of Black iron pipe....both 6' long....one @ 1/2", the other @ 3/4" ...

Need this dry fit, so I could mark out, and saw a middle Seat Support..
501323


Both frames got all their edges rounded over....had an issue with the bit slipping..
501324
Then decided to pin the two joints, before the sander removed the ridges...
501325
Fancy joint = Fancy saw...

Seat support needed notches to sit in...
501326
Back rail ( gets glued and a counter sunk screw..) and the front rail..
501327

Next trip to the shop? Have to rip slats for the seat...and..see about a pair of Arm Rests...while I still can move around IN the shop....

Stay tuned..

[steven c newman]

Might take the day off, today....

1) It IS a Monday...and..
2) it is my 70th Birthday, today

Errands to run....about the only items I could work on today..2 Arm Rests, and see about ripping some slats for the seat....

How many pins will I need for the M&T joints at the rails? Thinking maybe I can use just 2 per?

Bench is to be sitting on a Concrete Patio, inside of a Gazebo....just need pads to keep the feet (wood) off of the Concrete...

[steven c newman]

Unable to stay out of the shop..Monday or no Monday....1st Arm rest has been sawn out..
501378
Used this to trace out #2..
501379
These have to be mirror images of each other..
501380
Because of the way the back of the bench tilts back....beltsander to even things out..
501381
By the time I got around to the big curve..
501382
I also had an idea of where to chop a rectangle...
501383
Intend to put these 2 to work...
501384
Start up...when a little ways down...maybe a 1/4" deep....then double checked the fit...and locations..
501385
Tenon will get a wedge..later...a counter sunk screw ( and plug?) will attach the arm to the back....

May have to dig out the Corner Chisel I have?
Stay tuned..

[steven c newman]

So, how to chop a SQUARE hole, 1" x 1"...through 3/4" Ash..
501406
Takes an old style chisel, from Peck,Stow,& Wilcox....
501407
1" Corner Chisel...with a replacement handle, of course....
501408
These two take most of the waste out....but...
501409
Yes, this is quite sharp...same hammer......I use the normal chisel to chop down and remove most of the waste...then clean up with the corner chisel..
501410
The Arm Rest was clamped down to the bench, right over the top of a leg...One could slip some scrap under the part...

One done, one more to go....takes about 15 minutes...no rush...

[steven c newman]

A Busy Tuesday....Both arm rests are fitted..
501413
There is also 5 slats for the seat itself....these will need cut to length....a sixth one...
501414
Has been cut to length...edges have been rounded over...photo shows how this would look from under the bench...This is the front slat of the seat...will see how much over-hang it will get...once the other 5 are in place...
501415
Arm Rests have both faces rounded over....was safer to use the router table.
501416
I think this just might come in handy...working towards a Glue up on Thursday...anyone want to stop by and help out?

Stay tuned..

[steven c newman]

Front view of today's workout..
501441
trying to mark how much to trim the seat slats...
501442
There is a new 6' iron pipe clamp, 1/2" Iron pipe...the 3/4" iron pipe clamp was a tad short...
501443
Gave it a little extra pipe...
Managed to get one out of 6 glue joints pinned..
501444
As the clamps are in the way at the other location...letting this sit a day...

Was also test fitting the arm rests....no glue or screws, just yet.....need to get the seat slats done, and installed first
Stay tuned..

[steven c newman]

FIX THE PHOTOS!!!!!!! Been through this BS way too often....

Test drive the Bench..
501506

[David Carroll]

That looks great! Nice job! What kind of finish will you use?

[Keegan Shields]

Great looking bench Steven!

[steven c newman]

Have started to brush on/wipe off MinWax "Gunstock" stain....will have to move the bench around quite a bit...to get all the nooks & Crannies...Will post when it is all stained up....debate is whether to brush the varnish on...or rattle-can spray varnish...

[steven c newman]

Test...test...test..
501602
Glare from the overhead lights...

Pads for the feet...
501603
Keeps the end grain feet off of the Concrete Patio....

[steven c newman]

Bench has been stained, foot pads installed...is now sitting out on the back yard Patio..awaiting a spray on finish..

When getting a project up out of the shop....past a floor joist that hits me right at the shoulder....Makita Sawzall to the rescue! made a notch for not only the posts in the back....even the crest rail wanted to stick.....so, now I have a nice Charlie Horse in the right Calf...ouch...but...2 people were able to get the bench OUT of my shop, and onto the Patio....

Need to re-arrange a bit in the Gazebo, before the Bench can go in...I'm whopped...almost time for a Guinness?

[steven c newman]

And..photos?
501650
A look around in back..
501651
Once the breeze dies down, I'll add a spray coat of varnish...and see how that turns out...