Rustic Bench

[Ted Calver]

Most of the work was turning the legs, so I’m posting it here. This half of an apple tree trunk has been kicking around my shop (garage) for years, standing on end and always just about ready to fall over and hurt someone. It was part of a truck load of apple that my old air force buddy Mac McIntire helped me find near his house up in PA. The trees were a large growing variety and after 30 years or so their productivity was declining and they were being pushed over to make room for newer, smaller growing and easier to pick from trees. Mac died a winner (with more tools than me) earlier this year, so after stubbing my toe on the apple trunk last week I decided to make something out of it while I still could. The legs were turned from some walnut firewood and are only roughly similar in shape. Mortises were eyeballed with a forstner in a hand held drill. Sits steady as a rock. Four coats of satin wipe on poly. Roughly 13” x 38” x 19” tall. Thanks for looking.

[Jim Becker]

That's really excellent, Ted!! A whole lot of character. Nice job!

[Jonathon Spafford]

I love that... it is a really really beautiful piece of wood and a really nice rustic design with the bench... so did you make the bench level after you put on the legs or did you not worry about it being perfectly level. And how did you flatten it out? With handplanes??

[Ted Calver]

Jim and Jonathon,
Thanks for the encouragement! The log was halved with a chain saw then hand planed (#7) and finished with a card scraper and sand paper (400). To level it, I dry fitted the legs into the mortises and adjusted for level by shortening the appropriate tennon until it sat flat, then glued the legs in.

[Jim Young]

I really like that. It looks like something I could use in our mudroom. Might have to take this idea and present it to my wife. Looks like a piece that will forever remind you of your buddy.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Ted that is awesome. I really like it. Nice job.

[Tom Sherman]

Ted that is a most excellent bench, nice work with the half log and four chunks of 'firewood'. Looks like a good place to sit with a cup of coffee and remember old friends.

[John Schreiber]

Ted, That's a winner. A great combination of the natural beauty of raw edged apple tree and the controlled spun walnut legs.