Project by jakhtar | posted 10-22-2015 08:33 PM | 2482 views | 12 times favorited | 13 comments | ![]() |
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I acquired a nice thick slab of natural-edge black walnut from a fellow woodworker who has a studio down the street from mine. I decided it would make a good bench top.
There were cracks in both ends, so I made maple bowtie inlays to stabilize them. I cut the mortises by hand, added glue, hammered the inlays in, and planed them flush with a hand plane.
The legs are maple as well, with a walnut strip in the centre. I did most of the shaping with a spokeshave, with a bit of plane and sandpaper work to get into the less accessible areas inside the keyhole-shaped cutout. They have long tenons on top, which go almost all the way through the bench top.
13 comments so far
Monte Pittman
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30609 posts in 3388 days
#1 posted 10-22-2015 08:40 PM
Very nice and beautiful bench.
-- Nature created it, I just assemble it.
bobasaurus
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3713 posts in 4234 days
#2 posted 10-22-2015 09:45 PM
That’s a fine bench. What did you use as a finish? Are the m&t joints loose to allow for expansion?
-- Allen, Colorado (Instagram @bobasaurus_woodworking)
Glen Peterson
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#3 posted 10-22-2015 10:43 PM
Nice job. I particularly like the shape of the legs.
Cheers
-- Glen
Mean_Dean
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#4 posted 10-22-2015 11:38 PM
That’s a great looking bench! I like the bowtie, and that beautiful live-edge slab!
-- Dean -- "Don't give up the ship -- fight her 'till she sinks!" Capt James Lawrence USN
Billy E
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#5 posted 10-23-2015 01:12 AM
Cool design. I doubt the tenons would have to be loose for expansion, as another person posted, since the gain is in the same direction. (But what do I know-time will tell). Anyway, I’m still wondering if it will take racking forces. Of course I’ve got five kids that could tear up a steel ball bearing, so this is what I’m always thinking about.
-- Billy, Florence SC
Ivan
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#6 posted 10-23-2015 07:53 AM
Realy awesome piece.You can’t beat the nature. Those legs looks great too.
-- Ivan, Croatia, Wooddicted
jakhtar
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47 posts in 4456 days
#7 posted 10-23-2015 08:05 AM
Thanks! The finish is several coats of wipe-on poly, with a sanding/polishing step between coats.
The tenons are glued, so not fixed. I’ve never had a problem with wood movement with a design like this, as the grain runs in the same direction throughout the piece.
jakhtar
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47 posts in 4456 days
#8 posted 10-23-2015 08:11 AM
Thanks! I agree about the tenons – I don’t think wood movement is a problem with this grain arrangement.
For the racking forces, the mortise and tenon joints here are STRONG – they go super deep – about 1/8” short of coming through the bench top. Even just dry fitting it felt solid. We’ll see how it holds up over time.
Chris McDowell
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645 posts in 3202 days
#9 posted 10-23-2015 10:26 AM
Beautiful work!
-- Chris, http://www.youtube.com/CMRwoodworks , FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/cmrwoodworks1 , Proverbs 16:9
Levex
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#10 posted 10-23-2015 12:05 PM
Nice work! Very simple and clean.
LoganN
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#11 posted 10-23-2015 12:51 PM
Gorgeous! I love the tenons and the bow ties! The leg design is excellent and the wipe on came out perfectly. Great job!
Chaotic
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#12 posted 10-23-2015 03:17 PM
Nice work, I like the leg cutouts.
david38
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#13 posted 10-23-2015 06:54 PM
nice looking bench
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