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by
Adrian Jones
photos: Ray Pilon
illustration: Len Churchill |
CEDAR BENCH |
| Build
this summer's ultimate conversation piece |
This
bench is an eye-catching piece of outdoor furniture that can
comfortably accommodate two people. The design’s curves
are whimsical, while the seat is slightly dished for comfort.
All parts are conveniently made from standard thicknesses of
lumber, but for long-term durability, there isn’t a nail
or screw anywhere. Dowel joinery is used throughout.
One design feature that makes this bench efficient to build
is the similar leg and back support assemblies. Each is made
of three layers of 1x6 lumber, and each layer is also made of
three separate pieces of wood. Why this design? Together they
make it easy to form open mortise-and-tenon joints that interlock
to create strong joinery.
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| Lightweight
but strong, you can easily move this bench to the
best spot in the yard to enjoy a summer day and
a refreshing beverage |
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| The
seat is contoured for comfort through the shape
of the seat supports |
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This loveseat also uses dowels to join parts. You’ll need
at least six 3/8"-dia. dowel centres on hand to get all
of the dowel holes aligned.
Strength in Layers
Prepare cedar for the leg and backrest laminations at the same
time. Cut everything you need to length, choosing the nicest-looking
boards for the outside faces of the laminations. Spread an even
layer of weatherproof glue onto both faces of each course, working
the adhesive into the wood a little. Ensure that the end-grain
of the uprights is thoroughly wet with glue. As you work, lay
the assembly on newspaper. Start laminating by installing clamps
one inch in from each edge all the way around. Be careful to
put a clamp at each end, squeezing the uprights into the rails
and locking them together in a square orientation. You will
shape the curves later.
Wait an hour or two for the glue to skin over, then scrape off
as much of the squeeze-out as you can. Allow each U-shaped assembly
to cure for 24 hours; leave it longer if it’s humid. Remove
the clamps, clean up any glue squeeze-out you couldn’t
reach before, then joint the top edges and the sides. Repeat
the process for the other two laminated assemblies, then trim
the two legs to length on the tablesaw. Leave the backrest assembly
long for now.
Take a Seat
The three seat supports span the bench between the front and
rear leg assemblies, secured using two 3/8" dowels at each
end. Cut the three seat supports to three inches wide and 16"
long, then use a drawing bow to trace a smooth curve along the
top edge of each seat support. Cut along the line with a bandsaw
or jigsaw, then sand the curves smooth. Use a 3/8"-rad.
roundover router bit to shape the bottom edges of each support
piece, then drill a pair of 3/8"-dia. dowel holes 3/4"
deep into the ends of each seat support.
Next, make the two round leg braces you need. You could use
ready-made hardwood dowels, but making your own round cedar
stock is best, so the leg braces match the rest of the bench.
Create the dowels by milling down two 1 1/2" x 1 1/2"
x 16" pieces of cedar, then mark their centre points on
the end-grain for the 3/8"-dia. x 3/4"-deep dowel
holes you’ll need to drill. The best way to find the centre
is by drawing intersecting diagonal lines across each end. Use
a 3/4" roundover bit in a router table to round the square
corners of the blank. Sand the parts and you’ll have terrific
cedar dowels.
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PART 1 | PART 2 | PART
3 |
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