DIY The Patio Bench – Part 2

This morning I was thinking about part 2 of the DIY bench. My mind loves to wander. Then I started thinking about sequels. Which lead to cliffhangers. The first one that left a buzz in my circles was Star Trek: The next Generation. The episode where Captain Picard has been transformed into a Borg. If you don’t watch Star Trek, simply put, the Borg are cybernetic people that have one simple program. They want to convert all people into Borg. But humans are the first to resist… well, that is about as far as I want to go without doing any spoilers.

Then I started thinking about the first Cliffhanger. At least the first one that everybody was talking about. I think you know it, “Who shoot J.R.?” from TV show Dallas. This took place almost March 21, 1980 almost 40 years ago. I wrote Part 1 of the bench only last November, a mere 11 weeks ago. It only feels like 40 years. But enough of the cliffhangers, told you my mind really wanders. I do fear that one day, it may not return. I can only hope it finds a happy little beach to hang out on.

In part 1 of the article, I left off with the purchase of the wood. You can recap this, by visiting the link http://www.csinext.org/the-artichoke-s-life/diy-the-patio-bench-part-1. There were several steps in creating the bench. Here is the quick summary:

  • Measure (old wood working tip, measure twice & cut once)
  • Cut
  • Prep Drill
  • Anchor Together Parts
  • Assemble
  • Finish
  • Enjoy Beer watching Sunset on my new Bench

Because I worked out all of the measurements beforehand. This step went pretty quick. I maximized each piece of lumber to reduce waste. I then showed my Daughter how to use the chop saw. I did the first cut, and she did the rest.

Then we worked out how all of the pieces would be attached. I bought a new tool for doing pocket screw attachments. This was pretty cool tool, it stepped up the look of the finish product. I did the first couple of drills, and then in an effort of using a teaching moment. Yep, my Daughter did the rest.

The legs were the only material that were not 2x4’s. I used a 4x4, cut to the same length. You can see in the background the photo of the seat already anchored together. I did the same for the legs, before working on the assembly of the bench.

The bench is 6’ long 2’ deep, this worked perfect for my 2’x2’ cushions. I attached the bench to the right set of legs with the bench in the vertical position. I turned the bench to the horizontal position. Then I used my clamps to make sure the seat was level. Because I predrilled everything, it was pretty easy to connect. The final assembly was adding the back to bench. Because of the 6’ span, and I did not want any verticals. I turned one 2x4 to help the the stiffness and reduce sag. This also worked nice for back support.

Last step was to add the slats for the bench. I went back and forth whether to use 1x4’s or 2x4’s. I went with the 2x4 just to keep the look consistent. You can see the final assembled bench.

Finally, if you are interested in doing your own bench, I’ve included a PDF of the parts and assembly. If you do build it, I would love to see pictures or at least leave a comment. Until my next project, cheers!

…and now for something completely different.
Al Capone’s business card said he was a used furniture dealer

 

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Thursday, 28 March 2024