Thread: English Park Bench

Nice work. I have never seen cypress in such dimensions.

Originally Posted by Wongo

Nice work. I have never seen cypress in such dimensions.

It came from Queensland. I bought it from a contractor that was installing bollards around the park next door to my house. He had 12 posts left over so I bought them from him. Three of the posts ended up or will end up in my fire as they were not much good with cracks and grub damage in them. Centre of log heartwood radial cracks.

Col.

Nice work indeed, well done.

Originally Posted by munruben

Nice work indeed, well done.

Thanks.

It looks better in person, very nice Col!

Not your average park bench!
Well done and that scroll work (carving?) really sets it off.
And how's the quotation? How good is that!

Great work, Col.

Graham

Thanks Greg.

I will make sure I carve the writing properly by hand on Bench #2. I stuffed up on this one and corrected it with the routered letters which I am not really keen on. I will do the full quote too. (hopefully)
I just need to find the right timber to do it all. The timber in your work bench would be perfect. Let me know when you are away next and I will sharpen the chainsaw..........

Col..

I'll be home before you cut through it

[wanders out to shed and chains dog to the bench...]

Sweet bench Col, will be nice to watch the hardwood version. Can we have a WIP on it?
How about some Red Mahogany rather than that imported Merbau. The bench I did a few weeks back was Red Ironbark (and some grey I'm sure) but that may not be dark enough for you.

Originally Posted by Claw Hama

Sweet bench Col, will be nice to watch the hardwood version. Can we have a WIP on it?
How about some Red Mahogany rather than that imported Merbau. The bench I did a few weeks back was Red Ironbark (and some grey I'm sure) but that may not be dark enough for you.

Any weather resistant hardwood would be good. As long as it isn't pine coloured, She Who Must Be Obeyed will be happy. The problem for me is where to get decent dry timber at a sensible price. A WIP isn't a problem. I have made a full size drawing and templates for this bench so it will not take long to knock together another one or two. If anyone wants to make one down the track I can pass on copies of plans and info. It is only simple mortise and tenon construction. I just fancied it up a bit compared to the original.

Col....

Originally Posted by Carry Pine

Not your average park bench!
Well done and that scroll work (carving?) really sets it off.
And how's the quotation? How good is that!

Great work, Col.

Graham

I had never done any carving and wanted to give it a go. The scrolls are done with rosette cutters from Carba-tec and finished by hand. The writing is a bit of a stuff up. It should read " The end and the reward of toil is rest". I started carving it by hand and made a monumental stuffup so taking on board the old saying that "the difference between a good tradesman and a poor tradesman is that the good one can hide his mistakes" I routed out the hand carving and used the router templates that someone gave to me twenty or more years ago and I never thought I would use. I had to shorten the quote as it didn't fit. You get the gist though. It turned into a bit of a prototype and I worked out a few problems with it and I am happy with the result. The problem being that family and friends now want me to make one for them. I tell them if they get me the timber I will do it. One day. It took me 23 years to start this one.

Col..

Originally Posted by Col

It took me 23 years to start this one...

Once begun, how long to complete?

Col mate,

My brother used to be fussy, he does very nice winery type stuff, you know coasters, drip buckets, all that kind of thing. He is pedantic about the quality of the only wood folks want his stuff to be made from and that is Redgum. He was in short supply once and I said I had some that may suit your purpose. He came over and checked it out and said, no, it has those fine borer holes in it and some rot! Hey, I said, try it out! You know he did and the stuff he turned out of the "Faulty stuff" was in such demand he couldn't keep up. Sorry to say I didn't have any more.
I've done a couple of benches similar to yours out of Cypress, no wordy stuff on them though, we must've had the same Mag! Anyway I wouldn't worry about any cracking that may occur, they just look better with age and the other qualities of Cypress certainly make up for it. Nothing will eat it, it doesn't rot and it smells so wonderful when you work it! So I think you have given your friend the best deal!! Merbau is boring, oily and a rainforest timber hey!, Jarrah is boring, and I think your beautifully made bench, hang the cost, which really wouldn't be that much, deserves the next best thing to Cypress and that is English Oak.

Lovely job, I'll have it if your friend doesn't want it...LOL...Oddjob1

Originally Posted by Oddjob1

Col mate,

My brother used to be fussy, he does very nice winery type stuff, you know coasters, drip buckets, all that kind of thing. He is pedantic about the quality of the only wood folks want his stuff to be made from and that is Redgum. He was in short supply once and I said I had some that may suit your purpose. He came over and checked it out and said, no, it has those fine borer holes in it and some rot! Hey, I said, try it out! You know he did and the stuff he turned out of the "Faulty stuff" was in such demand he couldn't keep up. Sorry to say I didn't have any more.
I've done a couple of benches similar to yours out of Cypress, no wordy stuff on them though, we must've had the same Mag! Anyway I wouldn't worry about any cracking that may occur, they just look better with age and the other qualities of Cypress certainly make up for it. Nothing will eat it, it doesn't rot and it smells so wonderful when you work it! So I think you have given your friend the best deal!! Merbau is boring, oily and a rainforest timber hey!, Jarrah is boring, and I think your beautifully made bench, hang the cost, which really wouldn't be that much, deserves the next best thing to Cypress and that is English Oak.

Lovely job, I'll have it if your friend doesn't want it...LOL...Oddjob1

The bench is off to Yarra Glen to see out its days. The friend has done it hard for most of her life and I am glad to let her have it. It is a surprise as she doesn't know it is coming next Thursday so I am looking forward to that. I agree that the cracking gives the bench an aged look but my wife isn't keen on the colour of cypress so I will make another for her. Seeing that she may actually read this over my shoulder I had better keep it all nice. Yes dear, no dear. I was thinking of a redgum one because it is easier to get and I have a bit stacked near the fence. I might pick through the firewood pile tomorrow.

Col