Shoe bench

[cdolcourt]

So I didn't do this journal, correctly --as a work in progress-- as I have not done it before and hadn't intended to do so. But here we go. 

 

First off, thank you to all the forum (fora?) posts I've read over the last two years or so. I've posted only a couple of times and learned from them, but mostly lurk and learn from you all. 

 

A bit about me and this project, as the context may help. I started wood working two+ years ago as a result of a camping trip. I'm quite fidgety and just sitting around a campfire doing nothing makes me go insane. So I bought whittling supplies (seems to undermine the point of whittling, but there you go). And when I came back from the trip I HAD to expand my projects. 

 

I have a few complications. I am 4'8" and use a cane for mobility due to a very rare muscular condition that results in low endurance and decreased balance (though over the past several years, and specifically the last two, both have increased dramatically). Consequently, my shop is my garage, but some things, such as table saw (Bosch contractor), router table (custom built to match table saw top), miter saw stand, and drill press have been made specifically for me. 

 

I've done a bunch of small projects -- cell phone stands, drill press table, remote control organizer / magazine rack / keyboard and mouse holder, pencil holders, etc. But back in January - May I took an adult education class at a local high school and decided to make a bench to put on shoes. (the smaller of the two in the photo below). My parents liked it so much they asked for one themselves, but the details were much more specific, trying to match the railings and wood floors in their house. The balusters on their rails are 1.5 inches square, and the rail itself is 2 - 2.5 inches thick (haven;t measured), made or red oak 

 

I started off diagramming a bench in sketchup, using a picture from an IKEA catolog. From there we decided to use QSRO as the material of choice. I'm fortunate to have a very good lumber yard with a large supply of various woods in various sizes 15 minutes from me, here in Salt Lake City. 

 

I don't have a jointer, so all wood was jointed using router table and straight bit and planed to thickness from 8/4 material. 

 

All joints are mortice and tenon using plunge router with guide bushing and jig and table saw with dado stack. 

 

The biggest issue I ran into was trying to cut the mortices for the slats in the bottom stretchers. Not having a morticer meant getting creative. For the other mortices I made a couple jigs from 1/2 inch plywood, template guide bushing and upcut spiral bit, which I had not tried before. For the stretchers, I wanted to get them as equally spaced as possible, but based on the measurements I would need to space them at 2 47/64 (assuming 1 inch from each end), which seemed a bit ridiculous. To combat the problem and make my life easier, I made a jig that spaces the mortices 1 1/4 from each end (allowing 1/4 inch cheek) and then 2 3/4 between. Working four from one end and four from the other meant the error would end up in the middle, and thus be a "feature" or so the theory goes. 

 

From there it was assembly and finish, which was the Deft spray can lacquer. Haven't used that before, and it was one can per layer. Rather pricey!

 

Ultimately, there are a few areas I'm not totally thrilled with and joints that are not as tight as I was hoping for, which resulted in a bit out of square and a rock (about 1/8 inch leg discrepancy corner to corner, though I used a stop block to cut them). Felt pads will even that out, right? . 

 

Thanks again to all I've learned and will continue to learn. Any and all comments welcome. 

Cameron

[..Kev]

Very very well done Cameron!  Much to be proud of there!

[RichardA]

Nicely done, very good execution. Lurk all you want, but we'd rather have you join us and contribute!

[wtnhighlander]

I second what Richard said. Skills such as you exhibited in those photos are meant to be shared. Good work!

[cdolcourt]

Thank you for the kind words. I'll try to contribute more, as I've learned a ton from this forum. I might even have to join the guild!

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

[Vyrolan]

Damn...I am building an entryway put-on-shoes bench as well and now I think mine sucks. Yours looks very nice. Thanks for sharing!

[chefmagnus@grics.net]

We have a IKEA model boot bench in out bed room and it wobbles more than an ¼" and I had to shim it. I would trade for yours any day. I have a pile of poplar that may become a boot bench and I will stain it dark walnut and add arm-r shield and call it done. I have marked your post as another must build items. 

[cdolcourt]

If you want it, here are the sketchups for the project itself and the jig to cut the mortices in the stretchers. I used a 1/4 inch spiral upcut with a 3/8 template guide bushing, so the offset was 1/8 total. I did the same for the mortices in the legs, but I had a fence on the end so the jig would register repeatedly. No sketchup for that one, though. 

 

Anyway, thanks for the encouragement and compliments. Very much appreciated.

slatted bench with joiery.skp

jig.skp

[Coop]

Cameron, Fantastic job, well executed!

Sounds like we may learn from you as well.

And yes, would like to see you join the guild. Marc has some great builds and is fantastic teacher.

Ken