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wantonamara

"Keep them doggies rolling , rawh-i-i-i-de"

I took a day off of work. Read "self employed and I will pay for it later." I built me two rolling garden benches. As some of you know, I build and restore furniture for a living. The stuff we do can not be made in a day. LOL. We get the simple stuff. You know what they said about the shoe makers kids? It's true. If I take a vacation, I do not want to be spending it working building, but I did do a busman's holiday this time.

Anyway, I am getting off topic. Here is a progression. They are really simple. Buying the materials took the longest of all the project. On the whole , not a bad way to spend the rainy day.

This is my tactic (or one of them ) to protect the plants during freezes. I roll them into my Pseudo Living Room they hasn't been built yet but is dried in and has a 16" wind/sliding door that the winter sun gets into.

I have cactus instead of a porch railing.

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Comments (11)

  • nil13
    10 years ago

    Nice work using those 4x4s. That looks great. However, the light colored stringer bugs me a little. I think I would have taken a torch to it to ebonize it and then hit it with some of that varnish. That way those 4xs would appear to float a bit more.

  • wantonamara Z8 CenTex
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    It will grey down in a month to the color of the deck. I thought about staining the stringer too but decided against it. I look ahead to what will happen. Maybe I should have pre stained them dark. I am not taking them apart now. I did not have any dark stain on hand.

  • camellia1_gw
    10 years ago

    That's a great idea! I didn't think about that.

    Last week, I went to look for something to roll my stand in and out of the house because we have fluctuating weather around here lately...freezing then above freezing.

    I saw the wheels but didn't think about building my own...boy, if I wasn't shy in high school way back when, I could have taken shop and it would pay off now...haha!

  • wantonamara Z8 CenTex
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I am of the age where all girls HAD to take home ec and learn how to iron cloths and the boys got to play with sharp iron tools that spun and cut fast. MAN, did I experience ----- envy. I got to do sculpture in High school and tools are my downfall as much as plants. We are looking at a new shaper for christmas or a Festool Domino.

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    10 years ago

    That IS very COOL! I knew an idea this great would come along!! Then all of the plant that fit on it wouldn't need spots by windows for winter, just wheeled outside for a bit most days.

    Like my daughter used to scream at her friend when they were 2, "I nee DAT!"

  • wantonamara Z8 CenTex
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I am in the belt where I can wheel them in for just a few days and right back out again. I think a small plastic green house out of PVC would have been cheaper. Those cr@ppy casters are not cheap, but cheap for 5" castors. DO NOT crimp on the size and weight rating of the castor if you want them to roll over stuff like door jams. I got locking castors because I do not want them rolling off the deck . It is a 10' drop. I had a tree legged table tip off of that thing dropping 4 plants, and most of them are still recouping.

    This post was edited by wantonamara on Wed, Nov 6, 13 at 13:11

  • rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
    10 years ago

    Good looking benches Mara. I am using a bench made by my friends husband for his metal shop (unfortunately, he passed away & she gave me couple of benches). They are made of square iron tubing & had solid wood top. I replaced it with 2x4's from old picnic table; they are held together by couple of 2x4 crosswise, so I can take this top off easily. They are very handy even if little high for me (he built them for himself & was 6'4" tall). I can put lots of plants on top since 2x4 are abt.7' long. Will have to look for a photo if I have one.

    Your benches are nice color. Is that cedar or redwood?
    Rina

  • nil13
    10 years ago

    I hear ya about not taking them apart now. I also get not having any dark stain and just lumping it. That's why I always keep the old Japanese shou-sugi-ban finish in my pocket for those occasions. I always have a torch lying around. And if you have a oxy-acetylene torch you can just burn the acetylene so it's throwing off a bunch of soot and run that under the wood so the soot (which is just carbon black) coats the wood. Then seal with finish. The great thing about those blacks is that they will never fade from uv and they are deep deep blacks.

    Plus, I always have a jug of vinegar full of rusty nails and what not even though that won't get you all the way to black even with the tannic acid from a first coat with black tea.

  • bikerdoc5968 Z6 SE MI
    10 years ago

    Nice project. You know we are all Sunday afternoon armchair quarterbacks so here's my 2 cents: I wouldn't take it apart either... too much work. You could purchase a piece of 1 x 4 redwood or cedar or whatever the posts are and rip 1 ý" strips cut to length. Then set the circular saw to an 1 ý" depth and rip þ" from the 2 x 4 and using 16 gauge finishing nails (nail gun) add the fascia piece to the side of the project. Not too much work.

  • hanzrobo
    10 years ago

    Hahaha, you guys... Mara, the professional woodworker will be leaving her new benches just as they are - perfect. Function over fashion in this case. Weather will take care of the rest.

  • wantonamara Z8 CenTex
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    ACTUALLY, I won't do the cut and trim with a board because I do not want another seam for rot to hide behind, BUT I was thinking that IF the spirit should move me ( not today , tomorrow or before February) I might take a metal shield and burn the bejeezus out of the stringers in place. I am a little concerned about burning penetrated wood. But now it is yesterday, so yesterday. Onward and upward. I have too also trim up 1 1/2 acres and work on the back 40 (actually 17) and get it ready for my wildlife evaluation report. ON TOP of my job and the holidays. Things required of me are really picking up.