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Tools and Materials
You’ll need a tablesaw, dado blade, jigsaw, router and beading bit. We used 15 lineal ft. of 1x12 Douglas fir dimensional lumber (see Sources, below). Dimensional lumber comes planed on all four surfaces and measures 3/4-in. thick by 11-1/4-in. wide. This is wide enough for the widest parts, so there is no edge gluing of boards required for this project. The Douglas fir lumber costs approximately $100.
Cut the Parts
It’s important that the lid (A) be as flat as possible. Since it’s common for wide boards to be slightly warped, it’s best to pick the flattest one for the lid before cutting out any other parts. Then rip and crosscut the lid, legs (B) and rails (C) to final dimensions (see Cutting List, page 78). The legs and lid are too wide to crosscut with a standard tablesaw miter gauge. A simple shop-made crosscut sled solves this problem (Photo 1). For complete details on building a crosscut sled see “The Ultimate Shop-Built Crosscut Sled”. Cut the bottom (D) to final length, but leave it 1-in. oversize in width. It will be custom fit later on.
Shape the Legs and Rails
Start by cutting the dadoes in the two legs (Photo 2 and Figs. A and B). Then cut the notches in the upper corners of the legs. This is a three-step process. First, make two vertical cuts in each leg (Photo 3). Most tablesaws will not be able to cut the full 3-1/2-in. depth that’s required for this cut. This is not a problem and has the benefit of preventing the scrap from falling out during the final cuts.
Second, set the miter gauge 95 degrees to the left of the blade and crosscut the left-hand notches (when facing the dado) on each leg (Photo 4).
Third, set the miter gauge 95 degrees to the right and crosscut the right-hand notches (Photo 5). Break off the waste with your hand, and clean up the remaining wood with a chisel (Photo 6). Now test fit the rails into the notches. The tops of the rails and the tops of the legs should be flush. If either is proud, trim it flush. Next, cut the angle on the sides of the legs (Fig. B) with a jigsaw and smooth the cut with a hand plane or sanding block.
The arcs at the bottom of the legs come next. Start by drawing a 4-in.- radius circle on a piece of cardboard. Cut it out and use it as a template. Position it according to the dimensions in Fig. B and draw the arc. Then cut the arc out of the leg with a jigsaw. Clean up the rough edges with sandpaper.
Next, rout the bead on the bottom edge of the rails (Photo 7). A beading bit creates this classic profile (see Sources, below).
Then draw the arc at the ends of the rails using a cardboard circle template and saw out each arc (Photo 8). Clean up the rough edges as you did before.
Next, cut mortises for the hinges in the back rail. The depth of the mortise should equal the thickness of the hinge (Fig. D). Mark the locations of the hinges (Fig. A) and use the tablesaw and a dado blade to remove the waste (Photo 9). Test fit the hinges in the mortises and drill pilot holes for the screws.
Custom Fit the Bottom
The bottom needs to be exactly the same width as the length of the dado in the legs (Fig. A). Place the oversized bottom in the dado, flush-up the edge of the bottom with the dado on one side and mark the exact width on the other side (Photo 10). Now cut the bottom to final width.
Assemble the Parts
Begin by building an assembly jig to hold the legs upright during the glue-up (Photo 11). A 2x4 sheet of plywood works fine for the base and some scrap 2x2 material is all that’s needed for the supports. Rip the edge of the 2x2 lumber on the tablesaw with the blade set at a 5-degree angle. Then crosscut it so you get four 12-in.-long pieces. Orient the supports so they hold the legs angled toward each other. Double-faced tape works well to fasten the four angled scraps to the plywood. Position the supports so the bottom inside edges of the legs are 32-1/2 in. apart. The sides are now held at the right distance from each other, angled at 5 degrees, and with no hands! Dry-fit the rails in the leg notches to make sure they extend by 1/2-in. at the ends (Fig C). Adjust the 2x2 supports if needed.
Sand all the parts before gluing. Start with 150 grit and work your way up to 320 grit if you plan to use an oil finish. You can stop at 180 grit if you plan to use varnish. Also round over any sharp edges on the lid or legs that will be exposed after final assembly.
To assemble, start by gluing the bottom into the leg dadoes. You’ll notice that the dadoes are at a slight angle because the legs are angled in (Fig. C). It’s nothing to be concerned about and the bottom will still fit fine. Clamp across the top of the legs to pull the bottom securely into the dadoes. Apply glue to the rails and set them in place. Clamp along the bottom of the rails and at the ends (Photo 12). Clean up glue squeeze-out with a putty knife after the glue becomes semi-dry. Then let the bench sit until the glue has completely dried.
Peg the Rails to the Legs
When the glue is dry, remove the clamps and drill the holes for the pegs (E) that help hold the rails to the legs (Figs. A and C). Drill the holes 1-3/4-in. deep. Store-bought 3/8-in. dowel rod will work fine for the pegs but making your own from the same wood as the bench adds a nice touch.
To make your own pegs, rip some scraps into 3/8-in. x 3/8-in. square strips and round them with a rasp or chisel. Next, cut the strips into 2-in. lengths. Slightly taper one end of the pegs to make them easier to drive in. Then use a small dowel or stick to smear glue inside the peg hole. Insert the peg and tap it in with a hammer (Photo 13). Trim off the remaining dowel with a handsaw and sand it flush. Be careful you don’t damage the rail when trimming the dowels. See Oops!, below for a tip on how to avoid this.
Hinge the Lid
Screw the hinges into mortises in the back rail. Then mark lines on the underside of the lid for the hinges. Position these lines so when the lid is attached to the bench it is centered from side to side and front to back. Drill holes for the hinges screws. Be careful not to drill through the lid. Now snip the tips off the screws to make them 5/8-in. long. This keeps them from poking through the top of the lid. Then screw the hinges to the lid (Photo 14). Now give the bench parts a final sanding and apply a finish. We used an oil finish, which gives Douglas fir a warm amber glow. Two to three coats is sufficient to give the bench a hand-rubbed appearance.
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