Is what I call the first bench. Been working on these benches on and off and on-sites for the pass couple weeks. Gearing up for another big Festival. Figured I share them with ya all.
I make most all my bench backs reversible. Allowing the owners two scenes to display, plus this will generate a bigger price tag for the bench.







These Eagle end benchs are a good seller.
Backs are reversiable also.




and another

Awesome, VERY VERY NICE!! I like em all.

Stumpy

nice detail and unique benches

Very respectable benchs.. Nice!!

Man that first one is your best bench yet Indy! Great job on all of them.

I really like the first one Indy, great design work. Hope you are well.

Ran

Very, very, nice

Those of you who use big slabs for benches, do you find they eventually warp or split? Just curious, never made a bench before myself.

If you make the slabb thick enough in proportion to it's length, width, and weight, it stays pretty stable. Two things you can do, iether make them your self, and learn, or pay a professional with a mini mill whom will be able to determine how to cut you a good bunch. It' almost instinctive for some, who can look at a log, and figure out where to make their cuts. I learned over a long period of time, by making my own. I have a track set up that the saw runs on, so I can make small shelving pieces, or large slabbs, but I still get table tops, and bar tops from my friends who own saw mills. I get all the stuff they call junk, and it's usually the nicest pieces for carvings. I started making slabs free hand, as an art form it's self, It's probably my favorite thing to do with the saw.

. The art form for me is in gathering, and processing the materials, and making them one functional thing.

Wish I could solely make my living on benches, I like what you've done, nice work!

nice stuff Doug, see ya soon

dick

I've done a lot of benches over the years. there good sellers but take alot of time compared to popping out bears.

CC

Most the time I use white pine for my benches with wide backs like the dreams of plenty bench. My logs set for a year or so and then I slab them out using our band mill. All my slabs are 2" thick and run between 5' and 7' long.
Then I stack them in the shed for another year with little slates between each one. The white pine has never split no matter how wide it was.
Now the harder woods like oak, maple,popular etc, are another story. Any wider the 16" in this area will almost guarantee a split some were on the slab. Those I cut 8-10' long 2" thick and let set for years in the shed. I have 6 white oak that have been setting for 12years now and are ready to use. Trim off the splits and there ready.
Here's the band mill we bought 2001 and has been the best 5400$ investment I ever made.

General rule to keep them from splitting too much, or warping, the thickness is 1/8 the width... So with an 8 " board that's 1" thick, your chances of resisting warping and cracking are 99%, but once you go under 1" thick your chances increase. I have a bunch of trim pieces that are 1" x 15" wide, or more, and they warp more, the thinner they get. None of the trimm off pieces stayed straight. 20" wide, at least 3" keeps them from having too much trouble, but ideally 3 1/2 " for 20" makes the nicest slabs, per 8' long. As a slabb gets longer, it needs to be thicker for strength.

Thanks for sharing and educating us. Great job
Best Regards,
Tom Castaneda