[M00sie1945]

The first is a bench I built for my FIL when he moved into a condo & needed a place, just inside the door, where he could sit to change his shoes. The design is my own, using materials I had on hand. Since then, I have built many more, mostly as wedding gifts to children of close relatives & very good friends. It has been a nicer gift then I could have afforded to give otherwise. That exposure has also resulted in a number of sales.

The second was a special order made to complement an existing hall table. It is the same bench design with dressed up legs.

https://www.routerforums.com/attachment.php?
attachmentid=385571&thumb=1

https://www.routerforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=385573&thumb=1

 

[ranman]

Wow. Looks like something I'd see on antiques roadshow. Very nice workmanship and design.

 

[Stick486]

a number of sales????
customers should be beating a path to your door w/ work like that...

 

[dman2]

Beautiful! Do you have a web showroom / gallery?

 

[Bstrom]

Looks like a chair without its back - interesting. Would make a nice wider bench design too. Beautiful workmanship.

 

[DesertRatTom]

Those are really gorgeous. Add a padded back and make them a little wider and you have love seats. I would love to see more of your hand made pieces. These deserve to be treasured for years. Hope you put a label of some sort on it. If you use a paper label, get some that isn't acid based so the label will last. Put your dot com on it. Charge a LOT. A couple of items like this and you will have a nice retirement income, or money to invest, plus the satisfaction of having people who love your stuff pay for it. Praise is nice, cash is superb. Or take it easy and just sell what you make. Or teach someone else to make them for you if you don't want to spoil the fun of it.

 

[Nickp]

Hat off to you...that is some really fantastic work...I'm sure they will become family heirlooms...

 

[M00sie1945]

You are correct, Brian. I build quite a few chairs, so one of the parameters I had to work with here was there was limited space in the entryway. That meant not having a back because a back normally leans back from the seat & would make the bench too deep. Normally, you are not leaning back when changing your shoes. Besides, the wall is always there for support. The other point is that the arms are an important asset for assisting a person when rising from a seated position. That is why the width of the arms is much the same as for a regular chair. Designing for a less able person is not quite the same as for one who is able bodied. Paul

 

[Stick486]

I build quite a few chairs, so one of the parameters I had to work with here was there was limited space in the entryway. That meant not having a back because a back normally leans back from the seat & would make the bench too deep. Normally, you are not leaning back when changing your shoes. Besides, the wall is always there for support. The other point is that the arms are an important asset for assisting a person when rising from a seated position. That is why the width of the arms is much the same as for a regular chair. Designing for a less able person is not quite the same as for one who is able bodied. Paul

can you tutor us on your methods and engineering???...
PLEASE!!!!

 

[M00sie1945]

Tom, trying to put a comfortable back on this bench would be an invitation to falling on your a--. I'm not trying to be offensive, but benches & chairs are 2 different animals. It seems that most woodworkers shy away from making chairs because they think they are too complicated. They aren't really, but there are certain design elements which are vital to making a comfortable chair which is safe to use. If you are interested in a challenge, research the parameters of making a chair. When you think you are ready, make one. You will really enjoy it & want to try again so you can make a better one,... or, you will never try again. Good chairs made today share the same basic designs as the ones that are in museums today that were made 3-400 years ago. Those old furniture builders didn't have the advantages we have today, but they weren't dummies either. Paul

 

[M00sie1945]

Stick, I have 30 or so years of experiences which got me where I am in chair building. But, they weren't all in chair building. Trying to teach you all you need to build chairs,on this forum, would be an impossibility. Besides, I don't know how many years I have to go yet. Read what I had to say to DesertRatTom, then stick around. By no means am I an expert chair builder, but I have built a few. In the next little while, I will be posting some of my chairs and many of my other builds. I will also be trying to put together a list of sources on chair building & other fine woodworking skills. I will never put anyone down about their level of woodworking skills. There are some on this forum who have skills beyond what I can do. If those of us that have achieved a higher level of skills in whatever area can stimulate interest in others or pass along some knowledge, I believe it would be a good thing. Paul

 

[Stick486]

works for me...
insights are valuable tools...
thanks...

 

[Herb Stoops]

Holy Cow, those are beautiful. I wouldn't mind taking off my shoes in your house if you had one of those.
That is one of my big gripes is people who want you to take off your shoes when entering and no where to sit to put them back on.
HErb

 

[Stick486]

Holy Cow, those are beautiful. I wouldn't mind taking off my shoes in your house
HErb

We're pretty sure we would prefer that you leave your shoes on....

 

[Herb Stoops]

We're pretty sure we would prefer that you leave your shoes on....

HAHA, I thought you were going to say,"We prefer that you leave." LOL
Jerb

 

[Stick486]

Jerb???
that must be some night cap...

 

[woodworker47]

Paul,

You really do excellent work. Your ability to create is beyond my abilities. I am envious.

Frank

 

[Multiwood]

Great job Paul, they do look like antiques

 

[TenGees]

Beautiful work, Paul. Love the leg shapes... just amazing.