Cherry and Sapele Bench

[jteneyck]

I get logs from a local arborist.  Sometimes I make something for him in return.  Recently he asked me to make a bench like this.



It's cherry, the last of my 8/4 stock, with a strip of Sapele.  I had to add the Sapele to get the 19-1/4" width needed for the finger joints to be symmetrical with the 1-3/4" thickness.  I like the contrast.  Hopefully, he will, too.  The bench is 48 x 19-1/4 x 15" H.  It's finished with a coat of Sealcoat shellac followed by Target Coating satin EM-8000CV + CL.  

I cut the finger joints using a piloted mortising bit to follow these templates that I cut on my CNC.



They fit so tight that some hand paring was required to loosen them up a little, but it was far easier than cutting them by hand.   



I hope he likes it.  

John

[Philip1231]

I don't know why he would not like it: Very Nice!

[shoottmx]

Hey John,

No pics for me. Win 10 and chrome. Never had an issue viewing your pics before

Gary

[jteneyck]

Hey John,

No pics for me. Win 10 and chrome. Never had an issue viewing your pics before

Gary

Thanks Gary.  I forgot to click "Share" in the Google Photos Options folder.  Should be good now.  

John

[wood-chips]

That's a very nice bench and the new owner should be proud to own it.
How long did it take you to cut all the joints?

[shoottmx]

Thanks Gary.  I forgot to click "Share" in the Google Photos Options folder.  Should be good now.  

John

Joihn,

You're good to go now, Another outstanding example of your work!

Gary

[jteneyck]

That's a very nice bench and the new owner should be proud to own it.
How long did it take you to cut all the joints?

Thanks.  I think I spent the better part of 6 hours doing the joints.  Probably an hour with the router on each section, four hours total, and then another 2 hours paring them to fit.  A plunge router with a collet would have sped up the process significantly because I would have been able to use a longer bit and take slightly deeper bites than with the palm router.  And now that I know that the finger joints in solid wood will fit just as tightly as the templates I could cut the templates for a slightly loser fit to greatly reduce/eliminate the amount of paring needed.  It's amazing how much of a difference a couple of thou makes, from won't fit to slides together beautifully.  

The CNC allows you to dial in the fit of the templates.  With proper registration I could even put the templates back on the CNC and adjust the fit as needed.  

John

[mound]

Nice work! Can't see how anybody wouldn't like that.

[®smpr_fi_mac®]

That's super nice, and I think the band of sapele adds a bit of elegance.

[Bob Vaughan]

It's amazing how much of a difference a couple of thou makes, from won't fit to slides together beautifully.  

John

 I had a knowing grin on my face when I read this.  You did excellent on that joint. I'd thought that I was the only one that had to go back with a second template to loosen up the joints.

Unless you've been there, its hard to communicate what a PIA that joint can be.  I did those joints once a few decades back and swore off of them. That 8/4 red oak was heavy.