New Bamboo Bench project

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fredgpops
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Location: plus 700ft in the Santa Cruz Mtns, 8 miles from the Pacific
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New Bamboo Bench project

Post by fredgpops »

Image
020 (1936 x 1296) by fred_carolyn12, on Flickr

This will be the bench seat when complete. It is about 65% complete.
1. New techniques used vs 1st bench: Used a chop saw with a very fine blade plus very slow cuts to get 45 degree. Used a hasp instead of a chisel to remove nodes of interlocking pcs. Locked the outside square in by drilling wood in the workbench next to each side of bamboo. THis made it easier to lay in the internal squares.
2. Problems: Having enough like diameter bamboo. Some uneven splits. Need to check out Japanese splitting tools. Should have made chop saw cuts to inner squares after the outside square was locked into the workbench. Too many mid-course corrections by making inner squares, then making them fit.
Started sanding and marine varnishing individual pieces prior to finalizing cuts. Still have some wide gaps between interlocking squares - too wide for wood filler but I have a solution. Stay tuned in.
3. Size: 3 1/2 ft X 2ft
4. Gorilla glue used as was the first bench.
Rgds
pokenei
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Re: New Bamboo Bench project

Post by pokenei »

Look good. A bamboo bench beneath a towering bamboo grove would be nice.
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needmore
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Re: New Bamboo Bench project

Post by needmore »

Beautiful Fred, I can't imagine getting the corners that tight, really nice work.
Brad Salmon, zone 12B Kea'au, HI
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bamboothew
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Re: New Bamboo Bench project

Post by bamboothew »

That looks awesome, Fred!
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David
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Re: New Bamboo Bench project

Post by David »

I like it!
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foxd
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Re: New Bamboo Bench project

Post by foxd »

Indeed, very beautiful!
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fredgpops
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Re: New Bamboo Bench project

Post by fredgpops »

Image

Back view of bench seat. Grey stuff is wood filler. Rgds
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Re: New Bamboo Bench project

Post by fredgpops »

Image

Updated photo of seat. I added (nailed and glued) small culms along the seams between slats to make it stronger and filled the gaps in the small center squares. One outer slat had to be repaired at the corner. Weather conditions made it change structurally and it popped loose. The seat needs to be sanded again, then the final marine varnishing can be completed.

Image

Could be my dumbest or smartest move. I am putting foam in the back of the slats 1) to make the seat stronger 2) help make the seat level and 3) make it more water tight. I have tried 3 different foam products and they are hard to control. The foam with epoxy is the worst and most expensive. I will be able to mill and sand the foam when application is complete.
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