|
Materials:
- one 6' plank of 1" x 12" pine
- 2" nails (the antique reproduction nails
from Lee Valley are cool)
- milk paint (see recipe at end of instructions)
Cut List:
- Top - 12" x 21"
- Legs - 12" x 12"
- Side pieces - 20" x 2 ½"
|
Tools
- Saw
- Hammer
- Pencil
- Measuring tape
- Jig saw with a scrolling blade (optional)
- Sandpaper (or power sander if you have one)
- Carpenter's square or board to act as a guide for drawing straight
lines
- Drill and bits
- Safety glasses
- Tack cloth
- Shaving brush
|
A
traditional cricket bench |
An
updated version of a cricket bench |
A modern version of a cricket bench with wide supports and small
legs |
Added
detail on the updated version |
|
Steps:
Cut
and sand the parts before assembly |
Trace the size of the supports on to the sides |
Cut out the notch in the end pieces |
|
| Cut out the pieces. Sand before assembly - it's easier. Trace
the end of the side supports onto the legs. Cut out the notch
along the lines. |
|
Be
sure the wood grain in the legs is running vertically |
Find
the height of the 'V' - not more than half the height of side |
Mark
the bottom of the 'V' three inches in from the edge |
|
Mark the cut lines using any straight edge |
|
|
|
In laying this out, be sure the wood grain in the legs is
running vertically,
not horizontally. |
|
| Watch for knots, pitch pockets or other weak spots and plan
accordingly. Cut the v-notch in both legs. Start the 'v' no
higher than halfway up the board. Drill a hole at the tip of
the 'v' to distribute strain evenly and prevent splitting. |
|
Use
a bow sander or piece of sand paper to ease the sharp edges
|
Finished end with initial, v-notch, supports and top |
|
| The width of the feet should be no less than one quarter of
the full width of the board. Mark a minimum of 3" in from both
sides and start your cuts there. |
|
Fit
all the pieces to be certain they will work |
Reproduction
nails are thick in the middle |
Drill for the nails |
Orient
the nail so that the narrowest dimension lines up with the grain
|
|
|
|
Attach the 2 ½ " x 20" inch side supports to the legs. Pre-drill
holes large enough to accept the nails but not so large that
the nails become loose.
If you're using antique reproduction nails, they're thicker
in one direction than the other, so put the thinner side in
line with the grain. This helps prevent splitting.
Nail the top on, pre-drilling for the nails.
|
|
Draw a letter or other shape on top |
Drill
a hole inside the letter |
Put
the jig saw scrolling blade through the hole |
|
For
added stability, place the bench on a rubber mat |
|
|
|
Optional:
Draw an initial or decorative shape on the top. Make it large
enough to be a good handhold for picking up the bench, but
not so large that a child could lose a foot down the hole.
Drill a ¼" hole inside the design. Slide the jigsaw blade
into the hole to start cutting.
Wipe
off the surface with a tack cloth |
|
Blueberry
milk paint |
Blueberries,
powdered milk, builder's lime, Plaster of Paris |
Apply the milk paint with a shaving brush |
|
Use a shaving brush for ergonomic paint application.
Any stray blueberry bits will brush off with a cloth after
the paint dries.
Make your own milk paint:
-
Cook berries (any fruit with a strong
pigment can be used) to release the colour and soften
the berries.
Strain off the bigger pieces.
-
Mix 12 parts SKIM milk to 1 part builder's
lime (also called 'slaked' or 'hydrated' lime).
Add berries.
-
Add Plaster of Paris to thicken the
paint to a pasty consistency.
-
Berries produce unpredictable results
(like my paint faded to almost transparent after a couple
of weeks!); as an alternative, colour the paint with
a bit of acrylic artist's paint.
-
Clean up with soap and water.
For an interesting article on milk paint recipes visit: Make
Your Own Paint
|
|
|
Artisans'
work featured on this episode:
(click pics for Artist info and larger
images)
|
More topics
Drill a hole at the top of the 'v' to help prevent splitting
