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Season 1: Project #22 The twig easy - Anything I Can Do
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Materials:
- Galvanized spiral-shank nails in a variety of lengths from 1
½ " to 3"
- Branches trimmed from trees and bushes. Lilac, maple, fruitwood
or almost any kind of branches except sappy, runny pine. Pick
up branches trimmed from trees by people in the neighborhood or
by the public works department. You can also go into the woods
and pick up windfall branches, or actually knock down standing
dead trees.
- The seat is made of 1" x 10" fir that I had lying around.
NOTE:
If the arched bentwood look is what you want, you'll have to find
swamp willow, which grows in low-lying wet areas in fields and woodlands.
Green wood is easier to shape and drive nails into but it will
shrink as it dries. So, if you use green wood, be sure to go back
and tighten joints with added nails or screws about six weeks after
you finish your piece. Dry wood won't shrink but it's tough so you'll
have to pre-drill holes for the nails.
Always collect way more wood than you think you'll need. That way
you'll be able to make artistic choices in selecting branches, rather
than improvising desperately.
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Tools
- Hammer
- Safety glasses
- Saw
- Loppers
- Pruning shears
- Rasp Drill
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Steps:
Set the back pieces approximately 55 inches apart |
Clean up any pointy bits that will be uncomfortable |
Use a rasp to remove nubs and smooth the bumps |
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Determine what size you want your rustic bench to be. The
size of my bench is based on a board that I had lying around
which happened to be 57" long. Choose a board that is sturdy
enough to hold the weight of at least two people.
Choose two sturdy branches (diameter approximately 2") to
be the vertical members of the H-shaped back frame. Cut them
about 4' long and set them roughly 55" apart on their outside
edges.
The back frame, which looks roughly like a ladder, consists
of two joining pieces below the seat and two or more above
the seat. The upper rungs should be chosen for their potential
comfort and artistic attributes. Nubby branches won't be comfortable
digging into the backs of those using the bench, so try to
find clean ones or take down points with a rasp.
The pieces on the bottom should be sturdy because they support
and distribute weight through the lower part of the frame.
The piece closest to the bench seat should be set about 16"
off the ground.
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Lay out the pieces to be attached |
Joints can be butt joints or..... |
.... lap joints |
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Lay out the chosen branches and mark for cuts by eye. Cut
along those lines with a coarse garden saw (or use loppers
if the branch isn't very thick). Place the newly cut pieces
between the two larger ones to form the back frame. Adjust
the lengths as necessary so that they all fit well.
Branches can be attached by overlapping them one on top of
the other, or in butt joint fashion.
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Pre-drill for the nails |
Use galvanized nails with a spiral shank |
Drive the nail in with a hammer |
Using a framing hammer with a waffle face makes driving nails
easier |
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Drill holes from the outside of the frame into the end of
the smaller cross pieces. Drive a large nail into the hole
attaching the two together. Attach all the pieces in a similar
manner. Pay attention that the frame remains roughly square
and that the pieces are attached in such a way that the 'feet'
of the bench remain in a parallel line.
Be sure your nails are long enough. Check them by holding
them on top of the joint and at the drilled angle. At least
half of the nail should be going into each piece. If they
go all the way through, just bend the point over so it doesn't
stick anyone.
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Be sure you nail first one way... |
.....and then one the other way |
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| After everything has at least one nail, go back and angle
drill (or 'toe' nail) for some smaller nails. Cross the nails
so that they really lock the pieces in place. Each joint should
have at least two nails that cross. The two crossed nails can
be driven in from the outside or inside, whichever is easier.
Be sure that the drill bit you're using isn't too big or the
nails will have a loose, sloppy fit. The nails should really
bite the wood, without splitting it. |
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The completed back frame |
The completed front frame standing with the back |
Attach the front to the back with some cross pieces |
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Build a similar 'ladder' frame for the front of the bench.
It only has to be as high as the seat but should be sturdy
as well. Cut the two front legs at 18" and lay them out at
57" outside dimension (or whatever dimension you are using).
Choose two branches to attach the front legs together. Set
them in place, mark them and cut. Set the top of the one nearest
the seat at the same 16" height as its mate on the back frame.
Attach the other horizontal piece about halfway up between
the ground and the first piece.
Stand the back frame up. Find a way to support it in place
vertically, using either a helper or a bunch of clamps. Stand
the front frame in position in front of the back frame and
secure it in place.
Measure the distance between the back and front and cut four
branches to fit across this span. The distance between the
front and back frames should be just larger than the width
of the intended seat. In this case, 10" is the seat depth,
so the distance should be 13" or 14" between front and back
frames. Choose two pieces, set them in place bridging the
back and front, then mark and cut them.
Place two of the four connecting pieces on top of the front
frame, and two on the bottom. Nail them in place.
TIP: At this crucial point of assembly, be sure you're
working on a flat, level surface! If you put together your
bench on crooked or undulating topography, it will never sit
properly on level ground.
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Attach pieces on the diagonal for lateral stability |
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| Next, choose some smaller branches for cross bracing. Cross
braces usually run from the bottom of one front leg to the top
of the opposite (kitty-corner) back leg. There should be at
least two of them that cross in the center and their purpose
is to stop the bench from racking side to side. The branches
don't have to be very thick but must be well attached. If possible,
nail them together in the center for added strength. Other cross
pieces can be added if the bench seems unstable or wobbly. Cross
bracing greatly strengthens the bench. |
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Attach the seat with some screws |
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| Finally, lay your bench seat in position and check that it's
level. The seat should sit flat. If there is any discrepancy,
a shim under the seat should solve the problem. In this case
the discrepancy was quite large so another branch was added
as a decorative piece. This is part of the improvised nature
of building rustic furniture, and adds great value and character
to the final outcome. Are you buying this? |
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Finished bench with Mag |
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| Sit on your new bench, test it and add pieces either for more
stability or for looks. Also, add nails if needed, bend over
sharp points of nails and make sure they haven't worked loose.
Move your bench to a scenic place in the garden and admire how
your handiwork combines with Nature's. |
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Artisans'
work featured on this episode:
(click pics for Artist info and larger
images)
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