[Thor]

I've been working on this bench for a few weeks now.
Both sides are carved in a Celtic knotwork design. This picture is bad, but I can't take it outside to photograph it yet. The bench is not put together or finished. This is just with it balancing with all of the parts in place.

I made a mortise and tenon joint to help give it more support at the bottom, and went ahead and carved "little dugans" as the tusks. I hope they show up better when I get the finish on.
The bench is 36" long, 15 1/2" high and made out of white pine.
This has been a fun project, but a long one.
Thor

[MelNM]

Nice work, how is white pine compared to basswood?

[wade clark]

Thor,
Nice! It'll be beautiful when you're done!
Wade

[Thor]

Pine is cheaper.
It's a soft wood, larger grain. I use it alot, because I can buy it at the big store, and it's cheap.
I like basswood much more. I can get a lot more detail with confidence.
Pine works for most of my carvings. I wish I had a lot more basswood.
Thanks for the comments. I'm still working on it. Should be done in a day or two.
Thor

[squbrigg]

Neat bench, love the knot work. How are you going to finish it?

Bob

[Lightningbolt]

That's a very nice bench there and it looks like your patience is paying off and just in time for Christmas! I also really like it when a woodwork project is further extended in creativity with carving. WCI's woodcarver of the year Wayne Barton also seems to appreciate such work as some of the photos in his honorary feature article show a lot of his chip carving into every part of his own home.

As for pine I use quite a bit of it myself and for the same reasons and always with good results. White pine is the dominant species around these parts and I get a lot of it from local furniture mills kiln dried which is some nice wood and easy to carve. About two years ago I built myself a new "trestle" kitchen table using pine although I did use red oak for the wedge in the mortise & tenon joint (see photo). I didn't incorporate any carvings into this particular table but you've made me very jealous... I love that litttle face on your wedge!! I'm sure that the final finish will make them stand out just nicely.

Keep up the good work and thanks for posting!

Great project, love your long knot work and the "little guy", nice touch, this piece will look very nice when finished.

[Thor]

Lightnening bolt, your mortise and tenon joint is much tighter than mine. Good job. Trestle tables are very cool, and I've made trestle benches and a table before out of plywood that knock down flat and transport easily.

The finish was going to be orange shellac, but since I blew out one of the little dowel holes when I backed out the screw and drilled further to use real pegs, I decided a little cosmetic distraction is neccessary. I am really frustrated that I don't have fine woodworking skills. The bit was brand new and sharp.
Now, I'm painting the main part of the bench green, with an oil stain, then I may paint the seat yellow with oil stain, and then paint the little tusk dugans with a red oil paint. It gets more Nordic all of the time. I think it will limit it's appeal to many folks, but make it a "gotta have that" to the one who buys it.
I'll post pictures again when I get the painting/stain done.
Thor

[Callynne]

Wow Thor, that is just terrific! I can't wait to see it when it's finished! Definitely will be a 'gotta have that', I've no doubt about that at all!! Great job, thanks for sharing! Deborah

[Thor]

I have put several layers of oil stain on the bench in green, with a yellow top and red tusks through the mortise and tenon joints. It's not really put together yet, but this is a picture of what it will look like. The little tusk guy will be driven down into its hole further.
Moving on to the next project.
Thor