LOG BENCH

This is a log bench I make last week. It didn't start out that way; I cut a tree limb that morphed into the bench.

A huge limb was extending some small branches out over the electric service line coming from the road to our house. We have had ice storms that threatened to break that electric line, so I have tried to keep the little limbs from growing out over the wire.

This year the only safe solution was to get rid of the big limb by cutting it near ground, not 20 feet up. . I didn't want to crawl up on a ladder with a chainsaw, it's just too dangerous, even if I was half my age. Since I'm 80 & going on 81, I didn't want to pass this problem on to my heirs.

I have always had the problem of getting the chainsaw pinched, so I found some very good info on Youtube here: "How to Fell a Tree with a Chainsaw" By STIHL USA

The diameter of the limb was 18" at the base & over 20 feet long. I made it fall exactly where I wanted it to, thanks to STIHL's video.

After I got the limb safely on the ground, I decided I wanted to attempt to make a bench. If I was going to make one, I might as well make 2. After watching the YouTube video, I split the log using a "Plunge Cut". It worked very well. NOTE: I should have cured the log for at least one year, but I truly don't know of I have another year, so I proceeded.

I drew a couple of sketches & decided to put legs on the benches. After I got the legs on the first bench, I Googled "log bench" & found a photo that looked almost exactly like the one I just made. Thankfully, the 2nd is almost always easier than the first.

NOTE TO ME: Always Google images before, not after the build.

I used Western Red Cedar for the legs just because. The experts say Its not red or cedar,

Since I didn't have a 1.5" drill bit, I decided to drill 0.75"holes in the log & legs and insert 0.75" X 6" steel pins. I also put in leg braces by grinding down the ends of braces to 0.75" and glueing them in with Gorilla Glue. I made a mixture of sawdust & Elmer's Glue & packed it into any void between legs & bench. I put temporary wires on each end of bench to minimize splitting as the wood cures. The surface of the bench measures 42" X 11".

I thought it turned out pretty nice for an old man.