Popular Woodworking 2006-06 № 155, страница 73

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slab like that can make up into a garden bench. Being white oak, they last." The sawyer was making conversation while cutting my logs. It sounded interesting. "Well," I replied, "let's take a thicker cut next time so I can try it."

For a suitable slab you need to consider what to look for and where to find it. For size, a 4"- to 5"-thick bark-sided slab taken from a log about 20" in diameter and 4' long will do. Bark tends to slough off in logs cut when spring growth starts, so you might avoid that time of year.

There is a wide range of tree species that can work. I am surprised to find that a free-standing project like this bench will fare quite well when left to weather without any surface treatment.

This short "orphan" log set on the mill will yield two oak garden benches.

The ends of the legs, which stay damp most of the time, will rot, but it is a slow process. I have painted old motor oil on the leg ends to help, but leave the remain

der to weather naturally. It seems suitable to the project.

Looking at a rot-resistance table in a wood technology book for what species to use would prob-

by John Wilson

John operates The Home Shop in Charlotte, Michigan, where he teaches classes and sells Shaker box supplies. Contact: ShakerOvalBox.com or 517-543-5325.

The lumber mill scrap pile may provide the slab top for your bench. Here are discarded bark-covered slabs. You can give it a better life than as a piece of firewood, which it's destined for now.

ably not be of much help since finding a slab is opportunistic. You use what you can find. I have garden objects of walnut, elm, apple, maple and oak, all of which work well. Basswood does not.

Where do you find such a slab, and how do you cut it? Logs are squared up for lumber milling.

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