This is a project I've thought about for a long time. We don't do a whole lot of gardening here at the humble abode, but when we do get a new plant it would be nice not to have to re-pot it on the ground or at the kitchen sink.
 |
| The completed project |
It started with an internet search for some ideas and then later a Sketchup drawing.
 |
| Sketchup drawing |
I did end up changing a couple things from the drawing, most notably I didn't use the shelf supports that are shown with the upper two shelves.
This project is far from "fine woodworking". The lumber is just common pine 1x4s, with 1x6s for the upper shelves. None of the boards was straight and there were lots of knots, but I wasn't looking for anything more.
 |
| 18 1x4s, each 8' long |
The construction was fairly simple. The 36" front legs and 64" rear legs are each made of two lengths of 1x4, glued together at right angles. I planed the edge on one piece, but did not bother planing the face of the mating piece. The two main platforms, one at 8" off the ground, the other at 36", were basically boxes glued and pocket-hole screwed together. Each was 20" x 47 1/2". I added slats that were supported by a piece that was glued and screwed to the inside of the long sides of these boxes.
 |
| The two "boxes" roughed out and screwed together |
 |
| I got to pull out the miter box to cut the 24 slats. There's a board clamped upright in the end vise acting as a stop for repeat cuts. |
 |
| Here, I'm checking the fit of slats in one of the boxes |
 |
| I got to use a variety of hand tools for screw holes and screws |
 |
| Attaching a slat to the support piece |
The gap between slats was 3/8". Twelve fit into each box, with the first and last slat made less wide to fit the space and leave a 1/4" gap at the end.
To support the boxes on the legs, I glued and screwed small blocks to the inside of the legs. The boxes rest on those blocks and are later screwed to the legs.
 |
| Starting to come together. Here it is dry-clamped. |
I fit the two upper shelves similarly with blocks glued and screwed to the inside of the back legs. I cut those shelves for a good fit between the legs and they are also pocket-hole screwed to the legs.
 |
| View from underneath an upper shelf. You can see the support block and also the pocket screws from shelf to leg if you look closely. |
The back edges of the upper shelves were planed straight so that I could glue on a strip to keep things from falling off the back of the shelf. Those pieces were glued to the back edge of the shelf and also pocket-hole screwed to the legs.
 |
| Back view showing the strips glued to the upper shelves and pocket-hole screwed to the legs |
I thought I would glue and screw the main boxes to the legs, but after just screwing them together without glue and feeling how solid it was, I decided the glue was unnecessary. This will allow me to disassemble it later if the need ever arises.
For the moment, I'm thinking there will be no finish applied. It will reside under a balcony and will rarely, if ever, get wet. I might change that decision later. Maybe BLO or a poly on the main work surface to make it easier to clean off the dirt and cuttings. Oh yeah, I might still add a shelf just below the right side of the main work surface. The shelf would hold a plastic bin to catch dirt that falls between slats.
That's it. A rough project, but I like the way it looks. And it should make it better for us to do some gardening work.
That would be a fun project to do. I love the simplicity of the design. It's very appealing to look and functional. I would caution you though about not applying a finish. Being pine, unless it's been treated will not stand up to the outdoor environment. Even though you said it won't get wet, it will still get exposed to the moisture. Winter frost, snow etc. BLO is not the right finish if you want to use an oil finish. Tung oil is the one most appropriate for outdoor furniture. Tung is both an indoor and outdoor finish, BLO is an indoor finish. Also Tung oil keeps the wood's natural colour, whilst BLO gives is that yellowing appearance BLO is famous for.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that, Salko. I'm still thinking about putting a finish on, even though here in the San Francisco Bay Area, we don't get snow, almost never get frost (and the location of the potting bench NEVER has had frost). The potting bench will never even get any direct sunlight. So probably the only reason to put on a finish is so the dirt that spills onto the surface while potting a plant can more easily get cleaned off.
DeleteI know from experience that no finish on pine outside under cover on the balcony over time get's blue streaks. This also happened to my Canadian poplar and that was in my workshop but it was close to the window which is always open. With finish on it, that won't happen. Not to my knowledge anyway.
DeleteLooks nice. It's satisfying to knock out a project that's more simple but still attractive and sturdy. When I was a beginner a project like that would have been The Big Project Of The Summer and not have gone smoothly.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's funny the different perspective you get after a few years behind the bench.
Delete