I Really Didn't Need To Do This Right Now
It wasn't on the summer project list, but a pile of scrap wood and five dollars were apparently all the excuse I needed.
A Project That Wasn't on the List
In upstate New York where we live, winter lasts what seems to be six months. Okay, it's not that long, but when you add in inclement weather to the long winters, well - you get the idea. Anyway, when the weather gets good enough to work on the outdoor projects, it's a mad dash to get as much done as possible before...next winter!There's tons of projects I need to get done this summer, and one of them was NOT building a potting bench. But, as is my wont - I did. I woke up yesterday with a potting bench in mind. Maybe I saw something on HGTV, I don't know. But I built one, and here it is - about 7/8 finished. I still need to do some tweaking and staining, but:
Starting With Lumber Already at 173
Mr. Mosher, who owned out house before us worked for an electric and gas company. Every now and then I find some strange artifact or DIY project from 50 years ago that in some way relates to the previous owner's vocation! One is example is that I have these huge timbers under my porch. See the board the falcon (eagle?) is sitting on?
THAT's what I have a bunch of. So I pulled some out:
I have no idea what Mr. Mosher originally intended these timbers for, or exactly where they came from, but I like the idea of putting them back to work here. They'd already been part of 173's story long before we arrived, and rather than eventually hauling them away, a few of them were about to become something useful again. That's a pretty good fate for an old piece of lumber.
Building the Potting Bench From Scrap
And started building the potting bench.
There wasn't much of a plan beyond the general picture I had in my head. The old 4x4s became the legs and main supports, and from there I pretty much designed around whatever scrap lumber I had available. I ripped some leftover boards on the table saw for the work surface, used a 1x6 for the lower shelf, and worked a piece of leftover lattice into the back. Nothing fancy, and certainly nothing approaching fine furniture, but for something that's going to spend its life holding flowerpots and getting dirt dumped all over it, fancy seemed a little unnecessary.
In the past I had thought about making one out of cedar or some other fine wood, but lately I've been on this kick about using up scrap wood.
So here's the (7/8) finished product:
I know, I know. I didn't notice until I saw the picture, but the board on top is a bit, shall we say - skewed? I'll fix that. I also want to add a skirt in the front under the table portion to finish the look a bit.
A Five-Dollar Potting Bench
Here's a materials list with costs:
4x4 (4).....free (the old telephone pole boards that came with the house)
3/4 x 12.....$0 (leftover from another project) *I ripped them on my table saw to make the top of the bench.
1x6.....$0 (leftover from another project) *Used for the bottom "shelf"
3/4 x 8.....$5 (again, ripped on my table saw to make the skirts)
Lattice.....$0 (leftover from another project)
Stain....$0 (who doesn't have cans of deck stain laying around?)
TOTAL COST: $5
I think we're going to position the bench in a different spot, I'll post the final project when staining, etc is done.
Keywords
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