$5 Potting Bench

I Really Didn't Need To Do This Right Now

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:

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:


And started building the potting bench.  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.

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.
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