Well, I've finally finished my walnut Nakashima style bench. I feel like I crossed some kind of threshold with this project. I've gotten more confident in the processes and techniques, and really I am just moving quicker than I had in previous projects. This is one project where I can sit (no pun intended) back and say I wouldn't have done anything differently. That's a very satisfying feeling to have! I do have to keep reminding myself that to this point I don't have many projects under my belt. I haven't tried anything all that difficult yet either; it's all been mortises and tenons, butterfly keys, etc. to this point. But anyway... I am happy with my progress. Finishing the other leg and it's mortises/tenons went faster than the other side. One thing I really liked about Nakashima's bench were the "scooped" shape at the bottom of his legs. I remember reading that he liked to do this instead of legs with a flat bottom, because floors are rarely level, so four points of contact are better than 2 large points of contact.
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| I was pretty happy with how the leg tenons fit their corresponding mortises. The braces inside made the joint very stable. |
I went with a Waterlox finish on this bench. Waterlox is quickly becoming my best friend. I used it for the first time when we finished our butcher block counter tops during a kitchen renovation last year. After that I used it on some custom oak thresholds I had to make between the kitchen and adjacent rooms, and then on a custom fireplace mantel and shelves. I've found waterlox to be very easy to use and the finished product speaks for itself. It's a little pricey but when you think about what you put into lumber and hard work, why skimp at the most critical step?
So now that this bench is complete, I can focus my attention on it's older brother, the walnut trestle table...
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| A close-up of one of the rosewood butterfly keys on the bench top. |
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| The grain on this is amazing. |
