Ye Olde Benche (Additional e's Make It Medieval)

The necessity:  A bench that is medieval in design and construction, durable and weather-resistant, and completely collapsible.

The challenge:  A bench that can be made with medieval hand tools.  And, what the heck, uses mortise and tenon joinery.  

The product:

Now, I didn't make this bench with medieval hand tools -- but I could.  And, if I can put together a good enough inventory of period tools, I will.  The design is simple in concept, but I've never made a piece of furniture that relies entirely on mortise and tenons for strength.  After some consultation with a good friend, the plans came about quickly:

The mortises were easy to mark and cut with a square and chisel, and the measurements transferred well to the tenons on the side panels.  Each side panel has its own mortise for the crosspiece, as well as a gothic arch at the feet.  The crosspieces have round mortises and wedges.  All of the joints come apart to collapse, but won't fall apart in use.  

The first bench had passable mortises.  The second, made today, had substantial improvements.

There is a risk of the 5/4 pine splitting when fitting the tenons (which happened -- during the initial assembly).  Unfortunately, pine is not very forgiving on the cross-grain.  However, a few pieces of pine attached across the grain -- glued and pegged -- did the trick.  The end product is a fully collapsible bench without a single piece of metal.

If all goes well, these benches will be available for purchase at the Ironwood Artisans' booth all summer long.  Stop by if you're interested!  Check out our website (www.ironwoodartisans.com) for a schedule of our shows.  Also, make note that we are now selling products through our website!  

I'll be perfecting this bench design over the next few weeks.  Perhaps, soon, I'll be building them by hand at shows.

Until then, Cheers!

Seeds of Spring

It's here -- unmistakably.

Fifty and sixty degree weather has descended upon us, even on this cold westward hill in Southern Vermont. It's so warm, in fact, I bought a cherry tree yesterday. I can't help but think about planting in the garden and mowing down the old flower stocks from last fall. But not yet!

LESSONS IN GARDENING:

In our climate, we can't afford to wait for seeds to start in the soil outside; at least, not all of them. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and a host of other plants must be started indoors for any measure of successful harvest. Others -- such as peas, spinach, lettuce, chard, and carrots -- don't mind a little chill in the air (and honestly do better without the heat of the summer sun). To any naysayers who proclaim that Vermont is to cold for most plants: cheer up! Plants just need a bit of a boost to get going.

But, before even the cold weather crops can be started in the garden, it must be dry. Tilling in a wet garden changes the soil composition, and in any case, it would be a mucky mess. That's why I have to wait until the soil is drained, and slightly warmer.

Until then, I'll be starting seeds for the warm-weather crops, and crossing my fingers for dry days ahead (I can't wait for snap peas!). For those who aren't keen on starting from seed, I suggest going to the farm market for seedlings. There are plenty of farms in our area that start wonderful seedlings, and I end up buying a few even though I start from seed (some plants are harder to grow than others, and I only have so much time....).

It's unusual working in the garden in March. But, you'll hear no complaints from me. I'm just looking out for that errant cold snap that's sure to come between now and the frost-free date (usually in May).

Until then, happy seeding.