First coat on my walnut bench...

[price griffin]

 

[Mike Davis]

I like the legs, lightened up the look of the bench. Finish looks great!

 

[Bill Clemmons]

What did you use for a finish?

 

[Jeremy Scuteri]

Looks good. As an FYI, I think the wedges in the through tenons are typically rotated 90 degrees to what you have there. I know of two reasons for this:

#1: When the wedges are hammered in, the force exerted by the wedges can split the wood if the wedge runs along the grain lines. It looks like you are okay here since it doesn't look like anything split.
#2: Wood tends to expand/contract across the grain. This could result in the joint loosening by some small amount as the wood expands.

I doubt it is a big deal either way, but I did the same thing on a previous project, so I figured I would pass the info along.

 

[price griffin]

I like the legs, lightened up the look of the bench. Finish looks great!

Thanks mike I think it did also thanks for the advise..And i used boiled linseed oil on it for the first coat so far. And Ron it was my first one but this was the way I saw it done, the tendon is 3/4 my 3 inches but the legs are 2 inches thick by about 6 1/2 inches at the top so I doubt the wedge will split the leg and I also drilled a hole at the end of my wedge cuts in the tendons to keep it from splitting any. But I appreciate all the advise I can get im new at the slab building but im enjoying it so far. Thanks

 

[Mike Davis]

It is the slab that is in danger of splitting by the pressure of the wedges. Wedges should generally be done against the long grain where the wood is stronger and has less movement due to moisture.

 

[price griffin]

It is the slab that is in danger of splitting by the pressure of the wedges. Wedges should generally be done against the long grain where the wood is stronger and has less movement due to moisture.

Oh ok I didnt figure I would have to worry about the slab but I see what your talking about..Thanks