The Buddy Bench

In this project, we were given the task of creating a stool for the tables in our physics classroom that were lacking suitable seats for the height of the tables, since their manual seat adjustments had broken. Rather than making a simple stool, though, our group decided to build a 2 person bench, that would be as wide as a side of the table.

Step 1: Gather Materials & Cut List

Materials used to build the entire bench included:

4 2x4 Whitewood

2 4x4 Whitewood

4 2x2 Whitewood

14 1x2 Whitewood

1 1/2'' Nails

8x3'' Screws

2x1'' Screws

Pilots for drill

1 1x24'' Wooden Dowel

Wood Glue

Electric Hand Drill

Hammer

Circular Saw & Table Saw

Bone Saw

Handheld Sander & Belt Sander

Cut List:

2 pieces 4x4x30in

4 pieces 2x2x30in cut at 15° at both ends

2 pieces 2x4x63in

2 pieces 2x4x20in

14 pieces 1x2x63in

6 pieces 2x4x18in cut at 20° at one end

SAFETY Discretion:

When handling the materials, be careful as the wood can puncture your skin and cause splinters. Also when dealing with the tools, make sure you have the knowledge on how you use them, and ALWAYS wear safety goggles while working, make sure that you are under adult supervision at all times.

Step 2: Cutting Wood

Before constructing the bench, we cut down every piece, for the base, including legs and supports, and for the upper structure, including the seat and backrest.

For the base structure (includes legs and supports):

Materials Needed: All of the wood pieces needed were cut down using the circular saw and table saw.

2 4x4 cut down to 72 inches

4 2x2 cut down to 72 inches at a 15° angle at both ends

2 2x4 cut down to 20 inches

2 2x4 cut to be 63 inches

For the upper structure (includes seat and backrest):

6 2x4 cut down to 18 inches at a 20° angle at one end

14 1x2 cut down to 63 inches

Step 3: Creating the Base Structure

For the base structure, you need 4 4x4x30 inch pieces, 2 cut at 15° angles for the back and 2 not cut at an angle for the front. However, our group encountered a problem were we only had 2x2s let so we cut down our 4 2x2 pieces to 72 inches and at 15° angles. Then we glued 2 and 2 together, using wood glue, and screwed together, once the glue cured, for extra security with the 8x3 inch screws.

Once you have the 4 4x4x30 inch pieces, you use two of the non-angled pieces and lay the 2x4x63 inch piece over them and drill 2 8x3 inch screws an inch away from the inner edge of the 4x4 leg. For extra support and stability, drill a 1 inch hole through both pieces, going 4 inches deep, and stick the 24 inch dowel into the whole, cutting off the excess after with a bone saw, and hammering and sanding the end with the handheld sander. The same will be done to the other 4x4, non-angled leg.

This same process will be used for the 2 4x4 angled legs, the 2 2x4x63 inch pieces will be lied over each, but because each leg is made up of 2 2x2 pieces, the dowel was cut into the center of one of the 2x2s rather than through the middle of the 4x4, since it could come apart there. 2 8x3 inch screws are still screwed an inch away from the inner edge of the 4x4 leg.

After the 2 sets of 4x4 legs are connected to the 2 2x4x63 inch pieces, the 2 bases will be attached with the 2 2x4x20 inch pieces to create the final standing base structure of the stool, as shown in the picture. To screw the 2 2x4x20 inch pieces into each leg, hold up the two structures at 19.5 inches from each other, and screw the 2x4x20 inch piece about 8 inches from the ground. The screws will be an inch from the inside of the edge of the piece and 2 inches away from each other. This process will hold true to the 3 other legs that this piece has to be drilled into.

Step 4: Creating the Seat Strucutre

When the final, standing base structure is finally built, 3 bases for the seat and backrest will need to be created. These 3 structures will be built through the use of the 6 2x4x18 inch pieces. All six pieces will be angled at 20° at one end by cutting them with the circular saw and sanding down the cut edge with the handheld sander. Then, two pieces, of the 6, will be glued with the wood glue and clamped together with the c-clamps, until the glue has cured, to create 3 'L' shaped pieces at an angle. To ensure that these 'L' pieces stay together, even after the extra weight of a person sitting upon it is added, screw in 2 8x3 inch screws about a 1/2 inch from the bottom of the part and about 1 inches apart from each other. The same process will be done for the other 4 pieces, to create 3 final 'L" shaped parts.

These 3 angled, 'L' shaped pieces will them be screwed onto the final, base structure. There will be a piece on the left end, on the right end, and on the very middle of the bench in order to keep the space between the beams for the back and seat parts balanced and sturdy. Each of the 3 pieces will be drilled into the base of the bench by the insertion of 2 8x3 inch screws, on each end, so a total of 4 screws per 'L', each placed about a 1/2 inch from the edge of the bottom 2x4x18 inch slabs, and 2 inches apart from each other. Once the 3 bases are secured, you are ready to add the back and seat portions.

Step 5: Adding the Seat

All that's left for the bench, is to place down the final pieces that will make the bench, well, a bench. This step is the easiest and fastest to do as all it requires is to place each 1x2x63 inch pieces over the 'L' parts and nailing them in. The top and bottom faces each need a total of 7 of the 1x2x63 inch pieces, spaced at about 0.6 inches apart. Each of the1x2x23 inch pieces will have a total of 6 nails, hammered into them, 2 in the right end, center, and left end. The nails will be about an inch in distance from each other. Each nail will be hammered into the seat bases with the use of a hammer. This process will be done for the remaining 13 pieces, and will be what complete your two-man bench.