# trestle table and benches



## Dimitri M (Oct 4, 2011)

Next project now, is to make a long trestle dining table and benches. Four benches, each about half the length of the table will serve as seats. I don't know how to make chairs.

As posted elsewhere in this forum, I have nice big planks of cypress at 3 and 5 cm thickness (30 & 50 mm for the system fanatics) at length of 2 and 3 meters, I have a method for enforcing cypress with long dowels against splitting, and another method for keeping the rim of the planks and giving it a smooth curve flow with the router. I searched and found many trestle table plans on the net, and decided (more or less) on what I will do. I never copy others' plans, never make something standard and typical - it removes the fun and all that is left is hard work and sanding dust everywhere.

As a pilot test, I made a bench and I must say I like it. It shows short - but is 43cm high. If needed I can add "shoes" under its legs and raise it another 3 cm. Please have a look at the pics and tell me what you think.

In choosing sizes, I like to use Fibonacci numbers (each one is a result of the addition of the previous two: 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13 etc). So the length will be 2.33 m (2330 mm) to accommodate several people. Of course the height is standard 75cm, the width 90 cm, and the table surface is made of two planks (200 x 45 cm) with two perpendicular ones, one at each end. Already the weight of the two main planks is taxing my back, but I like the idea of such a table. 

I will try to be as descriptive about the construction method as possible, but any ideas or questions are welcome.

Wish me luck!
Thank you

D


----------



## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Nice job Dimitri.


----------



## Gaia (Feb 20, 2010)

Very nice work.


----------



## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Am I right in thinking that you made both items shown Dimitri? They are both as professional as they come and you can't beat the "magic ratio".


----------



## Web Shepherd (Feb 8, 2012)

Dimitri ~ Nice work. What stain and finish did you use?


----------



## Dimitri M (Oct 4, 2011)

Hi Harry, they are not two items shown: I photographed only the bench that I have finished, as a pilot study for the looks of the trestle table. If you see the long traverses under the bench seat, you realise that they are reduntant in terms of function. Only two people will sit on this bench. The only reason I used them is because such transverse long bits are necesary to keep the table surface from warping.

I would like to ask anyone interested, how thick is your dining surface ? I.e. how much room have you got for your legs (in terms of height under the table surface) until you say it is uncomfortable? Particularly tall people ??

Bob, cypress natural color looks much like pine, only the knots are bigger and more complicated. If I leave it unstained, in a few years it will present some kind of "dirt" showing on some areas, which is definitely not dirt and I can't explain why it happens. So I have found a "walnut" stain and most furniture in my house is stained such,some pieces darker (two hands undiluted), some are lighter (one hand walnut stain, one hand transparent, or two hands diluted). I used to be very fussy but gave up this policy. I even enjoy leaving the saw marks. So in time, I developed my own style, and the bench is my latest piece. 

thanks to all and wishes

D


----------



## mgmine (Jan 16, 2012)

Very very nice!


----------



## Dimitri M (Oct 4, 2011)

Dear Peter and Art, many thanks for your comments.

D


----------



## Neil Tsubota (Mar 20, 2010)

Beautiful work.

Can you help me understand the Fibonacci Number ?

In your example 2.3m is the sum of what two numbers ? (Length + Width ?)


----------



## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Dimitri; is this what you were talking about earlier, with the 10mm x 450mm drill bit and dowels thread? Would I be wrong in guessing that you wanted to dowel right through the planks?


----------



## Dimitri M (Oct 4, 2011)

Exactly, Dan; 26 - 28 cm long dowels already went into the sides of the table top planks, which measure 45 x 195 cm, which now need to be dowelled for joint (another problem here) then glued, cut across to accurate length, then the end bits added, each measuring about 30 x 90 cm. What you see in the pics here is just the bench; tomorrow I will scan the drawing plan I made, and you can see what it will look like.

D


----------



## Dimitri M (Oct 4, 2011)

Neil, I am sorry I did not answer your questions earlier re. Fibonacci numbers. This is a sequence of numbers where each one (after the second number) is the sum of the last two previous numbers:

1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233. Upto here are the numbers I choose whenever dimensions are not pre-specified. Here you will find the 3x5 cards, the 5/8 ratio considered the to be the "golden standard", etc. Of course, a chair's height needs to be 45 cm to sit on and have dinner, your countersink will have to be a long as necessary, but if I want to make a table slightly over 2m long, I go for 233.

At the moment I am trying to find how satisfying this is, by practising the various dimensions on stools. (This goes in parallel to the shoe closet, the trestle table etc etc). I have taken a few pics of the closet doors and the stool and will show them here as soon as I find time to sit down and work on them slightly with Photoshop.

Best wishes

D


----------

