The Armour Archive

Hello Everyone,

I am going to be making some new benches over the winter and was wondering if anyone had any good designs for break down benches.

Thank you for your help,
Sir William Thomas

Hi William,

I have a bench that I adore that is made with this plan:



I just drew that from memory and I'm not a woodworker, so I'm not sure if the dimensions are entirely correct, but the design is. Hopefully it makes sense. The legs are a little fancier in real life -- less boxy and more shaped, but if you have skillz, obviously you could add your own medievaloid stylistic elements.

This bench is sturdy and doesn't buck too easily when people sit on one end. Wish I had a few more.

I didn't make it and I unfortunately don't know who made it originally, though I think it might have been a guy named Master Rufus who isn't active in the East Kingdom anymore.

Regards,
Tasha

A similar design is http://www.greydragon.org/furniture/benches.html

Jestyr wrote:A similar design is http://www.greydragon.org/furniture/benches.html

Love your website.

What wood did you use for the beta bench? The alpha uses dimensional lumber (1x12) The beta uses 5/4l is that specially ordered?

Jovian Skleros

Mine is like the Grey Dragon design which is based on the historical example in the book: "Medieval furniture: plans and instructions for historical reproductions" By Daniel Diehl, Mark Donnelly

Construction is the same for this bench that does not break down. This item is in the Philly Art Museum:







Just replace the lower bar with one that pegs like the tutorials above. Here are some painted examples of the benches with pegs on the lower support bar:

Triptych of the Family Moreel 1484:

[img]http://www.wga.hu/art/m/memling/3mature3/25more1.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.wga.hu/art/m/memling/3mature3/25more3.jpg[/img]

A lot of the ones James mentioned above are actually prie-dieux -- though I am not sure whether it would have been terribly gauche to use a prie-dieu as a bench when it wasn't being used for prayer, since prie-dieux and benches did look awfully similar.

More prie-dieux: http://www.larsdatter.com/prie-dieux.htm
More benches: http://www.larsdatter.com/benches.htm

We have some benches made by Master Daffyd after his article. They have lasted us many years. We also have some benches made by the same pattern using heavier lumber. We used 5/4 for the seats. 5/4 lumber is sold as stair tread. Despite being breakdown they are rock solid.

Tracy

Jovian_Skleros wrote:

Jestyr wrote:A similar design is http://www.greydragon.org/furniture/benches.html

Love your website.

What wood did you use for the beta bench? The alpha uses dimensional lumber (1x12) The beta uses 5/4l is that specially ordered?

Jovian Skleros

Wish I could take credit, but it is not my website. I just reference it frequently.

WillyT,

Email Logan. he has a pattern that all you have to do is blow it up and it gives two benches of this sort out of a sheet of plywood.

PS watch out bro. I got my shoulder fixed. It's going to be a bit of recovery but Ima gonna be back

bkillian wrote: Two benches of this sort out of a sheet of plywood.

Dude, plywood makes period baby Jesus cry!

For this bench you only need about 9ft of 1x10. It's easyer to work with, probably cheaper than the plywood and has an edge grain that does not scream modern material. I have two that have lasted over 16 years of group camping use. Save the plywood for shields!

this is true if you dont dress the edges. plywood does provide much more strength at a fraction of the weight and the cost is unbeatable. an $11 sheet of 1/2 ply makes two benches up to four feet long. mine are shorter so that they can fi in the trunk of an accord and i had three men, weighing over 700lbs sit on one without any issue.

board lumber is a much nicer looking choice and i prefer to make them that way now. but plywood, done right, is a fine option.

regards
logan

Johann ColdIron wrote:

bkillian wrote: Two benches of this sort out of a sheet of plywood.

Dude, plywood makes period baby Jesus cry!

For this bench you only need about 9ft of 1x10. It's easyer to work with, probably cheaper than the plywood and has an edge grain that does not scream modern material. I have two that have lasted over 16 years of group camping use. Save the plywood for shields!