6 2 APRIL/MAY 2002 COTTAGE LIFE

Turning the table

Shape shifter: The picnic

table splits into twobenches

(opposite) to suit your space

and seating needs.

Shape shifter: The picnic

table splits into two benches

(opposite) to suit your space

and seating needs.

COTTAGE LIFE APRIL/MAY 2002 6 3

Last summer, my wife, Lynn, and Idropped in on cousin Kathleen and herhusband, Ross, at their WahwashkeshLake cottage. After the customary wel-come refreshments and sharing of familynews and gossip, Ross and I naturally started talking cottage stuff. Inoted that he had recently replaced the deck on the side of the cottage.This required closer observation, so we abandoned the women and ourlawn chairs and climbed the steps for the requisite inspection. Ross saidhe was considering installing a bench along the railing side of the deckand wanted to know what I thought. Since this bench/table project wasalready under construction back at my place, I suggested it might be asuitable alternative. Like stationary benches, our bench/tables provideextra deck seating space, but they can be moved around. The addedbonus is that they can also be quickly converted to half picnic tables orcombined to form a full one. This eliminates the need for the tradi-tional, but cumbersome wood picnic table or a plastic or aluminumpatio set that always seems to take up too much space. The multi-purposeCottage Life benches are the hands (and bottoms) down way to go.

FRAMING/LEGS 1. Refer to the Materials List (p. 68) and Illust. 4 (pp. 66–67), to cut out the main parts. If you do not have a really good sabre/jigsaw, or access to a band saw, you might want to mitre the corners instead of cut-ting the curves. It is virtually impossible to keep the blade perpendicular with astandard sabre/jig saw in 11⁄2" lumber so save yourself the aggravation. 2. The table legs require a 11⁄2" x 31⁄2" notch for the back brace (Illust. 4). Iaccomplished this with a dado blade on my radial arm saw. However, the samecan be achieved with a circular saw (or a handsaw, for that matter) and a sharpchisel: Make several passes 11⁄2" deep and then remove the remaining materialwith the chisel. The bottom outside corners of all four legs for each bench aretrimmed to reduce the possibility of splitting when the table is tipped (Illust. 4).Drill a 3⁄8" hole, centred, 31⁄2" from the top of each table leg. >>

B Y WAY N E L E N N O X P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y J . M I C H A E L L A F O N D

T E C H N I C A L I L L U S T R A T I O N S B Y T E R R Y D O VA S T O N A N D B A R B D I P I E T R O

.. .from eating to seating. These convertiblebenches will knock guests off their feet

6 4 APRIL/MAY 2002 COTTAGE LIFE

3. For this project, I opted tofashion 31⁄2"-wide half-lap jointsin the bench end brackets toincrease the frame’s rigidity andstrength. Remember to maketwo pairs of opposing brackets(Illust. 4, p. 66). Again, the circular saw and chisel methodcan be used to make thenotches if you don’t have some-thing better. Drill the eightclearance holes in each bracket.I rummaged around in myrather sorry collection of bits andfound only a 9⁄64" – adequateenough for #8 screws! Forlooks, you can router the out-side perimeter of each bracket(Illust. 3, p. 65). I like my trustyold 1⁄2" roundover bit because itproduces such a pleasing profile.4. Sand the bench legs, tablelegs, and the bench end brackets. Attachthe legs to the bench end brackets with #8 x 2" deck screws (the brassy-lookingkind) and Type II carpenter’s glue (Illust. 1). The advantage of Type II glueis its water resistance. However, it runsmore and tends to ooze out of the jointslonger than ordinary wood glue so you’llneed to be extra careful when wiping it up.5. Drill the 3⁄8" holes in the table endbrackets where shown (Illust. 4, p. 66).Router the outside and inside perimeters,except along the top edges, of the fourtable end and two table centre brackets. TABLETOP 1. Select the six best 2" x 6" x 711⁄2" boards for the tabletops.Round the outside corners of the fouroutside boards as in Illust. 2. To enablethe two benches to fit together to form alarge table, the table legs must be offset(see photo, p. 62). For Bench A, theclearance holes for the table end bracketare located 41⁄2" from the ends of thetabletop; for Bench B, they are drilled6 1⁄2" from the end. The holes for thecentre brackets do not need to be offset(Illust. 2). Sand the table boards and thesix table brackets. Check for square, andscrew the boards to the brackets using #8 x 3" deck screws. Leave about a 3⁄8" gapbetween each board to achieve the 17"overall width for each table (Illust. 1). 2. Turn the assembled tabletop piecesupside down. Attach the table leg assem-bly to the inside of the table end bracketswith 3⁄8" x 4" carriage bolts, washers, and

compression nuts. Make it a good snugfit (no Herc, you don’t need to crush thecedar!). Carefully stand the benchesupright, and swing the tabletop/benchbacks up into the tabletop position.BENCHES 1. Select the six benchboards (four 2" x 4" x 711⁄2" and two 2" x 6" x 711⁄2"). Round the outside cor-ners of the four 2" x 4"s. 2. Drill the clearance holes for the benchend brackets in the bench boards. Again,because the frames are offset, the clear-ance holes for Bench A and Bench B aredifferent (Illust. 2). While you’re at it,drill the clearance holes for the bench legbraces as well. Router the top perimeterof each board before assembly. (I, natu-rally, made the mistake of assembly first;

I then had to remove the innermostboards to router them.) Ensure that theframes are square, and screw the boards tothe bench end brackets using #8 x 3" deckscrews, leaving about 1⁄2" between boards. 3. Router the outside edges of the benchcentre brackets and the leg braces beforeassembly. I screwed the brackets in fromunderneath; countersink the holes agood 1⁄2" because you will only be using#8 x 2" deck screws. Drill the clearanceholes in the bench legs (Illust. 1) andattach the bench leg braces to the centrebench boards and to the legs with #8 x 3"deck screws. Sand.BACK BR ACES The back braces(Illust. 4, p. 67) measure 633⁄4" forBench A and 593⁄4" for Bench B. Each

29"

121⁄4"

131⁄2"

17"

clearance holes for leg braces

Back-up surface:

The bench backrest swings

up to form half-tables.

Back-up surface:

The bench backrest swings

up to form half-tables.

Illustration 1

COTTAGE LIFE APRIL/MAY 2002 6 5

brace extends about 11⁄2" beyond thetable legs. Notches (see inset detail, p. 67) on the extensions act as stops forthe tabletops when they are tipped up,and the extensions themselves stop thebench backs when they’re tipped down.The measurements given for the notchesare starting points. Begin conservativelyand whittle away a bit at a time, check-ing for fit as you go. I made the initialcuts with a backsaw, but then I had tomake several fittings, adjusting theangles with a rasp and a very sharp chiselto get them just right; be patient. Onceyou’re satisfied, check for square, sand,then glue and screw the braces to thetable legs using two #8 x 3" deck screwsat each end.

LOCKING MECHANISM 1. Whenthe bench back is tilted down, it needs tobe secured; it must also be locked when it is in the table position. Illust. 5 and 6 (p. 67) show details of the locking mecha-nism that satisfies both requirements (aeureka moment at five in the morning).

The stop block (Illust. 5) has beenroutered to match the profile of the tablecentre bracket. Install it on the backbrace directly below the centre bracketwith glue and two #8 x 3" deck screws. 2. Make a 1⁄2" notch in the bottom of thestop block with a round file or a surformtool. Taper the leading edge of the notchto create a flat surface that is roughly levelwith the tabletop. (The notch on the topfor the bench position is added later.)

3. The swingarm assemblies consist of 3⁄4" x 11⁄2" x 123⁄4" sides, rounded at theends, and joined by three 1⁄2" x 21⁄2" dow-els, two on the bottom and one on top.The dowels nest in 1⁄2" pockets drilled7⁄16" deep (a forstner-type bit is ideal forthis job, as is a drill press). Drill a smallclearance hole through the centre of eachpocket. This allows excess glue to escapefrom the pocket during assembly, and isthe guide for the pilot holes that you willneed to drill for the #6 x 1" screws. Tem-porarily assemble the swingarm by secur-ing both sides to the two bottom dowelsonly. Ours were approximately 71⁄16" and87⁄8" down from the top of the arm. 4. With the bench back in the tabletopposition (clamped to hold it in place, if

711⁄2"

353⁄4"

Bench (for Bench , 121⁄2" and 15")

73⁄8"

31⁄2"

31⁄2"

51⁄2"

41⁄2"

61⁄2"

51⁄2"

51⁄2"

51⁄2"

53⁄8" 101⁄2"

13"

ABench

BBench

ABench

BBench

round outsidecorners

carriage bolt

table end bracket

bench leg brace

router outside perimeter of

end brackets only

AB

Illustration 3

Illustration 2

TABLETOP

BENCH

6 6 APRIL/MAY 2002 COTTAGE LIFE

necessary), position the swingarm sothat the top of the middle dowel youjust installed fits snugly into the notchyou cut in the bottom of the stop block(left-hand photo, opposite). Then slidethe open upper end of the assemblyover the table centre bracket. Use asmall nail or awl to mark the positionwhere the upper dowel will passthrough the table centre bracket (thatlittle hole you drilled will help. Theposition indicated in Illust. 6 is approx-imate). Drill a 1⁄2" hole through thetable centre bracket (if you are using adrill press, you will have to remove thebracket from the table). Slide the topdowel piece through the hole in thebracket, sanding the hole slightly, ifnecessary, to get a nice fit. 5. Leaving the upper dowel in place,pull the swingarm apart, sand, add glueto the pockets, and reassemble. Screwthe swingarm sides to the dowel pieceswith #6 x 1" screws. Use a rasp or sur-form to adjust the fit of the middledowel against the notch in the bottomof each stop block (Illust. 6).6. With the swingarm in place, drill acentred hole through it and the stopblock for the pin. (Precise placementisn’t important: The pin is not load-bearing; it functions simply to hold theswingarm in place.) I made the pinsfrom 3⁄8" x 8" eye bolts. Cut thethreaded portion off and taper theends with a flat file to remove sharpedges and to make for a smoother fit.Though the threaded part measures3⁄8" in diameter, the smooth shank isslightly smaller; start with a 21⁄64" hole.If that is too tight, then move up to11⁄32", and so on. 7. Pull the pin and slide the swingarmout. Tip the tabletop into its benchposition. Carefully cut a new notch inthe top of the stop block until the bot-tom dowel can be seated securely (thiswill prevent the bench back from mov-ing). The notch must be deep enoughso that you can drill a second holethrough the bottom of the swingarmsfor the pin (right-hand photo, opposite).8. Run a 12" length of open-link lightchain through the eye of the pin,spread a link and hook it back on itself,then close the link. Screw the otherend of the chain to the back brace with a #6 x 1" screw. >>

31⁄2"

29"

17.5° 22.5°

R13⁄4"

11⁄2"

101⁄2" 115⁄8"

31⁄2"

3⁄4"

half-lap joint

clearance holes

31⁄2"

31⁄2"

30"

211⁄4"

163⁄8"

31⁄2"

11⁄2"

17.5°

22.5°

R13⁄4" 31⁄2"

3⁄8" hole

notch for back brace

legs trimmed

16"

8"

31⁄2"

51⁄2"

35⁄8" 3⁄8" hole

121⁄2"

45°

11⁄2"

BENCH LEG(x4)

BENCH CENTRE BRACKET (x2)

TABLE END BRACKET (x4)

BENCH END BRACKET (x2)(left side shown; for right bracket create an opposing, mirror-view piece x2)

TABLE LEG(x4)

COTTAGE LIFE APRIL/MAY 2002 6 7

11"

31⁄2"

45°

16"

31⁄2" R13⁄4"

31⁄2"

633⁄4"

593⁄4"

A

B

31⁄2"

1⁄4"

23⁄4" 21⁄4"

Illustration 4

BENCH LEG BRACE (x4)

TABLE CENTRE BRACKET (x2)

BACK BRACE DETAIL

BACK BRACE (x1 of each)

31⁄2"

3"

1"(approx.)

15⁄8"(approx.)

R1⁄2"

R13⁄4"

11⁄2"

123⁄4"

stop block

pin hole for table position

back brace

table centrebracket

11⁄2"

55⁄8"

71⁄16"

87⁄8"

111⁄8"

31⁄8"

3⁄4"

pin hole for bench position dowel

these measurements

are all approximateIllustration 5

Illustration 6

The swingarm locks the tabletop (left)and the bench (right) in position .

STOPBLOCK (x2)

LOCKING MECHANISM

6 8 APRIL/MAY 2002 COTTAGE LIFE

9. Swing the tabletop back up and lock it into position. Router the out-side perimeter only of the tabletops(Illust. 2, p. 65). I free-handed thisoperation, trying to be careful not torun into the gaps, but a cedar shim or apiece of 3⁄8" scrap plywood wedged intothe gap – flush to the top and end –will prevent the router bit from wan-dering into this space. Sand.TABLE LATCHES A simple latchensures that when the benches are com-bined to form a single picnic table, thetabletop surfaces stay together (Illust. 7and 8, above). It is nowhere near asinspired as the tabletop lock, but itworks. Rip 1⁄2"-thick strips of 2" x 4"for the latches and the catches. A 13⁄4"piece of dowel is recessed into theswinging latch arm. The illustrationsshow how these are assembled. Tackthe catches together with 1" finishingnails. Use a #12 x 11⁄2" screw for thelatch because it will resist turning.(Note that the two tables should beseparated before you move them.)FINISH I finished the tables with twocoats of Varathane Natural Oil Finish.This product provides protection fromthe elements and preserves the cedar’sterrific appearance. It is also really easyto apply – ain’t that a bonus! L

Long-time contributor Wayne Lennoxalso created the adjustable dock tray in the July/Aug. ’01 issue and the oft-replicated outhouse in July/Aug. ’99.

Materials List (for two benches)

lairetaM ytQtsil gnittuCtraP

Tabletop boards 2" x 6" x 711⁄2" 22" x 6" x 12' (x2)

Centre bench boards 2" x 6" x 711⁄2" 2

Tabletop boards 2" x 6" x 711⁄2" 42" x 6" x 8' (x4)

Table end brackets 2" x 6" x 16" 4

Back brace – Bench A 2" x 4" x 63 3⁄4" 1

Back brace – Bench B 2" x 4" x 59 3⁄4" 1 2" x 4" x 14' (x1)

Table centre brackets 2" x 4" x 16" 2

4"03 x "4 x "2sgel elbaT

Outside bench boards 2" x 4" x 711⁄2" 4

61 x "4 x "2 sgel hcneB 3⁄8" 4

Bench end brackets 2" x 4" x 29" 4 2" x 4" x 10' (x6)

Bench leg braces 2" x 4" x 11" 4

Bench centre brackets 2" x 4" x 121⁄2" 2

2"4 x "3 x "2skcolb potS

Swingarms 3⁄4" x 11⁄2" x 123⁄4" 4 ripped fromTable latches 1⁄2" x 11⁄2" x 11" 2 2" x 4" offcutsTable catches 1⁄2" x 11⁄2" x 83⁄4" 2

*All lumber is premium western red cedar

Hardwarebl 1 "2 x 8#swercs kceD

bl 1"3 x 8# swercs kceD

41"1 x 6# swercs dooW

Wood screws and washers #12 x 11⁄2" 2

Eye bolts 3⁄8" x 8" 2

4"1slian gnihsiniF

Carriage bolts with washers 3⁄8" x 4" 4

and compression nuts

2 '1 niahc knil-nepo thgiL

Hardwood dowel 1⁄2" x 2' 1

L 2hsiniF liO larutaN enahtaraV

Type II carpenter’s glue

3"

3⁄4"

11⁄2"

1⁄2"

13⁄8"

53⁄4"

11⁄2" 1"

11⁄4"

11"

11⁄2"

11⁄2"

taper edge

dowel

2" 33⁄4"

3"

53⁄4"

#8 x 2" deck screws

A

A

B

B

Illustration 8Illustration 7

TABLE CATCH (x2)

TABLE LATCH (x2)

TABLE LATCH MECHANISM