English Garden Bench
Nearly 30 years ago, Rockler published this elegant bench in its predecessor magazine, Today’s Woodworker. We’ve brought it forward again now because while its design and proportions haven’t changed one iota from the original article, neither has its timeless appeal: this is a classic that deserves a second printing.
Even I have updated a number of its building procedures that I think will make the project easier to build. Rockler also blanks down to 2¾" thick. now offers a set of full-size cardboard patterns to help you create rigid templates for the shaped parts of the bench without fussing with gridded drawings. But if you’d prefer to work from those gridded drawings instead, we’re offering them as a free, downloadable PDF at woodworkersjournal.com. You’ll also find a full build video to help guide your progress.
Forming Back Legs
To get this project underway, start by tracing Rockler’s seven patterns (or plotting points from the gridded drawings) onto 1/4" MDF or plywood and carefully cutting them out to create full-size, durable templates. Sand their edges smooth.
Next, glue up seven double-thick blanks for the front and back legs, arms and a spare “test” arm from 1½"-thick stock. Blanks measuring 6" x 39½" work well for the back legs; start with 4¼"-wide x 24"-long blanks for the arms. When the glue dries, plane the seven blanks down to 2¾" thick.
Use your rigid templates to trace the When laying out the arms, make sure leg and arm shapes onto their blanks. the angled back end forms a 16° angle with the bottom flat edge of the blanks and the “flat” behind the front ball end of the arm is parallel to the blank’s bottom edge. For now, cut out just the back legs at the band saw, sawing about 1/16" outside the layout lines.
The next step will involve template routing, but these leg and arm workpieces are thicker than standard flushtrim or pattern bits can reach
