New benches!

[Calnicky]

I'm usually lurking, but now am so proud of my new benches I'm posting photos! Built them myself (I have no carpentry experience.) Husband kindly showed me how to use a Skil saw without cutting off a hand. The tree on the empty bench is a Nothofagus antarctica. New to my collection and unstyled as yet. This is most of my deciduous trees as this area is somewhat shady. Have to squeeze the trees in where I have space. Hopefully they withstand most of our moderate shakes - the cinder blocks are not cemented together.

 

[DonovanC]

Beautiful! Very clean looking, I love it! The gravel is a great addition. I just put up some benches this year and didn’t do a good job with the gravel so the weeds have gone wild!
good job! Trees look great too!

 

[Paradox]

@Calnicky

If for some reason those 4 blocks stacked on each other are not stable enough, you could try doing a stack of 8 with 2 per tier but alternate the blocks each tier so that you dont have them all stacked directly on each other in the same direction each tier. It doubles the amount of blocks but they are much more stable

 

[Eckhoffw]

@Calnicky

If for some reason those 4 blocks stacked on each other are not stable enough, you could try doing a stack of 8 with 2 per tier but alternate the blocks each tier so that you dont have them all stacked directly on each other in the same direction each tier. It doubles the amount of blocks but they are much more stable

Oh sure, mister money bags here.

 

[Flowerhouse]

Oh sure, mister money bags here.

At my building supply place blocks are cheap. Don't know how prices shake out elsewhere.

 

[Calnicky]

@Calnicky

If for some reason those 4 blocks stacked on each other are not stable enough, you could try doing a stack of 8 with 2 per tier but alternate the blocks each tier so that you dont have them all stacked directly on each other in the same direction each tier. It doubles the amount of blocks but they are much more stable

Yes, had thought of doing that and/or using construction adhesive to lightly attach them. I want them to be portable. Cinder blocks are cheap here, so if it seems like I need more stability I probably will make piers. Thanks!

 

[Calnicky]

Beautiful! Very clean looking, I love it! The gravel is a great addition. I just put up some benches this year and didn’t do a good job with the gravel so the weeds have gone wild!
good job! Trees look great too!

If you do gravel, put landscape cloth down first. It definitely retards the weeds, although they will eventually seed into the gravel.

 

[Paradox]

Oh sure, mister money bags here.

Cement blocks are cheap, around $2 per or less so it would cost ~$30 to double up those 2 benches.
Adding more blocks to those benches will cost less than most decent prebonsai starter material.
One of those benches comes crashing to the ground in a quake and you could lose more than what the blocks cost in trees.

 

[Eckhoffw]

At my building supply place blocks are cheap. Don't know how prices shake out elsewhere.

Haha! Yeah. They are cheap. Like 2$ a piece. Just clowning around.

 

[Calnicky]

Cement blocks are cheap, around $2 per or less so it would cost ~$30 to double up those 2 benches.
Adding more blocks to those benches will cost less than most decent prebonsai starter material.
One of those benches comes crashing to the ground in a quake and you could lose more than what the blocks cost in trees.

You're right there. Definitely would lose way more $$ in trees in a good quake.

 

[River's Edge]

I'm usually lurking, but now am so proud of my new benches I'm posting photos! Built them myself (I have no carpentry experience.) Husband kindly showedView attachment 378920 me how to use a Skil saw without cutting off a hand. The tree on the empty bench is a Nothofagus antarctica. New to my collection and unstyled as yet. This is most of my deciduous trees as this area is somewhat shady. Have to squeeze the trees in where I have space. Hopefully they withstand most of our moderate shakes - the cinder blocks are not cemented together.View attachment 378921

Nice work and attention to detail. Clean and functional design. Well Done!