Show Us Your Bonsai Benches

[Flowerhouse]

I'll be sticking with cinder blocks and 2x whatever boards for the foreseeable future. Cheap, moveable, expandable, gets the job done.

The view from my lawn chair at morning coffee. First coffee, like 6:15 AM.

 

[Vinnie Charity]

I find that 2x8’s and cinderblocks are a match made in Heaven.

The 2x8’s are roughly 7 1/4” wide so 2 of them would create a 1 1/2” gap in the middle, which is perfect for drainage, and useful for displaying smaller bonsai.

I love my cinderblock benches and I use 16x16x2 caps on the ends of each bench to display larger trees and they also help keep the boards flatter.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Starting a new long term bench. Want to try and coalesce all my trees to one location.

12ft long, 30" wide. Started the framing tonight. Hope to finish this weekend. Will then stain next year hopefully.

Plans:






Have to get longer galvanized bolts. I had some laying around but they are just a little too short. Also need to get some more lag screws and some longer exterior decking screws.

I am making the top open for now but it will be built to allow lay-in of dimensional lumber of any size.

More pictures as I progress.

 

[Japonicus]

they are just a little too short

You can use a spade bit a touch wider than any galvanised washer you might use,
and drill into the wood to a depth, that will recess the nut.

Then after the spade bit is used, you drill through for the bolt.
If you drilled through for the bolt 1st, you have to plug the hole with a wedge of wood
to use the spade bit or it will wobble about fiercely and unevenly.

 

[Japonicus]

@Orion_metalhead

...as such.
Depending on depth of recess,
you there's a point at which a deep socket will be necessary.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Yeah, I could recess, or I could get 1" long bolts. The recess might be nice when I go to stain the bench in a year, and the bolts are inset, It also may look pleasing compared to on the surface. On the flip side, longer bolts remove an extra step with preparing the drill location and I won't need to bring out the spade bits and such.

 

[StPaddy]

I make shelves. Guess there kinda like benches…just a space thing for me…and dogs can’t reach them easily or climb them. My wife is a pro dog trainer and she trains on a table that looks a lot like a bonsai bench. They would jump on it all day.

 

[Stella]

My husband build my a stainless steel bench.
Used a geyser drip tray and filled it with pebbles.
Stil need to make a plan to make a tray for the top shelf
and this weekend I'm creating grow beds to the right in the photo

 

[DavidBoren]

I removed the glass top from a table and placed everything on the metal rack that was originally below the glass. It's not much, but it works for now.

 

[Cmd5235]

finally! (Pre) Bonsai benches are done!!

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Finished today:

 

[p_anova]

Finished today:

View attachment 454495
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Shou Sugi Ban your bench and add some character!

 

[Yamabudoudanshi]

Very excited to show this one and it's probably a bit different from what most are used to.

Moved from my small Tokyo apartment to a slightly larger Tokyo apartment with a double-sized balcony. I get half of it for trees (the other half is for laundry).

Recently built this bench out of a material called erector pipe. It's basically steel pipe with a dipped PVC coating and goes together much like PVC pipe. Tons of different lengths and joints are available, and the overal building cost is much lower than other materials.

In addition, I installed a 70 litre water tank as there is no water source outside. I use a collapsable hose with a sink hookup to fill it about once a week or so.
And just last week, I fitted the first iteration of my auto-watering system that I control from an app with a smart timer. It uses a diaphram pump and works better than I could have imagined. Now I don't need to stress nearly as much with the prospect of going away for a weekend.
Still planning on adding another string or two of spray nozzels as my collection grows, but for now it's ample.

 

[jal777]

Just a couple of 2x4's.... gonna make a 10 foot one soon.

 

[Adamski77]

Standard Chinese DIY… very sufficient…

 

[Cmd5235]

One more bench to do today with gravel

 

[Vinnie Charity]

Granite tops might be too slippery for the feet of the bonsai pots to grip properly, which may cause your trees to be blown off of the benches…

Update: I've been experimenting with some granite tops that were given to me by a friend and even though they are slick, large bonsai pots stay in place no matter how much wind is thrown at them.

I currently have a large Juniper and a large Forsythia that I'm developing on white granite tops and they are holding on great.

 

[BrianBay9]

Just moved to a new place in Fresno - hot summers. Luckily I have several large redwoods to provide shade from the west. Here's a view of a very temporary set up. Now I have to set up more space to get everything off the ground. I'll hook up spray emitters to the in ground sprinkler system. Then I have to see what the sun/shade spots are at various times of day.

 

[Clicio]

Then I have to see what the sun/shade spots are at various times of day.

And....
See where these same sun/shade spots are at the various time of the year.

 

[TN_Jim]

solo bench is new, rocks and stones in the works