Unprepared Tragedy

[Johnathan]

So I went outside to take a look at the trees, and get some pictures of the ginseng ficus I'm about to cut the tubes off and ...



My make shift desk/ table broke and fell. Apparently the little cardboard leg thing got to wet and snapped in half.



I know, I know, what did I expect right?????

Anyway, live and learn.

Anyone have cheap schematics for a bench I can build quickly this weekend with minimal tools?????

 

[justBonsai]

What I've done that makes a cheap but structurally sound bench is cinderblocks and wood. A cinderblock is $1 or less each. As for the wood it depends on what you want to use and your budget.
Here's a simple design I found:
http://www.bonsaidilettante.com/benches/

 

[j evans]

More importantly, are the trees ok?

 

[watchndsky]

Anyone have cheap schematics for a bench I can build quickly this weekend with minimal tools?????

looks like you have a top - buy some cinderblocks, stack, lay the pallet across and your done. cinder blocks are only a couple dollars a piece

sorry for the duplicate post - got distracted and missed the recommendation above.

still - quick easy cheap and no tools required

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Anyone have cheap schematics for a bench I can build quickly this weekend with minimal tools?????

Buy cinderblocks and 2" x 8" pressure treated lumber in 8' length. Buy a combination of 8 x 8 x 8 cinderblocks and 8 x 16 x 8 cinderblocks. Set them up in a stairstep pattern like this (sideview):



Locate the cinderblocks in about 18" from the ends of the boards. Done.

 

[Johnathan]

More importantly, are the trees ok?

This is indeed the most important fact of them all. I think most of them will be okay. Nothing came completely bare root.

Thanks to @bleumeon ans @watchndsky I will be able to spend more time getting everything properly repotted and whatnot this weekend because I won't have to build a bench lol

Now, do you guys have any suggestions on lumber to use? I belive I will go for something like this one here. 1 full 8 foot bench and then maybe 2 smaller 4 ft benches. That way I can put a 4 ft onto the shaded side of the house and maybe get a maple and other trees lol.

From tragedy blossoms triumph. You guys rock!!

 

[Johnathan]

Buy cinderblocks and 2" x 8" pressure treated lumber in 8' length. Buy a combination of 8 x 8 x 8 cinderblocks and 8 x 16 x 8 cinderblocks. Set them up in a stairstep pattern like this (sideview):

View attachment 149408

Locates the cinderblocks in about 18" from the ends of the boards. Done.

Whoa that looks like it requires a lot more cinder blocks lol

 

[Johnathan]

I think the other pressing concern is what can I put underneath to stabilize that ground a little better? This is just a temporary location until we move so I don't really want to dig up the yard and replace with a gravel bed. Any suggestions?

 

[Johnathan]

Buy cinderblocks and 2" x 8" pressure treated lumber in 8' length. Buy a combination of 8 x 8 x 8 cinderblocks and 8 x 16 x 8 cinderblocks. Set them up in a stairstep pattern like this (sideview):

View attachment 149408

Locates the cinderblocks in about 18" from the ends of the boards. Done.

Pressure treated lumber. Got it! Should I worry about adding a stain to it or anything? And specific wood better than another for the next year or 2 of daily watering?

 

[justBonsai]

I think any treated wood should be okay. This is my set up:

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Whoa that looks like it requires a lot more cinder blocks lol

(14) 8x16x8
(4) 8x8x8

Keeps your trees off the ground, so you can tend to them and view them. You never want low benches where you have to bend down to care for your trees, or where they will get splashed with mud or fungus. Also, that bench you are looking at (with the 3 shelves) is not a good idea. At most, you want two shelves or you will not be able to care for your trees on the top shelf because you are too far away. Trust me - leaning over three shelves of bonsai trees to try to lift a heavy pot off your top shelf is not a good idea.

My design is what you will see in many commercial bonsai nurseries...

 

[watchndsky]

If u

Pressure treated lumber. Got it! Should I worry about adding a stain to it or anything? And specific wood better than another for the next year or 2 of daily watering?

You can get more life out of them with a coat of paint. If its just a couple seasons dont worry about it but big box stores have terrible lumber and anything wider than 2x6 is prone to splitting and cupping depending on your heat sunlight and watering.

 

[chicago1980]

Buy cinderblocks and 2" x 8" pressure treated lumber in 8' length. Buy a combination of 8 x 8 x 8 cinderblocks and 8 x 16 x 8 cinderblocks. Set them up in a stairstep pattern like this (sideview):

View attachment 149408

Locate the cinderblocks in about 18" from the ends of the boards. Done.

Nice!

 

[Giga]

all my benches are made of made of treated lumber, stain them ever 2 years so. Go 8 years strong same wood.

 

[VAFisher]

This is indeed the most important fact of them all. I think most of them will be okay. Nothing came completely bare root.

Thanks to @bleumeon ans @watchndsky I will be able to spend more time getting everything properly repotted and whatnot this weekend because I won't have to build a bench lol

Now, do you guys have any suggestions on lumber to use? I belive I will go for something like this one here. 1 full 8 foot bench and then maybe 2 smaller 4 ft benches. That way I can put a 4 ft onto the shaded side of the house and maybe get a maple and other trees lol.

From tragedy blossoms triumph. You guys rock!!

I would add some cross pieces to the underside of those boards. That will keep them from warping over time. Which they will do.

 

[StoneCloud]

Damn! Glad to hear the trees are fine though pheww!!!

May I also suggest to start thinking about securing the pots to the benches also for really windy weather or creatures in the night......

 

[c54fun]

Damn! Glad to hear the trees are fine though pheww!!!

May I also suggest to start thinking about securing the pots to the benches also for really windy weather or creatures in the night......

100% agree. I get lots of wind and have had trees blown off and tipped over before securing them down.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Pressure treated lumber. Got it! Should I worry about adding a stain to it or anything? And specific wood better than another for the next year or 2 of daily watering?

I don't stain or treat, but it probably wouldn't hurt. Untreated boards lasted me about ten years the first time I had these shelves set up, and then they got mossy and started to rot. I just replaced them with new exterior grade (i.e. treated) boards a couple of years ago and so far they aren't showing any age. If you treat them, try to find "wood preservative" product like what you use on fencing or decking.

If you use 8' length boards, you only have 6 1/2' unsupported (the blocks themselves are about 1 1/2' wide). So if you place the supports so that the boards project off each end by a little more than a foot, you only have a 4' span in the middle that is not supported. I experience no sag whatsoever.

And in addition to the shelves - make sure you put something under the shelving so you aren't creating a mud pit. If they are on a concrete slab, it is best, but gravel is second best and wood bark chips is a third best. Don't leave bare mud.

 

[M. Frary]

Or go this route.
Untreated oak and empty 5 gallon hydraulic oil buckets. Complete with a German engineered security system.

 

[Johnathan]

And in addition to the shelves - make sure you put something under the shelving so you aren't creating a mud pit. If they are on a concrete slab, it is best, but gravel is second best and wood bark chips is a third best. Don't leave bare mud.

This is by far the most daunting task ahead of me! How "deep" do you guys normally try to go with the gravel? Any kind of gravel better than another? Should I use that black garden tarp stuff between the mud and gravel?

100% agree. I get lots of wind and have had trees blown off and tipped over before securing them down.
View attachment 149447

@StoneCloud and @c54fun is that just a normal bungee tie down?

Or go this route.
Untreated oak and empty 5 gallon hydraulic oil buckets.View attachment 149449 Complete with a German engineered security system.

Like old barn wood??? Sorry, searching Craigslist to keep this as cheap as possible lol