I use dense pressed board 1″ thick for ease of carving the bottom of the mold ( top of bench). The top can be either plain or with a carved-in design. It needs to be in profile so it doesn’t stick up too far. ( Hard to sit on those large bumps).
If you use letters or numbers in your design be sure to remember that you are looking at a negative so everything will look backward.
Spraying Paint Over Design on Bench Mold
Design Ready for Carving
Carving Design with Power Tool
Using Chisel to Finish Carving Design
Design Ready for Sanding
After carving and sanding your work you should put on several coats of tough varnish or enamel.
Coating Mold with Enamel or Varnish
The sides of the mold I made of straight grain fir and put radius top and bottom with a router.
Sides Cut from Straight Grain Fir
Radius Cut in Side Boards with Router
Side Boards Clamped Together Before Drilling Holes for Bolts
Mold Sides Coated with Enamel or Varnish
Sand your work and put on several coats of varnish or enamel. I use hangar bolts to fasten sides to the mold. You can use the same bench sides for any of your benches.
Dear Grampa Pete,
This was awesome to see. I am delighted to have come across this site ~ thank you. I am inspired to try and make one of these myself this coming summer. I was wondering about dimensions of your frame pieces… Would you be willing to share the height, width, and lengths of the frame pieces…? Also, if you have profiles and/or dimensions of the feet that would be great too.
Thanks so much for sharing! I love your pothead as well!!! Could you please tell me what material you use for the actual mold? I want to make a pothead so badly and am trying to figure it out but with no luck. Appreciate any help.
Hi Carlton,
The product we used is a Smooth-on product called Rebound-25 from Smooth-on in Spokane Wa. We will have a book out in about a month explaining all this. I hope this will be helpful.
Grampa Pete
give me the link to your book please…
tim from denver
I don’t have a book.