In spring of 2022, I wanted to take on a massive Roman backdrop project for the SCA. One of the best places to accomplish the project was the theater, and to secure the space to work on the project, I approached the director of the spring show, Lydia Kanz, and asked for a trade. She came back to me with a request for this double sided bench, which would feature prominently in the show.
I laid out the initial plans on my wet erase grid and finalized on engineering paper. It was important that the bench both function well as a bench while also looking good from the ends and being sturdy enough for people to jump off of.
I really borked something when I first built the sides, because the sides turned out so so so short. To this day I still don’t know what number I screwed up, but it was back to the calculator for round two.
This resulted in some serious workholding crimes but I’m no saint.
Completed, before paint. I ended up adding some more reinforcements too.
A coat of paint always helps!
It looked great in the show and then lasted nearly a year and a half at the director’s mom’s art gallery before the center joists gave out. Hopefully after this fall’s show (written 9/16/24 with three more showings of She Kills Monsters to go) I can get around to repairing it. It’s a really good bench!