Cedar Shingle Update and a New Cast Iron Bench

Today we installed more cedar shingles and removed any partial and broken shingles left over from the door installation.

We started on the far end and then nailed some short thin shingles over the windows.  When installing shingles over windows and doors you will need to lay down an undercourse so that you end up with a double layer of shingles.  If you look closely you can see that we cut the thick portion of the shingle off so that the top shingle doesn't stick out further in this area than the other shingles do.  It's hard to explain.

We ran out of shingles after we finished the undercourse over the window.  I have already ordered another bundle and will pick them up tomorrow.

I also purchased another cast iron bench and two side tables at an auction.  We really don't need another bench but we liked this style and the fact that it has two matching side tables.  Over the last two years I have looked at a lot of cast iron benches and this was the first one that had tulips.

 The quality of the casting is much better than the other benches.  There isn't any poresity or excess flash.  The bench is also heavier.  I haven't decided exactly how I will paint this bench but I need for it to some what match my other two benches that are black cast iron.  

The wood on the tables needs replacing because it is plywood plus the width of the boards are wrong.  Also several of the oak slats are in broken or almost broken condition so they will need replacing.

I have these wooden tulips that were my mother's and I will probably plant a chartreuse colored sweet potato vine in two pots for each side table and then add these wooden tulips.  I think these were made by my uncle.  I will have to ask my cousin.

Spring can't come fast enough.  Every day my list gets longer.

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Repairing a Stripped Out Screw Hole in Wood

Who hasn't stripped out a screw hole in wood and thought "now what am I going to do?"  Don't fret because it is easier and cheaper to fix than you think.

We needed to fixed some stripped out holes in the ends of oak slats that were in the cast iron bench that we bought at auction last week.  Yes, I know I could buy new oak slats but the last time I bought oak slats for a bench it cost over 50 bucks and it just isn't cost effective, especially when there is nothing wrong with the oak slats except that the screw holes were stripped out.  AND I know we could have just cut 4 inches off of each end but then we would have a bench that seats 1 1/2 persons.  Trust me this fix is cheap and easy and we lose nothing.

I purchased two different size dowels that are 36 inches long at my local hardware store for $1.69 each.  The largest hole that was stripped out was bigger than 3/8" but smaller than 7/16th.  This meant that we needed to make the stripped out hole 7/16th in diameter and to do that we used a spade bit or should I say a rusty 7/16th spade bit.

Once the hole was enlarged we squirted a couple of drops of exterior grade wood glue into the hole.  Then we put a little bit of glue on the dowel.  Too much glue makes a mess so just put enough glue so that the wood dowel will end up covered in glue and none squirts out.

Make sure your wood glue is for exterior use if the wood is to be outside. Actually just buy exterior glue all the time because it also works for interior use.  We use TitebondII Wood glue and I now buy it in the 16oz size because I did a little figuring and found that I can get 16 ozs for 1 1/2 times the cost of the 8 oz size.

Use a rubber mallet or a hammer to tap the dowel all the way into the hole.  We cut off the dowel and left about 1/2 inch sticking out.  Once everything is dry we will cut the dowel flush with the end of the oak slat using the chop saw.  You could also use a hand saw.

The oak slat is now like a new board because we used a dowel to completely fill the hole.   When we reassemble the bench we will need to drill a pilot hole before screwing in the fastener.

The bench ends are already painted and ready for the oak slats to be reinstalled.  These bench ends are different than most other bench ends.  These require the screws to be screwed into the ends which means that the screws are going into the end grain which isn't the strongest method.

I bought a quart of exterior stain with a sealant yesterday.  The stain is a dark grey semi transparent stain.  I chose this color because it is a compromise between both of our choices.  He wanted a dark stain and I wanted satin black or dark grey paint.  He got his stain and I got my grey...win win.

This process will also work on hinge holes that get stripped out on your door jamb.  I know some people use wood matches and glue but on a heavy door you want the hinge to stay put and not get loose in a month.  

A loose hinge makes your door drag on the floor when it is open or fall away from the jamb at the top.  This will require you to pull up on the door handle when you are trying to close the door.  Pull upward on that door knob for too long and now your droopy door also has a broken door knob.

It is so easy and cheap inexpensive to do it the right way once than to keep redoing it the wrong way.

Total Cost to Fix 10 Slats

2 dowels at $1.69 each

Total Cost      $3.38

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Cast Iron Bench Reveal

We have had two of the most beautiful days.  High 70's to low 80's with a slight breeze and low humidity.  What I would give to have that weather most of the year.  I can't imagine how much work we could get done.

Previous bench posts

My Latest Scores and Future Projects

Photos of Before and After Bench Parts

Forgotten Cast Iron Bench Parts

Progress on the Cast Iron Bench

Today we finished the bench and the little table.  I am going to wait to paint the wood slats because we need to move onto a few other projects along with the fact that we have yet to come to an agreement on color.  R says dark grey to match the house and I say satin black to make the entire piece look like cast iron.   

Here is a before photo just in case you forgot.

 Today R countersunk the bolt heads and rounded over the edge of the slats with the router and a round over bit.

 You can see I still need to sand the wood.  Furry edges everywhere.

Use washers or lock washers on your bolts to keep them tight.  R says he is going to switch to lock washers when we take the bench apart to paint the slats.

 What would a project at Gear Acres be if it didn't have a coffee stain on it.

We love how the bench and side table look.

 The table is a perfect place to sit your coffee......ahem......not on the bench.  The table was such a surprise and I am so happy that I bought the legs for 5 bucks before I even knew what they were for or why or when I would use them.  I just liked them and went with my gut feeling.  I am so happy that my gut remembered that I stashed them in the garden shed.

Here are a few tips if you decide to find yourself a pair of cast iron bench ends to make yourself a bench.

Before purchasing make sure that you know whether your back has a cast iron insert or uses just slats.  If it requires just slats, it will have more than two bolt holes on each side of the back.  This will determine if buying bench ends without the required insert is something you want to do because you will need to fabricate a wood insert to replace the missing cast iron insert.  You will need to make the frame like we did but instead you will add slats in the open area and they must be glued and biscuit joined.  No pocket screws because it would show from the back. 

Before painting your cast iron, use a Dremel or small grinder to grind away excess cast iron flashing (see previous post).  This is fairly easy and not time consuming but it will give your cast iron a nice finish and less likely to look like a cheap overseas casting.

  Antique and vintage cast iron is flawless.  You never see seams or grind marks.  Those are tell tale signs of a repo on cast iron banks, too.  My father was a journeyman mold maker and he always said some of the best casting can be found in Legos and vintage Tupperware.  Next time you step on a Lego while barefoot give it a quick look and I dare you to see a seam anywhere.

Prep well.  Remove all dirt and rust before painting. 

Do not use semi gloss or a high gloss finish.  It is too shiny and garish.  Vintage cast iron had a muted shine that is found with a satin finish.

Countersink all your bolt heads.  No one wants to get their clothes snagged on your bench or sit on a hard bolt head.  Plus, it looks more finished and takes very little time.

Do not use pine.  If you are going to take the time to refinish do not use a board that will not last.  Also, do not use a clear coat if you stain the wood.  Most of these benches came with oak slats that were clear coated.  Looks nice the first year and then the clear coat cracks and lifts allowing water to get under it, stain the wood, and ultimately rot the wood.  If you stain use a penetrating sealer and not a varnish or poly coating.

We used poplar because it gives a nice painted finish and our 9 year old board and batten shutters look as good as the day we hung them and they are made of poplar.  I like to use two coats of a good primer and really work it into the end grain. Then top off with two light coats of a top coat.

Most certainly pick up any cast iron bench ends that your find at the curb.  We know we have a cast iron insert in the barn somewhere that R picked up from the curb.  R is now chomping at the bit to do another bench especially if we find bench ends for 25 bucks and they can be found for that price, just be patience.

Final Cost

Bench pieces $40

Short leg pieces $5

3 cans of satin black spray paint $9

5 nine foot poplar 1X3 boards $62.96

Misc screws, bolts, washers, and nuts $11.50

$128.46

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Progress on Cast Iron Bench

  I feel like I keep repeating myself but gawd was it hot today.  We had a brief downpour that caused the humidity to go through the roof.

 I don't know what we would have done had we not had this fan.

The bench progress started with the back portion because of the cast iron insert.  Once we framed out the insert, this set what the width of the bench would be when completed.

The frame around the back insert will be biscuit joined and glued.  Once they are dry, we will run the router around the outside edge with the round over bit.

We cut the slats for the seat portion.  They will also have the router with a round over bit used around the top side 4 edges.  This will make sitting on the bench a little more comfortable. 

I originally thought about painting the wood in the same grey as the house but now I think I am going to paint the wood in a black satin the same color as the cast iron.  I hope that this will make it look like a full cast iron/metal bench.  I was concerned that painting it grey would make it too country or busy looking.  R votes for dark grey.  Hmmmm this could be a battle.

After cutting all these wood pieces we had one 9 foot 1x3 poplar board left from the five that we purchased.  I needed 5 slats for the small table that we will make out of the short cast iron legs that I purchased for 5 bucks many many years ago.  I came up with the length by dividing my board into 5 pieces and rounding down to the closest whole number because it was just too hot to deal with fractions.

9 feet = 108 inches

108 inches divided by 5 = 21.6 inches

So we cut 5 boards at 21 inches and called it a day.

Cost as of 7-4-18

Bench pieces $40

Short leg pieces $5

3 cans of satin black spray paint $9

5 nine foot poplar 1X3 boards $62.96

Misc screws, bolts, washers, and nuts $11.50

$128.46

I asked R how much did he spent on screws, bolts etc. and he said "I know exactly how much I spent.  It was 11 something."
Exactly, you say?

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Forgotten Cast Iron Bench Ends

Have you ever bought something and then put it away only to forget about it for years?  I have and yesterday I remembered.  I remembered not only buying them for 5 bucks but I remembered where I put them.  That is truly amazing......the remembering where I put them, not that I got them for a fiver.

The cast iron ends are low so I don't think it makes a bench.  Maybe it is a side table?  Or a low coffee table?  Who knows but when I bought them I just knew I could use them because I love wrought iron and cast iron.  

The casting is very similar to the bench that I picked up last week. Once they were painted you would think they were always a set.  That's the power of paint.  You can take like objects and with the application of a unifying coat of paint on all the pieces, they instantly become a set or a collection. 

Morrie said "You should see all the stuff she has hidden in the barn. Humans are a strange lot.  They are always painting or stripping something.  It's best if I keep my distance and sleep until the human leaves and returns with a bag of food."

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Before and After Photos of Cast Iron Bench Parts

Today was hotter than the hubs of hell.  Oh my goodness, I would work a little then sit in the shade and drink a bottle of water, then work a little more.

My goal was to get the cast iron bench parts clean, prepped, and painted.  Tomorrow we will build the frame for the back and then we can cut slats for the seat. Nothing will be bolted into place until Monday when R can go and buy stainless or anodized bolts.

We will probably bolt everything together and then take it apart so I can prime and paint the wood.  So I predict a bench reveal on Friday. 

The first step today was to clean the pieces.  I used a brass bristle brush to loosen dirt and remove surface rust.  I then washed each piece with a wet cloth and allowed to dry before I started painting. 

I discovered an area where there was some flash, that was a result of the casting.  I tried using a file to get rid of it but it didn't even scratch the surface.  So I had R use a grinder with a cone shaped bit to grind off the flash while I went and bought us a couple of tacos.

Before with flash.

After with flash gone.

                                     
      When I left to get food, Morrie was sitting in his Taz chair.

  But when I came home he was waiting in the driveway.  He knows that when the human leaves in the afternoon, they usually return with a bag of food.  Morrie loves fast food.

By this time, the saw horses where I am doing the spray painting, were finally in the shade. The cast iron pieces were too hot to spray paint when they were in the sun.  I followed the same procedure as yesterday's spray painting and painted the back or bottoms of the pieces first and then the top.

And if you forgot what the cast iron bench pieces looked like before I started....here is a quick reminder.

Bench $40.00

2 cans of black satin spray paint $6.00

Total $46.00

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My Latest Scores and Future Projects

The constant heavy rain yesterday and the heat today didn't keep me from picking up several great pieces for future projects.  

The first thing I picked up was a metal garden seat for $15.00.  It will get a coat or two of black spray paint in a satin finish to match my patio furniture.  I am also mulling over the idea of adding a top to make it more of a small table than a seat. 

My sister has this same garden seat in white.  I think the original price ran around 50 bucks. 

The second items that I picked up were two wrought iron candle holders.  The wrought iron matches the wrought iron details on the outside of the house.  I have several ideas for outdoor candles but will have to wait until I decide which type of candles I want to use before I can fine tune my ideas.  The candle holders were 5 bucks for the two of them.

Finally, I picked up some very heavy cast iron pieces for a bench.  It is missing the wood slats but that is not a big deal.  We can always use more seating out in the yard and this should be perfect.  Again, I will spray paint the cast iron parts in black spray paint in a satin finish.  The wood slats will be painted dark grey to match the house.  I am hoping that we can find wood in our scrap pile but the pickings are getting very slim when it comes to lumber in 1X thickness.  Also, I think it needs to be clear pine because any wood with knots will not work.  Clear pine in 1X4 is relatively inexpensive so that is a plus. The cast iron bench pieces were $40 for all of them.

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