The first shows the basic form - three pieces of curly white ash, 2-1/2" thick, connected with two large dovetail joints. The dimensions of the bench are - 40-1/2" across, 13-1/3" wide and 17-1/2" tall. Ergonomic yet comfy.
The second is a picture of one of the dovetails.
The end pieces slope out at about 8 degrees, thereby repeating the angles of the dovetails themselves.
This bench is strong enough to support my truck.
As for the surface appearance, where Kristina Madsen used chip carving to enliven her bench I selected a piece of highly figured ash for mine. Easy-peasy, no carving required.
But the real story is the philosophy of furniture construction, east coast versus west coast. Out west I was taught that only easterners use dovetails, westerners use every other type of joinery. These are the only dovetails I have ever made, and I made them here, east of the Mighty Mississip, but south of the Mason Dixon line. Maybe that is the explanation for why they exist.
One could write books about furniture design, influences, the help I have had along the way, but perhaps a song would explain it:
Where would we be without friends?
