How to make a little garden bench that doubles as a decorative garden sign.

Hi everyone.  I don't know about you but I am still in spring mode and so is my garden.... and of course my weeds too.  Well, I think I must be getting older, I hate to say "old" but, squatting just doesn't work for me anymore.  I could just sit in the garden but I've already had my share of ticks and chiggers and that just sucks...pun intended.  👀   Soooo, I decided I wanted to make a little garden bench to sit on.  Thinking on it a bit I thought I want it to fold so it takes up less space when I'm not using it.  When I finished it, I thought I could paint it and hang it in the garden as pretty little sign.   Okay, cool.... Here is how I did it.   Feel free to copy my design.  It's mine and you are welcome to it.  Proxxon tools made it so easy.  I love the little table saw, it is great for these smaller projects.  Kapro makes a great measuring tool and Plaid paints are the best for decorating.  I used some of their outdoor and coastal paints and they were just what I wanted.

Ok, here goes:
Supplies and Equipment:

3/4" x 6" pine board   I used a total length of 36"

2 sturdy cabinet hinges
4 hooks and eyes
1 handle
small screws
screwdriver or screwdriver bit for small drill
drill

kapro measure mate 313

Proxxon mini table saw FET

Proxxon mini table saw FET
Proxxon delta OZI/E sander
Kapro measure mate 313
Kapro nail gripper
Plaid paints
paintbrushes





First thing to do is measure and cut the wood pieces. I use the Kapro measure mate 313 for my measuring.  It has some nifty little features I really like.  See the sliding red tabs, they will keep your previous measurements  so you can copy another one exactly if you want to.
  I cut (2) 8" lengths for my legs and (1) 20" piece for my seat.   So easy using the proxxon mini table saw FET.

Now to sand it smooth using the proxxon delta OZI/E sander  
we certainly don't want to sit on splinters.

I attached the hinges to the legs of the bench and then to the underside of the bench seat.  I found these hinges leftover from something in my shop and I believe they are called cabinet hinges.  I love using stuff I already have.

Now the legs fold.  Now to keep them in place so they won't collapse when I sit on it I use hook and eyes fastening the seat to the legs. This will keep it from folding when I am sitting on it.   see below how I put the first one on.  but I will use 2 on each side just to be sure it only folds when I want it to. 

Bench is essentially done but now we will customize it a little bit.

I noticed that there was a 1 1/8" gap when the bench is folded.  It does not lay flat so I added a little spacer piece so that it would lie flat.   Additionally I added a little piece of Velcro so that it will stay folded up when I want it to.

I added a handle  

Now I want to paint it.  I painted a simple design using Plaid paints

6281 light pink outdoor paint

433 terra cotta

458 sap green

6254 cabana outdoor paint

Here it is as a bench 

.  and here it is as a garden sign when not in use

Now I don't have to sit in the chiggers or try to walk all crippled up the next day after squatting.  This should help me, and my garden.

I had fun making this project.  Understand that Proxxon tools are smaller than the full sized ones found in a lot of full scale shops but believe me they work just as hard but are not intimidating.  They are perfect for my projects and I love mine.

  Thank you so much for visiting this blog.  I hope you can give this simple project a try.

   Thanks proxxon, kapro and plaid for supplying the supplies, and thanks Terri, for the opportunity to display our crafty side.

     Till next time.  Have some fun making something   Carol