This week, I set out to design and build a wooden bench as part of the "make something big" assignment. Initially, I underestimated the amount of planning that goes into such a project. I started by sketching the dimensions in Fusion 360 but quickly realized that I needed additional support pieces to stabilize the bench and prevent it from wobbling.
With help from Yuval, I finalized a stable design in Fusion 360. I included dog bone chamfers to make the cuts easier for the CNC machine. I also made sure the design fit within the 4ft by 4ft constraints of the milling machine. Below is the CAD design that I prepared.
After finalizing the design, I secured the wooden plank on the CNC machine bed using a nail gun to ensure it wouldn’t move during milling. Watching the CNC machine cut was fascinating; it was incredibly quick, taking only around five minutes to complete all cuts. The precision of these machines never ceases to amaze me.
Once the parts were milled, I noticed that the edges were quite rough, and I even got splinters from handling them. After filing down the edges to make them smoother, I began assembling the bench. I attempted to assemble it without using any glue, but in the end, I used Gorilla Glue to secure the parts for added stability.
Here’s the final product, a sturdy wooden bench!
This project taught me a lot about the intricacies of large-scale woodworking and the importance of planning and structural support. Designing for stability, managing material constraints, and understanding machine limitations were all critical to successfully building this bench. Special thanks to Yuval for guiding me through the design process and for helping troubleshoot along the way. Overall, this was a challenging yet highly rewarding experience!