Replies

1. 
   john_c2 | Mar 21, 2022 05:25pm | #1

   How thick will the seat be, and how long is it between uprights? My concern would be the seat sagging when folks sit on it. Could be disastrous for the drawer if it sags much.

1. 
   maltekb | Mar 22, 2022 01:28am | #4

   The seat is 1 3/16 tapering to just over an inch. There are 32” between the uprights. The drawer is going to the side hanging from one of the seat boards

2. 
   _mj_ | Mar 21, 2022 05:48pm | #2

   From the scale it looks like a stretcher would be a good idea. What species are you using? To add some rigidity and a stretcher at the same time you could put it all the way in the back and up against the bottom of the seat. If you're building in softwood a center leg assembly would be a good idea, and leave you with spaces for two more reasonable drawers.

1. 
   maltekb | Mar 22, 2022 01:32am | #5

   I think I will be using birch or oak.
   I had the same thought with the stretcher in the back, but I was unsure if this also stiffens the front enough?

   The seat is 1 3/16 tapering to just over an inch. There are 32” between the uprights.

3. 
   bilyo | Mar 21, 2022 06:27pm | #3

   Yes. You need two stretchers; one under each seat board. Each one should be screwed and/or glued under the center of each seat board and then mortised into the upper horizontal portion of the legs. This will do three things, stiffen up the seats, provide needed stiffness at the joint between the legs and the seat, and provide a means to fasten the seat boards down without any cross grain concerns.
   For your drawer(s), build a drawer box to rest on the bottom rails

1. 
   maltekb | Mar 22, 2022 01:35am | #6

   Thank you.
   I was hoping to have shoes under the bench but not a bad idea with the drawer box there too.

4. 
   john_c2 | Mar 22, 2022 04:01am | #7

   32 inch span isn't too bad. 1-3/16 might be a little thin though. Any chance you have some boards laying around? Try setting some boards of different species and thicknesses on a 32 inch span, and see if they deflect when you sit on them. A little experimenting now can save you some heartache later.

1. 
   maltekb | Mar 22, 2022 04:22am | #8

   Thank you
   I have already modelled this in spruce in 1:1. There is a small deflect when I sit in the middle. Maybe 1/8”. I think I will build this in birch or oak, it is a bit stiffer. I think I will put a stretcher under each plank and then maybe a drawer underneath as suggested above. Maybe add an extra 1/16-1/8 to the top. I just want to keep the piece light

5. 
   rob_ss | Mar 22, 2022 04:30am | #9

   What about angle iron? Could set this into the underside to provide support perhaps?