Woodworker: Joseph Murphy

This hefty bench is one of a pair commissioned for the main entryway of a local school. The design, built in FSC-certified cherry, is meant to evoke the solid foundation that early schooling provides. Murphy was set to build but got stumped about the best way to make the cove in the seat plank. He turned to FineWoodworking.com‘s Ask the Experts forum. Murphy completed the project thanks to advice from Fine Woodworking shop manager John White who described an efficient method using the tablesaw. Read White’s advice and see Murphy’s original sketch for the bench by clicking on the link below: Shaping a Bench Seat. The bench features a plaque with the school’s crest and is finished with an oil/varnish mix.

Photo: Joseph Murphy

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