James W. has lived twenty miles from the Golden Gate Bridge his whole life, so when a friend challenged him to come up with his next build, the answer was practically in view. What came out of his shop is a bench with bridge-tower backrests, rope “cables,” a deep-blue base standing in for the bay — and a little ship sailing under the span.
The whole thing is scrap lumber, including boards from a fence a storm knocked down. Total outlay: about $35 in screws and glue. It sold for $1,225 and is now on display in San Francisco.
In James’s words
It started as a challenge from a friend. We’ve both lived 20 miles from the Golden Gate Bridge our whole lives, and during one of my usual “give me an idea for my next woodworking challenge” sessions, my boy Chris came up with the idea for the Bridge Bench. I took it from there…
The build
- Project type: Outdoor bench
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Wood: All scrap lumber James had around for years — pine, cedar and redwood — including part of a 20-plus-year-old fence that blew over in a storm
- Finish: Several shades of Varathane and Minwax blended together to get the color right
- Tools: Table saw, worm-drive circular saw, jigsaw, drill, chisels
- Time: About a month, working nights when he had free time
- Cost: $30–$35 in screws and Titebond II — and it sold for $1,225
- Plans: In his head. The bench is now on display in San Francisco.
What he’d do differently
The one and probably only thing I would do differently with the Bridge Bench is add some more angle to the backrest (the bridge towers) for a more comfortable feel.
Photos
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