Santa Bench Description
Santa Bench
By using sandwich-structured-foam-core construction, a Santa Bench may be made that is light in weight, easily portable, and trimmed out as desired to greatly enhance Santa’s image in public events of many types. [see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandwich_structured_composite ]
Description:
- 32” wide, 62 ¾” tall, 20” deep overall
- 18” x 32” bench with 3” foam cushion
- bench support ‘wings’ fold in on piano hinges for travel with bench and cushion removed
- weighs just over 30 pounds, depending on trim added
- casters and handle for easy transport
Key points:
- Cuts accurate & square
- Carpenter’s glue (Titebond II) on all surface connections
- Foam core back assembly should dry flat overnight with even weight across surface for maximum strength
- Brads, nails, & counter-sunk screws where appropriate
- Bench arms are optional
Equipment used in prototype:
- Table saw
- Radial arm saw (chop saw)
- Jig saw for arch
- Palm sander, 100 grit, belt sander
- Pneumatic brad nailer & stapler
- Power driver for screws
Materials used in prototype:
- Baltic birch ½” (12 mm) plywood, 5’ x 5’ sheet
- Construction rigid foam 1” nominal (7/8” thick; Home Depot)
- 2 – Plywood 1/8”, for front & back skins
- Carpenters glue (Titebond II)
- Brad nails, screws
- Piano hinge (48”, cut to 2 – 17 ½”)
- 1//2” dowel for pegs, cut 22 ½ degrees
Rip cuts in 5’x5’ Baltic birch:
- 1 – 18” for seat and 2 wing supports
- 1 – 6” for tops of wing supports, custom cut into ‘pistol’ shape
- 1 – 5” for top arch (glue 2 pieces, cross-cut to 7/8” thick)
- 1 – 4 ½” for side wings assembly
- 2 – 1 ½” for seat supports, miter corners
- 2 – 1” for wing support assemblies (legs on hinges)
- 6 – 7/8” for foam core box frame
- 2 – 2” for optional bench arm supports
- 1 – 3 ½” for optional bench arm (could use ¾” hardwood or other)
Materials cut list on prototype:
- —– rigid foam core back assembly
- 2 – ½” ply x 5” x 2’4 ½” frame arch top (laminate 2 pieces; rip saw or plane to 7/8” thick; cut arch after assembled)
- 4 – ½” ply x 4 ½”x4 ½” caster backing (laminate 2 pieces; rip saw or plane to 7/8”)
- 2 – ½”ply (12 mm) x 7/8” x 5’ frame sides
- 3 – ½” ply x7/8”x 2’-4 ½” frame cross brace
- 1 – ½” ply x 7/8” x 2’-5 ½” frame bottom sill
- 4 – ½” ply x 7/8” x 1’-4 ½” frame supports
- 2 – ½” ply x 4 ½” x 1’-6” outside wing assembly, notched 2” x 1 ½” for bench
- 3 – ½” ply x 3 1/4” x 1’-6” inside wing assembly, notched 2” x 1 ½” for bench
- 1 – ½” ply x 1 ½” x 2’-4 ½” bench ledger support (glue & screw to back assembly)
- 1 – 7/8” rigid foam (1” nominal) to fit voids [2’-0”x2’-4 ½”; 1’5”x2’-4 ½”; 1’-3”x1’-5 ½”, 4 ½”x10 ½”, 4 ½”x10 ½”]
- —– folding wing leg assemblies
- 2 – ½” ply x 1’-5 ½” x 1’-1 ½”
- 2 – ½” ply x 6” x 1’-1 ½” wing assembly top, custom notched ‘pistol’ shape
- 2 – ½” ply x 1” x 1’-5 ½” wing support front
- 2 – ½” ply x 1” x 1’-5 ½” wing hinge support
- —– bench assembly
- 2 – ½” ply x 1’-6” x 2’-6” bench top (rests on support pieces; glue, brad-nail, counter-sink screws)
- 2 – ½” ply x 1 ½” x 2’-6” miter-cut ends
- 2 – ½” ply x 1 ½” x 1’-6” miter-cut ends, (dado 5/8” x 2 ½” from center for support tab on leg assembly top before assembly)
- —– optional bench arm assemblies (requires mortise & tenon construction; see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mortise_and_tenon)
- 2 – ¾” x 3 ½” x 1’-4 ½” horizontal arms (hardwood; drill out mortises)
- 4 – ½” ply x 2” x 11 ¾” notched for tenon
- 4 – ½” ply x 2” x 11 ¼” trimmed to “Y” (or one-legged “K” shape; leg 5/8” x 5”, top tapers on one side to top for 2” wide, other side is straight; (provides racking support; see drawing)
- 2 – ½” ply x 2” x 12 ½” horizontal arm support (between front and back vertical assemblies, right under the arm)
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Cushion (3” x 18” x 32”) [upholstery foam & fabric can raise to cost of the cushion to exceed the cost of the construction materials]
