So I sold the bench in the previous post. I took it to a craft show and received great response. Then I lady called me the next day with cash. And it was sold.
So what's next? Build another one. But document it better.
I made a better effort to snap pictures of the progress ... from hauling the wood from Home Depot in my '67 C10 to the final product, coated in polyurethane, sitting on my porch.
I love the design on the tailgates - both Ford and Chevy, even Dodge - from around 1951 to 1979. They are classic and simple. Then the 80s came, everyone started doing coke and the truck tailgates suffered.
Tools need:
Miter saw
Jigsaw
Drill
Deck screws (3 inch and 2 inch)
Six carriage bolts and nuts (size can vary)
Sander or grinder
Tape measure
(2) 4X4 Cedar Post - 8ft
(5) 1x6 - 8 ft
(1) 2x4 - 6 ft
(1) 8ft stair rail (see in post)
(1) 1x4 - 8 ft
I started with 4x4 cedar posst. Make sure to get the posts that are square on all sides. Some cedar posts have rounded fronts on two sides and won't work for this design (something I found out the hard way). These posts are 84 inches long. I bought three but only needed two.
I cut the two posts into four pieces. I used a miter saw. The two longer pieces are 38 inches. The two shorter pieces are 26 inches.
Then I cut a pair of 2x4s. The length for these will depend on how deep you want the bench to go. I've found the best length is 25.5 inches for reasons I can explain later.
Now comes to the most tedious part of the project. The sanding. In the past, I've used a Ryobi sander with 80 grit sandpaper. But a grinder with a sandpaper disc worked better and quicker. And it made the wood have a more rustic look upon completion.
Don't try to put together the bench and THEN sand. The project will come out much better - and it will be easier to sand - if you do it before pulling out the drill.
Once all six pieces of wood have been sanded, now you yank out the drill. Where should we drill the 2x4s? I've found the best length is to drill the 2x4 into the cedar posts at a height of 15 inches. This gives plenty of room for the legs to rest comfortably on the ground when sitting on the bench.
I like to use deck screws for these tailgate benches. They'll sink into the wood and you can cover with wood putty. And they're strong. You'll need a box of both 2 inch and 3 inch screws. The 3 inch screws work best on anything into the cedar post because you have four inches of wood to work with on either side.
The next step works best if you have a partner. Either friend or life ... just someone to hold one post while you drill the back beam into the other.
I like to use this wood for the back beam because of the indent in the middle. I believe these are designed for stair rails. But this wood is the perfect size to hold the rounded bottom of the tailgate. My Ford tailgate was 67 inches long. So I cut this piece to 67 inches and drilled into both sides.
Next step I took a 1x4 white board. After sanding, I cut it to 67 inches as well and used to create the square of the bench. This should be a perfect rectangle with 90 degree corners on each side.
Then drill your 1x4 into your 2x4 with 3 inches wood screws. The bench should be a perfect rectangle at this point with 75 inches across front and back and 25.5 (roughly) inches across either side.
Now to build the base of the bench. You should have some remaining 4x4 cedar posts. Size a piece of wood under the post so it meets the bench flush on both sides. It helps to use a clamp. If and when I do this again, I'd probably use 2x4s for this step. They aren't near as heavy and easier to clamp.
You should have at least two posts to secure the wood for the seat. I probably spaced these pair a little close together. I played a bit fast and loose with the space. But it ended up working out fine.
Now to build your seat. You'll need (3) 1x6 boards that are at least six feet long. Cut the three boards to 67 inches each and sand. Depending on the quality of your wood and the temperature, the wood may begin to bow to the left or right. Use a wood clamp so your seat will be flush with the back part of the bench. Drill wood screws into each perpendicular posts.
If you measured right, your three 1x6 boards (17 inches ... small secret that a 1x6 is actually 5.5 inches across, 2x4 is 3.3 inches across and so on. I have no idea why) should fit perfectly. That's why we sized the 2x4 to 25.5 inches. That is to account for 17 inches of seat and then 8 inches of cedar post.
Now its time to create your arm rest. The length on this can vary. Just set it up on the front cedar post and see how far you want it to extend. But we're going to cut out a rectangle here to keep the tailgate in place. Draw out your shape.
Use a clamp to hold down the board. And cut out your shape with a jigsaw.
The arm rest should fit nicely on the front post. Drill two screws in to secure.
Then, to give the arm rest a little more security, drill a 3 inch screw into the back post.
Now to secure the front 1x6 to the bench to hide those unsightly 4x4 cedar posts. My seat was sagging a bit because I didn't space the posts very well. So I set a car jack on a cinder block, raised the seat boards in the middle just a hair so the front board would be flush with the seat.
One of my favorite parts of this design is the carriage bolts. I think they give the bench an automotive feel. Carriage bolts were used on these old trucks to secure the front bumper to the frame. I used 5/8 bolts that were 6 inches long. Drill large holes into the front board and the posts. You'll most likely need a clamp to keep the board secure.
Thread the bolts through the holes in both boards. There will be some wood shavings to clear out from the large hole. Then secure the board to the post with a pair of 5/8 nuts.
Then, with the jack still raising the seats a bit, I drilled a pair of final screws in the front board, securing it to the 4x4s. Those screws give the board some added stability.
Next step: make sure all the wood is sanded and smoothed in all parts. Use a handheld piece of sandpape. If you find any splinters, sand them off. Then use wood putty to fill up all the holes were screw heads are visible. Once the wood putty dries, sand off the excess putty and smooth out.
Now its time to apply the stain. I'm going to have this bench sit on my front porch, exposing it to the elements. So I used a stain/polyurethane combination to protect the wood. I chose a Mission Gloss color that went nicely with my white tailgate.
Use a rag or high quality brush to apply the stain to the entire bench. You'll need to use two coats.
You'll notice a new piece of wood there. I used carriage bolts to secure a new 1x6 board to the back of the bench. This will secure the tailgate in place. The methods were the same; drill a large hole in the cedar post and 1x6, thread the bolt through the hole, secure with a nut. Make sure these bolts are a bit longer. Eight inches should be good.
Have a partner help you hoist the tailgate up on to the bench. That partner can hold the tailgate while you secure the back board with the nuts. I'm an idiot and did this myself. I dropped the tailgate on my foot and thought I'd broke something. Several R-rated words later, I managed to get the tailgate up (this one is HEAVY!) and secure it.
I had the original cables that secured the tailgate to the truck bed. So I looped them around the bolt. You can see the space here. I didn't measure appromimately how DEEP the tailgate went. This tailgate is bigger than others I've seen. So I had to shave a bit of wood from the arm rest - the part that helps stablize the tailgate to the front part of the bench - to make room.
And there it is. This mother is heavy. The tailgate alone is probably 75 pounds. But the added weight adds some gravitas, I believe, to the piece. Well secured and strong, this design could last years on your porch or man cave. Thanks for reading.
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