Show us your bench(s)

I have talked the wife into a couple of areas to put a bench to keep my trees on. I'm looking for ideas of what to build and would like some suggestions. If you have a picture you could share it would be much appreciated!

If you live in Oklahoma, you might need something with hail protection like I do here in the DFW area. I almost lost my whole collection back in 2003 before I built my benches which now have hail protection to some extent. Check out the link below where I wrote an article on these benches where you can download the materials list and instructions to make them with or without the hail protection. Of course you might be looking for something real simple and plain which someone else might have a few suggestions for. Good luck.

The link:http://www.dallasbonsai.com/bonsai_tree_care_TomM_Display.html

I’ve recently build a shelve with concrete hollow blocks and lintels on top. The lintels are probably an overkill and expensive but the whole shelve is maintenance free and will last a lifetime.

Hi Toy4x4... Benchmaster makes a nice set of weather-resistant, pierced-plastic table tops. Electrical conduit (grey color & more sun-resistant than white PVC) as a much less expensive alternative to Benchmaster's black legs. Check out sizes at www.structuralplastics.com


If these suit, they might be found secondhand as they are WIDELY distributed.

Good hunting!

Very interesting, Chris. Thanks.

But my, what an oddly laid out web page -- at least in Firefox.

More ideas from South Africa.

A portion of the garden of Tobie Kleynhans.





A Portion of the display of Louis Nel.





From the garden of Charles Ceronio. The stands of first two pictures are made from a palm tree that died.








From the garden of Org Exley.

Wow guys. Impressive collection of trees and ideas for benches! I plan to get started on something this weekend to get them off the grass in the back yard.

Thanks!

here my bench just cinderblock with stack up

Wolfie is amazing! He used to post here back in the day.

And they should NOT be posted here unless you already obtained his permission. Your own photo's only please folks. If you didn't take them it is an infringement of copyright law. This is part of the "Acceptable Use Policy" which you should read, if you haven't yet.

I'll remove them shortly unless we can clarify Wolfgang's permission. He is still a member, so there may not be a problem.

I built these a few years back out of pressure treated lumber.
My wife got jealous of my Bonsai Benches and requested a deck.
She got her way but I built in some benches for my trees there also.

I have always envied the photos of Wolfgang's bonsai display. That doesn't even begin to express my appreciation for the trees on them!

These are some truly insprational displays. Now I can show my wife some of the possibilities for improving on the back yard.

Jay

Here is my cedar bench I built today. Still need to do the cedar sealer/ naturaltone stain.Yes those are marigolds lol kids gave them to mom for mothers day [img] upload images[/img]

Hi Toy

Some more ideas, just to confuse you even more, hi hihihih

I call this the Temple. The tables are made from old Railway sleepers. Wood cut out of the Knysna forest. Iron wood, Yellow wood, Stinkwood..., they last forever.








This is the Orchid House, Tables are made from Lintls ( beams above doors and windows). The support is built this way to ensure air circulation. NO maintanance!!







In the Aridarium we casted our own tables from concrete with steel grid inside for strength, very strong and will last forever, and guess what...no maintanance



Hope this helps. Railway sleepers can be easily obtained from the local Railways. They replace all the old wood Sleepers with Concrete. ...and the forests sigh with relieve.....

Love and light
Andre

Here's my bench, I recently added the bottom 2 levels, now I have everything on a single area of the yard, watering its now also easier.

Here is mine (shelves not benches though)...it is cheap and efficient. I have since added a lower shelf on some of these to add more space.

More pics shown here https://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t9835-my-plant-collection-warning-picture-heavy

here is part of mine from very early spring




cheers Marcus

You guys all have awesome setups

I just recovered these from where I work. They were some industrial grade work benches that were going into the dumpster when I caught them and said I would take them. They are made of LVL beams which are basically 2in thick pieces of plywood cut to 7in high.(all except that first cross piece which is just dimensional lumber) They are structurally very strong and so I can get 12ft of span on four legs. I will be sealing them and topping them with deck boards like in the second picture. Really happy to have saved them.

marcus watts wrote:here is part of mine from very early spring




cheers Marcus

Very tidy, love it.

some cool setups

im going to start my build over the next few weeks using decking boards

but I cant really decide the best height between each shelf, will be 3 shelfs

do i want the next shelf to be about half the size of average tree.  say may 12" (each shelf itself will be 11" wide)


originally i planned on 14" to give some better height im just worried if lower that cant see the tree as well against a background, ie the next shelf would be the background.  although it seems most my trees hit 14" and above


just looking for suggestions.  thanks



small gap?


or LARGE gap?



well mine would be between the 2, next shelf up would be behind the tops of trees

What is the main purpose of your benches, Marc; display or simply for somewhere to keep them for maintenance? IMHO that is the biggest factor that should be borne in mind when building them. The areas shown by Marcus and several of the other are clearly for display and it is fitting that they has gone for single tree spacing. Shelves are good for where the benches are mostly for storage and general working on trees.  You seem to be going for a shelved approach so the main things to consider are will you be able to water and feed your trees without stretching too far or damaging your lower trees when you try to get to the upper ones? Will your trees be touching each other as this brings problems like keeping light off the ones at the back, bending branches and/or breaking off sections etc. and the potential for transferring pests, diseases more easily.  Do your benches allow you to rotate the trees so one side is not constantly getting the sun while the other side doesn't?  My larger trees are out in a separate area where they are displayed individually on plinths. My small trees are on benches.  All of my trees are on turntables so I can easily turn them to get sunshine all round.  

Now, if only we'd get some ********* sunshine.