I recently purchase a home here in LA and just cleared the backyard. I think it would be cool to see how Ryan / Troy built all the various bonsai benches and stands they made out in the garden and what was their approach to the design knowing that they have so many different types and size trees with an evolving collection.
Eventually I want to create some stands and benches similar to the pictures I see at the Mirai garden. It’s all just spectacular!
How do y’all make your more formal benches and stands (not the normal cinder blocks / 2x12 method)?
@Diakonos great idea. I second that. I’ve been slo-mo watching any video that shows the Mirai garden (especially the drone one form the garden visits blog post) to see the layout and how the benches were built etc.
This is the story of the origin of Bonsai Mirai. Early in the video, you can see many of the benches he uses. At the 13:36 mark you can see a top-side view of his garden. It’s very short, so as @BoneSci said, you have to watch it in slow motion.
Yea, exactly. I watched the videos and have general idea of how they build it but you can’t really see the “guts” or support structure behind / underneath from what you can see from the videos. I want to make sure my benches / stands can withstand (most) of what mother nature sends at us.
I’m more or less a beginner woodworker… so not all of that is intuitive to me.
Thanks! Yes, I made the braces from the 2x8s. I clamped them to the posts, then drilled through with a 1/2” ship’s augur. The bolts are 1/2” X 9” carriage bolts. I countersunk the holes on the other side with a spade bit and secured the bolts with anti-turn washers on the head side and regular washers and locking nuts on the other side. The posts are 6’ long and are bedded about 3’ down in gravel, no concrete.
Preforated or incised wood is a process used with certain wood species and certain wood treatments. Treatments allowed vary from state to state. Some states restrict certain more toxic (and more effective) treatments. Just be sure to use a burial rated material and treat cuts with copper naphate.
I am not sure…
It is a Screenshot i took a wile ago.
Maybe it was on Facebook ore Google search.
I collected pictures of different bonsaibenches to be inspired for my new benches.
This weekend a mobile sawmill made me boards for my new benches…from trees we had to cut down.
Garden visit blog shows the underside and several close-ups of the benches.
Looks like similar construction to @High-N-Dry construction!! Also the Kimura’s Garden https://live.bonsaimirai.com/archive/video/kimuras-garden
show his stands in Japan. Lots of cedar posts and reinforced concrete, another way to go in an environment that cannot tolerate the wooden construction.
We get freak storms with hail, and wind gusts up to 90 mph, so I am sensitive about protection.
Have been burned more than once by storms not predicted by our local weatherpersons.
