Rhododendron Bench #9 is my most complex bench to date, even more so than the Ladder Bench (#7). When finished, it will have two benches on different levels and three tables.

First I stood each of the three main trunks and secured them with temporary braces. Then I turned them to see how they looked best. I then screwed the trunks to each other whever branches crossed.

Next, I attached the fronts of the two benches at my approximate standard angle (see Making Rhododendron Furniture), leaving the screws slightly loose for later adjustment to the exact angle. Then I added the chair front (below). All material is 5/4 x 6 inch cedar.

Once the fronts were in place, I attached 24 inch bench sides. To them I nailed short blocks cut to the angle of the seat-to-back so that the seat would be 17 inches from front to back.

In the garage, I nailed 1x6 cedar fencing to a 5/4 cedar bench back that would fit between the sides against the angle blocks, and placed another piece closer to the top for reinforcement. Then I screwed the whole assembly in temporarily. I will take it out after the rest of the rhododendron braces are in to cut the top to shape.

One advantage of making furniture this way is that you can change it as it goes along. I removed the chair front above after deciding an elevated perch in the center would detract from the design. I also removed both backs after the ovoid tops were cut because they were to short for the other proportions of the benches. I did reuse them in Rhododendron Bench #11. a low-slung double within a bed.