How to Make Steel Frames for Wood Benches

Create Bench Sides

• 1

  Heat a propane forge to 1,800 degrees.

• 2

  Draw a bench frame plan on a piece of paper. Draw scrollwork that you know you can do within the 20 to 30 seconds that the steel is pliable. You'll need to design the two arms that are connected to the sides, at least four legs, a back support and a seat base for the wooden slats

• 3

  Heat a 22-inch section of a 50-foot roll of hot rolled steel inside the arm in the front of the forge until it's yellow-white. The forge used at home is a small ceramic cylinder heated with propane gas that has a long arm in the front for heating the steel. Hold the steel with tongs.

• 4

  Pound the steel into a continuous curved arm by hitting the hot steel on the tip of the anvil with a ball pein hammer.

• 5

  Place the arm into a vise, holding the arm in the middle.

• 6

  Heat a second 12-inch section of hot rolled steel in the forge until it's yellow-white. This section is a supportive part of the side of the bench frame.

• 7

  Hammer the heated metal perpendicularly to the arm 3 inches from the end using the ball pein hammer. The small end of the ball pein hammer will make little rounded marks in the steel that melds the two pieces of steel together like kneading bread. Repeat this process with a second strip of metal 3 inches from the other end.

• 8

  Heat another 22-inch strip of hot rolled steel until it's yellow-white. Attach the strip to the open ends of the bars on the arm by hammering the pieces together. This makes the bottom of the side of the bench frame. Bend the ends of the strip down and curl or flatten them to make the feet, using the tip or back of the anvil and the ball pein hammer.

• 9

  Heat smaller pieces of hot rolled steel until they're yellow-white for the scrollwork inside the side of the bench frame. Bend or curl these pieces to match the design on the paper by hammering the pieces on the horn, or tip of the anvil. Attach these scrolls to the inside square of the bench side by hammering the ends to the square.

• 10

  Create the other side of the bench with the same process.

Finish the Bench

• 11

  Heat two 48-inch sections of hot rolled steel until they're yellow-white. These will make the seat base.

• 12

  Punch 1-inch diameter holes into the 48-inch sections at 3-inch intervals, starting 3 inches from one end. Place the steel in the vise. Hammer a hole punch through the steel using a ball pein hammer. Adjust the steel to keep it straight by bending it back in place.

• 13

  Reheat the ends of the 48-inch sections to yellow-white. Connect the two side structures by hammering the 48-inch sections to both of the sides. Attach one section to the bottom, front of the frame sides and attach one to the bottom, back of the bench sides. The wooden slats will be placed over the holes, where bolts will be drilled into the wood and through the holes, securing the slats to the bench.

• 14

  Heat a 96-inch section of hot rolled steel. Bend the section into a round-edged trapezoid with the bottom measuring 48 inches. Make the top of the trapezoid 36 inches long, leaving the sides at 6 inches each.

• 15

  Reheat the 48-inch side of the trapezoid and 5 inches up on each 6-inch side. Hammer these sides to the back seat base -- being careful to not alter the shapes of the holes, and the backs of the arms -- using the ball pein hammer.

• 16

  Heat small sections of the hot rolled steel to make the interior scrollwork for the back of the bench. Use the design on your drawing to create the curls and hammer them to the back frame.