Windsor style bench coming along for dining set

Dining Table complete and delivered...

My son and I delivered the dining table to his brother this past week, it was a big hit. We loaned him some chairs to use until I get around to building the ones for the table. A couple of pics...

The finished table, ready for delivery, painted maple base, with stained birch top.

I had my buddy Joey make me some aluminium keys for the trestle.
They make a very nice contrast with the black!

And now for some seating...

The chairs I made for for our dining set were Windsor style, but really a blend of Windsor, Shaker and Wile styles.  The seating for this would be true Windsor style, with a bowback chair with a backsplat. I bought James Mursell's Windsor chair-making book and full-size plans - if you have not made chairs before, do not buy this unless you are getting some instruction. These instructions are not detailed enough to make your first chairs from; take a course, build other chairs, or phone-a-friend to help you get going on your first chairs. That being said, the full-size plans are great to work from.

The model to the right is the model I made to get approval on the design. A previous post shows this is well underway, and I continue to turn a few pieces at a time when I am home. Having made several benches and the fact that the bench does not require a back meant this was the "low hanging fruit" of the seating for me to knock off first. 

Before heading overseas for a couple of weeks, I spent Saturday afternoon outside turning perfectly good birch into sawdust in the wind. A perfect day for carving outside. The rough shape of the bench is done, I will fit the legs and turns the rungs when I get home.

The birch blank, cut to rough shape and holes drilled for the legs.

Depth holes cut on the length to the various depths I need to carve to a consistent depth - let the sawdust begin.

3 hours later...The bench carved down to the depth holes and rough shaped with 50 grit wheel,
ready for leg fitting. Once the legs are installed the final carving will be done and sanded. 
This is a simple project, that should be done with another couple days work. 
The base will be black paint and the seat brown stained to match the rest of the pieces.