Building a Japanese Inspired Bench

How to Craft a Japanese-Inspired Bench: Carving, Bowties, and Joinery

Today, I’m excited to share my process of building a Mountain Contemporary Japanese-inspired bench featuring a hand-carved crack with decorative bowtie inlays. Along the way, I’ll explore three or four different types of joinery to bring this piece together. This project was originally built for a Manitou Springs Client.

Step 1: Preparing the Bench Top

I started by cutting 8/4 cherry boards to approximate length for the bench top. While a live-edge slab with a natural crack would have been ideal, using standard cherry was more cost-effective, and I could control exactly where the “crack” would go.

After milling the pieces, I arranged them to hide the glue line, ensuring the grain flowed naturally. Once satisfied, I used tracing paper to map out the crack’s path, following the wood’s grain to make it look as organic as possible. Carbon paper (yes, it still exists!) helped transfer my design onto the workpiece.

Carving the Crack

Using a power carver on an angle grinder, I carefully shaped the crack, starting at the top and working downward. A soft pad on my random orbit sander smoothed out the grinding marks. On the opposite side, I removed bulk material from the bottom and feathered it upward to meet my layout line.

To enhance the crack’s realism, I applied a dark brown dye stain, then misted it with water to create a weathered effect. After speeding up drying with a heat gun, I sealed it with shellac to prevent any dye transfer onto clothing. A quick pass with 0000 steel wool toned down the shine.

Floating Tenons for Alignment

Before glue-up, I mortised the edges for floating tenons to ensure perfect alignment.

Step 2: Inlaying the Bowties

I experimented with different bowtie sizes and shapes on paper before settling on a layout. Using spray adhesive, I attached the templates to walnut scraps and cut them out on the bandsaw.

Double-sided tape held each bowtie in place while I traced around them with a razor blade. This created a precise outline for chiseling.

Chiseling the Inlay

Starting just inside the razor line, I removed waste in small increments to avoid compressing the wood fibers. After several test fits and adjustments, I glued each bowtie in place, planed it flush, and used steam to swell any compressed grain for a tight fit.

Step 3: Building the Legs & Joinery

I laminated 8/4 lumber for the legs, carefully matching grain to hide glue lines. After squaring the ends, I cut bridle joints on the table saw using a shop-made sled, taking shallow passes to avoid blade strain.

Tapering the Legs

A quick tapering jig on the bandsaw (made from scrap plywood) helped shape all four sides of each leg. The jointer cleaned up saw marks, leaving smooth, even tapers.

Upper Rails & Curves

I shaped the upper rails using a template and double-sided tape. After rough-cutting at the bandsaw, I routed the curves with a flush-trim bit, switching between top and bottom bearings to avoid tearout.

Step 4: Mortise & Tenon for the Lower Stretcher

Finding the leg’s center, I marked mortises and used a mortising attachment (shimmed for squareness) to chop them out. A chisel cleaned up rough walls.

For the stretcher tenons, I measured each leg’s angle individually (since slight variations existed from tapering) and cut matching angles on the table saw. Hand-sawing and chiseling finished the shoulders.

Step 5: The Trestle & Final Assembly

Before making the trestle, I dry-fit the legs to determine spacing. Using a naturally curved piece of wood, I traced an arch with a flexible strip and a nail as a pivot point.

Half-Lap Joints

A dado blade cuts half-laps on the trestle and stretchers. After test-fitting, I bandsawed the curve, smoothed it with disk and spindle sanders, and hand-sanded any imperfections.

Final Thoughts

This project combined carving, inlay, and multiple joinery techniques to create a functional yet artistic Mountain Contemporary bench.