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Mailslot Bench

This small, one-of-a-kind bench is a playful take on a traditional Shaker bench design.

The two stretcher pieces are joined with half-blind dovetails. While I was working on this piece someone remarked that the reveal in the top of the bench looked like a mail slot. The next morning I came into the shop and found my mail (or more specifically, my bills) tucked gently into the "slot." Hence the name.

Both dovetail and mortise-and-tenon joints are cut by hand.

The stretcher connects to each side of the bench with three small through-tenons.


This small bench is my own take on a classic footstool design. It is constructed from maple and cherry, and features three sets of hand-cut, half-blind dovetails and two sets of angled through-tenons.

Dimensions: 24″ Long x 12″ Wide x 15″ Tall
Materials: Solid Cherry, Maple.
Finish: Hand-Rubbed Oil with three coats of Paste Wax

Photos by Allison Seeman.

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