Bosch Global
Verktøy for Hjem og Hage

Reimagining the easel as a wedding seating plan!

An easel adorned with flowers standing in a garden. You can see a number of tightly drawn strings that show each guest where they’re sitting. Next to this there is a flower box and potted plants perched on a ladder shelf.
The number of names and tables can be easily adjusted based on how many guests will be attending the reception.
  • Difficulty
    medium
  • Cost
    47-82 €
  • Duration
    1-3 h

Introduction

Careful attention to detail is essential to planning the perfect wedding. Wouldn’t it be great if the first thing to greet your guests when they arrive puts them in the mood for fun and a good time? That would be just the case with this very special seating plan. The tables and guests are listed on opposite sides of the snazzy easel, with the maze of strings connecting the two. It’s bound to serve as a pleasant little diversion. Our step-by-step guide will show you how to make your own wedding seating plan in easel form.

Have you heard about our 18-volt system yet? It offers a very wide variety of devices for many uses. The thing that makes the project below so special is that you can use the same rechargeable battery for every part of this project. Simply swap out the battery pack, inserting it into a different device that is part of the 18-volt system, and continue to the next step.

It should go without saying that your safety is paramount throughout every step of the project, so make sure you take the necessary precautions to protect yourself. You can find everything you need to know about the correct protective clothing you need when using each type of tool in our overview.

You need
Step18

Preparing the wood panel

The sawn edge of a wood panel is being sanded down with a multi-sander.
Measurements are being made with a pocket rule and marked on a wood panel using a pencil.
The distance from the outer edge of the jigsaw to the saw blade is being measured.
A wood slat is placed on a wooden panel to mark the reference line.
A wood panel is being sawn along the reference line using a cordless circular saw.
The sawn edge of a wood panel is being sanded down with a multi-sander.
Measurements are being made with a pocket rule and marked on a wood panel using a pencil.

You need:
Hand-held circular saws
,
Bosch multislipere
,
Sanding sheets for multi-sander (180 grit)
,
g-clamps, pencil, pocket rule, protractor, safety glasses, protective gloves, three-ply wood panel

The 640 x 2,000 mm base panel is the most important part. You can ask an employee at the DIY store to cut it to size or do this yourself at home. If you were able to get a 640 x 2,000 mm panel at a DIY store, skip to step 2. If not, we’ll show you how to cut your base panel to the required size.

Begin by marking the required dimensions on your panel (image 1). Now you have to measure the distance from the saw line to the outer edge of your hand-held circular saw (image 2). This is 37 mm in our case. Use this value to mark a reference line on the wood board (image 3) and attach a wooden guide. Use two G-clamps to secure the wooden guide firmly in place. This will allow you to easily saw in a straight line (image 4).

Then sand down the cut edges (image 5). Thanks to the universal 18-volt Bosch system, you can use the rechargeable battery from the circular saw in your multi-sander, too.

Step28

Sawing out the notch for the leg

The sawn edges and curves are being sanded using a multi-sander.
Measurements are being made using a pocket rule on a wood panel.
A set square is being used to measure the angle to a wooden panel and mark it with a pencil.
A curve is being marked out on a wooden panel using a coin.
The lines drawn on the wooden panel indicate where the notch will be made in the panel.
A notch is being made in a wooden panel using a jigsaw.
The sawn edges and curves are being sanded using a multi-sander.
Measurements are being made using a pocket rule on a wood panel.

You need:
Hand-held circular saws
,
Jigsaw Blade
,
Bosch multislipere
,
Sanding sheets for multi-sander (180 grit)
,
g-clamps, pencil, pocket rule, protractor, safety glasses, protective gloves, three-ply wood panel

Now begin preparing the notch for the bottom of the wooden panel. Start at one of the short sides of the three-ply panel. Use a pocket rule to measure 37 mm from the bottom edge and draw a line parallel to the reference line, if you didn’t already do so in step 1. Then mark a point 80 mm from each side on the right and left on the bottom edge (image 1).

Now place the set square one by one over the two points and draw a line at a 45° angle to the reference line which is 37 mm from the edge (image 2).

You’ve now drawn the outline of the trapezoidal notch which is ready to be sawn out. To create a more elegant transition within the notch, we recommend using a coin for the curved sections (images 3 and 4).

Next, saw out the notch using a jigsaw (image 5) and sand it down (image 6).

Step38

Marking the holes for guests and tables

Intervals are being marked out at intervals on a wooden panel using a pocket rule and pencil.
A pencil is being used to make markings at regular intervals on a wooden panel.
Intervals are being marked out at intervals on a wooden panel using a pocket rule and pencil.
A pencil is being used to make markings at regular intervals on a wooden panel.

You need: pencil, pocket rule, wooden slat, panneau de bois trois plis

Now mark the points on the panel. These will later be used to indicate the tables and guests at the wedding. In our example, there will be six tables and 40 guests. If you are planning a smaller or larger reception, you can adapt the intervals accordingly.

For the marking for the guests, measure 250 mm from the top (the top is the short side without the notch) and 150 mm from the long side. Mark the first point there. It is fully up to you which side you choose to use.

Then take a slat and draw a line parallel to the side edge at a distance of 150 mm. Next, mark a further point every 30 mm starting from the first point until you have 40 markings on the line (image 1). You can adjust the number of intervals based on how many singles or couples you’re expecting at the wedding.

Now make the markings for the tables on the long side of the panel opposite this. To do this, measure out the first point 350 mm from the top and 100 from the side. Now mark the spot with a pencil (image 2).

Then use a slat to draw a line parallel to the side edge 100 mm below it. Next, use the pencil to mark five further points at an interval of 200 mm starting from the first point.

Step48

Drilling holes into the panel

A hammer is being used to insert the wooden dowels into the pre-drilled holes.
Holes are being drilled using a cordless combi drill at the markings that were previously made.
A hammer is being used to insert the wooden dowels into the pre-drilled holes.
Holes are being drilled using a cordless combi drill at the markings that were previously made.

You need:
Cordless combi drill
,
Brad point drill bit
,
Holzbit
,
safety glasses, g-clamps, hammer, three-ply wood panel, 8 mm wooden dowels

Now drill holes at the markings you previously made in step 3. Use a drill bit that is the same size as the dowels you are using. In our case, we’ll be using an 8 mm bit.  You can take the rechargeable battery from one of the 18 V tools you were previously using and connect it to the cordless combi drill.

Here’s a tip for when you’re drilling: Do not drill all the way through the panel. To prevent this from happening, place a strip of masking tape around the drill bit at a height that is roughly two-thirds the thickness of the panel (image 1).

Now use the hammer to insert the wooden dowels into the holes (image 2).

Step58

Building the support – part 1

Holes are being drilled at the markings previously made in the two squared timbers using a cordless combi drill.
A marking is being measured out and made on a squared timber using a pencil.
A squared timber is being cut into several smaller pieces using a jigsaw.
A diagonal is being drawn on the short side of a squared timber using a set square.
A cordless combi drill is being used to drill a hole in the bottom side of a squared timber.
Parallel markings are being drawn on two squared timbers using a pencil.
Holes are being drilled at the markings previously made in the two squared timbers using a cordless combi drill.
A marking is being measured out and made on a squared timber using a pencil.

You need:
Cordless combi drill
,
Brad point drill bit
,
Jigsaws
,
NanoBlade saw
,
Bosch multislipere
,
NanoBlade saw
,
Holzbit
,
protective gloves, pocket rule, pencil, Set square, g-clamps, wooden slat (28 x 28 mm)

We’ll now get started building the frame for our clever little seating plan. First off, we’ll need two squared timbers, one 600 mm long and one 560 mm long. Mark out the two values on your square timber (image 1) and then saw off the two pieces by making a cut at the lines you drew on the board (image 2). It would be a good idea to sand down the edges when you’re done.

Then, make a mark at the centre of the sanded edges. This is easy to do. Simply use the pencil to draw a line starting at the corners (image 3).

Now use two G-clamps to clamp the squared timbers securely to your workbench and pre-drill the points you just marked using a 3 mm drill bit (image 4).

Then measure 60 mm from the short sides of the two boards and mark this out in the middle (14 mm from both edges) with a pencil (Figure 5). Use the 5 mm drill bit to make the four holes in the wood (image 6). Before you do so, place a piece of scrap wood under the board so you don’t damage your workbench.

Step68

Building the support – part 2

A hole is being drilled in a squared timber using a cordless combi drill.
A marking is being drawn on a squared timber using a pencil.
A hole is being drilled at the spot marked with a pencil on a squared timber using a cordless combi drill.
A piece of a squared timber is being sawn out using a jigsaw.
A curve is being sawn into the squared timber using a jigsaw.
A rounded sawn edge is being sanded with a multi-sander.
A hole is being drilled in a rounded squared timber using a cordless combi drill.
A hole is being drilled in a squared timber using a cordless combi drill.
A marking is being drawn on a squared timber using a pencil.

You need:
Cordless combi drill
,
Brad point drill bit
,
Jigsaws
,
Jigsaw Blade
,
Bosch multislipere
,
NanoBlade saw
,
Holzbit
,
protective gloves, pocket rule, pencil, g-clamps, wooden slat (25 x 20 mm)

You’ll now need five more squared timbers, two of them 1,200 mm in length and three of them 600 mm in length. This time, however, the base should not be square. It should instead measure 25 x 20 mm.

Begin with the two long pieces of wood by drawing the markings indicating where you will be sawing on your squared timber. The wider side of the two pieces of wood is facing up on your workbench. For your information, the longer pieces of wood will be rounded at one end. To do so, measure 12.5 mm from the edges marked for sawing to the centre, mark a point and trace a curve using a compass, for example.

When you are sawing the boards, you can make a straight cut (image 3) and then round off the sharp edges (image 4). Then, sand down the edges (image 5). At the centre of the curve, now drill a hole with a 5 mm drill bit at each of the rounded ends of the 1,200 mm timbers (image 6). Then make a hole at the centre of each of the non-rounded ends at a distance of 10 mm and a distance of 50 mm (image 7). The two long boards are now finished.

Next, take two of the 600 mm boards and round off both ends of them as described above. One of the 600 mm boards will not be rounded off.

Step78

Building the support – part 3

Two squared timbers are being screwed together using a cordless combi drill.
A diagram shows how the frame of the easel will be assembled.
Two squared timbers are being screwed together using a cordless combi drill.
Two squared timbers are being screwed together using a cordless combi drill.
A diagram shows how the frame of the easel will be assembled.

You need:
Cordless combi drill
,
g-clamps, 4.0 x 45 mm screws

You can now put the support together. To do this we’ll assemble a frame and a smaller ‘U’. To make the frame screw together the two 1,200 mm timbers from step 6 (A), the unrounded 600 mm timber from step 6 (B) and the 600 mm timber from step 5 (C) (image 1).

To create the ‘U’, fasten the 560 mm timber from step 5 (D) to the two rounded 600 mm timbers from step 6 using screws (E) (image 3). Make sure that the two rounded ends are not covered.

Firmly clamp the boards to the table using G-clamps. When joining the boards, make sure that the screws are not fastened too tightly so that you can still move them slightly.

Step88

Attaching the support

On a split screen you can see a fully assembled easel in a room on the left and a close-up of a section of the frame as seen from the back of the easel on the right.
Use a pocket rule to measure out intervals between a wooden frame and the edge of a wood panel.
A wooden frame is being screwed to a wooden panel using a cordless combi drill.
The short side of a frame is being screwed to a wooden panel using a cordless combi drill.
The parts of the frame are being pieced together using screws and wing nuts.
On a split screen you can see a fully assembled easel in a room on the left and a close-up of a section of the frame as seen from the back of the easel on the right.
Use a pocket rule to measure out intervals between a wooden frame and the edge of a wood panel.

You need:
Cordless combi drill
,
Holzbit
,
4.0 x 45 mm screws, two M5 x 50 mm screws and wing nuts

Now place the wooden panel from step 4 back on your workbench, with the back side of the panel facing up. Keep in mind that the side with the notch will be the bottom end of your seating plan (see the right side of the split screen). Then place the large frame, which has now been screwed together, flush with the edge of the bottom notch on the wooden panel. Next, place the ‘U’ from step 9 at a distance of 115 mm from the bottom end of the panel (image 1). Make sure that the drill holes on the square timber of the ‘U’ are facing up.

Fasten the screws through the two pre-drilled holes at the top of the wooden panel to connect the square timber of the large frame to the wood panel (image 2). Then screw the ‘U’ to the bottom side of the wooden panel through the pre-drilled holes (image 3).

Now use M5 x 50 screws and wing nuts to connect the two loose frame parts of the large frame and the ‘U’. This way, the frame can still be moved (image 4).

Now it’s time to apply the final touches. Use multi-colour strings to connect the dowels, take wooden discs to make the tables and write the names of the guests next to the dowels. Tap into your creative side – the sky’s the limit!