Materials: Construction grade 2x6 Pine, Melamine top
Finish: House Paint
My first project -- the Basic Mobile Workbench (BMW) Inspiration and plans from Steve Ramsey and Woodworking for Mere Mortals
It took weeks and I fretted over every cut and measured and planned every single cut and drill hole. Each step felt like a huge piece of work.This is an incredibly useful workbench that has been part of many builds. Today, it is my bike workbench and I love it.
Materials: Scrap wood from Mary, and project leftovers
Finish: Lakeview Blue milk paint, with semi-gloss water-based poly topcoat
This was a fun little build. I had some wood and some time and kinda needed a place to sit.
This used up some weird pieces of scrap -- the top was the sink cutout from mom's garden bench, just the right size. I had hand carved tenons before, and since this only needed three, it went pretty quickly. I had also worked out the cross bracing a lot cleaner, though it still is far from fine furniture. Picking out the color was so much fun, even though it drove Carmen crazy.
Lesson learned on this was to always be alert during shop time.
I was at the miter saw, sizing down the legs. I was cutting and Carmen came home and I stopped paying attention and the final is about 3 inches shorter than originally planned.
Materials: 1x4 Pine strips and scrap plywood top
Finish: Minmax stain -- Early American -- the top. Polyurethane top coat
Of course, if I'm going to make some stuff in the shop, I was going to make Dominic’s Bench. He made me one in his little basement workshop that I loved so much. Sixty years later, I still hold onto it
Scrap and leftovers, Miter saw, nail gun and no plans, so pretty much an electrified version of what he would have done. To be true to the source, it was completely overbuilt.
This was a real labor of love, and a chance to play with half lap joinery.
Carina really liked it, especially the finish, so yeah; Dominic would have been proud and I know he's looking down on it and smiling.
Materials: Red oak with walnut accent
Finish: Osmo Polyx Oil Satin
This was an opportunity to play with dowel joinery and build experience, especially as it involved angles and centering of cross supports. I ran test pieces throughout the build. Also, I relied on the marking knife more on this project than ever before. This greatly improved my accuracy. Hand planning on the top piece, with a big, rounded edge. The legs got a 7 degree chamfer to give a modern sensibility and the look is sleek and unique.
Materials: Construction grade 2x4 and Plywood, wooden hangar bar from Mary
Finish: oil-based polyurethane
The hangar rod as the drawer pull was a cool inspiration and it has a nice feel. (attractive yet functional). The drawer itself opens nice and smooth. Crisp detailing on the edges.
Drilling and setting the vise with Mr. Engineer was the crowing piece to a well-built piece that will last him for years (even if he does keep it on the balcony).
Materials: Construction grade 2x4 and Plywood, wooden hangar bar from Mary
Finish: oil-based polyurethane
The hangar rod as the drawer pull was a cool inspiration and it has a nice feel. (attractive yet functional). The drawer itself opens nice and smooth. Crisp detailing on the edges.
Drilling and setting the vise with Mr. Engineer was the crowing piece to a well-built piece that will last him for years (even if he does keep it on the balcony).
Materials: Red Oak
Finish: Osmo Satin finish
This was inspired by Norm Abrams Monastery Table.
This project was on my Wish List for some time, but I needed to work up to it.
I worked without any plans, as I knew what sizing I needed and had the estimates for measurements in my head. Assembly was measure-to-fit dowel joinery. The legs came from TableLegs.com with a grain pattern that matched what I was working up for the top and trestles. The first tabletop glue up warped just a little. So, a do-over was called for. Thicker is better and breadboard ends gave it a good look and stability. The lesson learned here is a bit of a painful one: Watch for splinters, wear gloves. Ouch.
Materials: Donations from Mary, pine
Finish: Oil-based Polyurethane
This was from the first of Mary’s donations and the wood sat in the garage for months as I contemplated the build. Also, I wanted to play with half lap joinery, and this was my first attempt. It looks great on the porch and does well with some plants on top.
Materials: Construction grade 2x6 and Plywood.
Finish: Minmax Solid Color Classic Gray, Water based Polycrylic
This was not a fast build. It was a labor of love and a couple of great days with Frankie and Papi. It was incredibly satisfying to build this with them. Lots of clamps for the top. It was big, bulky and heavy. Lots of workarounds with too much of the joinery still relying on pocket screws. All of this made me realize that I needed a bigger, more solid workbench to handle bigger projects. So, even before this is finished, I start planning for the Nicholson. A lot of interesting aspects to the build. Of course, there is the sink, very cool. The holes for the extra dirt was a challenge as we had to drill from both sides. Sanding, staining, finishing – all of it was at least an added degree of difficulty. Finishing it with racks from the Container Store. Carmen loved it, everyone loved it and a year later, the new buyers loved it too -- it helped us sell the house.
Materials: Red Oak and Douglas fir
Finish: Milk Paint barn red
All leftover wood, but good stuff, nothing scrap.
Best part of the work was paining it with Carmen. Love to work with her.
Materials: European beech
Finish: Osmo 3043 Clear Satin
Carmen had moved the outdoor plant table into the living room for the Great Freeze of 21. And, you know what? It looked pretty good there. But, a nice table would look even better. So, no plans, but lots of ideas and it all came together really well. Better than it should have. I think I had a lot of luck on this.
Materials: Donations from Mary clothes hangar poles
Finish: water based Poly
I needed a toolbox. Carmen wanted a flower box.
Guess who won. So, I lined it with heavy plastic and she bought geraniums. She liked it so much; I made her a matching pair.
Materials: ¼ inch plywood, dowel
Finish: no clue, that's up to her.
Carina and I were going to do a project when she came back for a week. And then we waited, and she stalled, and I got busy and then… on the very last day of her visit… out came this beautiful little trellis. Fast and fun build.
Lesson learned: My daughter is an amazing engineer who taught me how to make a workable template for freehand jigsaw cutting (that I still have.) and how to set a pattern of dowels on a curved surface. (how smart was that). Look carefully and you can see her layout lines.
