This morning me and Corbin installed the gas lifter arms on his workbench. Now the top shelf door auto-opens and stays in play on its own. Here’s a little video of them working:
Next we’re going to install LED lighting on the the door to light the work surface. Corbin came up with a cool idea concerning switching the lights—install a door jamb switch. That way, whenever the door opens, the lights automatically come on. Cool. I’ll put an override switch to ensure the lighting can be turned off when he door is open.
Going into this weekend I need to wrap up (start and wrap up) one of the last picture frames. All the materials and tools are ready, it’s time to just get it done already. Here’s a concept model of the frame:
Once I get that frame done I need to build the dado jig for my router. The guide bushings for it came in yesterday:
Once all that’s done I need to work on shop storage, then Wendy’s Sewing Cabinet and Clinton’s Barrister Shelves.
Since I gave it to him this morning I can now blog about Clinton’s Book Rack. This is a really cool modification on the Ira Griffith design found in his book from 1912, Advanced Projects in Woodwork, plate #6.
One of the features of the original design is keyed through-tenons, but Clinton isn’t a fan of the keyed tenons. I wanted to build this project for him as an accessory to a later barrister shelf project so I modified the design to fit his preference.
What’s better than being able to customize a project to fit the specific preferences of the recipient? Here’s a picture of a Book Rack as it was originally designed (right) and the modification (left):
A lot of folks have seen the modified design and, interestingly, prefer it. I like both. I’m very happy with the results and extremely happy to built for my family! Here’s on last photo of Clinton’s Book Rack:
Merry Christmas, son.
Tonight we—Cole, Kyle, Corbin and me—mounted the workbench to the wall in the garage. It’s pretty great that the installation went so well. It was a lot less difficult than I expected. Only took about 30 minutes to install it.
All the instructions (from ShopNotes #14) worked perfectly. Maybe it’s suspected, but I don’t think a certain someone knows it’s a Christmas present yet. I hope he really likes it and enjoys it!
Magnetic strips installed.
Open, panoramic view.
With tools inside.
Wendy wanted to give some of the boys wooden toy guns for Christmas. After I finished working on Grandma’s picture frame this morning I started working on the guns.
Me, Corbin and Cole started an assembly line construction of them. We made (8) rough cuts and (6) survived the router table. Once we got them built we decided they’d be the primary gift for the boys.
Nearly all the gifts we gave at the party were handmade and all of those were a hit. There’s something very pleasing in making and giving a gift; it’s more personal and expressive.
As simple as these little wooden guns are they end up being enjoyed and cherished for years. They tend to be the things the kids don’t want to lose. A handmade gift expresses care, live and value to children no matter how simple the gift.
Here’s a picture of the toy guns:
I stayed up late last night staining the frame so it would be ready to lacquer and wax this morning. Early this morning I applied the lacquer and BriWax. Then I buffed the wax with a random orbital car buffer.
The results of the finish are exceptional. The quarter-sawn white oak has really beautiful rays in it that change as the angle of view changes.
Wendy took a photo of the kids and I mounted it into the frame with a glass face.
Closed view.
Open view.
Today I finished putting all the hardware in the wall-mounted workbench. I’m pretty relieved to finally be to thus point. Tomorrow Cole will put a clear coat on it then we can mount it to the wall in the garage.
With this big project pretty much behind me I can consider other things like another picture frame (mitered) and probably some toy guns for some of the kids.
Today I worked on the workbench with Cole. He was very helpful which enabled me to get the project—except for some hardware—completed.
I’ll get the last of the hardware at Rockler this week and start the sanding. I’m pretty happy with the results. I learned quite a bit about building such a large carcass.
I think it’s going to be awesome and one-of-kind. It’s very cool to build stuff that isn’t available in stores. Totally custom.
Here are the pictures from when I added the shingles to the toy Horse Stable project:
1/8″ plywood sheets bought at the hobby shop to make the shingles.
The first mark is 2–1/2″ from the bottom of the roof edge and then 1″ increments to the top of the roof.
This is a shop built indexing jig to cut consistent shingles.
This is the indexing jig being used on the band saw.
The strips of shingles are placed by measured marks to finish evenly at the top of the roof.
The shingles are glued and nailed like real shingles, hiding the nails.
A brad nailer is used wit 5/8″ brads nailed into the joists of the stable.
Beginning the roof. Keeping each row straight.
One side to the roof completed.
Complete roof with the top ridge installed.
The rare earth magnet epoxied into the gate stop.
The gate stop with the rare earth magnet.
The finished stable.
Listening to and implementing good suggestions from others improves the quality of the project you are working on.
Often, upon finishing a project, you look at it an say, “That looks really good. But…” What follows in that statement could be a list of things or it could be just one item.
That one item can make a big difference in the end result. So, at that moment, you have a choice to make. You can decide you are too tired to do more, and it’s good enough, or you could decide it’s worth the extra effort.
While working on Bailey’s Horse Stable project this situation occurred. The project looked really good, but…. It came down to the roof. Everything else worked and the roof was nice but not wow.
Wendy spotted it first. She asked the question and made the suggestion that shingles on the roof would be really cool. Time and lack of specific tools prevented me from making the type she originally suggested.
With a little thought I was able to come up with an idea to make the shingles without a lot of expense and I already had the tools for the job. Pride could have prevented me from being receptive to Wendy’s suggestion but I think the project wouldn’t have turned out as well.
Here’s what the stable looks like with shingles:
Now I’m so much happier with this project! Before you start thinking, “Sure, it’s nice if you want to feed your narcissism,” consider this:
This is a gift for a child; Wendy’s niece, Bailey. The reaction that others, especially adults, have toward this stable will affect her. When people give it the wow effect she’s going to know someone gave her something special.
Bailey will know that her aunt Wendy thinks she is very special. That’s worth the extra effort for one more thing. By the way, everyone is like Bailey in that respect.
P.S.—I did it so Wendy would know she’s special to me.
