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.
The gallery below shows the construction photos of the American Girl Horse Stable.
Wendy came up with a great Christmas gift idea for her niece, Bailey: An American Girl Pony Stable. I said I could build it, she promptly found dimensions.
Luckily I had all the materials already in my workshop. I got it all cut to size in short order.
The assembly went quickly and the results are very nice. But, we both agreed, it needs shingles. I’ve figured out how I’m going to do them and plan to finish them tomorrow.
So here’s the completed Book Rack; the first prototype. Actually, it was finished a while back. I’ve learned a lot about using the templates as well as my workflow. Successful experiment and modifications are dimple with this design.
While looking through the projects in the book Advanced Projects in Woodwork ©1912 by Ira S. Griffith I decided to make this project:
Plate 6 — Arts & Crafts Book Rack
So, being a computer nerd more than a woodworker, I made a model of the project in Trimble Sketchup to understand the project and be sure all the parts fit together correctly. Here’s an image of the model:
Arts & Crafts style Book Rack
Once I had the model completed I started making construction drawings in Trimble Layout; it’s included with my copy of Sketchup:
Construction Drawings Exploded View
Construction Drawings Dimensional View
Problem is, the construction drawings freaked me out a little bit. Blind dado joints used in conjunction with through, keyed tenons! Wow! I needed a way to make precision cuts without a CNC machine. I need a jig! Trouble is, it also requires a lot of precision to make jigs. So, summoning my computer nerdery, I headed to Ponoko and downloaded their Adobe Illustrator templates.
In Sketchup I exported the pieces I needed jigs for into .eps files so I could use them in Illustrator and upload them to Ponoko to have laser cut jigs made:
Book Rack jig 1 of 2
So, I used Ponoko to manufacture my jigs and I sourced the Quarter Sawn White Oak from Clark’s Hardwood in The Heights (Houston). Now, all I have to do is actually manufacture the piece. If this works, I should be able to reproduce the piece consistently from now forward.
If someone sees the piece and wants me to make one for them, I’ll be able to produce them again and again.
