tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39731526237130333592024-03-13T01:44:23.928-07:00Sawdust DesignsArtistic Innovation & Custom CreationsGaineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06581663278455635580noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973152623713033359.post-44251118657659352862014-10-10T13:46:00.000-07:002016-03-08T08:28:03.523-08:00Custom Handmade Wood Signs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I make custom college and company logo signs out of reclaimed wood. Every detail of the logo is burned into the wood, then hand-painted. Sizes vary, but the dimensions of the standard signs (not state cut-outs) are roughly 12 inches tall by 20 inches wide.<br />
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If you'd like to purchase one of the signs I've already made, you can do that in my <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/SawdustDesigns1" target="_blank">shop on Etsy</a>.<br />
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If you would like to order a custom sign for your team or business, or if you want a price quote or more information, shoot me an email at <a href="mailto:gaines@sawdustdesigns.net">gaines@sawdustdesigns.net</a>.<br />
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(Click on the thumbnails below for a larger view of the signs)</div>
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}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script>Surprise - I didn't die! I've just been on a blogging hiatus. Not necessarily by choice, just by life priority. I got a new job, blah blah, moved my family to a new city, blah blah. I don't want to get all technical on you because it involves highly complex formulas, but basically: (move + new job + 2 kids under 3 years old) = 0 free time. Because math.<br />
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I did want to share this little diddy because America's birthday is coming up, and that was half of my inspiration for the project. And, with our five year anniversary coming up in a few weeks, I think it's pretty obvious I was excited that the gift theme for that particular year is wood. If we could just make that the theme every year, I'd be the best. anniversary. gift giver. ever.</div>
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So without further ado, happy (early) anniversary sweetheart, with a side of freedom.</div>
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Here was my inspiration for what would become 12 square feet of, well wood and paint, but more importantly...pure, unadulterated independence.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixXOp5Drx8lY34kIJKZOAk2luPYbW2jysVXumbxjdeaN2BL1GkBNX3qju3sWhRWsxVsaYv2htzo0bidoYESBXAIFTtN43tbh5eJ-HDknjzkDIOqsj8tbVa2HIWfYf1uXOWyUYfTukbMXgn/s1600/flag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixXOp5Drx8lY34kIJKZOAk2luPYbW2jysVXumbxjdeaN2BL1GkBNX3qju3sWhRWsxVsaYv2htzo0bidoYESBXAIFTtN43tbh5eJ-HDknjzkDIOqsj8tbVa2HIWfYf1uXOWyUYfTukbMXgn/s1600/flag.jpg" /></a></div>
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Don't exactly remember where I saw it, but I saved it to my phone photos so that I would eventually get around to making it.</div>
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This might be a good time to point out that I'm supper OCD about planning designs for things I make. It's less artistry and more math - less free hand and more angles, center points and incremental measurements. I actually looked up <a href="http://www.usaflag.org/" target="_blank">official measurement ratios for the American flag</a>. Yeah...Needless to say, it was inexplicably important to me to make the version that included 50 stars. I'm weird like that.</div>
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Without going into the exact detail, because that would take 2,000 more words than I want to type - and more OCD-crazy than I'm willing to openly admit to - used 2.25" as my stripe width and measured everything from that.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7eq6H8W6qj1elzVRSgqyPLZuwgbaUOGvn-L6jozPgzxwC07kI2jUCHheduNzUj8vs2FRQ9cKITfgow4y9a80I0cUy3dmKFbThuoyAPgCGx9HcXQMONRFef5QL8iZ0ID_BaC2LNZQdSUca/s1600/wood_flag_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7eq6H8W6qj1elzVRSgqyPLZuwgbaUOGvn-L6jozPgzxwC07kI2jUCHheduNzUj8vs2FRQ9cKITfgow4y9a80I0cUy3dmKFbThuoyAPgCGx9HcXQMONRFef5QL8iZ0ID_BaC2LNZQdSUca/s1600/wood_flag_7.jpg" height="417" width="640" /></a></div>
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The table saw came in handy for cutting the stripes. Once I had them all organized in a dry fit test run, I flipped them over, clamped 'em together and screwed three 1" boards onto the back - with screws going through into each stripe.</div>
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For the stars, again - don't judge, I made a pattern with Photoshop to use as a guide. Then I burned each star into the wood using my woodburning tool. I can hear you silently judging me. Shut it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBNmrCVbpjCsDNqczJ4XjDgTsxUJQJnswec3rpHycGDCU6BWPKiNQfNCc1D7pv0jvm0N-JTKeXbOhtv2kxRBjOI7nTEGMbvpUOJy1io_ldiQk5XBbYL_gmX7OSwsIC-88GZTC7I6FrTpjf/s1600/wood_flag_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBNmrCVbpjCsDNqczJ4XjDgTsxUJQJnswec3rpHycGDCU6BWPKiNQfNCc1D7pv0jvm0N-JTKeXbOhtv2kxRBjOI7nTEGMbvpUOJy1io_ldiQk5XBbYL_gmX7OSwsIC-88GZTC7I6FrTpjf/s1600/wood_flag_4.jpg" height="416" width="640" /></a></div>
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Before painting, I rubbed candle wax across the entire surface liberally, so that the distressing step would be MUCH easier. </div>
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Then I used a wire brush to distress the whole thing, which is a fairly new practice I've adopted. Sandpaper was too predictable and the results to "rehearsed." The wire brush is a little more rando-matic.</div>
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I've got a few more projects in the queue to show you guys, so hopefully things will start to settle down and I'll have a little more time/motivation to share them here. That's the dream, anyway.</div>
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Gaineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06581663278455635580noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973152623713033359.post-64017836615502379472014-01-15T14:39:00.000-08:002014-01-15T14:41:46.422-08:00Vintage Lyre Table Makeover, Possible Epic Mistake<div id="fb-root"></div>
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}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script>You win some, you lose some. I'm still not sure which was the case with my latest project.<br />
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The good news is that we have a pretty sweet new table (new to us, anyway) for our living room. The bad news is that I might or might not have murdered the value of a rare antique.<br />
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The best part about it is that I didn't find out about the latter until after I finished the transformation and was researching antique lyre tables for the blog.<br />
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What is a lyre table? So glad you asked. It's a style of ornate table base that was common in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Still confused? It gets its name from the design based off of the lyre, a musical instrument in the harp family. Really, still?! Look, this is going to be a lot easier when I don't have to hold your hand throughout the whole process. Fine...here's an example which, because I care about your time, can also serve as the "before" pic:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjcSGNIJ-ykG-WKXjUYsjhvpGqJ-Ku6BjDQRdDbnmdCydljpO0LdcjzlQ2roTC25W1Q4iN-Lxofi2biVQiKdW694fqUX9SamLc0AIkYoWcjIP3HBi0ffCICSO3wQjIHeofCTd0FXN_Ob0p/s1600/harp_table_before1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjcSGNIJ-ykG-WKXjUYsjhvpGqJ-Ku6BjDQRdDbnmdCydljpO0LdcjzlQ2roTC25W1Q4iN-Lxofi2biVQiKdW694fqUX9SamLc0AIkYoWcjIP3HBi0ffCICSO3wQjIHeofCTd0FXN_Ob0p/s1600/harp_table_before1.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>Full disclosure:</b> because I'm obviously (notoriously?) bad about jumping into a project before thinking ahead (<i>read:</i> not researching table before possibly destroying all antique value), this is really just sort of a "before" pic. I had already started sanding and removed the damaged veneer from the top rim. It looked sort of like this though...<br />
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Come to find out...there was a dude named <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duncan_Phyfe" target="_blank">Duncan Phyfe</a>, one of the 19th century's best cabinet and furniture craftsmen, who made a bunch of these types of tables - originals of which have sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars. That's some serious scratch.<br />
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Now, I certainly don't think I found a Duncan Phyfe original on Craigslist for $25, because if that was the case, I would no longer have time for blogging because I would be too busy swimming in my pool of gold coins, a la Scrooge McDuck.<br />
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But this guy was such a boss that he inspired a whole style of furniture that's now (if unofficially) named after him. Even Duncan Phyfe replicas or furniture in his style can go for a couple of grand.<br />
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Alas, the number one factor in determining an antique's value is original condition, and as you can see below, the table I have now is far from that. It's still a nice addition to our living room, a classical design with a slightly modern twist.<br />
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So, here's some more photos showing what my table looked like before and during the sanding stages:<br />
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<b><i>Knowledge Bomb #113:</i></b> With all of the curves, the best option was to use a sanding sponge, which should be a staple in your refinishing toolbox. Since it is basically a sponge covered in a sandpaper coating, it allows you to uniformly sand flat surfaces while still getting into cracks and crevices. Best of all...you can wash them with water and dish soap to re-use later.<br />
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Since the veneer around the table top was damaged to the point of scrapping it, I decided to go a different route. I've found that a lot of these types of tables in the early 1900s were outfitted with a stone top, usually marble - think Victorian.<br />
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I wasn't about to drop that kind of dough to finish a table I paid $25 for, so I reached out to my friend Chuck at Pyramid Stone, who we used for the granite in the <a href="http://www.sawdustdesigns.net/2012/10/is-that-bacon-i-swear-i-smell-bacon.html" target="_blank">kitchen</a> and <a href="http://www.sawdustdesigns.net/2012/10/mirror-mirror-on-wall.html" target="_blank">bathrooms</a> back in the remodel phase. After a few months, he called me to let me know that he was working on a job that included the same granite we used and asked if I wanted a scrap for the table top. Yeah, Chuck's a good guy.<br />
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So I just turned the table upside down, traced around the oval top with a pencil onto a piece of cardboard, and cut that out to give Chuck to use as an exact pattern to which he could cut the granite.<br />
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From there, it was just a matter of applying a couple of light coats of Minwax Early American, then a few coats of water-based polyurethane, and setting the granite on top of the table. You could use a couple of heavy dabs of silicone to bond the granite to the wood top, but the weight of the stone was more than enough to keep it in place.<br />
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As much as I like how it turned out, in the future, I'm going to be sure to do my research on pieces like this BEFORE I refinish them...<br />
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<br /><br /><div class="fb-like" data-href="http://www.sawdustdesigns.net/2014/01/vintage-lyre-table-makeover-possible.html" data-layout="standard" data-action="like" data-show-faces="true" data-share="true"></div>Gaineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06581663278455635580noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973152623713033359.post-59292469602254399312014-01-03T11:47:00.003-08:002014-01-03T11:48:50.051-08:00Discarded Shutters Become a Children's Dining Table<div id="fb-root"></div>
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}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script>I'd like to tell you kids a story.<br />
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Once upon a time, I had some shutters. So I made a dining table out of them for Campbell and Gaines Jr. The end.<br />
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Riveting, right?<br />
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I've said before that I felt like most of my projects these days are kid-related. Turns out that's a pretty true assessment. Aside from the roughly 30 custom signs I made for customers from October - December, all of my "free time" projects have been for our kids.<br />
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I have accepted that, and now I embrace it. If you are doing the whole parenting thing right, then their lives become your lives. At least for the first maybe 2-3 forevers.<br />
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Listen, there's really only one excusable reason for a grown-ass man to know the names and dress colors of every single Disney princess. I do, and it's because I have a young daughter.<br />
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I <b>WISH</b> the song that's stuck in my head throughout the day that I can't stop repeating over and over was "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jofNR_WkoCE" target="_blank">What Does the Fox Say</a>" (you. are. welcome.). Sadly, it's usually something from Barney, Dora, Caillou or Daniel Tiger. But, it is what it is, and I wouldn't want it any other way if it meant I had to give up a single second of Campbell's toddler years.<br />
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As our new baby boy grows, pretty soon it will be Thomas the Train, Bob the Builder, etc. Maybe at one point I'll put my head through a plate glass window, but for now, I'm soaking it all in.<br />
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Which brings us to one of my recent projects...a kid-sized dining table made from 100% reclaimed materials.<br />
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That is what I think of every time I walk past it. And I laugh - because that's a classic scene from Zoolander. You see, the table is in the eat-in area of our kitchen that is intended for a breakfast table and chairs.<br />
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But instead of an adult-sized table, it's all miniature: a place for Campbell and friends to dine. Eventually, Gaines Jr. will join her, but right now, those seats are reserved for Elmo, Cookie Monster, Minnie Mouse and Ariel. And that's where you'll find them, each with a plate of Play-Doh, and a small Starbucks cup.<br />
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I'm so happy with the way it turned out, I'm hoping it will be in the family for future generations. If it survives the first wave of abuse, that is.<br />
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More importantly, Courtney is thrilled with it. That's pretty key to the whole "will it ever get from my shop into the house" thing.<br />
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So that is the ending, but it's all about the journey, right? So, here's that part.<br />
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The shutters came from a friend who was going through a complete gut of their home. Instead of throwing them away, she gave them to me. So I left them in a special part of my yard I affectionately call "the bone yard" - where things like shutters, pallets, pane glass windows, etc. go to sit in the elements for a little while to get fully seasoned.<br />
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Hours of paint stripping, sanding, measuring and cutting later...<br />
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Notice the burn marks? That's from the heat gun, which is what I used to strip the paint. It still took freaking forever, but it wasn't nearly as messy as <a href="http://www.sawdustdesigns.net/2013/06/putting-nightstand-project-to-bed.html" target="_blank">my last foray into liquid paint stripper</a>.<br />
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With the supports taken care of, I moved onto the table top. I didn't want to do the same old "farmhouse" look with long boards on top, so I decided to make up a little design loosely based on my original inspiration for the entire project:<br />
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And I came up with this (post sanding, but before I tightened the gaps with wood filler):<br />
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The chairs. I wish I could say I made them, but I'm certainly glad I didn't have to. Making one chair sucks. Making four? Shoot me in the face. Luckily, one of my neighbors donated them to the cause, and didn't mind because they were just sitting outside her garage. She didn't need them anymore but was too emotionally attached (from her own kids using them) to toss them on the curb. Win/win.<br />
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They'd spent years outside, so were a little worse for wear. A couple of screws here, a couple of nails there, and they were sturdy enough. And after sanding, they were smooth enough.<br />
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Put it all together with a little paint, some stain, and a glossy finish, and...<br />
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<br /><br /><div class="fb-like" data-href="http://www.sawdustdesigns.net/2014/01/discarded-shutters-become-childrens.html" data-layout="standard" data-action="like" data-show-faces="true" data-share="true"></div>Gaineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06581663278455635580noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973152623713033359.post-42809853628529535162013-11-18T06:29:00.001-08:002013-11-18T06:31:58.375-08:00God, Give Me a Sign<div id="fb-root">
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}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script>I totally meant to do a post about this sooner, to allow a little bit more time before the holidays but a few things caused a delay. Well one thing, really, all 9 pounds, 11 ounces of him. So, three weeks later...boom, sign post.<br />
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I've made - and posted about - a lot of projects over the last year or so, but I've drifted towards <a href="http://www.sawdustdesigns.net/p/custom-sign.html" target="_blank">making a lot of custom signs</a> in the last few months. What started out as a Christmas gift idea for family last year has turned into a seemingly legitimate business opportunity, completely by accident.<br />
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As for quality, well, I'll let some of my customer reviews, which are totally real and not at all biased, speak to that:<br />
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<i>"I'm so proud of my son and his signs. It seems like just yesterday, he was 6 years old and sniffing gasoline in the garage."</i><br />
- My mom<br />
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<i>"I am astounded at Gaines' ability to finally be able to color inside the lines."</i><br />
- My first grade teacher<br />
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<i>"Dada. Signs. Yesh."</i><br />
- My daughter, Campbell<br />
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Thanks to Etsy and word of mouth, people from North Carolina to South Dakota (seriously - did you know there is at least one Arkansas Razorbacks fan in South Dakota? It's true.) have been ordering them. I put a lot of time and pride into making each one unique and, sometimes to my detriment, I agree to most requests to customize one them with a name or personalized message.<br />
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So, if you're looking for a unique gift idea for a friend or family member for Christmas, please consider one of my signs as a not-so-terrible alternative to a Starbuck's gift card or sweater vest. If you don't see your school in my <a href="http://www.sawdustdesigns.net/p/shop.html" target="_blank">Etsy listings</a>, just <a href="mailto:gaines@sawdustdesigns.net" target="_blank">email me</a> - chances are, I can make it. If you don't want a school, that's cool too, because I can totally do words 'n' stuff too. Hell, I made this sign by hand using just a depression-era photo:<br />
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Basically, I'm saying you could do way worse than a Christmas gift from Sawdust Designs. On a somewhat related note, I'm way better at making signs than I am at shameless self-promotion...<br />
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Gaineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06581663278455635580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973152623713033359.post-72725646232439322932013-10-23T06:34:00.000-07:002013-10-23T06:36:05.337-07:00Monogram Madness and the Final Countdown<div id="fb-root">
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}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script>Monday, at the very latest, Courtney, Campbell and I will welcome a baby boy to the family.<br />
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Coming up with a name for our second child seemed harder than it was for the first. Well, being confident in our decision was harder, anyway. We decided fairly early on that he would be named after me. So, Gaines Alley Conaway, Jr. But, I'm not totally sure why we struggled with it after the fact. </div>
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One big reason is that it should come as a surprise to absolutely no one that there are a lot of creative nicknames kids, then teenagers, and then college friends can come up with from the name "Gaines." "Losses." "Gainesburger," a popular dog food brand in the 80s and 90s, for those that remember. "Gaynes." "Gay-ness." The opportunities are endless - just trust me on this one. (<i>Editor's Note: If you start calling me any of those, you might get punched in the throat.</i>)</div>
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Then, there was the purely selfish reason...it's been my name for 32 years and will hopefully stay that way for many more to come. </div>
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But we like the idea of a Gaines Alley Conaway, Jr., childish nicknames and household confusion from duplicate names be damned. </div>
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Try as we did to look for a good alternative - any alternative - that we liked to supplant it, we just kept coming back to it. </div>
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A name doesn't define you, and when someone loves you enough to make you their namesake, then that's just gravy on the biscuits, baby. Screw it...he'll be my mini-me and I've been blessed thus far with a beautiful family and some exciting life experiences, so if his life turns out as good as mine has thus far, he'll be one lucky kid.<br />
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All that was an admittedly wordy intro into the centerpiece, or thesis project if you will, for the nursery: a custom wooden monogram. As always, the details of how I did it are below.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZtP3TdboZZ3c3uzeB_JYRcyy_Js4kUWDwkyuPGqJi3q6MoSAxAwGOwdA0aXYP_7FU6uucXJxMR3nw4qwE3r43pHeRe5todvdSfcvISaTsndUG01TaXINE7mQHC_qEDkcdW2IQ7yOkYYFW/s1600/circle_mongram_final_waxed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZtP3TdboZZ3c3uzeB_JYRcyy_Js4kUWDwkyuPGqJi3q6MoSAxAwGOwdA0aXYP_7FU6uucXJxMR3nw4qwE3r43pHeRe5todvdSfcvISaTsndUG01TaXINE7mQHC_qEDkcdW2IQ7yOkYYFW/s1600/circle_mongram_final_waxed.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a>Let's get this out of the way right now - a monogram for the wall was Courtney's idea. But, she gave me certain creative freedoms with it being for a boy.<br />
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Obviously, a fanciful curly script font wasn't going to work, so I chose a classic circle monogram style. Finding the complete alphabet set on Google, I blew up the letters in Photoshop to the size I wanted, printed them, cut them out, then traced them onto 3/4" plywood.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7S7uAz94QHNUGeKEZPAfWYyXnN1F4ygltWV60NUWWoqEKW0Ag8eaI1lEd6fHOB0-uWmfJ9QAlYOBkyuTQ-FCzamDSOCSPpxwF_u8ZJXvjWH2vAF-Trq0KuVqSwmJ40MA0WMUipEhbnDv/s1600/circle_mongram_letter-templates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7S7uAz94QHNUGeKEZPAfWYyXnN1F4ygltWV60NUWWoqEKW0Ag8eaI1lEd6fHOB0-uWmfJ9QAlYOBkyuTQ-FCzamDSOCSPpxwF_u8ZJXvjWH2vAF-Trq0KuVqSwmJ40MA0WMUipEhbnDv/s1600/circle_mongram_letter-templates.jpg" /></a></div>
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Using a jig saw, I carefully cut along the lines I traced until I had three separate letters.<br />
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To add some texture, I decided to cover the front of each letter with burlap fabric (super cheap at Michael's, and probably Hobby Lobby). Using hot glue sparingly, I pressed the burlap down onto the front of each letter.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCpWEDbmNLspLeZKFpI9YuCcdSHMStLTt1j6h7AYomCA6bhbslo5ErxhmYT-IlPsNOAaC7ElkvvTK3W1kGynlMcSPK3brL82BImpJCpA2Yarx26q_VBXPrupnupUloJYpwFCYIc10Z8zf0/s1600/circle_mongram_letter-applying_burlap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCpWEDbmNLspLeZKFpI9YuCcdSHMStLTt1j6h7AYomCA6bhbslo5ErxhmYT-IlPsNOAaC7ElkvvTK3W1kGynlMcSPK3brL82BImpJCpA2Yarx26q_VBXPrupnupUloJYpwFCYIc10Z8zf0/s1600/circle_mongram_letter-applying_burlap.jpg" /></a></div>
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Then I used an X-actto knife to remove the excess. I probably don't need to tell you to be careful - those things can bite, and you'll bleed for days.</div>
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After dry-fitting the letters onto the background I made, I realized pretty quickly that it needed a splash of color.<br />
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Courtney advised against any drastic color choices because, as you might have already surmised from previous projects, she tends to err on the side of whites, off-whites and creams. But, since I'm a rebel (read: she wasn't around at the time), I stepped it up a notch. For plausible deniability's sake, I included white as a base color.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgWAjsFZPmtam9vZZJ_vNRE3xyf3VbqQyQmT6V6VVs9baB1moywiGjdYk2TwoX4JsC3N2WU2aEYbhjKcGdzaruBRYWPmCiU8YK4YuKI7Y6xarSzVHPwdmRg1nnb4lD91uMuZMdpTBVxl0W/s1600/circle_mongram_backer-white.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgWAjsFZPmtam9vZZJ_vNRE3xyf3VbqQyQmT6V6VVs9baB1moywiGjdYk2TwoX4JsC3N2WU2aEYbhjKcGdzaruBRYWPmCiU8YK4YuKI7Y6xarSzVHPwdmRg1nnb4lD91uMuZMdpTBVxl0W/s1600/circle_mongram_backer-white.jpg" /></a></div>
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But I didn't stop there. Using vaseline as a paint resist in certain spots, I added a yellow-ish color.<br />
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Then I kept the party going with yet another layer, this time a duck egg blue, using a little more vaseline in select areas so the paint would adhere randomly. And, after some light sanding, here is how it turned out.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1Dj32iMyQY33Pv1Tr0P0MwH999PCfRchyf9Lx2v0eR_ox6INGvPyE9Ua0QxAxSFaz2ue5LwlS62ggim30c15qo74iiFInn7d4NxofBPbwCpJUv0pEt6O2c6CXRTwyHjEKYwLgbdS_FwH/s1600/circle_mongram_backer-blue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1Dj32iMyQY33Pv1Tr0P0MwH999PCfRchyf9Lx2v0eR_ox6INGvPyE9Ua0QxAxSFaz2ue5LwlS62ggim30c15qo74iiFInn7d4NxofBPbwCpJUv0pEt6O2c6CXRTwyHjEKYwLgbdS_FwH/s1600/circle_mongram_backer-blue.jpg" /></a></div>
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A little closer.<br />
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Me likey.<br />
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Gaineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06581663278455635580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973152623713033359.post-34204176009662671342013-09-12T10:03:00.000-07:002013-09-12T10:06:42.240-07:00Nursery? Check.<div id="fb-root">
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This post is actually about how I created a wooden window valance for the nursery. But first, a little background on the nursery...<br />
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We are about T-minus 8 weeks and counting to the arrival of this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZrt4AAR9XPASdUvapnwEx-b2EmQWHLjoGw-ODJna_Vvg8zQJFNj7-Zc_vUurm5IZ3dNAD30fbC7SZWC0ey-UvBaJazpzA1V0MltplJCBpApXKwNUYIMFWu296FgXMCCdfU7ZMqGNjlwa/s1600/drunk-baby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZrt4AAR9XPASdUvapnwEx-b2EmQWHLjoGw-ODJna_Vvg8zQJFNj7-Zc_vUurm5IZ3dNAD30fbC7SZWC0ey-UvBaJazpzA1V0MltplJCBpApXKwNUYIMFWu296FgXMCCdfU7ZMqGNjlwa/s320/drunk-baby.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The nursery is pretty much done, which I personally consider a modern-day miracle - an accomplishment on par with the advent of the internet or Penicillin.<br />
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Looking back on our preparation for Campbell's room...I can't help but think it seemingly took us forever to get the nursery together. Paint colors, bedding patterns, dresser, glider and crib? Oh God, the crib...<br />
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Questions kept swirling, with us hoping if we just delayed a decision long enough, hopefully things would take care of themselves. For Courtney, those questions were earth-shattering things like "Is this blue <i>too</i> boy-ish for a girl's room?" For me, they were "How long is this going to take me to put together?" or "That cost <u>how</u> much?!"<br />
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But in preparing our second nursery, I was amazed that we got it knocked out in just about no time at all. I don't know why, but I guess when you drill down to it, preparing for a first-born princess was just a lot more time-intensive than preparing for what will eventually, undoubtedly become this at some point:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpJ-1IpSA-lO1Cr-R6QEOJdogGL1jeoB-ZfJuWhh83zCjW5XTBkTUfquiOWR4mxGjiT3SErc9VsggQzdiHfyPPQ9t0LDtPvCFay4KtcmoxANRjne6pv-S_7k5ApD3JqW_KaWJYMwYA4Npy/s1600/watermelon_warrior.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpJ-1IpSA-lO1Cr-R6QEOJdogGL1jeoB-ZfJuWhh83zCjW5XTBkTUfquiOWR4mxGjiT3SErc9VsggQzdiHfyPPQ9t0LDtPvCFay4KtcmoxANRjne6pv-S_7k5ApD3JqW_KaWJYMwYA4Npy/s640/watermelon_warrior.jpg" width="404" /></a></div>
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Not our son being Asian...the watermelon warrior costume. At least I'm hoping that happens, because it Would. Be. Awesome.<br />
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First things first, we went with a buttery yellow for the walls. Why? I don't ask questions when it comes to women's logic, and it's probably best that you don't either. Something about "not clashing with the bedding, blah blah blah."<br />
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Campbell helped:<br />
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To add some masculinity to the room, I made a window valance out of 1" x 6" rough-cut cedar. Here's what that window looked like before and after the new paint and the addition of the valance. Scroll down to the bottom for additional photos of the evolution of that valance.<br />
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There are a few other projects I did for the nursery, but I want to save them for new posts. I mean, they took me a combined two months worth of work, so it seems a bit of a waste to throw them all into one blog post.<br />
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But the nursery is indeed done, and until I get pics of the other projects up, this is the best I can do for a reveal:<br />
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You might notice a theme if you look closely AND keep up with my blog. I've made and/or refinished several items that are now fixtures in the new nursery: <a href="http://www.sawdustdesigns.net/2013/05/old-school-desks-gets-new-lease-on-life.html" target="_blank">school desk</a>, <a href="http://www.sawdustdesigns.net/2013/02/creating-vintage-tool-box.html" target="_blank">vintage tool box</a> masquerading as a diaper caddy and the <a href="http://www.sawdustdesigns.net/2012/02/mighty-fine-twine-design.html" target="_blank">twine picture frame</a>.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">More Photos of the Wood Valance:</span></b><br />
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<b>Step 1: Mounting Brace</b><br />
Determine how much distance from the wall you'll need for your valance to clear the curtain rod. For me, that was 3.75 inches, the same thickness as two 2"x4" boards and a 1"x4" board. Cut them to a length that'll allow them to hide behind the 12" valance. Screw the first 2x4 into a wall stud, then the next 2x4 to that one, and so on.<br />
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<b>Step 2: Valance construction</b><br />
Figure out what you want the size to be. Mine consists of two 1x6 cedar boards (so, one foot tall) long enough to cover the curtain rod plus about 6-8 inches on each side, but you could make it as big or as small as the space and your taste allows. I joined the two boards together with a Kreg pocket hole jig and pocket screws (again, <a href="http://www.thediyvillage.com/2013/03/how-to-use-a-kreg-jig-jr.html" target="_blank">instructions here</a>).<br />
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<b>Step 3: Prep and Painting</b><br />
After sanding the whole thing down thoroughly, I covered it in Vaseline. What?! Yeah, Vaseline...It'll create resistance so the paint won't stick evenly, which will make it MUCH easier to distress.<br />
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Once the paint was dry, I went to town on it with 120-grit sandpaper discs on my <a href="http://www.sawdustdesigns.net/2013/07/the-5-essential-diy-power-tools.html" target="_blank">orbital palm sander</a>. The more random, the better.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhamoBrQ6dscrf9gFKcWVXnkg8GEhNlxaxA-SygrJ2XKOT0zc63CRrDl6LMvmmR8eVyqHP0h0cX1_2njsikLFWeh_5ElATnyrdlJpS8_s9bvR1UpiJrdctO4_M_8waSmCOvJSppscTJGOzs/s1600/valance_distressed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhamoBrQ6dscrf9gFKcWVXnkg8GEhNlxaxA-SygrJ2XKOT0zc63CRrDl6LMvmmR8eVyqHP0h0cX1_2njsikLFWeh_5ElATnyrdlJpS8_s9bvR1UpiJrdctO4_M_8waSmCOvJSppscTJGOzs/s1600/valance_distressed.jpg" /></a></div>
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To give it a little more age, I used brown antiquing furniture wax (Miss Mustard Seed) as a topcoat and buffed it with a clean rag.<br />
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<b>Step 4: Installing</b><br />
Making sure the board was level and centered on the window, I drilled 3" screws straight through the front of the board into the mounting braces I prepared. Done and done.<br />
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Gaineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06581663278455635580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973152623713033359.post-74881384393563427492013-08-28T10:27:00.000-07:002013-08-28T10:30:03.606-07:00If Dr. Frankenstein Made an End Table...<div id="fb-root">
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<script>(function(d, s, id) {
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if (d.getElementById(id)) return;
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}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script>It might have gone something like this.<br />
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Back when I launched my new website, sawdustdesigns.net, <a href="http://www.sawdustdesigns.net/2013/03/papas-got-brand-new-bag.html" target="_blank">I mentioned</a> that I couldn't have done any of it without my uber-talented designer friend, Amber.<br />
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You see, my digital design experience begins and ends with re-sizing photos in Photoshop. Amber, on the other hand, is a bona fide graphic designer - as in, she gets paid to do it. I had the name and the inspiration for the logo, but no skills to design it or the fundage to pay to have it done.<br />
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Naturally, I resorted to what I know best...begging and pleading.<br />
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I'd like to think my sad face and puppy dog eyes convinced her to help me out but, ultimately, I think it was a combination of her being a genuinely nice person and my oath to pay her back with a custom end table she wanted for her living room.<br />
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I got the badass logo I wanted, and she got a free one-of-a-kind end table, made to order.<br />
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Sometimes I wish society still ran on the barter system. <i>Related side note:</i> With a baby boy due in just a few short months, I kind of wish I was living in rural America in the '50s..."What do I owe you for the delivery, Doc - a few chickens and a bushel of wheat? Deal!"<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbgIN5bD_vavWdY_tj7XFOV6P768NggVk32vIno7Y6BHvkztjWF_yaFy-97oFNPUdCVmJuu1QZREIh6G_YDBkzfUqZIDc0cLcOC6WtTfj586FEftnxZsD52ldPmnxjbOEiJLFufGNNd777/s1600/equals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbgIN5bD_vavWdY_tj7XFOV6P768NggVk32vIno7Y6BHvkztjWF_yaFy-97oFNPUdCVmJuu1QZREIh6G_YDBkzfUqZIDc0cLcOC6WtTfj586FEftnxZsD52ldPmnxjbOEiJLFufGNNd777/s1600/equals.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">God, I love that logo. It really visually reflects the stuff I make, doesn't it? Hello?</span></i></td></tr>
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The coolest thing about it was that she told me the kind of style she liked and let me run with the design. I decided to make it out of 100% reclaimed wood so it would have some character and not look like it was fresh off of an IKEA assembly line.<br />
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This was probably the first piece of furniture I've made that I didn't really plan ahead of time. Usually I sketch something up and plan out measurements so I'll know every step before I take it.<br />
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This table was a creation in every sense of the word though, and I mostly made it up as I went.<br />
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All I knew was that I was going to need some old wood, and lots of it, so I figured that would be a good place to start:<br />
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And, despite only knowing the rough dimensions Amber wanted, I knew it was going to need a base for support:<br />
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Remember when I said 100% reclaimed wood? Well, it was more like 95%. The top support was new:<br />
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Let's give it some corners, shall we:<br />
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Constantly checking for level was a necessity, especially with old wood. Once the corner supports were established and the whole thing was (mostly) level, time to fill in the gaps:<br />
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<b><i>Knowledge Bomb #167:</i></b> Obviously I didn't care about cutting the boards to-size before attaching. After getting them all in place and nailed to the supports, I clamped a T-square to each side to act as a guide for my circular saw.<br />
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Doing it this way, I know I have nice, straight edges all the way around so the table top will sit evenly and level.<br />
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Annnnnd, then came the top, which I intentionally made out of different wood (rough cut cedar, if you're curious). You might have gathered that I'm a big fan of the two-tone look, like <a href="http://www.sawdustdesigns.net/2013/04/kids-table-and-chair-set.html" target="_blank">this</a> or <a href="http://www.sawdustdesigns.net/2012/03/i-wanna-rock.html" target="_blank">this</a>.<br />
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With the basic structure built, I wasn't completely satisfied with it. I felt like it needed a little more dimension or levels or something. Plus, I didn't want my screws to show, so I added some trim around the bottom and just under the lip of the top. I<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bevel" target="_blank"> beveled the edges</a> to create more of a seamless look:<br />
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After giving the top an extra run or two with the sander, I applied about 4 coats of water-based polyurethane to the top, very lightly sanding between each coat with a very high (600 grit) sandpaper. That's about as silky smooth as rough-cut cedar is going to get.<br />
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This added a nice shine to the top, and will provide some protection against stains and water rings from cups.<br />
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I didn't seal the rest of the piece because: a) frankly I didn't think it was necessary, but more importantly b) I wanted to give Amber the option to paint it the color of her choosing at some point, if she wanted to. She is far more artistic than I, so it can be a canvas for her if she wants it to be.<br />
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Oh and you can't see it, but this puppy has wheels. Thought that might be a good touch because after all was said and done, it was a beast - weighing in at easily more than 100 pounds.<br />
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Gaineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06581663278455635580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973152623713033359.post-17773354664950904082013-08-15T07:15:00.000-07:002013-08-16T06:49:35.303-07:00Compact Child's Picnic Table<div id="fb-root">
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}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script>The countdown to Baby Conaway #2 is reaching the final stretch. Courtney is in full-blown nesting mode, which is bad news for me and good news for anyone who regularly visits this online oasis of both mental and verbal diarrhea.<br />
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Bad news = more projects for me<br />
Good news = more project photos for you<br />
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We're basically done with the baby's nursery, so I've got a nice reserve of projects to blog about in the coming weeks.<br />
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Campbell is in the early stages of the Terrible Twos - a concept I formerly refused to admit existed. But, I'm here to tell you, my friends - it exists and it's awful. She still has her adorable moments, no doubt. But she can go from angelic to "OH MY GOD WHY DID YOU JUST TAKE A BITE OUT OF MY EAR?!" in about 3 seconds flat.<br />
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Sure, having a little brother around will probably help her adjust to sharing and being responsible and blah, blah, blah down the road, but right now all I can think of is the first moment this will happen:<br />
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Or, when family photo time rolls around, this:<br />
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So, we've got that going for us. Hey I get it - I'm a little brother myself. I understand the life-altering change that's about to rock Campbell's world...no longer being the center of attention. My sister's solution? Intentionally drop me on my head and hope for the best. It didn't work, by the way.<br />
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Only time will tell how Campbell copes, but I have a feeling it'll be a rough ride at first.<br />
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As for the sharing, Courtney and I have to start thinking in twos now. Not the terrible kind, but the number of kids. So, when I was thinking of birthday gift ideas for my mom (and soon-to-be grandparent of two), I thought - why not make a play table for the kids?<br />
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That'll give them a place to eat, draw and wage epic standoffs over earth-shattering debates like who gets to play with the red Play-Doh.<br />
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Seeing as how my parents didn't have room in their house for a large space-eating table and chairs set, I embarked on the journey of customizing a picnic table for two. Why a picnic table? Because I hate making chairs, that's why. Not all of my ideas are based in creativity or functionality, ok? Sometimes it just boils down to plain red-blooded American laziness.<br />
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Here's how it turned out. If you're so inclined, you can keep reading for more photos and details about the process.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">How I Made It:</span></b><br />
To keep it lightweight (and less expensive), I used 1"x4" boards for everything except the tabletop and bench seats, which were made from 1"x8" boards. And that's where I started. I used a Kreg jig to attach the three tabletop boards to each other with pocket screws. Here is a great summary on<a href="http://www.thediyvillage.com/2013/03/how-to-use-a-kreg-jig-jr.html" target="_blank"> how to use a Kreg jig</a>.<br />
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Once I had that done, I cut and attached my tabletop supports, mitering the ends inward at 45 degrees.<br />
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Next, I cut my legs to the length I wanted them, mitered both ends at 30 degrees, and attached them to the inside of my top supports (flush with the underside of the tabletop.<br />
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That got me to this point:<br />
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Then I added my bench seat supports. Notice in the below photo that I didn't cut the length to size before attaching them - that was intentional. I didnt yet know how much space I wanted to leave between the leg and the front end of the bench board. This allowed me to dry-fit a 1x8, mark its placement and then make the cuts (inward at 45 degrees).<br />
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I added a center support for stability. Finding the center of each bench support and used screws to hold it in place.<br />
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Placing the bench board in line with the marks I made early on the bench supports, I screwed it into place. I used a straight edge and pencil to mark the width of the support so I made sure my screws found it underneath.<br />
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Then it was ready for paint and stain. I think the color I used was Farrow & Ball Cooking Apple Green. The stain for the top and the seats was Minwax Ipswitch Pine. I finally coated the whole thing with gloss water-based polyurethane - 2 coats on the painted surfaces and 4 coats on the stained surfaces.<br />
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Gaineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06581663278455635580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973152623713033359.post-71971023512848890802013-08-08T06:43:00.001-07:002013-08-08T06:46:36.842-07:00Bringing the Beach to Our Backyard<div id="fb-root">
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}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script>"Build a sandbox," they said. "It'll be fun," they said.<br />
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We bought our house just over a year ago, and almost immediately began updating the place. Not a complete gut - by any stretch of the imagination. But a couple of big things (kitchen, master and guest baths), and a ton of one-off projects and small things you (or at least I) would never think of if you haven't had to do them before.<br />
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Things like updating light switches and outlets from taupe to white or replacing the lever door handles to a more childproofable (I made it a word) round knobs. Which are both still ongoing, BTW.<br />
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Well, after (most of) those projects had been checked off the list, it was time to focus efforts on the outside.<br />
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We recently overhauled both front flower beds and I've earned a lifetime membership in the lumberjack club by chopping down approximately 137 medium-to-large trees on our 1/3 acre lot. OK, it was more like 5, but each and every one was a certifiable pain-in-the-ass.<br />
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I almost died (twice), and if a slight breeze had kicked up the wrong way in the midst of downing one of them, I'd be in the market for a new pool liner.<br />
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But those are risks I'm comfortable with taking when my only other option is to pay a tree service $500-$1000 per tree.<br />
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Then I got to this...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMbBdtx5iGuKzh-8KXQLpc6J1aLPkRaiE6deSlMg9SsIEBFTuppzpO4Qkwg-TNs1brhw-LjQnmWM7_GkM3Ic18laKBWsj6hlnvcjQ6L9cjceEwgEj9GyD0gX7hDJdeKGJ3DHrUJA-grMvB/s1600/sandbox_before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMbBdtx5iGuKzh-8KXQLpc6J1aLPkRaiE6deSlMg9SsIEBFTuppzpO4Qkwg-TNs1brhw-LjQnmWM7_GkM3Ic18laKBWsj6hlnvcjQ6L9cjceEwgEj9GyD0gX7hDJdeKGJ3DHrUJA-grMvB/s1600/sandbox_before.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And, no...I didn't count this little guy as one of the trees I cut down.</td></tr>
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That is/was a flower bed inside the pool area - and it was beyond salvation as such. The small tree came down, and I dug up those sad azaleas. But, what then? Sandbox? Sandbox!<br />
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On the surface, it's actually a really, really good idea. It gives Campbell something safe and fun to do without being in the water the entire time.<br />
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It's perfect for the space, right next to the pool, and it happens to be right in the perfect spot for afternoon sun, so the top can double as a sun deck of sorts when not in use.<br />
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In planning and execution, though, I needed this project like I need barbed wire in my Fruit Loops.<br />
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Here is all the help I got from Pinterest. When I typed in "covered sandbox," I got 839 results that were ALL some variation of this.<br />
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The internet loves this sandbox design like hipsters love Ray-Bans. I don't need fancy hinged bench seats with armrests, thanks. Besides, I needed something about three times that long to fill the void. So I was on my own. But, if this is your thing, you can find free plans to build it <a href="http://ana-white.com/2011/10/plans/sand-box-built-seats" target="_blank">right here</a>.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Step 1: Posts</span></b><br />
I cut 2x4s to the length I wanted the box to be, then laid them out on the ground to mark where my support post holes would go, and dug the holes. Next, I cut my posts to a manageable height (I'll cut them to the exact height later with a reciprocating saw), mixed and poured my cement and screwed the 2x4s into the post to keep them in place while the cement dried. I used a level to make sure they were straight and waited.<br />
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While we're letting the cement dry, let's see what Knox is up to, shall we?<br />
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Oh, nothing - just walking on the 4" brick ledge circling the house.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Step 2: Box Base</b></span><br />
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Once the cement dried, I installed the horizontal supports to provide extra stability (and make sure the whole thing would end up as a rectangle and not a trapezoid).<br />
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Then came the face boards:<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Step 3: Top Ledge</span></b><br />
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Once I had the face boards for the base of the sandbox in place, I screwed 2x4s into the posts to create a ledge. Why? For extra support and to give the top something solid to rest on. But mainly to serve as a bench seat for a particularly small butt.<br />
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Then I used a <a href="http://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-10-Amp-Reciprocating-Saw-DW304PK/100021472#.UgOeRZLVCk0" target="_blank">reciprocating saw</a> to cut the posts off flush with the rest of the ledge.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Step 4: Installing the Hinge</span></b><br />
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I added some extra face boards to the ledge to make a more suitable bench seat for little butts, and installed the hinges for the top of the sandbox. I found it easier to install the hinges using one board that I would eventually screw the rest of the top to, rather than dealing with the weight of the entire top all at once while trying to place and attach the hinges.<br />
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You're probably wondering what that black stuff is, right? It's weed liner for garden beds, and I put that in for two reasons: 1) to keep weeds from growing back (duh), and 2) to keep the dirt from mixing with the sand.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Step 5: Installing the Rest of the Top</b></span><br />
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I cut my boards for the top to size, then did a dry fit to make sure they were evenly spaced and square with the base. Once I was satisfied with the placement, I screwed them into the single board I connected the hinges to.<br />
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Then I screwed the 1x4 you see above to the outside of the top boards to keep them in place so that I could do the exact same thing on the underside:<br />
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After I was finished, I removed the board from the outside.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Step 6: Finishing Touches</b></span><br />
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I added a rustic rope handle because the top weighs more than a baby elephant. Then I added the final - and most important - ingredient: sand.<br />
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Et Voila...you've got a multipurpose sun deck and sandbox. No flowers or shrubs to maintain. No weeds to pull.<br />
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Gaineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06581663278455635580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973152623713033359.post-37801224916083185892013-07-02T14:35:00.000-07:002013-08-08T06:47:40.287-07:00The 5 Essential DIY Power Tools <div id="fb-root">
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}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script>Well, I did it. I have officially hit 20,000 blog views. <br />
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Yeah, I know some sites get that many views in a day, but listen up Suzie Buzzkill...I'm not TMZ or the Huffington Post. It's just an infinitely small blip on the blogosphere radar, but to me it's a pretty big deal - mostly because I never planned for people to actually read it. But to me, to have that many web hits in what I consider a relatively short time, to read something I just casually (and irregularly) write on the side for fun...it feels pretty good.<br />
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What started out as an attempt to catalogue some of my projects and my climb from clueless novice to slightly-more-knowledgeable novice has turned into people actually reading, and (gasp) sometimes responding, to my updates.<br />
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That's the thing about a blog...you put it out there, you tell people about it, you post it on Facebook, Pin it - whatever - and you never really know the faces behind the generic stats in Google Analytics. Are they friends and family? Are they random people who accidentally clicked on the wrong link when looking for actual helpful information?<br />
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Who knows? What I do know is that I have received more than a few encouraging comments from people I like and/or respect who admitted to having visited my digital DIY diary. One of the most common questions I get is from other married guys whose wives are encouraging them to become a little more proficient with tools and DIY projects, and it goes something like this: <br />
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Guy: "Dude, my wife reads your blog."<br />
Me: "Nice. So she's the one."<br />
Guy: "Yeah, she's coming up with a list of projects. You're killing me."<br />
Me: Oh, sorry about that."<br />
Guy: "You don't have to apologize. Just stop it."<br />
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But, since that is more of a request (and a valid one at that) than a question, I'll give you the second most frequently-asked question: "What tool(s) do I absolutely, positively, HAVE to get?"<br />
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So, with that in mind, take it or leave it, agree or disagree, here are 5 power tools the average Do-It-Yourself guy (or gal) absolutely needs to have on their tool bench.<br />
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<i>Necessary Disclaimer: I'm not a brand whore with tools (not that there's anything wrong with that). I'm just telling you what I have because it's what I know and it's (mostly) worked for me thus far. </i><br />
<b><br /></b><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Cordless Drill/Driver</span></b><br />
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Of all the tools I own and use, this is the one I use the most by far. In fact, I have two - one impact driver and one drill.<br />
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The impact driver delivers bone-crushing torque for stubborn screws and drilling surfaces, and is chuck-less, meaning it uses quick-change (hex shank) drill bits. Huh? A little visual help:<br />
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The standard drill is slightly less powerful and uses a chuck to tighten around standard (round shank) drill bits. Why go chuck-less? Changing bits is easier and faster.<br />
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Why two? Let's say I am pre-drilling pilot holes for screws (to protect wood from splitting)...I put my drill bit on the standard drill and my drive bit (phillips head) in the impact driver. Now I can drill with one, set it down, pick up the impact driver and quickly drive the screw in - all without the time-consuming process of changing bits.<br />
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Why it's cool: </i>It's pretty obvious, isn't it? It's extremely portable, easy to use and your only other options are a) a hammer and nails, or b) a traditional screwdriver. And ain't nobody got time fo dat.<br />
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<b><i>Well, that's good to know: </i></b>Most new drills/drivers these days come with the new-and-improved lithium-ion battery option, but if you have to choose between that and the older NiCad (stands for Nickel Cadmium) option, go with the lithium ion. It's lighter, it lasts longer between charges and it takes less time to charge.<br />
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<b><i>What I use:</i></b> Ryobi 18v impact drill/driver - the Home Depot house brand (pictured above)<br />
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It's very affordable, accessories are easy to find, and probably the number one reason...they have a whole series of cordless tools that run off of the same battery, so I don't have to keep up with multiple brands' chargers and batteries for different tools.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Palm Sander</span></b><br />
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Some might argue this tool isn't an absolute necessity, but after the cordless drill and the compound mitre saw, I use the power sander the most. You wouldn't use this a ton in basic around-the-house projects, but if you like to buy/find old furniture to fix up or even make your own projects from scratch, you gotta get yourself one of these.<br />
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<i><b>Why it's cool:</b></i> If you get the "random orbit sander" type, the surface spins both circular (around) and oscillates (back and forth) so you get a random sanding pattern. Translation: It reduces gouges in the wood and makes for a smoother finish.<br />
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The one drawback is that it uses sanding discs which can wear out fairly quickly, so there is an ongoing materials cost associated with this little guy.<br />
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<b><i>Well, that's good to know:</i></b> Whichever model you choose, make sure you look into what type of sanding discs it takes. I definitely would not buy anything that isn't compatible with the standard 5" replacement discs they sell at big box stores like Lowe's or Home Depot. Specialty replacement discs can be more expensive and harder to find.<br />
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<b><i>What I use: </i></b>DeWalt 5" random orbit palm sander (pictured above)<br />
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The good news is...there isn't a TON of difference in quality (that I've found) between any of the options in the top tier above. DeWalt is a great brand and I have been really happy with mine. Your upper tier will cost you anywhere from $50-$100, but lower-cost options from Ryobi, Black and Decker or Skil might be a good option for your first one. Durability could be an issue down the road though.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Air Compressor and Brad Nailer</span></b><br />
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Technically, that's two tools, but if you keep reading, you'll see why I counted them as one. I originally got mine for <a href="http://www.sawdustdesigns.net/2012/07/im-back-with-brand-new-invention.html" target="_blank">a very specific project</a>, but I have used it for <a href="http://www.sawdustdesigns.net/2013/01/playing-with-fire.html" target="_blank">many</a> more since then. You can use it for <a href="http://www.sawdustdesigns.net/p/renovation-projects.html" target="_blank">renovation projects</a> or for attaching trim to furniture projects. It's not exactly the most portable tool - it requires an electrical outlet to replenish its air supply from time to time, and the compressor itself probably weighs about 50 pounds when full.<br />
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<b><i>Why it's cool:</i></b> It's a HUGE time saver. It only takes one hand to hold the nailer and pull the trigger, which frees up your other hand to position or hold whatever you're nailing. Prior to getting these tools, it was a very manual process of pre-drilling pilot holes for screws, then using my drill to drive the screws into each hole.<br />
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<i><b>Well, that's good to know:</b></i> Two words: <a href="http://www.lowes.com/pd_299318-355-CPACK1850BN_0__?productId=3455624&Ntt=bostitch+compressor&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dbostitch%2Bcompressor&facetInfo=" target="_blank">combo kit</a>. It came with everything I needed for beginner level projects. Also, down the road I can buy other types of nailers that I can use with the compressor<br />
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<b><i>What I use:</i></b> Bostitch 6.0 gallon oil-free air compressor and 18 gauge brad nailer (pictured above)<br />
Contractors will probably laugh at the model I have, but I'm not using it everyday, and I'm not using it for a monster framing nailer, so what I have works just fine for how I use it.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Compound Miter Saw</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Pyek2rt1lAONU1GhCfM4PUV4-mfz0c6V2EUwneUJamiS3wdntjLhbVweAXL4hCumC_vsMnBONrKnIg9iyUQtKmavTLC2_P0l4tnxZvhGvfL74x5Gx6fbrAZr4m551lWxMs0XQynALjR3/s750/compound_miter_saw2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" oya="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Pyek2rt1lAONU1GhCfM4PUV4-mfz0c6V2EUwneUJamiS3wdntjLhbVweAXL4hCumC_vsMnBONrKnIg9iyUQtKmavTLC2_P0l4tnxZvhGvfL74x5Gx6fbrAZr4m551lWxMs0XQynALjR3/s1600/compound_miter_saw2.jpg" /></a></div>
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It's almost a toss-up between this and the cordless drill for "tool I couldn't do without." This thing does straight run-of-the-mill (Editor's note: get it?!) chop cuts, miter cuts and bevel cuts, all in one.<br />
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All you have to do is position the piece of wood, line up your cut mark with the blade, press the button and pull the handle down. Because it's the sliding model, I can slide the blade forward, allowing me to cut wider pieces of wood. The 10" blade cuts pieces that are more than 4" thick and 14" wide, meaning the only thing you can't do with it is long rip cuts (plywood), and Home Depot and Lowe's can do those for you when you buy the plywood.<br />
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<strong><em>Why it's cool: </em></strong>The fixed fence (metal wall that your wood rests against) gives you the straighest cut possible. When you cut by hand with a circular saw, you bring human error into the mix.<br />
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<strong><em>Well, that's good to know: </em></strong>You could always go with just a regular chop saw, which would still be light years ahead of measuring and cutting with a circular saw. But the bevel and miter features are icing on the cake. If you're going to invest in one decent piece of equipment, you might as well get the one that offers the most versatility.<br />
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<strong><em>What I use:</em></strong> Ryobi 13-Amp 10" slidingcompound miter saw (pictured above)<br />
It's definitely an economy option, but I've had mine for almost 10 years and haven't had ANY problems with it. I'm even still using the original blade that came with it. Gimme that for under $200 versus the slightly larger option from DeWalt for $600 all day long.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Circular Saw</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">If I actually had a table saw, that would be the 5th item on this list. It's my next purchase though.Yeah, I realize I just told you that you needed to get the compound saw because the circular saw sucks. But just because there is a better option for some uses doesn't mean the circular saw is useless.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong><em>Why it's cool:</em></strong> If you don't have a table saw, the circular saw is the next best thing when doing longer cuts than your chop saw can handle. Even if you do have a table saw, a circular saw is still a good option for cuts that aren't stationary (taking a little bit off the end of one table leg, for example) or if you're working on a project where it's not convenient to run back to your workbench.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong><em>Well, that's good to know: </em></strong>It's not a bad idea to have both a powered saw with an electrical cord (more power) and a cordless battery saw (when it's not easy or convenient to plug it in).</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong><em>What I use: </em></strong>I have both a Ridgid 15-amp 7 1/4" blade power saw and a Ryobi 18v 5 1/2" cordless saw (both pictured above)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Technically you can cut angles and bevels with both, but I wouldn't recommend it. I rarely use my corded saw anymore, but I bought it first so now it's a backup that is nice to have when I do need it. If you're only buying one, I would say get the cordless option.</span></span><br />
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Gaineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06581663278455635580noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973152623713033359.post-10734050141144684532013-06-19T05:02:00.001-07:002013-06-19T13:58:47.059-07:00Putting the Nightstand Project to Bed<div id="fb-root">
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}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script>When you first get married and move in together, chances are you're filling your new house with everything that you've accumulated individually up to that point. And it's usually an aesthetically un-pleasing fusion of furniture and collectibles from your former lives - a smorgasbord of granny end tables and twin bed frames/mattresses galore. Stuff that you either keep out of necessity or because you just can't bring yourself put them on the curb.<br />
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The lamp made out of a long-since-been-emptied Jack Daniels bottle. The framed Dave Matthews Band poster proudly displayed as the featured art piece in the den. Yeah, those both went in the trash. Anything functional remained as a placeholder until you could replace them, one at a time, with something that suited both of you.<br />
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Until a few weeks ago, that was our nightstand situation, despite being married for almost four years. When we moved into the new house, we used what we already had for nightstands on either side of the bed, mostly because there were other things that more urgently required our attention and money.<br />
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Hers was a classic children's dresser, that her mom had commissioned an artist decades ago to adorn with a whimsical forest design. It was beautiful (back then) and we (she) wouldn't dream of painting over it. But it belonged in a child's room.<br />
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Mine was a more masculine piece from Pier 1, that was actually a significant investment (read: not held together by duct tape and hope) for me in my bachelor days. Not fancy, not attractive, but it got the job done.<br />
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They needed to go - we were just waiting patiently to find their replacements. Don't worry, her dresser will be used in baby-on-board's room, and mine will get some sort of makeover for future use.<br />
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But, there was no sense of urgency to replace them because we hadn't found anything that worked. There just aren't a lot of options when you are looking for a matching pair of drawer chests that are 32" tall or more and don't require a 2nd mortgage to purchase.<br />
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That's where these estate sale finds came into play:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsecJywRJP98nHYDYkAZHniPrd-M08dlCfUjLbrEW433mH9PvjaK3-T3dDkKbPlcSwSTd-AhIREE60UZ3Ybo3nXzzbZD-w4G8J3pc_NGHu3ht-xVpvhuZ-UQmPH6_XdNTZ4AI8n13JAz_P/s1600/nightstand_before3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsecJywRJP98nHYDYkAZHniPrd-M08dlCfUjLbrEW433mH9PvjaK3-T3dDkKbPlcSwSTd-AhIREE60UZ3Ybo3nXzzbZD-w4G8J3pc_NGHu3ht-xVpvhuZ-UQmPH6_XdNTZ4AI8n13JAz_P/s1600/nightstand_before3.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No, it's not crooked, that's just the slope of my driveway playing tricks on you.</td></tr>
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Yeah, they were ugly - so ugly that we almost immediately dismissed them and moved on. But, when you have the tools (most important), the knowledge (can be self-taught) and the time (almost always overlooked), you can turn most nothings into somethings.<br />
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But these looked like they were made out of cheap MDF (medium density fiberboard). It's not made to last, so the result you get wouldn't justify the work you'd have to put into it. Generally it's not worth messing with the stuff.<br />
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The guy working the sale was practically trying to give them away, so I looked a little closer, opened a few drawers and saw that they were made out of real wood. That's when I put on my poker face and decided to downplay my interest - eventually settling on $60 for the pair. Highway robbery for drawer sets that big.<br />
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Turns out that finding them was much easier than transforming them.<br />
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<b>Back to the Basics</b><br />
After removing the hardware with a screwdriver, I ended up using a chemical stripper to remove the oil-based paint as quickly and efficiently as possible. It's (really) messy, but it works. You just apply it with a brush, let it sit, then scrape it off. Repeat as necessary.<br />
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Also, wear chemical gloves and protective eyewear when handling this stuff. You don't get this stuff on your skin and you definitely don't want it in your eyes. You won't know it for a minute or two, but then it will start to feel like someone prodding you with a hot branding iron. I know...umm - a friend of mine - knows from experience.<br />
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Remember how I said it was messy? Here, I made you a delicious pie. Enjoy.<br />
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Seriously though, an aluminum pie plate is a great way to collect the crap you scrape off.<br />
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After I got what I could off, I sanded the rest down to raw wood.<br />
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<b>Let's Try This Again, Shall We?</b><br />
Now that I had them back to a blank canvas, I consulted with my personal interior designer/client about colors and the negotiations began.<br />
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Me: "What do you think about a cool distressed blu-ish or green-ish color?"<br />
Courtney: "White. I want white."<br />
Me: "White? Everything in our bedroom is white! Come on, how 'bout a little color?"<br />
Courtney: " Ok then - cream."<br />
Me: "Umm, that's the same thi...Ok - fine."<br />
Courtney: "Great, glad we compromised." (walks away)<br />
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White. Her answer is always white. Or off-white, or cream. But, I was going to find a way to splash some color on these nightstands. Better to apologize than ask permission, right?<br />
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The answer? Add some bling to the drawer knobs. I removed the old hardware because it made the piece look dated. I bought the cheapest wooden knobs I could find at Lowe's and stained them to add a base color. You could even just stop there - and I almost did - because it added a great contrast to the cream chests.<br />
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So...the color pop. I used Rub 'n' Buff. Yeah, it's a product name, and you can find it at Michael's. It comes in a bunch of colors, mostly metallics (the one I used was Grecian Gold). If you're using the Rub 'n' Buff, unless you are distressing the knobs to have the base color show through (I didn't), you can probably skip the staining step.<br />
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As the name suggests, you just rub it on. Your finger works best, but it gets messy. You will need some sort of thinning agent like mineral spirits to get it off your hands unless you want to look like you just slapped David Bowie.<br />
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And, here's what they look like against the cream background of the chests.<br />
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You'll notice a bit of distressing and darkened areas in certain spots. That's because, once I painted the dresser, it looked a little <i>too</i> clean and bright. A top coat of umber glaze (Sherwin Williams will mix it for you) solved that. I just lightly painted it on with a brush then quickly wiped it off with a dry rag. Work in small areas though, cause the stuff dries fast.<br />
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Finally, I applied a single coat of water-based polyurethane in clear gloss to the entire piece, then 3 additional coats to the top for extra protection. Drink rings are a b*tch to deal with. This helps keep that from happening in the first place.<br />
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<br />Gaineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06581663278455635580noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973152623713033359.post-13943933090594780772013-06-04T14:37:00.002-07:002013-06-04T14:39:57.505-07:00Bentwood Rocker Comes Back to Life<div id="fb-root"></div>
<script>(function(d, s, id) {
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}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script>Have you heard of a Bentwood Rocker? Yeah, me either. At least until a few months ago.<br />
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Now? I'm fully intimate with the design, construction and overall level of pain-in-the-assery of said rocking chair.<br />
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We already had a rocking chair. In fact, it also swivels and glides. So why do we need another? Because, as some of you might already know...Courtney is preggo again, and we aren't quite ready to take Campbell's away. Bonus overshare...we just found out that, said baby is going to be a boy!<br />
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Anyway, as far as looks are concerned, it's basically like someone took a bunch of strips of layered wood (think: plywood, but nicer) and bent them like Beckham. I agree...a picture probably would've been better. But how often do you get to throw a Bend it Like Beckham reference into everyday conversation?<br />
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Yeah. My immediate first thought was, that needs some work. Why? Oh, a thousand apologies your majesty, allow me to elaborate. Here's three reasons, right off the top of my head...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAxzkCZ7UDiBvz0Xi5LE7wr2ceyqdXWIBmP_ryolYpoBXpteIcBr6g1lVdFQaOtepS2uuv5mJiDTg04QieePRSi_j__hFvooCwwjNq1I3EgZ9qZ_VCOg642-4ERNe2rMtBDfE7_-KSGEwC/s1600/bentwood_before3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="526" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAxzkCZ7UDiBvz0Xi5LE7wr2ceyqdXWIBmP_ryolYpoBXpteIcBr6g1lVdFQaOtepS2uuv5mJiDTg04QieePRSi_j__hFvooCwwjNq1I3EgZ9qZ_VCOg642-4ERNe2rMtBDfE7_-KSGEwC/s640/bentwood_before3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Somebody's dog (not mine...this time) went all rabies on this chair, turning it into a big chew toy. Uh oh, that means this thing has to be completely sanded down, which also means that it needs to be disassembled. Thanks, anonymous Cujo.<br />
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Something else that made it necessary to strip this thing down was that the previous owner was an inside smoker and the chair smelled like it took a dip in a pool of Eau d'Ashtray perfume.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCE5hzwTEFjhCsJ2228_cRlhtOIrYeSwJkioXmFwooxaZ3Ev8q1gf9hUjpy-XYxAnojJKeb4EQLcksIc6aj5bWIe8yr3Jlnz3avAOc1D-pafI0cFd3bZiqSWIuTJ1eg0PsrAAHgf4Eb5qg/s1600/bentwood_sanded6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCE5hzwTEFjhCsJ2228_cRlhtOIrYeSwJkioXmFwooxaZ3Ev8q1gf9hUjpy-XYxAnojJKeb4EQLcksIc6aj5bWIe8yr3Jlnz3avAOc1D-pafI0cFd3bZiqSWIuTJ1eg0PsrAAHgf4Eb5qg/s1600/bentwood_sanded6.jpg" /></a></div>
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When disassembling an old piece of furniture, take lots of pictures during the process. I didn't do this, of course, but it's pretty well-documented that I'm completely incapable of making things easier on myself, or learning from my mistakes, for that matter. Just trust me and do as I say, not as I do.<br />
<br />
Also, <i><b>Knowledge Bomb #298:</b> </i>To make it easier to reassemble something correctly, use masking tape and a Sharpie to label parts, so you can use them as a road map to put it back together correctly. As you can see in the pic above, I did that ("top," "left," "right"). I also grouped the screws together in ziplock bags by the "left" and "right" side of the chair, just in case they didn't work universally for both sides. You're welcome.<br />
<i><br /></i>
Once I used my orbital palm sander (60-grit paper, then 120-grit paper) to get the finish off of each piece, which you should absolutely, positively do outside, I reassembled it. Here's what it looked like then:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZD0WJ3LjT6tozMuV8gdR308Y5HBYad75fFKcVgh6cgp7eNRrT7NrMQI-as8GyKMG7cLkAls8-fRgbLf18wj2wieNnC3sub-OBpijCWSOfmsPSwqYswvKOFt5okIiUAxrSr3uDxgyAMW4/s1600/bentwood_sanded1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZD0WJ3LjT6tozMuV8gdR308Y5HBYad75fFKcVgh6cgp7eNRrT7NrMQI-as8GyKMG7cLkAls8-fRgbLf18wj2wieNnC3sub-OBpijCWSOfmsPSwqYswvKOFt5okIiUAxrSr3uDxgyAMW4/s1600/bentwood_sanded1.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh-O2oj-MOSslvpJxqJuJ5zP-YlgGONcrKdoK5sfhqZ0cP5zreaNHIV85Vi150Zoj9UOtixUCAF0-LA4un1Oge2oK3o19mvKBskPTrDnQGh-4doGeMz8BGz3Nb3irArfi58qAPXOjwtcHR/s1600/bentwood_sanded4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh-O2oj-MOSslvpJxqJuJ5zP-YlgGONcrKdoK5sfhqZ0cP5zreaNHIV85Vi150Zoj9UOtixUCAF0-LA4un1Oge2oK3o19mvKBskPTrDnQGh-4doGeMz8BGz3Nb3irArfi58qAPXOjwtcHR/s1600/bentwood_sanded4.jpg" /></a></div>
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Remember how bad the legs looked before?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLhlm1LiyxFNsEP3cATMLVsEg6XCAKJ15jiky8oObqKVDonSmzbvkZMfD0F9jLpnrwsK-PzNa7nNY64vqCv92BtY5HeJf-4wdfS_ejpXLXbVK00dAlSa8RRv7KKrxRvOR54RL59qeHs93U/s1600/bentwood_sanded_before_after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLhlm1LiyxFNsEP3cATMLVsEg6XCAKJ15jiky8oObqKVDonSmzbvkZMfD0F9jLpnrwsK-PzNa7nNY64vqCv92BtY5HeJf-4wdfS_ejpXLXbVK00dAlSa8RRv7KKrxRvOR54RL59qeHs93U/s1600/bentwood_sanded_before_after.jpg" /></a></div>
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Most of it sanded out, but the tips were so shot that I just had to saw about an inch off of each one. You wouldn't know by looking at it though.<br />
<br />
OK, so now that I've got it back to ground zero, what to do with it?<br />
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I'll admit, I struggled with that question. Should I paint it or stain it? Combination of both? So, I took to Google and saw that most examples of refinished Bentwoods were restored naturally, without paint. In fact, more than a few people said they painted it but regret it.<br />
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That being said, <a href="http://eccentriclittlebeauties.blogspot.com/2012/08/a-facelift-for-bentwood-rocker-hiding.html" target="_blank">here is an example</a> of one that was painted and turned out beautifully.<br />
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I didn't want to risk it, mostly because there was no flippin' way I was going to start over if it didn't come out like I wanted it to.<br />
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Stain it was. But not dark stain, because I wanted it to at least be a <i>little</i> different. You know, showing some age, but not dated? There's a big difference.<br />
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I ended up going with Minwax Golden Oak. Or maybe it was Ipswitch Pine. I don't know which - probably because I am easily distracted.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivB3uzP0q-PhyphenhyphenwVejpNXxQdJgVtWO1qo4k4zY_e5nKIOQio1EaBT6hleS-kTIlaqpP0az0uMIhQHOBizVuE2NHGtY414VZrfGzpN705pME5ij0AgNuR-rvu_aAmQs4NSpswATJindO3cb5/s1600/easily_distracted.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivB3uzP0q-PhyphenhyphenwVejpNXxQdJgVtWO1qo4k4zY_e5nKIOQio1EaBT6hleS-kTIlaqpP0az0uMIhQHOBizVuE2NHGtY414VZrfGzpN705pME5ij0AgNuR-rvu_aAmQs4NSpswATJindO3cb5/s400/easily_distracted.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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So, after two coats of stain and two coats of clear water-based polyurethane, here is the final product:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7vhSfRh99H3raDCaSHqiduIB1dKO83frhXY_DMoxNXTOea8qOhxblEGqqrZs8gDsuJz-Z6PGsz_bNetMP4hZTixVjxrVxFrHlupzN6_hzssKwc0qJ4xQpl0RFyWl_j234F5CYoGxM9hLB/s1600/Bentwood_final_Guinn_photobomb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7vhSfRh99H3raDCaSHqiduIB1dKO83frhXY_DMoxNXTOea8qOhxblEGqqrZs8gDsuJz-Z6PGsz_bNetMP4hZTixVjxrVxFrHlupzN6_hzssKwc0qJ4xQpl0RFyWl_j234F5CYoGxM9hLB/s640/Bentwood_final_Guinn_photobomb.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Got photobombed on this one</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhITiHCz3LEZrIz7KCV6_-TQIJwZMxlKpDe3lnc_Vw5lji6APTFBs5f4avHc2xPz0Py-Vqk1wnWfyJmEZce2c_nDT6akDUfXPJnlDFmMPuh9NdZJv4L2MtdS0FGBLSfDgnkDcOwMJEsJWHf/s1600/Bentwood_final4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhITiHCz3LEZrIz7KCV6_-TQIJwZMxlKpDe3lnc_Vw5lji6APTFBs5f4avHc2xPz0Py-Vqk1wnWfyJmEZce2c_nDT6akDUfXPJnlDFmMPuh9NdZJv4L2MtdS0FGBLSfDgnkDcOwMJEsJWHf/s1600/Bentwood_final4.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg76lzJ1yFFN1jo6_jQ9tUDgB0oEQuHQIEt9xJmiPUZokGnz8a9YHQ5JMHlU2Zd0ePA4WzAJYCZSs_IqoWRz4aSsYw1dQqyUFhU0sXSJZI34t7xZ6ZT268qX7ObxcOYhmzKYgJrbHHwebD9/s1600/Bentwood_final3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg76lzJ1yFFN1jo6_jQ9tUDgB0oEQuHQIEt9xJmiPUZokGnz8a9YHQ5JMHlU2Zd0ePA4WzAJYCZSs_IqoWRz4aSsYw1dQqyUFhU0sXSJZI34t7xZ6ZT268qX7ObxcOYhmzKYgJrbHHwebD9/s1600/Bentwood_final3.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghIzAENeVDS7P24PLg-QUO49P5bunrjAlYzaq_nH1fI-SPQ9eXUNx5uaUUKHp_IC8PRrlPws_rA2X0CsZA_DCATy8EkkeLeclcicf_rrrWuXrINKwQRafboVaPNEm2lH17kGM_rA4Il4xo/s1600/Bentwood_final5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghIzAENeVDS7P24PLg-QUO49P5bunrjAlYzaq_nH1fI-SPQ9eXUNx5uaUUKHp_IC8PRrlPws_rA2X0CsZA_DCATy8EkkeLeclcicf_rrrWuXrINKwQRafboVaPNEm2lH17kGM_rA4Il4xo/s1600/Bentwood_final5.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVjTs51lLy1Zv8OCp54j3FvzcrE7eH-1krO4pAj3cSVmdkaP7QGO8Q461If7DV-ssryco5HchDVW4mVKYFygrWsLsEDBVzpv0F5JZ26NLWOmZ5jwTJuYmKmeyOrKywREEWOBnFt90r7sLz/s1600/Bentwood_final7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVjTs51lLy1Zv8OCp54j3FvzcrE7eH-1krO4pAj3cSVmdkaP7QGO8Q461If7DV-ssryco5HchDVW4mVKYFygrWsLsEDBVzpv0F5JZ26NLWOmZ5jwTJuYmKmeyOrKywREEWOBnFt90r7sLz/s640/Bentwood_final7.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjicwBzDNFjfcnT61fw-KVH638DgrWjg1UNkm88lyDe6-pd8AI11CgTF8znFkyApoG2fFt6ThPBY2bc61jBEUrN4h4RiITx8whmDvtQ_t8VqkivsWSkhg0zvWaNrbjdqWrTazZ7Ikenpxmh/s1600/Bentwood_final_campbell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjicwBzDNFjfcnT61fw-KVH638DgrWjg1UNkm88lyDe6-pd8AI11CgTF8znFkyApoG2fFt6ThPBY2bc61jBEUrN4h4RiITx8whmDvtQ_t8VqkivsWSkhg0zvWaNrbjdqWrTazZ7Ikenpxmh/s1600/Bentwood_final_campbell.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Much, much cuter photobomb this time</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAZ6t2KQNyJsPzHuMKrFXuELqT8gX8P9wyg48dKxUwBFtPEJlNJGtbp4znJ61nyJXWs9u4heL7M9lBYB6ayt8Sn2k5eTdnDamFxm3S87sAtsZKvstfbwBLkoRTHZxgmigpCT5sCo7Hvcst/s1600/Bentwood_final_before_after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAZ6t2KQNyJsPzHuMKrFXuELqT8gX8P9wyg48dKxUwBFtPEJlNJGtbp4znJ61nyJXWs9u4heL7M9lBYB6ayt8Sn2k5eTdnDamFxm3S87sAtsZKvstfbwBLkoRTHZxgmigpCT5sCo7Hvcst/s1600/Bentwood_final_before_after.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br /><br /><div class="fb-like" data-href="http://www.sawdustdesigns.net/2013/06/bentwood-rocker-comes-back-to-life.html" data-send="true" data-width="450" data-show-faces="true"></div>Gaineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06581663278455635580noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973152623713033359.post-64586509393071899272013-05-30T13:21:00.000-07:002013-05-30T13:25:06.934-07:00I'd Like the Booth in the Corner Please<div id="fb-root">
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}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script>A few months back, a friend emailed me to say she had an idea and needed my help.<br />
<br />
It started with:<br />
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"I have an idea and what I want to do is really expensive so I thought I would ask you."<br />
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<i>Translation:</i> "You're my cheap option."<br />
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Hey, I'll take it. I'm listening...<br />
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"Our kitchen space is a nice size but we have a nook that's awkward. I tried a table with chairs and it was just too big. So what I really want is bench seating with a table. That's where you come in."<br />
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So, a banquette? I hadn't built one before, but it was an intriguing challenge.<br />
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She included a picture of what she had in mind:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjf6Y2flM6jemyn4yndS3MbYczGF-IhYD6RIP1-BtUsVYPJaUYj-KAY7hec_XI5RHH6WZF3p4yDG4YfAWY7Qel-EjKOzIPzzrKyb8l4trHpu4kbrtjhjxQxNmFt38zMdW3D3xZmtSMK_I-/s1600/banquette_example.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjf6Y2flM6jemyn4yndS3MbYczGF-IhYD6RIP1-BtUsVYPJaUYj-KAY7hec_XI5RHH6WZF3p4yDG4YfAWY7Qel-EjKOzIPzzrKyb8l4trHpu4kbrtjhjxQxNmFt38zMdW3D3xZmtSMK_I-/s1600/banquette_example.jpg" /></a></div>
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"I've got this," I said to myself.<br />
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Here's the biggest challenge though with creating something custom like this from a photo, for someone else: expectation vs. reality.<br />
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When I build something for our home, I'm only dealing with my wife's expectations vs. the reality of what it actually looks like when I finish. Sometimes they're aligned. But, if it doesn't end up exactly like she had it drawn up in her head, it's kind of like: "Hey, at least you didn't pay anything for it, besides my sweat and tears. Here is your full refund of zero dollars and zero cents."<br />
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If that doesn't suffice, there's always the less popular, but equally effective: "Remember honey - for better or worse..." (Courtney, if you're reading this, I'm totally kidding!)<br />
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I wasn't. But when there is a third party involved, especially a friend, there is a different level of expectation - both from them as a client, and from me. I put a little more pressure on myself to get it right. So, I take extra steps I might normally not take, like using nicer (<i>read</i>: new vs. repurposed) materials or double - even triple - checking my measurements. No room to fly by the seat of my pants.<br />
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That becomes even harder when you consider that, this being a built-in by true definition, most of the work would need to take place in someone else's home. That means making sure I leave home with every possible tool I could need each time I make a visit to work on the project.<br />
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I am happy with the way it turned out, and unless she was trained by the CIA in reverse interrogation tactics, I think my friend was too. What she ended up with is a pretty great solution to a somewhat common space issue for kitchen eat-in areas.<br />
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And, she was right: there aren't a lot of affordable (that's relative, of course) options for this. Unless you know how to do it or know someone like me who can or will do it on the cheap. It's not like Costco has DIY built-in banquette kits sitting next to the world's largest bag of Cool Ranch Doritos. Yet.<br />
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Using her desired final measurements, i worked backwards to figure out the dimensions of each stage of the banquette, from the top down to the base, being sure to account for trim, overhang and the always sneaky and easily forgettable material width. Then I re-calculated, just to make sure. Because if I screwed up a cut, the extra material would be coming out of my pocket, not hers.<br />
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Here's the base, with the rear horizontal and vertical supports secured to the wall studs. I didn't worry about securing the front to the floor because a) I didn't want to damage the tile floor, and b) any gaps in the front could be solved with some well-placed shims before attaching the facing.<br />
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Speaking of facing...at my suggestion, she agreed to a more decorative option than just plain, flat plywood. Enter the wainscoting. Not the cheap manufactured panels, but the tongue and groove board version. You would think this would be more expensive than plywood, but it wasn't.<br />
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Plus, if you have a finish nailer and air compressor (you know I do), it's actually really easy to install. Once I got the first few boards attached straight and square, I knocked this part out in less than 10 minutes.<br />
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It still looks like a freaking box, though, and if you're cringing at the gaps on the corners, I'm about to get to that...<br />
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No matter how accurately you measure, there will almost always be some sort of gap when you get to a corner. Yes, chances are you made a mistake, but sometimes...walls arent truly square to the floor and floors arent truly level, especially in older houses. It happens. But...<br />
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<i><b>Knowledge bomb #119:</b></i> Hide gaps in/on corners with corner molding. Or "moulding," if you want to be fancy. You just have to say it with a British accent. They make versions of this for both inside (in pic above, where corner meets wall and where the two parts of the base form the inside of the "L") and outside (end meets end) corners.<br />
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I also continued the existing base and quarter-round trim from the wall to give it a little more decorative depth and to make it actually look like a built-in banquette. Simple, but effective touch. Notice the border made of 1" x 2" boards around the top of the seat. Again, adds more depth but, more importantly, it adds the ugly exposed edges of the plywood. It also opens up the option for installing additional molding underneath the top later on.<br />
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And that is where my part in this project ended. They were already in full-on paint mode with the trim in the rest of the house, so they took it from there and sent me photos of the progress:<br />
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Gaineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06581663278455635580noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973152623713033359.post-25773362668079664902013-05-14T13:32:00.004-07:002013-08-08T06:48:31.099-07:00Old School Desks Gets a New Lease on Life<div id="fb-root">
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Look, let's just address the giant elephant in the room right now. I haven't posted in a while, we both know that. For a while there, I was cranking out a project post almost every week. I absolutely knew that wasn't a pace I could keep up, but I certainly didn't plan on going more than a month without posting a new blog entry.<br />
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It's certainly not that I haven't been working on any projects - I've been busier than ever in that respect. But, a combination of work, family time and, let's be honest - the Grizzlies being in the playoffs, has kept me from posting about them. So, I'm sorry...<br />
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With that somewhat unsatisfying apology out of the way, here is one of several projects I have finished in the last month or so.<br />
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Months ago, Courtney brought home this little guy from a neighborhood garage sale.<br />
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I loved it. The bones of it, that is. The paint job? Not so much. My family used to have one of these, and all I really knew about it was that it was an old school desk. Well, I had my talented research team do some digging and...the best I could come up with was that it is a "Fashion Desk," invented by the Sidney School Furniture Company, started by John D. Loughlin in 1881.<br />
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I think this model of desk was made up through the 1920s, but I cannot find a consensus opinion on that. Either way, I am fairly confident that this thing is close to 100 years old. That beautiful blue paint job, however, is not. I knew I wanted to bring this baby back to as-close-to original as I could, and while I wasn't 100% sure what that was, I knew it involved removing the paint.<br />
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It. Was. Thick. I tried everything from scraping to using a heat gun, and this oil-based paint wasn't coming off. I didn't try chemical stripper because, well I didn't want to deal with the mess. If I had it to do over, I would've tried that. As it were, I used my DeWalt orbital sander and what felt like 739 60-grit sanding pads. That got me to this:<br />
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Why would you ever want to cover up that beautiful wood with blue paint? I just knew that a good coat of stain would bring out all of those scratches and dings from years of use, which is what I really, REALLY wanted. Luckily, no one had carved anything in it like "Tommy and Jill 4-ever" or "Mrs. Anderson sucks."<br />
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I strayed from my usual go-to Minwax stain colors (Early American, Special Walnut) and went with something with a little bit of color to it that was going to pop. Enter: Gunstock. It's a deep, rich red tone - darker than Cherry, lighter than Mahogany.<br />
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Here it is after 2-3 coats of stain. I applied the stain with a brush, then came back after 10 minutes or so, and wiped the excess off with a dry cloth. Then I let it dry overnight between each coat. Here are some other views.<br />
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Next, I applied the polyurethane topcoat, in semi-gloss, to add a little spit 'n' shine to the finish. I did two coats, using a cheap foam brush, letting it dry overnight between each one. That got me to this:<br />
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See the difference? I thought I was finished. Courtney was elated that I was finished. Then I did my usual OCD thing, and decided that I still needed to address the old paint on the cast iron. My reasoning? I just spent so much time on the wood that, to leave the metal untouched would be a travesty - like buying a new suit and wearing it with flipflops.<br />
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Important note about painting metal...It's not necessary to strip off all of the old paint from metal. And honestly, it's not worth it. Just take a scraper tool over the entire surface, with light pressure, and test it for any bubbled, chipped or cracked paint. Scrape those parts until it no longer comes off easily. Then take 100-grit sandpaper and use it to lightly de-gloss the entire surface to create something the new paint can stick to. If you REALLY want it to be durable, use a metal primer from Rustoleum.<br />
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So, black gloss enamel paint turned this...<br />
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into this:<br />
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Here is the actual final result, wood, metal and all. Not quite sure what we are going to do with it yet, but it could be a nightstand for our guest bedroom, an accent piece/additional seat for our living room, or (more likely) a jungle gym for Campbell & company. Regardless, not a bad outcome for a $10 garage sale rescue...</div>
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Gaineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06581663278455635580noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973152623713033359.post-13194509107257664052013-04-17T11:51:00.001-07:002013-04-17T11:52:33.274-07:00Kids Table and Chair Set<div id="fb-root">
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Campbell is getting to that age where you really need to keep your eye on her at all times. I mean, sure, there's the whole no-forks-in-electrical-outlets safety thing, but also because she can ruin or break just about anything and not know she's doing something wrong. That's why she is absolutely not allowed to touch our laptops (or my Maui Jim's), even when we ARE looking.<br />
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Case in point: Allow me to take you on a stroll down memory lane all the way back to Sunday, when we were getting ready for church. I was gathering some of Campbell's things while she was safely playing independently. Less than a minute later I find her on the carpet, surrounded by our stationary with an uncapped permanent marker in her hand. She'd gone all Bob Ross on the stationary, her hands and arms. The white carpet, and her new dress, remained amazingly unscathed - an accomplishment on par with NASA putting a man on the moon, as far as I'm concerned.<br />
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She's not exactly Miss Manners right now.<br />
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So, that is one of the many benefits of a good play table - so stray crayons, markers and playdough don't end up on your couch or carpet. Not to say they still won't, but you're tilting the odds in your favor.<br />
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That and, because it is her size, she freaking loves it. I can only assume that's because she can use it without one of us boosting her up into the chair. I dunno, I'm not a toddler whisperer. (<i>Editor's Note: I wish I was - there's money in that, I'm sure.</i>)<br />
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The set I built was from Ana White's plan (of course it was - table <a href="http://ana-white.com/2010/11/clara-table" target="_blank">here</a> and chairs <a href="http://ana-white.com/2010/11/plans/four-dollar-stackable-children%E2%80%99s-chairs" target="_blank">here</a>).<br />
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<b>Quick side note</b>...you've probably noticed I have been posting a lot of projects lately that have used Ana' building plans. Here's the thing, I LOVE coming up with a concept, figuring out the dimensions, measurements, etc. and building the piece all on my own. There is something so satisfying about being able to say "yeah, that was all me." And, I still do that...a lot. But, with a real full-time job and a family, among other things, sometimes there just isn't enough time for all of that. So, while it somewhat bruises my ego to use perfectly laid-out plans for projects here and there, the practical side of me says "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."<br />
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I can save my creative ideas for projects that don't have an established roadmap, like <a href="http://www.sawdustdesigns.net/2012/04/picket-fence-crisscross.html" target="_blank">turning old picket fence boards into crosses</a>, making a <a href="http://www.sawdustdesigns.net/2012/01/rocking-horse-from-scratch.html" target="_blank">rocking horse from a picture I found online</a> or finding yet another way to <a href="http://www.sawdustdesigns.net/search/label/pallet" target="_blank">re-purpose a pallet</a>.<br />
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The genius of it is that it is built completely out of 1x2, 1x3 and 1x8 boards. All in all, I think I spent about $75 on the wood. That's for one table and four chairs, and I'm pretty sure that total included a few other items not related to this particular project. It's not the curbside discount I'm used to, but not too shabby, nonetheless.<br />
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You'll notice on Ana's plan that she claims these are $4 chairs. But, she's either a mathemagician or she's got the hookup at the hardware store, because according to Lowe's, 8 ft. 1x3's are $4 a piece and 8 ft. 1x2's are $3 each. So that's $11 per chair. Still, not terrible.<br />
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Why four chairs, you ask? Because I made this for my in-laws to keep at their house so Campbell and our two nieces could use it.<br />
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Since I already told you where to find the plans, that provide waaaay more detail than I ever would, I'll just skip to the pics. If you are wondering about the finish, the table top is stained with two coats of Minwax Early American, and the table legs and the chairs are painted with a flat latex buttercream color from Benjamin Moore. Edges and corners were distressed with an orbital sander, and the whole thing was wiped down with stain, quickly wiped off with a dry rag and then coated with clear Minwax Polycrylic for protection.<br />
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Gaineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06581663278455635580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973152623713033359.post-79647026343487370602013-03-18T14:04:00.001-07:002013-03-18T14:07:39.938-07:00Paneled Door Table<div id="fb-root"></div>
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}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script>No witty headline here, just straight to the point. When your best option is "This Table is Off the Hinge" it's time to re-think your approach. So, by the headline, you can probably deduce that I made a table. From a door. Moving on...<br />
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When we moved into our new house last year, the attic was full of old doors that had at one point been fixtures in the house. Apparently, the previous owners had an issue with privacy. As in, they cared nothing about it. Although, I'm not 100% certain where all of those doors went because, save the wet bar, nothing that I could see was missing a door. In fact, we took several more off and added them to the collection.<br />
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I'm certainly not complaining because, as you might have picked up...I like to re-use stuff. And paneled (wood) doors are pretty nice to have laying around.<br />
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So, why NOT make a table? I mean, I needed one to display some things at Amity Pottery, so why not make one for that, have something to blog about AND possibly sell later on? If nothing else, I know I'll find a use for it eventually. Eventually...<br />
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To make this project easier than it could've been, I opted for sawhorse-style legs. You can make those with 2x4s, which are super cheap and one of the easiest pieces of wood to work with. And, once you practice a few different angled cuts on the miter saw, it's really pretty easy. At about $3 per 8-ft board, 2x4s are waaaaay more economical than, say $60 for four of these:<br />
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Not bad-looking, but you'd need to build an apron as well for support and to keep the legs straight, which equals more time and more money. Simply put, sawhorse legs are more forgiving.<br />
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I cut my legs about 15 degrees off-center, so if you have a miter saw, you know what I mean. If you don't, you probably won't be making this anyway. Now might be a good time to mention that, if you don't have a compound miter saw, you're missing the boat. I use it on every single project.<br />
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But, back to the door...<br />
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In the left pic, that's how I found it, complete with an oh-so-retro honey finish. Since paint doesn't stick too well to shiny finishes, I used that as an excuse to sand it down so I could darken the base color.<br />
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The pic on the right is what it looked like after I filled the door knob hole and sanded it down. I ended up staining the whole thing with Minwax Early American.<br />
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Here's where the photo sessions went to crap.<br />
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<i>Me, to myself: </i>"So, I am at a pivotal transformation point...should I walk inside to get the camera? Nah, that's too much effort, I'll get the next one."<br />
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3-4 steps later...<br />
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"Crap, I'm almost done and havent taken any pictures. Quick - take one of something, anything!"<br />
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Oh look, sawhorses.<br />
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Yeah, and that was apparently all of the photos I took during this entire project build. What you DON'T see is me taking a blowtorch to the panels to create a cool aging effect, the door with stain, the subsequent two coats of antique white paint or the distressing progress of said paint. Really, it was just a massive failure on my part to document this. And unfortunately, you're the victim here.<br />
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Anyway, here it is at Amity Pottery, displaying some of Melissa's great pottery pieces. Should I even bother to point out that one of my goals when dropping this off at her shop was to take some awesome "after" pics? I brought the camera and everything, then brainfarted my way back out to the car and all the way home. So I had to rely on Melissa to snap some with her phone camera. Sweet.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlLhVMVg21JaKPF9cMlhAX96RbbcXLmTc8qscbvQoQ_C53-Ep7CRanBMo9GQHpZtvpAYBN89wBGmLG9RIeAR6w7Dc2Y28px2I6_AnIFYiMWcZzC5c47IZfNPREhOrg6kSEFos4y-gQlG8j/s1600/sawhorse_door_table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" psa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlLhVMVg21JaKPF9cMlhAX96RbbcXLmTc8qscbvQoQ_C53-Ep7CRanBMo9GQHpZtvpAYBN89wBGmLG9RIeAR6w7Dc2Y28px2I6_AnIFYiMWcZzC5c47IZfNPREhOrg6kSEFos4y-gQlG8j/s1600/sawhorse_door_table.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNnESkBKWiYwmA1gr5gsOsVxogY7I3Qv4lbJsVxV_gSa32JUndiuyxpZTFeg2XQi75OB_5z17dQasmf47RUvZNq3x3wJjqChv0TKL_G6A7LZKHXpGwjo1FfnOBNKzkBAJ1K6FBqyWte2Gm/s1600/sawhorse_door_table_closeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" psa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNnESkBKWiYwmA1gr5gsOsVxogY7I3Qv4lbJsVxV_gSa32JUndiuyxpZTFeg2XQi75OB_5z17dQasmf47RUvZNq3x3wJjqChv0TKL_G6A7LZKHXpGwjo1FfnOBNKzkBAJ1K6FBqyWte2Gm/s1600/sawhorse_door_table_closeup.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br /><div id="fb-root"></div><br /><br /><div class="fb-like" data-href="http://www.sawdustdesigns.net/2013/03/paneled-door-table.html" data-send="true" data-width="450" data-show-faces="true"></div>Gaineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06581663278455635580noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973152623713033359.post-91433625732334878502013-03-07T08:48:00.002-08:002013-03-07T08:48:56.265-08:00Papa's Got a Brand New BagAnd by "bag," I mean website.<br />
<br />
If you're new to my site, then you probably don't have much of a frame for reference here. If you've been following my site, first of all - I love you - but more appropriately, you will know what I mean.<br />
<br />
It all started with a new hobby. Then came the blog, the purpose of which was two-fold: 1) to document my projects and help me keep track of the things I had done, and 2) to provide some semblance of a creative launchpad or instruction guide for my fine readers.<br />
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Since that point, I've really kicked it into overdrive. After I started taking (and completing - that's important!) orders for custom pieces, I set up a deal to feature a sample of my projects at a little place called Amity Pottery on the Collierville square.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwo_Uc6N1X7maH1JiIdcXP7bM8KWKOJv3dT82HogvARYO-whixEH32AVYy10Fhynv0TmB8fHpTxFxIHFcD9Q5YgC5Etglv2k4T4OFfcRaZwpQWOx6FoZWBDoD818O48My4HZ36isC10Tib/s1600/amity_pottery5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwo_Uc6N1X7maH1JiIdcXP7bM8KWKOJv3dT82HogvARYO-whixEH32AVYy10Fhynv0TmB8fHpTxFxIHFcD9Q5YgC5Etglv2k4T4OFfcRaZwpQWOx6FoZWBDoD818O48My4HZ36isC10Tib/s1600/amity_pottery5.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here's my nook at Amity Pottery, with other pieces randomly scattered around the store.</span></td></tr>
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I quickly realized that I had no brand to go along with it, whatsoever. So, I panicked, quickly came up with a name and reached out to my uber-talented designer friend, Amber, who has a flare for the vintage and DIY worlds. She helped me create the graphic elements around Sawdust Designs, and I could not be happier with the results.<br />
<br />
That brings us full-circle back to the website, as you see it today. The blog portion is still front-and-center, as it should be, but now it's just got a little more flare. It's also more streamlined, to boot. The little tabs at the top of the homepage have been added to better categorize the content. What the hell does that mean, you ask?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT4RyG2z4Rq-FkWrBrUIrAFk5E-61Cql_6p2cibDY6AD5goGoa7YU-1h6VZXq2q3L4zBDKLMe0oqMm_PcpddvUu2gBMyFeDYQQVTJjqNckfFMUCNuS9J1PXuDriFqF3dpmhuDQd5acUAcP/s1600/blog_header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT4RyG2z4Rq-FkWrBrUIrAFk5E-61Cql_6p2cibDY6AD5goGoa7YU-1h6VZXq2q3L4zBDKLMe0oqMm_PcpddvUu2gBMyFeDYQQVTJjqNckfFMUCNuS9J1PXuDriFqF3dpmhuDQd5acUAcP/s640/blog_header.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Well for starters, I've added a <a href="http://www.sawdustdesigns.net/p/projects.html" target="_blank">project gallery</a> so folks can click on the thumbnails to go directly to the post about that specific project. There is also a <a href="http://www.sawdustdesigns.net/p/custom-sign.html" target="_blank">gallery of custom signs</a> I've made, but haven't necessarily had the time or enough content to post individually to the blog.<br />
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It's a work in progress, and it may not be perfect (yet?), but it's <i>MY</i> work in progress, and I'm pretty happy with it thus far. I hope you like the updates and keep reading my posts, but in the meantime, a little bit about Amity Pottery...<br />
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Functioning as part retail/part pottery classroom, Amity Pottery and Gifts sells owner and master potter Melissa Mills' own beautiful pottery, along with a myriad of other art, gifts and decorations - all made by local artists. She also teaches pottery workshops and hosts pottery-making parties for both kids and adults.<br />
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What I like most is that Melissa is insistent on featuring other local artists, and not buying in bulk from suppliers to fill out her store inventory. The variety is random and that is what makes it such a special store. She has stained glass, paintings, furniture, photography and more - all handmade and all local. Styles range from funky-fresh to classic, and everything between.<br />
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So, if these are "artists," why did she agree to sell my junk? Good question. Probably because she has great taste. Or she felt sorry for me. Either way, I'm fine with it.<br />
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Here are a few hastily snapped photos from the last time I was in there.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTvcr8PQWMoA7qu3MYYEsCgJBdK1bdplpkpgN7wcQEQ4G9Ik0wUqhyphenhyphenM026p9PQv6QD9RQTw4zvGqwEyh5hNN6cwIj7uLmdOPxLriI1dTmmyVMnaX6O_atHJ-TRFTXrOrJA-8dcgUHlEaF-/s1600/amity_pottery1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTvcr8PQWMoA7qu3MYYEsCgJBdK1bdplpkpgN7wcQEQ4G9Ik0wUqhyphenhyphenM026p9PQv6QD9RQTw4zvGqwEyh5hNN6cwIj7uLmdOPxLriI1dTmmyVMnaX6O_atHJ-TRFTXrOrJA-8dcgUHlEaF-/s1600/amity_pottery1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">147 N. Main St., Collierville, TN 38017</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYiK2LfCN1qAJgklxutK-EhwwLTBKLSA8Uv9mSRoQKCRz3x24lSqVSXBuc4BkyJqOjvOq0VLj8j6LOMjxlcylbwny9RSCxjghNKK31x0jP2IeDay8yrs6Ss_hbdkCg2K9wVaUsHTxudvu/s1600/amity_pottery2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYiK2LfCN1qAJgklxutK-EhwwLTBKLSA8Uv9mSRoQKCRz3x24lSqVSXBuc4BkyJqOjvOq0VLj8j6LOMjxlcylbwny9RSCxjghNKK31x0jP2IeDay8yrs6Ss_hbdkCg2K9wVaUsHTxudvu/s1600/amity_pottery2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtx7KjK6U5cgBYaEhjNHAdz18xjcRI6qXowtA5bbBKHmHu8GgQsbNCsvt5SHkV4leSnY8bjltIAxMU3UApHRuCDayBtuQcwd8kZs2riogjDrMJKWpcQ4Kg4l3ApAMN7tryOJyc2R5vh6ta/s1600/amity_pottery3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtx7KjK6U5cgBYaEhjNHAdz18xjcRI6qXowtA5bbBKHmHu8GgQsbNCsvt5SHkV4leSnY8bjltIAxMU3UApHRuCDayBtuQcwd8kZs2riogjDrMJKWpcQ4Kg4l3ApAMN7tryOJyc2R5vh6ta/s1600/amity_pottery3.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjni-skFKr-WiH4LY-HsEk081ufcB1lQ3SOPXZYdt5c_P8KhJVjsgCenyqv7wKM1wR8usTAsi93BoLp10nUZIgf2TtNrHenPQt_7vgDopo1NIPJPQ8su9FIaekzT1wd5a5PioKvedpQoflU/s1600/amity_pottery4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjni-skFKr-WiH4LY-HsEk081ufcB1lQ3SOPXZYdt5c_P8KhJVjsgCenyqv7wKM1wR8usTAsi93BoLp10nUZIgf2TtNrHenPQt_7vgDopo1NIPJPQ8su9FIaekzT1wd5a5PioKvedpQoflU/s1600/amity_pottery4.jpg" /></a></div>
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Gaineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06581663278455635580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973152623713033359.post-74942388098245462702013-02-26T07:08:00.000-08:002013-02-26T07:09:51.084-08:00American Girl Bunkbed<div id="fb-root">
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}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script>Yep, my life has come to this. Using my wood wizardry to create something as manly and testosterone-infused as...an American Girl doll bed.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4PCHaaJLwCqhYRfB0ZvqKK9UFnzajiWoTHT92m4rL5wQPvBp3HoG-tElZ6BAfsVlrfMUTHEr8BxsSM4qTG_G2S0ZecRueQBeHx6SOybdhRMfiCKwfR6sSNNQ4cQMEuRPZ_zqOfxPBnu1C/s1600/cam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4PCHaaJLwCqhYRfB0ZvqKK9UFnzajiWoTHT92m4rL5wQPvBp3HoG-tElZ6BAfsVlrfMUTHEr8BxsSM4qTG_G2S0ZecRueQBeHx6SOybdhRMfiCKwfR6sSNNQ4cQMEuRPZ_zqOfxPBnu1C/s400/cam.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Go home Campbell, you're drunk.</span></td></tr>
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Until last year, I didn't even know what American Girl was, other than a Tom Petty song, that is. Now? I'm (unfortunately) painfully aware of this pandemic that is capturing the hearts and minds of girls under 10 and emptying the wallets of parents everywhere. It's like the inanimate version of Justin Bieber for a younger demographic, except more masculine. Or, more appropriately...Barbie on steroids.<br />
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Allow me to illuminate those of you fortunate enough to be blissfully unaware:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4EL1DfmGXiW0lvKkfOIpY9jkbI5ZFo2kwgUzNHbwzCsflQvgjRVeDTIwuo5jLRXArnzxJuQa7oAAbdHFI6VB22lNJ1szVb8jSJ_jPGboNQKkEP9TmwceR8xMGAnCauV6a9eKdH7auv31w/s1600/AG_doll.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4EL1DfmGXiW0lvKkfOIpY9jkbI5ZFo2kwgUzNHbwzCsflQvgjRVeDTIwuo5jLRXArnzxJuQa7oAAbdHFI6VB22lNJ1szVb8jSJ_jPGboNQKkEP9TmwceR8xMGAnCauV6a9eKdH7auv31w/s320/AG_doll.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Lest you think I went out and found the creepiest photo possible - I didn't - that's how they all look. I'm not a priest, but I'm fairly certain that if you stare into those lifeless eyes long enough, she will steal your soul.<br />
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You know what else was 18 inches tall, had freckles and looked that innocent?<br />
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And I think we can all agree that didn't end well. <br />
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The weird gets weirder when you realize that each doll has - not just a name - but a story. There's the hippie, the flapper and (I wish I was making this up) the <a href="http://store.americangirl.com/agshop/static/addydoll.jsp" target="_blank">black slave on-the-run</a>. Oh, and that's just a few. I would finish listing them, but I just threw up in my mouth a little.<br />
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Anyway, my fate is sealed and I have zero chance of escaping that world when Campbell is old enough to know what one is. You? You might still have a chance. Get out while you still can. Here are some ways you can prevent getting sucked in when your daughter approaches you with an American Girl request. I only wish I had thought of these sooner.<br />
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1) Pretend you're deaf<br />
2) Make "American Girl" a bad word in your house, and administer punishment for saying it accordingly<br />
3) Tell her Santa doesn't bring toys to little girls with American Girl dolls<br />
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I'm kidding, of course. I would never pretend to be deaf - that's just mean.<br />
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So, while I was off playing Uncle Kris Kringle last Christmas, I decided to churn out a bed for my nieces. Well, their <strike>creepy</strike> adorable dolls anyway. <br />
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At the risk of sounding like a broken record, save yourself the time and pain and just follow <a href="http://ana-white.com/2011/08/doll-bunk-beds-american-girl-doll-and-18-doll" target="_blank">Ana-White's plan</a>. The design is simple and the instructions look fairly easy to follow. I wouldn't know because I'm the genius who decided to change the dimensions, and when you change dimensions, building instructions go down the drain pretty quick. But, by changing the dimensions, I got out of the whole make-a-mattress-from-scratch thing, which equals sweet, sweet victory in my book.<br />
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So, you're using Ana's handy plan, and here are a few additional tips you might find useful:<br />
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<b>Throw away your man card</b> - You aren't going to feel cool or manly when you are making this. Try listening to music that will level things out a bit. AC/DC, Beastie Boys, whatever you've got on tap. And drink a beer and burp every once in a while, for good measure.<br />
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<b>Begin with the end in mind/Knowledge Bomb #318</b> - It's a bed, so you're going to need mattresses. Plan accordingly and work smarter, not harder. I personally built mine so I could use standard-size (22"x28") pillows as "mattresses." Or you could make your own. It's your life, man - i'm just a squirrel tryin' to get a nut.<br />
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<b>Choose your boards carefully</b> - Almost the entire bed is built from 1" x 2" whitewood boards, available at your local big box. Make sure you get straight ones.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZQfAvNMRglBwWp01L8fRI-kDBORedQVyE6vhBAu3L6d1e3TxIzzYEyZHTPyP99RoHUERfILVH8eb24F5J5xWz4R8O2NIktLhm6lsMW0np3U2-vVgxBoVkZVHAXEtESPbhdKm9CpVHsAiI/s1600/bed_boards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZQfAvNMRglBwWp01L8fRI-kDBORedQVyE6vhBAu3L6d1e3TxIzzYEyZHTPyP99RoHUERfILVH8eb24F5J5xWz4R8O2NIktLhm6lsMW0np3U2-vVgxBoVkZVHAXEtESPbhdKm9CpVHsAiI/s1600/bed_boards.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Let's get this thing started</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEGGkrOT8w30VTOusIy8IuTY2bu8ZFKJHkqMLZTwpj5bkseH3Es5mVinPnM7C6Rprz4P0P46ccuv9s7wfqKoN5F37YLci_-Stw2ILFkV-ADHHOcaUZqeYtVVcjTkO_PIVJm4uF51P7jrGp/s1600/bed_ends.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEGGkrOT8w30VTOusIy8IuTY2bu8ZFKJHkqMLZTwpj5bkseH3Es5mVinPnM7C6Rprz4P0P46ccuv9s7wfqKoN5F37YLci_-Stw2ILFkV-ADHHOcaUZqeYtVVcjTkO_PIVJm4uF51P7jrGp/s1600/bed_ends.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Built the sides first</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglpr8gDIdHqz2pCMIH66heVH9hDCjWUlKp75tX6H5HlIxtjEkl9Tv2SD0qkdTdB4ldYK3qBuAfBIKE6K793Ury1I8WFXWPzuyMKEZ7GzJsmx2n6TwtLex8X8AdoNHpAXBLVJZcEEUNhZAE/s1600/bed_frame1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglpr8gDIdHqz2pCMIH66heVH9hDCjWUlKp75tX6H5HlIxtjEkl9Tv2SD0qkdTdB4ldYK3qBuAfBIKE6K793Ury1I8WFXWPzuyMKEZ7GzJsmx2n6TwtLex8X8AdoNHpAXBLVJZcEEUNhZAE/s1600/bed_frame1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So far, so good</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWTfZHxezbsu4eUz6GaQfBOsNax-UTzplgjAu1AVj4_kduL5DIMKCEFyvzvLTYcfsZ4oecl3GTPeqzTHOCKKfo74qx87AzkZuGJljPvGmwcDZBhkagW6DoNEmG5mjocobhu44u6QXhjEdC/s1600/bed_frame2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWTfZHxezbsu4eUz6GaQfBOsNax-UTzplgjAu1AVj4_kduL5DIMKCEFyvzvLTYcfsZ4oecl3GTPeqzTHOCKKfo74qx87AzkZuGJljPvGmwcDZBhkagW6DoNEmG5mjocobhu44u6QXhjEdC/s1600/bed_frame2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With ladder</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBrIwwRGn4a_iUqHKha62Mu4fbpCIvuwgfSpLdNDmIbR0rZ_HakLKcncwYpt_pqYMHldPsUj5WicQO-zmrGEVziSrU3N1UG_y3HQX5hoHYkXEQZ6iVnP1fsSmQM9gz7Ry_2gXTa80YKG1r/s1600/bed_final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBrIwwRGn4a_iUqHKha62Mu4fbpCIvuwgfSpLdNDmIbR0rZ_HakLKcncwYpt_pqYMHldPsUj5WicQO-zmrGEVziSrU3N1UG_y3HQX5hoHYkXEQZ6iVnP1fsSmQM9gz7Ry_2gXTa80YKG1r/s1600/bed_final.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The models used in this photo are NOT American Girl dolls</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Gaineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06581663278455635580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973152623713033359.post-7376255314193600312013-02-21T07:24:00.000-08:002013-02-21T07:26:36.629-08:00Creating a Vintage Tool Box <div id="fb-root">
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But not everyone needs one for the same reason.<br />
<br />
Me? I have a bunch of them, and they are all functional. They, umm, store my tools. Or...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLyqe70T0a12iX_l6Bh-iDyT8r-cFV3YlI2bK0Kp4OQ_I9JSX4rTmu5I4W6GKAnYyK1UYv0nEeil46EU1aKipZEhIzntVIUrnIkSbIfoIr_2CuyJGRRW-8xxJsxA6TVDUZB3Yo91EcS_dx/s1600/knox_in_cabinet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLyqe70T0a12iX_l6Bh-iDyT8r-cFV3YlI2bK0Kp4OQ_I9JSX4rTmu5I4W6GKAnYyK1UYv0nEeil46EU1aKipZEhIzntVIUrnIkSbIfoIr_2CuyJGRRW-8xxJsxA6TVDUZB3Yo91EcS_dx/s1600/knox_in_cabinet.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
But they, specifically the old ones, are also used as design elements. Or so I've heard. Here's some pinsperation for you - a few of the examples I found when I searched on Pinterest for "old tool box."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRb3MX-LWFGxEDHEWtpNwbVr8sh20f96wxdTcIIsyJSSVlKigNQHAyhQhEgTPrwPchwB6gyMmMug7gTNTYxpoohZPEKDcp8SDrL4s0cYqq_YyWupJwsiYXntdDrYsNh5uNrpWN6Blcqvn8/s1600/toolbox_examples.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRb3MX-LWFGxEDHEWtpNwbVr8sh20f96wxdTcIIsyJSSVlKigNQHAyhQhEgTPrwPchwB6gyMmMug7gTNTYxpoohZPEKDcp8SDrL4s0cYqq_YyWupJwsiYXntdDrYsNh5uNrpWN6Blcqvn8/s1600/toolbox_examples.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
They can go on a bookshelf and hold books. They can hold flowers (inside or in the garden). You can also use them on dining tables as either a decorative centerpiece or a functional condiment/napkin/utensil caddy. I've even seen some flipped on their side and mounted to the wall to hang stuff from.<br />
<br />
Of course, that is not why I decided to make one. I'm not a designer by any stretch of the imagination (me make fire). I just think they're rad. I love old tools and rarely miss a chance to pick up the cooler ones I find at estate sales, regardless of whether or not I actually have a use for them.<br />
<br />
Tool boxes today are made almost exclusively out of plastic and don't usually make it through the first couple of uses. If you want to drop some serious coin (I don't), you can get a new metal one, but those just don't have the same character as a good ole' fashioned wooden one.<br />
<br />
So, ladies and gentlemen, here is my version, made entirely out of recycled materials:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi49lp1rh7UHCjkzNrx6BC6BUHIRBbR9v4wWTR4NyXhrtlhCZfp8KOvkoC-8cjrarbhG6pW8GjYrUtQfGVu9WJOLyX_iWZ08VRXAhQ2e29FcLeCkpk-I-_Byvd5aHNOztJrA83gv5CP_vSI/s1600/toolbox1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi49lp1rh7UHCjkzNrx6BC6BUHIRBbR9v4wWTR4NyXhrtlhCZfp8KOvkoC-8cjrarbhG6pW8GjYrUtQfGVu9WJOLyX_iWZ08VRXAhQ2e29FcLeCkpk-I-_Byvd5aHNOztJrA83gv5CP_vSI/s1600/toolbox1.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
The makeup is pretty simple. The body is made from an old piece of siding from one of my rental properties, and the handle is made from a weathered garden stake that I held onto (<a href="http://www.sawdustdesigns.net/2012/11/meanwhile-in-land-of-dog.html#whyikeepstuff" target="_blank">because I don't throw materials away</a>). I even used old rusty nails to put it together to make it look more authentic.<br />
<br />
Of course, while the siding board was old and naturally distressed, I helped the process along a little with a chisel and hammer. I then finished it off with my favorite Minwax stain color, Early American. Here are the views of the other sides.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBsIVDk0mIKO6b8142-2nw31IS3Zq2q-pkHW7m1XPsTvtmNURf8fknk2c-GWT_HcNl6ae0-hwduSesL8tvLMZHHb4sKqi54op4lLi3S4qF6VhlRU7bwn6L0l3-5kVU_ZNm2gDccRXmD6uc/s1600/toolbox3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBsIVDk0mIKO6b8142-2nw31IS3Zq2q-pkHW7m1XPsTvtmNURf8fknk2c-GWT_HcNl6ae0-hwduSesL8tvLMZHHb4sKqi54op4lLi3S4qF6VhlRU7bwn6L0l3-5kVU_ZNm2gDccRXmD6uc/s1600/toolbox3.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjys5LzC8_88b0JvI8FtR1xr8kCOlQBsmqmjLcd8moe_B82yqVOJkTUI9vEni70_sdozCuehlEvLA5m0sqoZm6PhGqd7jNW6H-qHgo0E5LUUsPECBTSGjdGrLPbtkMfe8wh9D2swzwgFBLy/s1600/toolbox4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjys5LzC8_88b0JvI8FtR1xr8kCOlQBsmqmjLcd8moe_B82yqVOJkTUI9vEni70_sdozCuehlEvLA5m0sqoZm6PhGqd7jNW6H-qHgo0E5LUUsPECBTSGjdGrLPbtkMfe8wh9D2swzwgFBLy/s1600/toolbox4.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivl56qYfLqjYkpa2S6_AO8t4yF7aAmKjQNUTgTMmnOk6bz56BQQI8RvEufBf5y-y1iOYkQ899GAJiHz6cFn_hZxR_tckQT4xqWfRyKoRDxC6LBO4xrFlDoVhprOOvecaeySDjMx2N6XfSU/s1600/toolbox2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivl56qYfLqjYkpa2S6_AO8t4yF7aAmKjQNUTgTMmnOk6bz56BQQI8RvEufBf5y-y1iOYkQ899GAJiHz6cFn_hZxR_tckQT4xqWfRyKoRDxC6LBO4xrFlDoVhprOOvecaeySDjMx2N6XfSU/s1600/toolbox2.jpg" /></a></div>
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Gaineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06581663278455635580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973152623713033359.post-88186455978355903292013-02-11T12:04:00.000-08:002013-02-11T12:46:48.095-08:00Pallets, the Gift That Keeps on Giving<div id="fb-root">
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}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script>I'm a creature of habit about some things. For example, before I walk out the door, I ALWAYS do a simple checklist in my head and conduct a subsequent pat-down of all pant pockets to make sure I have the following:<br />
<br />
1) Keys<br />
2) Wallet<br />
3) iPhone<br />
4) Chapstick<br />
<br />
That's the whole list. If it's a work day, add "laptop bag," "Blackberry" and "ID badge" to it. It rarely happens, but occasionally I will forget one of those items, and my whole day is ruined. Not-so-much if it's the chapstick, but whatever. When I get home, they all go back to their designated places. All in one place - the same place - every. single. time.<br />
<br />
As a result, I always know where those things are. My wife? Not-so-much.<br />
<br />
<b>Me:</b> "Hey Courtney, where are your keys?"<br />
<b>Court:</b> "In my purse."<br />
<br />
But they never, ever are. They are: in the fridge, on a shelf in the pantry, in the front door or on a random window sill...but never in her purse. Likewise (and I'm relatively certain this happens to 97% of all husbands, everywhere), without fail, whenever we leave a place, we will get no-less-than halfway to our destination when I hear the dreaded words "I can't find my phone."<br />
<br />
In summation, you will NEVER beat me in a scavenger hunt - I've just had more practice.<br />
<br />
Home base for all of my daily staples is <a href="http://www.sawdustdesigns.net/search/label/laundry" target="_blank">the laundry room</a> (just off the kitchen), and until recently, <a href="http://www.sawdustdesigns.net/2012/05/we-bought-zoo.html" target="_blank">my homemade shelf with hooks</a> has been the resting place for our various bags, purses, coats, etc. Needless to say, it got crowded quick.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhuUSFRhAYkwtHSnYMxjLmGLb5UwdcDnBc7qX9dKPK1c_WG0_2M7c6tcchF8LfKrd3DPEl5Rlwdw1i3BV1OcSRqLtg91LCHXceM-lgUI_uinKUgIZk-prDfHIvrc_oFCEaLj9i082GVSyL/s1600/hook_shelf_for_pallet_post.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhuUSFRhAYkwtHSnYMxjLmGLb5UwdcDnBc7qX9dKPK1c_WG0_2M7c6tcchF8LfKrd3DPEl5Rlwdw1i3BV1OcSRqLtg91LCHXceM-lgUI_uinKUgIZk-prDfHIvrc_oFCEaLj9i082GVSyL/s1600/hook_shelf_for_pallet_post.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'll miss you, old friend</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It's worth mentioning that Courtney came up with the idea for the something bigger (which I'm getting to - I promise) to replace the old shelf. She also said the existing shelf looked like it was "straight out of the '80s," which I immediately added to my mental list of "Things that would've been helpful to know before I made that."<br />
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So, the pallet wall closet was born. Starting with a pallet skeleton that fit the dimensions of the space, I took boards from another pallet, and cut and measured them to fill in the holes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIxMAj_AAr1ZCNy8iGkHofcSAfEvay_g2Eg93SoLJsR_PB9ex2-qz7wB3dgIPXvlffdSNhSPXOlcj6YwnswimXG_YCmwmMTiC4nOcOpplaC0XLwi78u5L0h9JW3m10TDdA0TPEFnK3JKga/s1600/Pallet_wall_no_paint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIxMAj_AAr1ZCNy8iGkHofcSAfEvay_g2Eg93SoLJsR_PB9ex2-qz7wB3dgIPXvlffdSNhSPXOlcj6YwnswimXG_YCmwmMTiC4nOcOpplaC0XLwi78u5L0h9JW3m10TDdA0TPEFnK3JKga/s1600/Pallet_wall_no_paint.jpg" /></a></div>
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Can you tell which photo was taken with a camera phone? Next, I sanded, primed and painted the whole thing to match our trim. If you notice above, I left the top and bottom boards off. Those would go on in the absolute last step, to make it easier to fit my drill in when attaching the whole thing to the wall studs. No anchors used - I just measured for my studs, made sure it was level, and drilled straight through the back boards into the studs. Finally I attached the missing boards.<br />
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The hooks are of the "over-the-cabinet" variety (smaller top depth than "over-the-door") and were surprisingly hard to find in Target or Lowe's, but Home Depot had them.<br />
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The cool thing about using these as opposed to the ones you attach with screws, is that you can easily rearrange them in just seconds (without leaving screw holes). Just pick it up and move it to another spot.<br />
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Gaineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06581663278455635580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973152623713033359.post-76847273379254484292013-02-05T13:29:00.003-08:002013-02-18T08:24:00.299-08:00Spreading My Wings A Bit<div class="fb-like" data-href="http://www.sawdustdesigns.net" data-send="true" data-show-faces="true" data-width="450">
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<br />
<br />
Recently, my MUCH MUCH older sister, Hallie, turned (redacted) years old and I was having trouble picking out a gift.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg66hTlQu4Am3dgLiueNxRKaZebrAHF6xk8Qat86SGB4UjtuQpCHgiXwEjcMM8i5UHsy0zxmbTQXwBkdf6anLh4VGrZr809HLgw649KqsDhi2XsVhnxco77s2LEH29N2W0ZRSille1j89gR/s1600/happy_bday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg66hTlQu4Am3dgLiueNxRKaZebrAHF6xk8Qat86SGB4UjtuQpCHgiXwEjcMM8i5UHsy0zxmbTQXwBkdf6anLh4VGrZr809HLgw649KqsDhi2XsVhnxco77s2LEH29N2W0ZRSille1j89gR/s1600/happy_bday.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not her cake, but it made me laugh.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I've gone the gift card route perhaps a bit too much lately, so that wasn't really an option <i>(Editor's Note: This is not to, in any way, suggest that I do not want Lowe's or Home Depot gift cards in the future. Because, that's pretty much all I want.)</i>.<br />
<br />
It had to be something I could ship fairly easily, because she lives in good ole' Amish country now - the land where progress and technology go to die.<br />
<br />
So, I thought about things she likes (or at least that I think she likes), and here was that list, in no particular order:<br />
<br />
1) <strike>Her baby brother</strike><br />
2) <strike>Her dog</strike><br />
3) <b>Butterflies</b><br />
4) <strike>The color purple</strike> (not the Oprah movie, the actual color)<br />
5) <strike>UT football</strike><br />
<br />
I'm sure there are more, but my ADD kicked in and - oh hey look, there's a bird outside my window. What're you up to bird? That reminds me, I need a car wash.<br />
<br />
What was I saying? Oh yeah, butterfly just seemed like the most logical choice. Like a hanging sculpture, maybe?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrMUy4zML7zCbwfA1rk2AyGyuqgq_6qQKlICaSQBOV3T1OykVR0Bnv1jXENQSTWfFQ-JQvhXQeEfhUz9rov0uVEMW33789DFXyjBmwP8CsbWmhKexHRCiJI_iNllx7QY14vBPbjwmGwdm4/s1600/genius.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrMUy4zML7zCbwfA1rk2AyGyuqgq_6qQKlICaSQBOV3T1OykVR0Bnv1jXENQSTWfFQ-JQvhXQeEfhUz9rov0uVEMW33789DFXyjBmwP8CsbWmhKexHRCiJI_iNllx7QY14vBPbjwmGwdm4/s1600/genius.jpg" /></a></div>
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Since I pride myself on the ability to (mostly) take advantage of materials I have laying around from other projects, I figured I could find what I needed in my pile of scraps. And my time and effort spent on making it would be the cost. Oh, and shipping, because Uncle Sam doesn't do that for free.<br />
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This was a bit of an adventure for me, since I actually had to channel my inner artist and free-hand the design. I was always more comfortable with a coloring book than sketch pad, so that part was a little difficult for me. I like to think I pulled it off though, and for the record, she loved it. Or at least that's what she told me so, yeah, we'll go with that.<br />
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3973152623713033359" name="whyikeepstuff"></a>And this, my friends and fellow junkers, is why I rarely throw anything away after I'm done with a project. You can always find new uses for the most random of things...<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Body:</span></b> Old handrail spindle from a set of stairs. I found it on the side of the road a while back.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Wings:</b> </span>1/4" something-or-another leftover from the previous owner. Birch plywood, maybe?<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Antennae:</span></b> Leftover copper ground wire from one of the light fixtures I replaced.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Eyes:</span></b> Rusty bolt and nuts, leftover from the<a href="http://www.sawdustdesigns.net/2012/02/one-of-my-bright-ideas.html" target="_blank"> industrial pendant light project</a>.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXtDBlvSbPgbp1WxUEQT6EJ8992FDo5tYuHn82QOidHW-GIfxO19YnMX1nUDSSPaVPdHzDW1nIFHmx3zkD7dM22tHZrgJASbxISWzBddYuWxBf0bqOyCc5LsRt_i5A8xgH4_g4_0iDDAO7/s1600/wing_cutout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXtDBlvSbPgbp1WxUEQT6EJ8992FDo5tYuHn82QOidHW-GIfxO19YnMX1nUDSSPaVPdHzDW1nIFHmx3zkD7dM22tHZrgJASbxISWzBddYuWxBf0bqOyCc5LsRt_i5A8xgH4_g4_0iDDAO7/s1600/wing_cutout.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Free-handed the design, and painfully cut it out with a box cutter. Jigsaw would've been better, trust me.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjcTGTmi08aZcxQGPIYwkOzJx6LQElBHvXuxLjaew9ZWSAFe_OMCCwjALtgAauyc3pAybtG16q2jEArYnAlSSRXzMeWO2E3OPyAmzMP59TXUisJFHK50G_wImCmKOTLeJq0NQKQgLdnGIV/s1600/dry_fit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjcTGTmi08aZcxQGPIYwkOzJx6LQElBHvXuxLjaew9ZWSAFe_OMCCwjALtgAauyc3pAybtG16q2jEArYnAlSSRXzMeWO2E3OPyAmzMP59TXUisJFHK50G_wImCmKOTLeJq0NQKQgLdnGIV/s1600/dry_fit.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little dry fit to make sure it's gonna work.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxfuKqRKV8ia_M2kOd-Xzw3l9jgeV4HbPHQ6finOx6pZt51MSKkiCpQ52tVmJ5IADw9isDvJgiqjVb1ZU8kbQTkKDYuWfjMUXdw4OAvMHAzGg3XA2RpJ7dWCgl4xPB4u0VMS9emCGF9-kr/s1600/wings_final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxfuKqRKV8ia_M2kOd-Xzw3l9jgeV4HbPHQ6finOx6pZt51MSKkiCpQ52tVmJ5IADw9isDvJgiqjVb1ZU8kbQTkKDYuWfjMUXdw4OAvMHAzGg3XA2RpJ7dWCgl4xPB4u0VMS9emCGF9-kr/s1600/wings_final.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wings get the final paint touch-ups, then distressed</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyQVRJ1ad-WIEJxWcYYnyK5Uk2c7JauyYgK6kRO3Z8qNoJCI98Z4qkCPDCrHdTTtPjiLW_kTblO5qRAp4wEwnJrHNGJ21ZVpC3pBo_yHcU_3ASo8J4OUTcF6563RhkDw6ar7wjmFCARDro/s1600/body_final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyQVRJ1ad-WIEJxWcYYnyK5Uk2c7JauyYgK6kRO3Z8qNoJCI98Z4qkCPDCrHdTTtPjiLW_kTblO5qRAp4wEwnJrHNGJ21ZVpC3pBo_yHcU_3ASo8J4OUTcF6563RhkDw6ar7wjmFCARDro/s1600/body_final.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Painted and distressed the body, and attached the antennae to the back using small screws.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmuEF2kAWQmOPdHBRUiMmeeeC2cH_I9i62ZPishWWc93R-Q4I7Vz5uZk-YaGp_T__CBo6uaZdXJ-Uxc6eS9Tft3AZGxX5GKuAifGGy5OKmqUig5oe95a0rcw_zbTORu-r6NziCpUIaezfx/s1600/head_closeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmuEF2kAWQmOPdHBRUiMmeeeC2cH_I9i62ZPishWWc93R-Q4I7Vz5uZk-YaGp_T__CBo6uaZdXJ-Uxc6eS9Tft3AZGxX5GKuAifGGy5OKmqUig5oe95a0rcw_zbTORu-r6NziCpUIaezfx/s1600/head_closeup.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cut the bolts for the eyes, drilled pilot holes and filled with glue, then hammered those dudes in.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQvPw3zB2GlAtlMK4EjVGeex4_y2n-OgpidbScZuNOsye-oAOjbrTxZQeroxW57CTToLIFI648a1yQlmFXAi0TQ3z5e6oMpWfBhWLuzFxL9u65ek8AkB25W-WpPu5KsP1E3rWKUJS8GrYn/s1600/butterfly_final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQvPw3zB2GlAtlMK4EjVGeex4_y2n-OgpidbScZuNOsye-oAOjbrTxZQeroxW57CTToLIFI648a1yQlmFXAi0TQ3z5e6oMpWfBhWLuzFxL9u65ek8AkB25W-WpPu5KsP1E3rWKUJS8GrYn/s1600/butterfly_final.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanging on (my) wall. She took it a step further and hung it an angle, which I actually like more.</td></tr>
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<br />Gaineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06581663278455635580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973152623713033359.post-13587121263017340062013-01-31T10:08:00.002-08:002013-01-31T10:08:26.960-08:00Picture Frames Within a Picture Frame Did that just blow your mind? Probably not, but hopefully it at least piqued your interest enough to at least see where this thing is going. Don't worry baby birds, I'll feed you.<br />
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I've come up with a bunch of uses for old windows that I've been collecting. So far, I've only been able to bring <a href="http://www.sawdustdesigns.net/search/label/window" target="_blank">just two of those ideas</a> to fruition. Simple concepts, but they served their purpose at the time.<br />
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There are so many more things I want to try out with windows, and hopefully I'll get there, you know, eventually. Here's one more to add to the window tag.<br />
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Not sure where I got the inspiration, but I want to say it was <a href="http://www.funkyjunkinteriors.net/" target="_blank">Funky Junk Interiors</a>? Had to be. I think a ton of her projects are totally boss, and more than a few of them have inspired some of my ideas.<br />
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Taking a very old window that was in pretty rough shape, I carefully removed the glass panes and the grills. If you care to know (and you probably don't), grills are the cross bars that create the grid on the window and hold the glass panes in place.<br />
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In any case, the grills on this window were completely rotten and not able to be reattached or salvaged in any way. They were toast. Otherwise, I would've kept them and figured out a different somethin' somethin' to make with it.<br />
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Once I distressed, chipped and scraped the existing paint a little bit more, it was pretty smooth sailing. I took simple twine that you can get at just about any big box store, and wrapped it around the entire frame over and over again, at different angles to create a random design. With each pass around, I pulled it tight and used a stable gun to secure it (always on the back side).<br />
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Then I finished it off by wrapping the old window handle with the twine too, and applied the combo Minwax stain/polyurethane.<br />
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As far as what YOU use it for, what am I, your mom? Could be a lot of things, I think. On its own, as a wall decoration? Sure. Use clothespins to hang photos, like the shutter I recently posted? I don't see why not. But what I chose to do was actually hang picture frames (with or without photos in them) to create some more depth and detail. Boom.<br />
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<br />Gaineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06581663278455635580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973152623713033359.post-42051160086613428792013-01-25T14:31:00.001-08:002013-01-25T14:31:22.402-08:00My DIY iPad Case is a Real PageturnerWe finally got an iPad. And it was free, which is probably the only reason we got it. You see, unlike the hoards of early adopters that camp out in line for days prior to the launch of a new Apple product, I'm more of a "I want to see how this thing pans out" kind of guy. You know...let Apple get the glitches out, then reluctantly hop on board, while simultaneously secretly hating myself for joining a global product trend.<br />
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I held out for as long as I could, but, when you have a small child, an iPad is a "don't-leave-home-without-it" type of addition to the baby emergency kit. When you're trying to finish dinner at a restaurant (or home, even), and Campbell is trying to grab a handful of your mashed potatoes so she can rub them in her eyeballs, it makes for a convenient distraction. Just fire up that cartoon animal app and she is good to go. I mean, sure, it plays songs that make you want to shoot yourself in the neck, then reload and fire again for good measure, but it's a small price to pay for a little "me" time, I say.<br />
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So, my sister upgraded her iPad and gave us her 1st generation. Campbell then proceeded to treat the iPad like Bobby Brown treated Whitney Houston. She beat that thing like it was her job. Guess it was time to get a case...<br />
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I already knew the type of case I wanted - a book. Something like this:<br />
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Taking the idea train to Googleville, I found some cases I liked, but there were a few problems. The cheapest one I could find in the style i liked was $60, but I told myself it was worth it. However, after reading through the customer reviews (something I always do when buying a new product), I found a disturbing trend - it breaks easily. No thanks, I'll see what I can come up with on my own. <br />
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If you search for "make your own iPad book case," you will run across quite a few sites that show you how to convert an old hard cover book into a case for your iPad - <a href="http://osxdaily.com/2011/06/23/make-your-own-discrete-ipad-book-case/" target="_blank">like this one</a>. <br />
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Hold it right there, chief. You mean I'm supposed to individually cut the shape of an iPad out of 300 pages (a few at a time) then go back and glue EVERY SINGLE PAGE to the next? I dunno...what do you think, bronchitis lady?<br />
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My thoughts exactly. So...I found this book at an estate sale for $2 and tore every single page out at the binding using a box cutter. It took less than 5 minutes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxogtGmNHph0ubV0HLEAcfC3HgP3Cpdyqsz95JeBn8EKmcShdiRKlGkjY7YQbXIYBx_QcpHSAPTyBvzfzb7F29_CZDUva2MGzzm9xDvu8NQpr7XrU5RMPZE4Yrkvw9Mjh6cx2W_dM_UGI3/s1600/iPad_case_gut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxogtGmNHph0ubV0HLEAcfC3HgP3Cpdyqsz95JeBn8EKmcShdiRKlGkjY7YQbXIYBx_QcpHSAPTyBvzfzb7F29_CZDUva2MGzzm9xDvu8NQpr7XrU5RMPZE4Yrkvw9Mjh6cx2W_dM_UGI3/s1600/iPad_case_gut.jpg" /></a></div>
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Then I traced the iPad (face down) on a scrap piece of 1"x8" whitewood, used a jigsaw to cut it out and a Dremel rotary tool to sand the cut down.<br />
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I threw some construction adhesive on the inside of the back cover and clamped it down to dry.<br />
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The ribbon was a nice classy touch, me thinks. Not only does it look like a bookmark, but it also doubles as a way to pull the iPad out of the case because it's pretty snug.<br />
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The elastic strap was added to help keep the whole thing closed when <strike>I don't want to listen to that godawful music</strike> it's not in use. I attached the ribbon with construction adhesive and poked a hole through the back cover and tied a knot in the elastic to keep it in place.<br />
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<b>UNEXPECTED BONUS:</b> After staining the wood part and wiping off the access, the grains in the wood ended up looking sort of like old, weathered book pages.<br />
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I love it when a plan comes together. <br />
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<br />Gaineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06581663278455635580noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3973152623713033359.post-5107456920689269942013-01-18T14:08:00.002-08:002013-01-18T14:08:36.691-08:00Shutters: The Swiss Army Knife of Window TreatmentsAlternate blog post names considered:<br />
"Shutter? I Hardly Know Her"<br />
"Shutters: Not Just Tuxedos for your Windows"<br />
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They really do have a wide variety of uses after they've served their purpose as the Robin to your windows' Batman. Don't believe me? Search for "old shutters" on Pinterest - I dare you. Here, I'll even <a href="http://pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=old+shutters" target="_blank">make it easy for you</a>.<br />
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I dug into the old archives to pull up <a href="http://www.sawdustdesigns.net/2012/02/shutter-remix-do-it-your-shelf.html" target="_blank">another shutter project that I worked on</a> back when I first hopped on the DIY furniture train.<br />
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It was a mix-and-match grab bag of reclaimed materials so random, even Dr. Frankenstein would be proud. But it sat, lonely and unused, until finally we found the right place for it. Now it hovers proudly over the giant bathtub alcove, otherwise known as "Courtney's oasis."<br />
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It took me a while, but I found some more old shutter doors, and I have been chomping at the bit to do something with them.<br />
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As most of my "personal" projects (<i>read</i>: for our home) go, it started with Courtney finding something on Pinterest. When that happens, one of the following three things will happen. I've included the definitions I've come to learn are associated with each.<br />
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<b>Pins it on her subtly-named "Honey Do List" Pinterest board</b> = "At some point I want this."<br />
<b>Casually mentions it in a conversation</b> = "I want this soon."<br />
<b>Sends pics via text or email</b> = "This is what you'll be doing this weekend."<br />
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This project was a level II alert, so I decided it would make a great Christmas gift, to go along with the <a href="http://www.sawdustdesigns.net/search/label/sign" target="_blank">Colonel Reb pallet sign</a>. It would also turn out to be great timing because it could, albeit temporarily, display our Christmas cards.<br />
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The shutters I had were door size, so I cut one in half and sanded it down to the raw wood. The refinishing Gods, who had smited me so many times before, were smiling on me. The side I wanted (with the slats facing up) was the unpainted side. Formerly the inside of a closet, maybe? All it took was a light once-over with the palm sander. No scraping, stripping (the wood, not me) or cussing.<br />
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I wanted the finish to be rough, rustic, used and worn - like the old guy with the beard and eye patch sitting by himself at a bar at 2 p.m. on a Tuesday - I wanted it to look like it had a story to tell. So I tried something different. Instead of painting>sanding>staining, I started with staining the entire thing I just sanded (Minwax special walnut, if you care). Once I distress the paint on top, the darker surface below will show through, creating a nice contrast.<br />
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After it was dry, I took a tea candle (any white candle will do, really) and rubbed the ENTIRE thing down, <i>Karade Kid-</i>style.All corners, all crevices, even all flat surfaces.<br />
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Doing this a) makes the distressing part much easier and random, and creates a more intense look, and b) provided a valid excuse for me to post a pic of Mr. Miyagi and Daniel-son.<br />
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Next, I applied a sloppy coat of cream-colored paint to the whole thing. You don't have to be as careful to not paint too thick because, with the wax, the paint will randomly stick to some areas and not others.<br />
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Once dry, I simply used a combination of 100 grit sandpaper (to lightly scuff the entire piece) and a putty knife (to get the crevices and corners) to rough it up. Here is a close-up of the final.<br />
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If you like the rustic weathered look as much as I do, I highly recommend this technique. After adding an $8 decorative knob from Anthropology, here it is in action. <br />
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You can use basic clothespins for paper and photos, or cheap "s" hooks to hold things like keys or even jackets.<br />
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Right now, it's still housing our Christmas cards. Soon, it will serve as a home for event invitations, grocery lists and probably an art gallery for Campbell's, umm, "abstract" art.<br />
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<br />Gaineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06581663278455635580noreply@blogger.com2