Projects

I've put together this small list of projects that I've worked on in my shop. Something to remind me that I actually do something down there once in a while. Also a reminder of projects that I want to work on, to inspire me.

As with the rest of my WWW pages, I don't have any photos. I hope to correct that some day, but until then it is just text.

Future Projects

• Marble Machine
• Kitchen Pantry
• Headboard for Futon Bedframe
• Stand for sparging equipment
• Bookshelf for Living Room
• Storage Table for Drawing Board
• Bookshelf for Computer Room
• Plywood Storage Rack
• Mobil Scrap Box
• Workbench
• Completing the Mark-I Wood Rack

Current Projects -- 2007

• Paperback / Video shelves.
  These need to be less time-intensive to build than conventional bookshelves. The products are so light that individual shelves do not require as much strength as a shelf for weighty books. THe reduced shelf strength means more shelves can exist in the same vertical space, hence storing more books. The reduced constructioncost also means I can easily make them to fit between other bookshelves.
• Conventional book shelves.
  Again, for the basement library. They need to be strong to hold many heavy books. But, they need also to store many books in a small space. Originally I was going to use the jig shelves for this, but that will take too much time. So, I'm going to build shelves of the same sort in larger scale, to make a 2x bookrack.
• Shelves for book storage.
  Last year Mike and I built a jig for making shelves. This year I finally put it to good use and cranked out 34" x 9 1/4" shelves on demand. These are for a library shelves to store my magazine collection in the basement. Each shelf carries a lot of weight. The construction is the same as my bed bookshelves, which are themselves a replica in miniature of my bed construction.
• Storage shelves for basement.
  This is a heavy rack with 2x4 standards, 2x4 shelves, and 1/2" ply shelf decking. It is built like my loft bed, and is just as solid.

Current Projects -- 2006

• Jig for shelf construction.

Current Projects -- 2001

• Cook-book Shelf
• Bookshelves for basement Library
• Planter-Bench for Rennie

Recent Projects -- 2001

Mark-II Wood Rack

Garage Brackets

Christmas Tree Stand

Past Projects -- 1995

Speaker Stands

The speakers had a convenient mounting plate at the bottom, which was inconveniently placed. I used a scrap of wood to create a channel in the rear piece to allow the bolt to be inserted.

Tabletop

End-Table

This project is waiting for two things. One is for the two side frames to be joined. I initially planned to use more half laps for this, but I don't think there is enough wood contact area in the cross piece to end piece to make it strong enough. I am considering re-thinking that joint, and gluing some decorative blocks of wood in the existing half-laps in the frames. A variation on a sliding dovetail, which has mechanical strength, may be just the thing there. Another alternative are biscuits or a wedged mortise and tenon. I'm still thinking on it though. Oh yeah, and I'm thinking of pinning the half-laps on the frame sides to be overly thorough.

I haven't decided what the top(s) of this are going to be. Glass, so you can see all the woodwork, or so I don't have to worry about breaking glass, either plywood or a raised panel.

Repairing a 3 panel door

Kitchen Accesories

This actually covers several projects spread out across a time period. I'm putting them all together here because all my kitchen accessories share a similar style or motif.

The common motif is hard maple edge-glued pieces. The cooling rack uses the same pieces as the cutting-boards, but joins the end pieces with dowels, instead of more cutting board surface.

All pieces are finished with kitchen oils. I started with corn oil, which has served me well. A friend recommended non-XXX forget term XXX oils such as Walnut oil, which do not go rancid. I've not had any real problem with the corn oil, though I have switched to walnut for subsequent coats. The traditional finish for cutting boards is mineral oil, but I don't care for that.

If I return to making more things in this series, some pot-holders, a larger carving board, and perhaps a cooling-rack rack would be things I'd work on.

• Cooling Rack
  As mentioned before, dowels are the actual rack. The end dowels are of larger diameter, to keep things from sliding off the rest of the rack.
• Large Cutting Board
• Small Cutting Board
  My cutting boards are of solid maple construction, with a twist. The interior pieces are also tensioned together with 3 steel rods. The end pieces are glued on. The glue used for this project is not standard wood glue, but rather Urea Formaldehyde which is waterproof. Most cutting boards fall apart in one of the middle glue joints. Mine are 13-14 years old (as of 2007) and still going strong.

VCR Tape Racks

Ancient Projects -- 1980s

Some of these I worked on myself. Some I worked with friends to build for other friends. Some my friends helped me to build.

• Loft bed with bookshelves and computer desk w/ monitor stand.
• Oak chessboard with drawers.
• Veneer top chessboard top.