LumberJocks Woodworking Forum banner
16K views 21 replies 10 participants last post by  clieb91 
#1 ·
A Blank Slate

Well in previous blog entries my office was converted to a swimming pool. It has now thourghly dried out and been repaired, my lovely wife finished painting it for me this past weekend (I am so glad she loves to paint).

IMG_0156

IMG_0158

IMG_0157

Next step is carpeting and some tile in the corner where I am planning to put a small electric fireplace for some added warmth in the winter.
Then it is on to woodworking, one of the reasons I really started to get more involved in the hobby again is so I could build my own office furniture, so I am quite looking forward to it.

Course there is alo the playroom and the hallway that needs to be dealt with so I will have my hand full for a good long time. As for the ceiling, we are ultimatley going to do a drop ceiling but will be waiting a little while.
 
See less See more
3
#3 ·
Dimensional Furniture

Some of you may have seen previous posts about my office and basement. It is now finished off mostly, still needs some trim work and a ceiling but that is an expense we decided to wait on right now.
But anywho, this blog series is about me building my office furniture. I decided that I needed a decent desk with hutch and some bookcases to start in order to house my good size collection of books. Due to cost constraints I have decided to attempt to build the office suite of dimensioned pine from the two neighborhood box stores. I have found that the blue one carries better lumber so I started there with about half a dozen of their top-choice studs.
IMG_0177

I was able to rip these in half in order to give me more wood for the money and also to have a little bit less bulky frame work.
IMG_0181

As is usually the case with my projects the idea is all in my head and I have a very rough sketch of what I am doing as far as measurements go. I prefer more to work from the idea and adapt as things go along. So here goes nothing. I am off to look at a few pieces of wood at the borg in order to have my desktop, then to work on the actual framework. More to come…

CtL
 
#4 ·
Dimensional Furniture #2

Well I was able to work much of the day yesterday and today on my desk. Yesterday got stuff cut down and prepared for assembly. did some part sanding. I decided to use miter cuts for the legs similiar to my assembly tables in my shop. I like the look better then butt joints. To cut the miters I used a great miter jig I picked up at a yardsale last year for $5, best dang $5 I have spent in a long time.

IMG_0186

Of course like almost all of my projects I used the Kreg Jig. I do like it maybe a little too much, I do plan to work on some other joints in the future. This morning then I was able to quickly assemble the legs and get some sanding done before cutting the stretchers. I plugged up all the kreg holes left them to dry.

IMG_0189

While I went out to look at finish ideas. The guy at Woodcraft was very helpful, I decided on a "General Finishes" Espresso colored stain. He said it should do a good job on the pine since it is actually a little heavier, even pulled out an open can in the workshop to give me a better idea of the look.

IMG_0191

So anyway one I got home i was able to trim the plugs and dryfit the top, so my wife could see that I did do something on my days off.

IMG_0194

More sanding and prep as well as the hutch to do. I will staina sample piece to se how it comes out tomorrow morning.

CtL
 
#8 ·
Dimensional Furniture #3

I know it has been almost a month but it has been a busy one.. with a little time here and there I was able to finish the base desk.

IMG_0210

I put the last coat of poly on it last night and was able to move it in to the office this afternoon and get that temporary desk moved out of the way. I will be taking it apart and recycling it into new furniture for DW new sewing room.
IMG_0209

The new desk fit in place great and I am now working on figuring out the next step which will more then likely be my hutch, then bookcases, then.. got a lot more furniture to build. I do like the way it turned out though. Looking at this pic I realize I need to go find those cable managers I have laying around here somewhere.

IMG_0215

For those that may have not seen my previous entries:
The desk is 48" x 24" amd made entirely of dimensional lumber bought at the two big box stores. I ripped the 2Ă—4s in order to make it a little less chunky. All joints are Kreg.
The finish is a is by General Finishes (available from Woodcraft) Antique Oak color.This was a recomenned stain from one of the guys at Woodcraft since it is waterbased but is almost gel like. I just used two coats of a semi-gloss minwax poly to finish the piece.

Looking forward to the next pieces.

CtL
 
#11 ·
Dimensional Furniture #4

Ok so looking at my past blogs it has taken me almost an entire year to get to the point of having 3 complete pieces of furniture complete d and put into my office. So much for the mid-summer concept :(
Oh well, I just completed and posted my 2nd bookcase. http://lumberjocks.com/projects/28240
My first one the taller version is here: http://lumberjocks.com/projects/20410

I made the 2nd one shorter to be able to use the top for display. They like my desk and hutch wer made entirely of dimensioned lumber from the box stores joints were primarily done with my Kreg Jig. The finish is General Finishes Antique Oak two coats of poly.

All of these pieces have served to teach me new things and I am looking forward to working on two more pieces for my office which will be an ottoman and a printer stand. I am also contemplating a bench of some type, have to see my office is only so big.

Thanks all for looking and reading.

CtL
 
#12 ·
Dimensional Furniture #5a

Well it has not been as long between furniture projects as the last time but still a bit. This time I am working on my ottoman. I have finished assembling the frame this evening and plan to work on the finishing and the upholstered top this week with a little sewing help from my wife.
Here is here a few pics of what has happened so far.

Ottoman1

The paper you see at the top are my basic plans. I am really bad at plans, this or a general layout in PowerPoint are how I do most of my planning. From there I just work in the basic dimensions and do a lot of the math as I go.
The stock and then the first miter cuts are also shown as well as layout before assembly.

Ottoman2

Assembled legs. What I have started calling my "accidental jig" I made this a while back when I first got my Kreg Jig just to see how things worked, it has since been used for clamping and measuring and glue ups.
The completed frame.

All wood is again dimensioned 2Ă—4s and the joints are all pocket hole with the Kreg jig. I'll post the final hopefully by the end of the week.

CtL
 
#16 ·
Dimensional Furniture 5- Completed!

I have suceeded in reaching my goal of posting the completed project by the end of the week !! Here is the next piece of furniture in my office. One I have been looking forward to.

The Ottoman
ottoman3

I will be posting it as project shortly, but wanted to finish out the blog series on it. Like the rest of my office furniture it is General Finishes Antique Oak finish with 2 coats of poly. I did somethinga a little different this time and used a spray can poly. I really like the way it came out and will plan to use it more in the future. The fabric was bought on clearance several months ago along with a few other pieces that were in the running. My wife says it kind of brings the room together as I have 3 green walls with a burgandy accent wall behind the chair. She is the decorator and I like the way it looks so.. She did all the stapling and tucking of the top and I just fastened it on with a few screws. That kind of assistance from her is one of the reasons I have been looking forward to this project. We have a few other projects coming up where we will both be involved and I am looking forward to those as well.

Anyway thanks for looking and there will be more pieces to come. My most challenging and stretching piece will be the printer and storage stand.

CtL
 
#18 ·
Dimensional Furniture 6a

Believe it or not I am finally making headway on the last pieces of furniture for my office. I worked today on the Printer Stand.

Wood Workbench Table Hardwood Flooring


It is ready for staining tomorrow and while it is drying I am planning to cut the parts down for either the table or the small storage cabinet. The printer stand and table have always been in my plan the small cabinet is a newer item. After I inherited my Grandfather's toolbox I realized there are a number of tools that I either have no idea what they are or they are older and a bit worn and I will more then likely have very little use for them. But I want to have them and the tool box for display for the time being. I may decide to remove the tools and just keep the box but either way I need somewhere in my office to keep it. So the idea for the cabinet was born. Which will help out with Portable Pastimes inventory as well as I want to put all of my items that are for sale on Ebay in one set place. It of course has one thing that I am not fond of which is doors. So we will see how it goes.

I know I have said this before but I really hope to get my office finished this year, in all honestly I hope to do it this month.

Thanks fro tuning in more to come soon.

CtL
 

Attachments

#19 ·
Dimensional Furniture 6a

Believe it or not I am finally making headway on the last pieces of furniture for my office. I worked today on the Printer Stand.

Wood Workbench Table Hardwood Flooring


It is ready for staining tomorrow and while it is drying I am planning to cut the parts down for either the table or the small storage cabinet. The printer stand and table have always been in my plan the small cabinet is a newer item. After I inherited my Grandfather's toolbox I realized there are a number of tools that I either have no idea what they are or they are older and a bit worn and I will more then likely have very little use for them. But I want to have them and the tool box for display for the time being. I may decide to remove the tools and just keep the box but either way I need somewhere in my office to keep it. So the idea for the cabinet was born. Which will help out with Portable Pastimes inventory as well as I want to put all of my items that are for sale on Ebay in one set place. It of course has one thing that I am not fond of which is doors. So we will see how it goes.

I know I have said this before but I really hope to get my office finished this year, in all honestly I hope to do it this month.

Thanks fro tuning in more to come soon.

CtL
Never quit building. Keep it up sir.
 

Attachments

#20 ·
Dimensional Furniture 6b

I was able to almost entirely complete the printer stand today.

Wood Floor Hardwood Bunk bed Wood stain


I say almost as I have to cut two shelves for it that will be adjustable. I am saving that for later in the week as I have a large sheet of plywood I will have to cut for a table top and I will cut the shelves at the same time. This unit is made from 2Ă—4s, and 1/2" plywood. The adjustable shelves I wan to be a little sturdier since they will be holding paper and such so they will be 3/4" plywood. All of the materials are what I have one hand. I am not planning to purchase any new wood to make these 3 projects.

I also got enough time to work on starting the table today. A good portion of the parts are cut and some are already glued and screwed.

I am looking forward to getting this unit in my office along with the table which more then likely will wind up with a very low shelf on the top as well. I will more then likely post the table and the printer stand as one project hopefully by the end of the weekend.

Thanks for looking.

CtL
 

Attachments

#21 ·
Dimensional Furniture 6b

I was able to almost entirely complete the printer stand today.

Wood Floor Hardwood Bunk bed Wood stain


I say almost as I have to cut two shelves for it that will be adjustable. I am saving that for later in the week as I have a large sheet of plywood I will have to cut for a table top and I will cut the shelves at the same time. This unit is made from 2Ă—4s, and 1/2" plywood. The adjustable shelves I wan to be a little sturdier since they will be holding paper and such so they will be 3/4" plywood. All of the materials are what I have one hand. I am not planning to purchase any new wood to make these 3 projects.

I also got enough time to work on starting the table today. A good portion of the parts are cut and some are already glued and screwed.

I am looking forward to getting this unit in my office along with the table which more then likely will wind up with a very low shelf on the top as well. I will more then likely post the table and the printer stand as one project hopefully by the end of the weekend.

Thanks for looking.

CtL
Chris, I have to laugh with you. I can't say how many times I said that I will not buy any wood for this project. Most of the time I get lucky, sometimes off to the store. LOL
 

Attachments

#22 ·
Dimensional Furniture 7

The Work Table is fully assembled and ready for finishing. For the past few months I have found it nice to have a work table in the office for doing some small projects or for packing items for shipping. I have been using a card table.

Furniture Table Wood Interior design Picture frame


My new Work Table will now take its place by tomorrow night.

Wood Shelving Table Flooring Toy


I will be staining it tonight or tomorrow morning. It is still too cold outside to do much and the garage is not much better so I have to see what I can do about putting a poly over the stain. May have to set a fan up and open the window in the basement a crack. We'll see, may just leave it until spring and do better finish on it then.

Thanks for looking. Should have the finished project up tomorrow night.

CtL
 

Attachments

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top