| Project by MsDebbieP | posted 702 days ago | 524 views | 0 times favorited | 13 comments |  |
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(note: sorry about blurry pix #2.. I didn’t notice it until I got it onto the computer and I’m just too tired to go back and take it again.)
As I wrapped up the painting for the day, yesterday, I had an idea: bring the shelf down that I had made last year and put it behind the couch. Great plan.
Last year, pre-LumberJocks, I decided to make a table-thingy to go across my bed, so I could sit at my window and write. I just wanted a simple board with two end boards… and I decided that I could use dowels to put it together. So I went to the wood store and bought a little dowel thingy and went to work. I cut the boards, set up the dowel thingy and had no clue how it would work – still don’t to this day… but I some how managed to freehand drill some holes in about the right places and I made my little table. It took about one use for some of the dowels to break and it has been wobbly (and braced against the wall ever since.)
Yesterday, I hauled the wood downstairs (it didn’t take much effort to break it into 3 pieces again) and I sat and took a look at the situation. First, I had to get rid of those dowel pieces. Handsaw. Success. (I’m still surprised that I was able to do it without having to drag the wood downstairs to the mitre saw. Pretty cool!)
Next.. out came the DowelMax. Woo hoo baby. I love my DowelMax. I remember sweating over the building of the table the first time.. the frustration with the dowel gadget at that time…. .. and now.. zing, zang, the job is done. A little glue, let it dry, and it’s done. The legs fit perfectly and snugly. Sweet!
I didn’t put any finish on the table originally because I was just too darned frustrated with the whole thing. Now, I’m leaving it for two reasons 1) I had had enough painting for one day; and 2) at some point I’m going to switch the big couch that doesn’t fit in the space, with a smaller couch and then I’ll have to cut the table to make it shorter as well, to fit into the space between the windows. For now it is perfect length as it rests against the windows and does not touch my freshly painted walls.
I’m a happy camper.
Now, if I had enough gumption to get back in the room and finish moving furniture around…
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
13 comments so far
CharlieM1958
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7466 posts in 1097 days
posted 702 days ago
I think I speak for all the LJ’s in congratulating you for putting the paint brush down on this one.
I highly recommend that you choose from one of these following options: 1) Start attending some PA (Painters Anonymous) meetings. They will help you understand that you are powerless over paint, and your finishes have become unmanageable. Or 2) Whenever you feel like painting bare wood, think of Nancy Reagan and JUST SAY NO.
Good luck, and God bless. :-)
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
MsDebbieP
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14096 posts in 1039 days
posted 702 days ago
haha
ok… for the record!!!!!—- the only paint on wood I’ve ever done is the Snowman who would have looked really funny left dark brown. Now, I have put paint on paint that was on wood (I had spent hours taking the paint off our banister and when my Mom moved in, one of the first things she did was to paint it …. I just couldn’t think of going to the de-painting again and so I did paint over the paint…. I confess.)
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
MsDebbieP
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14096 posts in 1039 days
posted 702 days ago
oh.. and by finish, I mean some poly or something… not paint….. I see where my words could have been misinterpreted…
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
CharlieM1958
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7466 posts in 1097 days
posted 702 days ago
Now didn’t your mom ever tell you that once your reputation gets damaged it’s hard to repair? LOL!
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
MsDebbieP
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posted 702 days ago
that is true….. oh the tragedy of it all…..
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
jockmike2
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7222 posts in 1125 days
posted 702 days ago
Congrats Deb. you’re my hero. Geterdone. thats my motto. You just went ahead and did it, by cracky I like your style. mike
-- Mike. mwurm13@yahoo.com
MsDebbieP
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14096 posts in 1039 days
posted 702 days ago
ah gee, Mike.. you are too kind.
It would be a whole lot easier, though, if I knew what I was doing!! :)
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Karson
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25274 posts in 1279 days
posted 702 days ago
But Debbie, How do you know what you are doing without doing. Then you know and can use that in the future.
” Woo hoo baby. I love my DowelMax. I remember sweating over the building of the table the first time.. ”
See one you’ve done it you know what your doing.
Can you ride a bicycle? Do you need to be trained each time. (I’m really making an assumption here, that you do)
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
MsDebbieP
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14096 posts in 1039 days
posted 702 days ago
well… the DowelMax I have down pat… but I’m sure that for most things I do there are a lot of much easier ways to do them!
Reminds me of an interview with Bill Cosby I saw once… in high school, he wrote a math exam and took 4 pages to figure out a problem (and got the right answer). The teacher: 100 years ago, we’d consider that brilliant … but today, there is an equation that you can use and get it done in just a couple steps.. ...if only you’d paid attention in class and remembered the equation.
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Lee A. Jesberger
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3709 posts in 858 days
posted 702 days ago
Hi Ms. Debbie,
It dosen’t matter which road you take as long as you end up in the same spot. (unless it’s a race).
Nice job.
Lee
-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com
Chip
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1058 posts in 971 days
posted 701 days ago
Unpainted pine and painted walnut. It can only be that you have reached some elevated stage of woodworking enlightenment that none of the rest of us can even begin to understand. ;-)
Great stuff as always sensei (low bow).
-- Better to say nothing and be thought the fool... then to speak and erase all doubt.
miles125
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1414 posts in 884 days
posted 701 days ago
Looks nice and very functionable. Weren’t we just discussing not long ago how you can’t have enough horizontal surfaces? You go Debbie!
-- miles125, Alabama.."Architecture is frozen music""
MsDebbieP
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14096 posts in 1039 days
posted 701 days ago
that’s true Lee… it’s about the journey, not the destination. And I’m very pleased with my journey with that table.
Chip.. I’ll slowly let you in on my wisdom :)
Thanks Miles .. and isn’t it cool that the height is perfect for that couch—the junk on it . I mean the treasures on it are showed off beautifully, not too high and not too low. AND it’s the exact length of the couch.. Karma!
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)