| Project by ErsatzTom | posted 673 days ago | 399 views | 0 times favorited | 13 comments |  |
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This is my first non-shop project. I saw this being built on New Yankee Workshop and got the plan out of Norm’s book The New Yankee Workshop Kid’s Stuff. The original plan calls for chalk boards but my wife and I decided that we’d rather use white boards.
The frame on one side has slots that the paper rides through both holding the paper against the board and making it easy to tear off the last painting/drawing:
It folds up like this:
I originally planned on painting the easel when done. Since it was going to be painted I just used some wood I already had on hand, mostly poplar with a couple of small pieces of maple. When I finished it, though, my wife thought it would look better natural, so I started messing with it to try make the wood match up a bit better. To make a long story short, I let the sun turn the green of the poplar turn more of a brown and lightened up the darkest parts just a bit with bleach. I could have made them lighter but I was afraid that it would be difficult to blend the bleached and unbleached areas if I got too aggressive.
I didn’t like the way the poplar and maple stained. I got a lot of good advice on how to better adjust the colors but I just didn’t have the time or experience to make a good match. Instead, after bleaching I just finished it with wipe on poly.
I made plenty of mistakes and had to make more than one part over again but I’m pretty pleased how it came out. I can’t wait until my daughter gets back from her grandparents and can break it in.
-- Tom, Southwest Florida
13 comments so far
cajunpen
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5970 posts in 945 days
posted 673 days ago
That is a great looking easel and your daughter should be quite pleased with it. Good work.
-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/
dennis mitchell
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3785 posts in 1193 days
posted 673 days ago
Good looking project. Glad it came out paint free, but hopefully your daughter changes that!
-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com
WhiskeyWaters
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93 posts in 684 days
posted 672 days ago
I do think that easel is good-looking enough to go into the “too good-looking for the kids” box. Great work. It looks real rugged, and your daughter should love it.
rikkor
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11338 posts in 753 days
posted 672 days ago
Nicely done. How much better to have your daughter doing something creative at the easel than vegging out at a computer game. Good job.
MsDebbieP
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14096 posts in 1039 days
posted 672 days ago
excellent job.
“Folding” is super for storage!
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Critterman
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545 posts in 689 days
posted 672 days ago
You did a great job, you daughter, I’ll bet, is ver excited. Toys that allow freedom of the mind are always loved and appreciated. And the finish looks well done also, it will probably end up with an artists version later on anyway….LOL. Great work.
-- Jim Hallada, Chesterfield, VA
Thos. Angle
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4015 posts in 841 days
posted 672 days ago
Great job, Tom. i’m sure she will get a lot of use out of it and a lot of fun as well.
-- Thos. Angle
ErsatzTom
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103 posts in 684 days
posted 672 days ago
Thanks everyone!
-- Tom, Southwest Florida
Lip
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149 posts in 928 days
posted 672 days ago
Great job Tom … I’m guessin’ nobody will ever know it wasn’t originally intended to be painted unless you told them … came out really nice … and I’m sure she’ll love it!
-- Lip's Dysfuncational Firewood Farm, South Bend, IN
RobS
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1231 posts in 1185 days
posted 672 days ago
Super and even better paint free, I like al the natural colors. Great work.
-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX
Blake
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2715 posts in 753 days
posted 672 days ago
Looks really nice. That will be in the family for generations. I’m glad you left it natural as well. We all love to see the wood!!!
-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com
TreeBones
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1558 posts in 902 days
posted 671 days ago
I would be pleased also , this turned out great. Nice work.
-- Ron, Twain Harte, Ca. Portable on site Sawmill Service http://westcoastlands.net/Sawmill.html http://westcoastlands.net/SawBucks2/phpBB3
ErsatzTom
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103 posts in 684 days
posted 671 days ago
The artist showing off her latest creation:
-- Tom, Southwest Florida