| Project by ErsatzTom | posted 331 days ago | 260 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
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13 comments so far
cajunpen
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5345 posts in 603 days
posted 331 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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3048 posts in 852 days
posted 331 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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71 posts in 343 days
posted 331 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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8574 posts in 412 days
posted 331 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.
-- Maplewood, MN
MsDebbieP
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12282 posts in 698 days
posted 331 days ago
excellent job.
“Folding” is super for storage!
-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Critterman
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492 posts in 348 days
posted 331 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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3432 posts in 500 days
posted 331 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, Owyhee Design, Oregon
ErsatzTom
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103 posts in 343 days
posted 331 days ago
Thanks everyone!
-- Tom, Southwest Florida
Lip
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130 posts in 587 days
posted 331 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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1127 posts in 844 days
posted 331 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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2243 posts in 412 days
posted 331 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.theeasellife.com
TreeBones
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1456 posts in 561 days
posted 330 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 343 days
posted 330 days ago
The artist showing off her latest creation:
-- Tom, Southwest Florida