| Project by Jim Cronin | posted 699 days ago | 1473 views | 2 times favorited | 10 comments |  |
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First post on LJ, be kind =)
Up until this project I had only build a few jigs (sacrificial tablesaw fence, jointing jig for table saw, box finger jig, and a thickness cutting jig for the table saw) and done a bunch of practicing. So yea, I am pretty much a newbie.
My wife asked me to make a tote for her horse brushes for her birthday and the attached image is the result.
She loves it and I feel it turned out pretty good. I know that if I had to do it again, it would go a little smoother.
I had practiced the box joints a ton so they came out great.
The main challenges that I had were:
1. It is made of pine so that it would be light-weight and easy to lug back and forth to the stall. But, that makes it easy to ding during construction, so there are a few scars. But I figure she’ll dirty it up soon enough.
2. Glue up. I have no idea how I managed to screw this up after a practice fitting and clamping, but in my haste at the actually glue up I reversed one of the sides and clamped it. You can imagine the panic I felt when I noticed as I was admiring my effort.
A quick scream of horror, and then I composed myself to quickly loosen the clamps and try to remove the wrongly placed board. The pins had swollen some and it took every bit of adrenaline I had to pry them apart. I was sure I was going to break one (it is just pine after all). I successfully pulled the boards apart and re-joined and re-clamped them facing the correct way. It wasn’t pretty – but it was saved.
3. Squeeze out. I have never glued a project together before and didn’t realize what the squeezed out (then wiped off) glue would do to my finishing efforts. After I put on the first coat of stain it was heartbreaking to see all the voids in the color due to the glue residual.
Out came the chisel. I delicately chipped away any glue that stood out sorely and then re-sanded gently and applied stain again. I probably should have just re-sanded the whole thing, but I was anxious to be done.
All’s well that ends well, I guess.
Finishing effort:
1. Sanded 100 and 220.
2. Wiped on Wood Conditioner – let sit 30 mins.
3. 2 Coats of Minwax stain.
4. 3 coats of spray on lacquer.
No plans – it just came together.
-- "If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail" - Abraham Maslow
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10 comments so far
Manitario
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1862 posts in 1052 days
#1 posted 699 days ago
looks really good; I’m sure your wife will appreciate it!
-- Rob, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
WoodenFrog
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2355 posts in 1082 days
#2 posted 699 days ago
I like it and I am sure she will love it!
My question to you is…did you have fun! Yes! Well thats what is all about, none of my projects come out perfect, it is how you learn and overcome that makes me smile.
I think you did a heck of a job, SO KEEP IT UP!
I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING MORE PROJECTS FROM YOU!
Good luck! Thanks for sharing.
-- Robert B. Sabina, Ohio.....
Jamie Speirs
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3679 posts in 1025 days
#3 posted 699 days ago
Great first project
Wont be long before you will be making antiques. :)
jamie
-- Who is the happiest of men? He who values the merits of others, and in their pleasure takes joy, even as though 'twere his own. --Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
RichardMu
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240 posts in 1100 days
#4 posted 699 days ago
Great looking tote. Nice first project and it sounds like you have learned a couple of valuable lessons for your next project. Keep’em coming.
-- You will never build it unless you try. The second one always turns out better.
RGtools
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2833 posts in 823 days
#5 posted 699 days ago
Great first post. Welcome here.
-- Make furniture that lasts as long as the tree - Ryan
Bluepine38
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2100 posts in 1254 days
#6 posted 698 days ago
The real test of a project is whether it does the job it was made for, you said your wife was happy, so you
are way ahead on this, if Momma is happy, everybody is happy. The tote also looks real good, and as you
said the pine keeps it light and easy to carry. I am still try to master the box joints. To keep the assembly
easier, lightly mark all the joints with pencil, and it will help the assembly go smoother and comes right off
with an eraser. Don’t ask why I need this help, LOL. Thank you for sharilng, and now that you made the
first project, what is your next step?
-- As ever, Gus-the 74 yr young apprentice carpenter
Jim Cronin
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5 posts in 943 days
#7 posted 698 days ago
Thanks for all the kind words of encouragement. It’s easy to see why it is such an active community here with all the positive remarks.
Bluepine38 – What’s next? I want to try some hardwood so I bought a nice 1’ X 6’ board of maple to play around with. Maybe a nice little jewelry box. Since I don’t have a lot of room to leave projects unfinished, I can’t really dive into anything too exciting yet. I’ll be sure to post, whatever it is!
-- "If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail" - Abraham Maslow
TopamaxSurvivor
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13192 posts in 1845 days
#8 posted 698 days ago
Looks good from here. Great job for pine.
-- "some old things are lovely, warm still with life ... of the forgotten men who made them." - D.H. Lawrence Wake Up America!! Please read; http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/01/26-0
christopheralan
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1065 posts in 1889 days
#9 posted 698 days ago
Very nice! All the joints look great!
-- christopheralan http://www.projectwoodworks.com
Willie1031
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142 posts in 706 days
#10 posted 697 days ago
Be nice? It looks great. I am building one soon, and now I know what it’ll look like. Great post.
-- A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval. -- Mark Twain
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