Community Brag Posts

Slightly more elegant version of an outdoor cedar patio table. This is made from 100% cedar and joined using Kreg pocket hole screws. The finish is 2 coats of Sikkens Cetol MRD that has been hand rubbed on using a cloth, with 24 hours of dry time between coats.

It took a while to come together and made several modifications but it is a great coop and was a major selling point of the house when we were relocated.  I had added a main tray under the roosts and a door to srape the poop out.  This made keeping the coop clean very easy.  

I've finished my swing but my porch don't have enough clearance so I built A frame stand for it.

I had a perfect corner in our playroom that was reserved mostly for clutter and always wanted to do something fun with it. The base is made with 2x8"s topped with Handscraped Hickory laminate flooring. Bored holes into the floor and installed 1" diameter color-changing LED decklights. Added theatre-style tracklights, disco ball and other dance floor lighting for extra effect. Of course the stage wouldn't be complete without wireless microphones for karaoke and mic stands hooked up to a small amp and speakers in the ceiling. I made the shelving on the right side with 1/2" black pipe and used leftover 2x12" shelves from an old garage shelving install from 7 years ago! The kids were ecstatic on Christmas morning for the reveal!

I started with the basic plans and dimensions, then made it my own from there. I added a center shelf, used regular (cheap) hinges and a removable brace instead of the shelf brackets, with stop blocks on the brace cleats to help easily center them. Added 2x4s on the sides to mount the hinges and let the wings fall flush, 2x4s on the bottom to mount 4” casters, 1/4” plywood backing, and 1x3 trim on the front for aesthetics and as a lip to hold items in place. The backing completely covers the lower shelf, and I left a gap to run cables through in the upper shelf backing. Velcro strips on the back hold the wing braces when they’re not in use.  Even though it’s plywood, I sanded everything thoroughly to reduce splinters and snags. 

I modified the plans slightly, reducing the overall seating depth by 1.5" so I could use 8' lumber with minimal waste, and make 2 cushions out of one 54" width of fabric. I also tweaked the design to make a chaise lounge on one side. I used bargain priced sunbrella fabric (has a few imperfections) and recycled soda bottle fill for the cushions to keep cost lower. Building the wooden part was quick and easy (took an afternoon including two trips to the store), but this was my first sewing project so the total project time reflects my learning curve making and stuffing cushions.

I modified this chair with 2x4's as the base and 2x2 for decoration on arms, this is prior to sanding and finishing

I made this bed for my son Luke's for 4th birthday. This project was a first for me and I loved doing it. I modified the stairs as I wasn't crazy about how shallow the steps were and how high the rise was. I have 4 stairs instead of 3 and they stick out about 4 inches from the front of the bed. The bottom step is a small toy box and the top 3 are all drawers. I also added a slide. The slide design was the biggest challenge as I couldn't find a set of plans that I liked. I ended up tracing the shape from an outdoor playset that we have. I then created a template and used a router to cut 1/4" grooves into the left and right hand sides. With help, We slid a 1/8" of wood into the grooves. The wood was from home depot, slick on one side. I think it was a Hardboard tempered panel, but I don't remember for sure. The entire project probably took 60-70 hours. The bed itself was about 30-35. The other time was the stairs with drawers and the slide. A good chunk of the remaining time was spent in planning and figuring out the slide and adjusting the drawers. This being my first project, I spent a lot of time just figuring things out. I had never used a router before. I had never drilled pocket holes before. This project opened my eyes to a whole new world.