Carpentry Class #5

Last night went FAR too quickly! I came home absolutely covered in white sawdust. It was fantastic!


So after cutting almost everything I needed last week, last night I got to use the table saw all by myself to cut the last piece (MDF for the top, as it won't be seen) That was great fun!

I spent most of the rest of the night sanding. First I was using the belt sander, then I finished off with hand sanding - I actually preferred the feel of the finish it gave after I had hand sanded.

I made a bit of a mess...

I got FILTHY!

I drilled holes ready for screwing the seat together next week. *Note to self, remember to sort out screws for next week!*

Two boards clamped together, marked and holes drilled ready for assembly next week.

Second Carpentry Class

I have realised that I didn't blog about my second week of carpentry class - when I finished my cooling rack/trivet.

I can't remember exactly, given it was 3 weeks ago, but I remember I drilled holes then spaced out the slats and then nailed it all together. When I brought it home, I oiled it, and I have been using it at dinner times when I have a hot dish out of the oven to put on the table

My first project, complete!

More on the gate!

Yesterday morning I didn't manage to control myself in the swearing department when I looked out the window before I took the kids to school. My gate was lying on the footpath!

I knew that the bottom packer had split a bit when I screwed it on, but I had hoped for the best. So before I met my Mum for lunch yesterday, I hot footed it to Mitre 10 Mega and bought a 650mm piece of treated decking timber (the same stuff I used on the gate frame). When I got home, I broke out the circular saw, cut off a 1 inch strip, then attached the remaining length to the gate post. I then attached the hinges to it - one gate, hung, better be for the last time, or I'll spit!!!

Right, gate, thats the last time I hang you!

With the 1 inch length I cut off, I screwed that to the opposite gate post, on the outside, as a stop. With the child-proof magnetic latch, when it is closed now, it closes with a distinctive 'clunk' so I know that it is closed!

The stop on the outside of the gate.

I don't think it will dare come off again! It would have ME to deal with if it did! I have certainly learnt a LOT while hanging this gate!

Halfway: Carpentry Class #4

Carpentry class tonight was fantastic! (I have just realised I didn't write about the second class, will do that later)

I started off the class by screwing my tray together, took me about 15 mins (with Robert showing me what he wanted me to do) I had to mark and drill holes and then use the drill to screw it all together and give it one final sand to take off the marks left by the clamp and a few machine marks on the base.

One tray - all done! 

Pine sides and ends, MDF base.

My handle makes me happy, it fit around my fingers jut the way I imagined it would.

After the tray was all done, I broke out my plan, which has had to be altered slightly as I'm now doing it in plywood. 

My sheet of ply, had to be cut to fit in the car. 

All ready to cut even more!

I got to use the table saw to cut the lengths to the correct width, then I got to use the drop saw to cut those lengths to the correct size for ends and dividers. I also used the table saw to cut the 20mm trim for around the top to stop the squab cushion from sliding off. It was great fun using all these machines!

Then I made a template for the 'feet' at the ends, penciled that on to the wood and cut it out with the bandsaw! While trying to clear under the blade though, I managed to take a slice out of it where I wasn't supposed to - bugger it! But it was fixable - Robert buzzed of along the bottom where I had sliced it, so it will be vaguely shorter than first anticipated, but I purposely made it a bit higher, just in case - clever me ;) Then I filed down the rough edges, sandpapered them and then... it was time to pack up and go home. I really really really wish I had my own workshop space right now! I really did NOT want to stop!

I had to make a slight adjustment to the height of the box, just because of the size of a piece of wood that was left, so it has gone from being 450mm high to 440mm high. It was really of no coincidence  - it just meant I needed to make the dividers 440 high as well. 

Robert said that I should be very proud of what I have accomplished tonight - and I am! Others in the class said it was really ambitious and that I was very clever. These things all make me very happy.

Next week I will take in the large sheet of 12mm MDF I have left, which will form the seat part of the box. I decided to make that part from MDF, as it won't be seen, with the cushion on the top. It may yet become the bottom of the box. We'll see :)

Carpentry class number 3

Last night I had my 3rd carpentry class. I came home happy and covered in sawdust! Not to mention smelling of wood :D

At the end of last weeks class, when I had finished the cooling rack/trivet, I started designing the handles for my next class project - a serving tray.

Tonight, I got to use machines again! Whee! First it was the drill press, which I used to drill several large holes in the wood that is to be my handles, then I got to cut out the handles with a jigsaw - this was my first time using a jigsaw - I WANT one!! Noisy little machine, that one, though.

After cutting as much out as I could, I went and filed the handles down the rest of the way. Then I attacked it with the sandpaper. When I was happy with that, I went and cut the curved edges with the bandsaw - Robert (the teacher) said it must have had a new blade put in it this week - I didn't have to remove any burnt bits, and it was WAY faster than last time (not that I was very slow last time lol) Then it was more sanding, finishing etc of the handles, and then I got to plane the edges of the sides and base of the tray. Then it was about time to pack up, so next week, it will take me no time at all to screw it all together!

I had compliments coming from all directions tonight, Robert said that I was fair flying along and doing a great job and looked like I was in my element (also asked if I was always like this - so busy - ha, with 3 kids, he doesn't know the half of it ;) ) Several of my classmates also complimented me on the design of my handles, one said that I must have put a lot of thought  in to it - I said that I hadn't actually - she said that I must just have a natural talent for these things! People were even asking ME for advice on using the equipment! Yikes!

So, whats next??

Next project is either a small shelving unit (which is rather useless to me) or a project of my own choosing, which I need to provide my own wood for.

I had a couple of things in mind: 

• The first was a new letterbox as out old one has been rather spent since, I would wager, long before we moved in here. 
• The second was a headboard, no, a PAIR of headboards - for the girls beds. Inspired from this Ana White plan. I was thinking I would modify it a little so that there was a little bit of a shelf for the girls to put a drink on, and they would both be King Single sized.
• The third was a window seat for in the girls room. Not a built in one, but one that could be moved if necessary, like this plan, also from Ana White. Modified to make it with 4 cubby holes instead, so the girls each have 2 storage spaces of their own to use.

After having a bit of a look online to see where I could get baskets or similar from, I came across these wee fabric boxes that will be PERFECT for putting in the cubby holes :) So I have decided to go ahead and make the window seat. 

I have MDF sitting in the hall left over from Little Chalmers (new stuff, which I wasn't sure what I was going to do with, as well as some that has been used) which will do for the base, top (as it will be covered with a squab) and the upright dividers. I plan to use pine at the ends and as trim around the front and back edges (at the back around the top, I plan to create a bit of a lip to keep the squab on top from being pushed off all the time) and also to cover up the dividers at the front to make it look nicer than MDF.

I drew up a rough plan last night with some measurements etc on it. I guess it's almost time to go shopping for some wood!!