DIY: Be Creative & Do It Yourself

[Rev.Cambeul]

I'm building a shelf unit/cupboard/wardrobe into an alcove in my spare room. A brother is currently living in there so he needs it - especially as I refuse to allow him to buy a shabby old wardrobe to lumber me with.

I'm building it from floor to ceiling @ a height of 295cm
Width 154cm
Depth 45.4cm
That is taking into account the thickness of the Structural Ply @ 21mm

The wood is all cut and stashed out in the backyard under the pergola. I have the walnut varnish/stainer mix ready to apply. The intent is to apply the varnish/stainer out-doors. Once dry, glue and screw. Then the next week I get to work on the shelves and clothes hanging rails.

Today I bought the stud-finder: Cost $25. I'm used to the tap and listen method to find the studs, but as this is going to need to be able to take considerable weight, I bought the stud-finder to ensure I do it right.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLop327qDlU

[Grimm]

Nice Thread Rev.C


See Creators are damn good creators and some really are good at everything

[Grimm]

Liberals should not play with mens tools

[Rev.Cambeul]

Nice Thread Rev.C


See Creators are damn good creators and some really are good at everything

Thanks. I've never built furniture before. I've only ever repaired or improved it ... but the brother needs a wardrobe and I need shelves (once he's gone, that is). So I thought why not do it myself. All it takes is a little common sense combined with a little creativity. Slap some wood in place - Left, Right and Back. Then drill some holes left and right for modular shelving. Add half a dozen shelves and add a towel rail or shower curtain rail under two of them so the brother can hang clothes top and bottom. The remainder of the shelves can be used however the brother thinks is best for his purposes. Anything left over can be put on the bottom.

Since it's the first time I've done anything like this, I'll probably take a few photos:

* The bare wall.
* Wood in place - Left, Right and Back.
* Finished product empty.
* Finished product full.

If the walnut stainer/varnish (brand = British Paints of course because I'm prejudiced) is exactly what I need, then I'll redo my bar, coffee table and desk with the same. Just rub them back with some steel wool first and slap on the stainer/varnish. My desk also has a hidden secure compartment where I hide my modem and wifi accessible multi-terabyte hard-drives. I'm also thinking of a few additions to that particular area of my desk.

I did some work on the desk a few years ago. When I got it, it was too low and shabby looking. I raised the desk by several inches, added the hidden compartment slapped some varnish/stainer on that was the wrong colour and has scratched and flaked off because I didn't rub it back well enough. I didn't know about using steel wool back then and just used sand-paper. Still, it was good practice ....

I'm just lucky I have a house that has (what looks to me like) walnut finish door, window and skirting edges. And even if I'm not exact, variations on wood grain and colour should mean that I'm close enough for it not to matter.

It pays to build your own computer rather than buy assembled ...
Swastika shaped computer lights were an unexpected but appreciated bonus.

A desk is more useful than a dining table.

Twin 26 inch screens, a pin-board and a whiteboard.

The book-case next to my desk needed more shelves, so I used some scrap I had lying about to add modular shelving - see the three lighter coloured temp shelves. Now I know about structural ply, it's easy to get it cut to size, varnish/stain and fit however many shelves I want ... and that too is finished.

[Grimm]

Nice Thread Rev.C


See Creators are damn good creators and some really are good at everything

Thanks. I've never built furniture before. I've only ever repaired or improved it ... but the brother needs a wardrobe and I need shelves (once he's gone, that is).

I am more hands on with things like that, i enjoy that *.
I can build you a house, wire it, plumb it and even build the flat pack furniture.