Reclaim and Reuse...

A year or so ago, well before I started blogging about my projects, I built a patio table and chairs.  I just wanted to see if I could follow a plan and do it.  Well, I struggled, as it seems I do with just about everything!  But, in the end, I was pretty pleased, and very surprised, with my efforts.

I used regular old 2x4's for the legs on the table and the chairs.  I had to shape the chair legs, and this was before I had a jig saw and was too afraid to use the circular saw.  I used select pine for the table top and the slats on the chairs.  I stained it and sprayed a coat of polyurethane on it, but the intention was to put a couple good coats of sealer on it.

I'm sure you can guess that those good intentions were never acted upon.  Can you guess how well these fared outside in the rain and sun of sunny California?  Not well!!  In fact, here's what it looked like yesterday in my garage.

Never one to let things go to waste, I'd asked that the pieces be dropped off at my house.  I spent 2 hours Friday morning turning this pile of scrap into clean, reclaimed lumber.  It was loaded with nails and screws, and that all had to be removed before storing.  Let me tell you, it wasn't long after I started that I was sure I was crazy and should have had a bonfire with this stuff!  Those two hours of prying out nails with a pair of pliers wreaked havoc on my fingers and wrists!

 But, finally I was finished and had a nice stack of 1x2, 1x3, and 2x2 slightly used select pine.  Wait a minute, what are those 4x4's doing there??  They weren't in the table - I think I got a drop off bonus!

Oh, and see all that tall lumber?  That's cedar that logger SIL sent home with me back in May.  In my trunk! I'm itching to use it, I just have no imagination and can't think of anything to build - Any ideas?  Let me know if you think of something!  

Oh, and another bonus - see that pile of screws in the middle of the picture above?  Those were good pocket-hole screws.  I don't waste those, ever, they are way more expensive than just regular screws.

All in all, I spent 2 hours doing something very boring, tedious, and sometimes painful.  But, in the end I have some lumber with character to use on some of my next projects.

And, my Grandma would be proud to see that I was trying to live her "waste not want not" philosophy.

Let the Sewing Begin!

It's completion was doubtful!
It was challenging!
It was frustrating!
It was almost firewood!
I cursed!

BUT, It's done!  

Do you see how perfectly it fits in that space?  Of course, that's the result of careful planning, accurate measurements, and skill.  Oh, heck, I lie!  I wish I had pictures of me breaking a sweat when I tried to "slide" it into place, and the legs wouldn't fit down over/between the moulding!

That's when the cursing occurred.

If you recall, I built this in three pieces: the bookcase/back support, the front/legs/drawer component, and the top.  I had to get this upstairs and around corners so that was the only way I could think to build it.  I measured, and measured twice (really, I measured about 20 times!).  Then I deducted from my measurement the depth of the base mouldings.  I know I did this!  I was so sure of my measurements that I didn't just screw everything together (with pocket holes made with my Kreg jig), but I glued it all together, too.  There was no way I could take this apart to shave off the 3/8" I needed to get this suckertable into place.  And, Camper daughter's nice neighbor and her husband were there to see it all go together - how embarrassed do you think I was!!!

I pushed and shoved, Mr. Neighbor pushed and shoved.  We all scratched our heads.  They even said I could notch out the moulding - I really didn't want to do that!  So, while Mr. went to get a hammer to beat the thing into submission, I decided to try to push it in from a different direction.  I leaned it down almost to the floor and slid the legs in between the moulding, then I pushed down as I lifted and -SUCCESS!  It was in place! The drawers weren't tweaked in the process, and they still work, so all's good!(And, no, those legs aren't crooked - it's the camera angle! :-).  

BEFORE

AFTE

R
(the shelves still need clips to support them).
See those legs, sitting on the floor between the moulding - Whew!

 

After all the problems with the finish, I think it turned out beautifully.
It's a nice warm color, with a smooth, satiny shine.

And, the drop leave table's finish is nice, too.  I finished the top, but left the final finish of the sides and interior to Mrs. Neighbor.  I was just done with that finish! 

 

So, I haven't heard from her since I installed it.  But, she is still playing Words with Friends with me.  I guess that's a good sign and it's still standing and, hopefully, functioning as she'd hoped.