Community Brag Posts

A-Frame Chicken Coop

Submitted by winelass on Thu, 09/25/2014 - 07:59

We followed all the original plans and added a few modifications. Chickens seem happy! We dropped the height of the nesting box down a little and made the roof only cover half of the coop. We live in California on the central coast so it doesn't get too cold. We also only made one side of the nesting box able to be opened. We added a little door on the bottom level with left over t 1-11 for easy access to their food and water and in the hopes that eventually we will let them roam our yard supervised during the day.

All in all the project cost us about $150 and took 4.5 hours to complete! Thanks for the great plans!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
None
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

My Wife's sewing table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/10/2017 - 10:37

This turned out to be a great project.  In the end it took far more time than I thought.  I used Mahogancy and Maple for the table top. That was expensive and costs around $250 in material alone.  I attached the boards together with Kreig Screws.  It took around 120 screws to get it all done.  

There are a few things I would do differently.  I would not use 12 inch wide boards.  They are all warpped or cupped.  I would either use birch veneer plywood or I would use 4 to 6 inch boards, straighten the edges on a table saw and then glue them together.  There are YouTube videos that show how do to that.  The 12 inch boards just did not cooperate and I really had to struggle to deal with the twisting and cupping. And, I hand picked what appeared to be straight boards.  

The top took a lot of sanding.  The Krieg system states that glueing is not necessary.  However, that is really not accurate when using different kinds of wood of this length.  So, the edges raised up and needed some serious sanding.  I also should have cut all the edges straight because after the job was done I could  see spaces between some of the boards.  Not a big deal but just somehting to take note of.  All together this took around 50 hours.  I also used a router to cut the shelf supports, (a challange in cupped wood) and I put some extra mouldings on to cover up the cupping and warping in places.  Then we painted it white with aqua trim and decided to re-do the color to dark blue.  

My wife loves the table and it looks great and no one knows about the mistakes but me. It is a great design and very functional.  I really like the hardwood top. 

Estimated Cost
$500
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Oil stain on the top and paint on the bookshelfs
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

modern park bench

Submitted by debinmi on Sun, 09/28/2014 - 11:50

Spent an hour or so an evening after work to make this bench .  Also made the umbrella stand but haven't drilled the hole for the umbrella yet so it' s still in the garage.  Love the bench, it's long & deep enough to lay down upon.  Made the arms from a 2x6 and rounded the front w/ a jig saw, made the other end the same size as the 2x4, and made them longer than the plan. Pretty simple, did use pocket holes in places. First major build & 1st brag.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Pittsburg exterior stain in Oxford Brown
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project
Seasonal And Holiday

Farmhouse Keychain Holder

My niece collects keychains as I do, so I built her something to display her collection on!

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Rustic Lift Top Coffee Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 10/22/2024 - 07:38

I opted to stagger 2 different kinds of wood on top for a little pizzazz. The lift hardware didn't line up well and ended up needing a spacer inside to glide smoothly (link was out of stock so I went rogue), but now it's lovely. I chose the X brace with no bottom and left the natural wood with stain. My dad helped me do biscuit joints for the top and mortise/tenons in the frame. Overall I love it! - Brooke

Flight of the Bumble Bee

Submitted by Richcctx on Sun, 12/23/2012 - 18:48

I saw the plan posted on this site and had to bulid this for my grandson Paulie. The whole build took one day from start to fininsh. I didn't have to spend much for the project since I already had most of the material on hand. I used a tabel saw, Jig saw, and Miter saw to make all my cuts as directed by the plans. I found the project plans to be very simple to follow. I can't wait to see the look on my grandsons face when he sees this on Christmas day.

Respectfully,

Rich

Estimated Cost
$15.00
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Enamel Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Bathroom Storage Tower

Submitted by mom of 4 on Thu, 10/02/2014 - 21:53

I designed this closed storage unit for my main bathroom. Two adjustable shelves behind each door make storage very flexible. The open middle shelf is tall and easily accessible for items used multiple times a day.

I built this with a single sheet of plywood. I splurged on nice hinges for a full-overlay door.

I drilled my shelf pin holes using a piece of pegboard as my guide, and some painters tape to mark the depth on my drill bit so I didn't drill too deep.

Getting the doors to hang straight was one of the hardest parts! I apologize that the pictures are all sideways, I don't know how to fix it.

Estimated Cost
Plywood and backing- $40
Hinges - $16
Handles - $3
Rust-Oleum Half Pint Ultimate Satin Polyurethane - $7
Shelf pins - $4
Total Cost - $70
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
3 coats of Rust-Oleum Ultimate Satin Polyurethane, sanding before first application and before final application.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Modified Media Cabinet

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/16/2017 - 13:36

I modified this project to fit my space.  I'm pretty new at woodworking but everything was fun to do.  One of the hardest parts for me were the legs so I opted for cabinet feet from Ikea.  I've gotten so many compliments so far!

Estimated Cost
$120
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
plywood birch
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Turned leg farmhouse dining table

Submitted by joslwea on Mon, 10/06/2014 - 23:44

Great rustic farmhouse dining table

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$226
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Miinwax special walnut, vinegar/steel wool oxidation, minwax satin polyurethane.
Pretreat pine with conditioner, apply one coat of stain, then a coat of vinegar/ steel wool mixture, and finally 2-3 coats poly. Sand between each step with 220 grit and remove all dust.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farmhouse Bed - Queen Sized

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/19/2017 - 07:44

Fun quick project for our new house. I finished this bed in 2 days, and my wife was very happy! I stained it in Jacobean (Minwax), and finished with a clear satin poly.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Entryway Mail Sort, Hutch, and Shoe Drawers

Made the hutch 1ft taller

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Rustoleum weathered gray and bright white

Comments

Play Workbench

My son loves to be in the shop with me. For Christmas I thought he would really like his own workbench with some tools that he sees me use. He really gravitates toward the clamps and my drill. I lucked out and found a fun drill that he really enjoys... "just like Daddy's!" I hope it serves him well for years to come.

The frame is joined with glue and screws. The screw holes are filled with contrasting dowels and cut flush. The top is 2 pieces of 3/4" birch laminated together. I rounded over all the edges with 1/4" roundover bit in the laminate router. The top is attached with pocket screws.

Estimated Cost
Scrap wood and free pegboard
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Danish oil
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Scott Kershaw

Wed, 01/02/2013 - 01:41

I put a 1/4" roundover on all the edges. I need to sneak it out to the garage to round over the top shelf but the kid hasn't stopped playing "wood shop. More power. Ogh, ogh, ogh!"

Tidy Up End Table

Fun little project, think I used too many pocket holes, they are really visible, all well, take what you learn.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Tilt-Out Kitchen Trash Can Cabinet

Submitted by Fritz Lane on Sat, 10/10/2020 - 11:32

Here's my take on Ana's 'Wood Tilt-Out Trash or Recycling Cabinet.' It's made from lumber salvaged from pallets found locally. Two changes made from the original plans:

- Raised panel on the door
- Used two stop blocks inside the cabinet to limit motion on the door (instead of chains)

The only items that were purchased were the trash can, hinges, door pull and Kreg screws.

Links for techniques and finishes used in this project:

Raised panels:
https://www.finehomebuilding.com/2006/03/01/making-raised-panel-doors-o…

Milk paint finish:
http://toolmakingart.com/2008/06/16/two-layer-milk-paint/

Topcoat on cabinet:
https://sawsonskates.com/bobs-miracle-finish/

Estimated Cost
Approximately $30
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
For the cabinet, a two-layer milk paint formulation. The red tint was obtained using Sakrete powdered cement color, a product made for adding color to concrete. A link is shown in the Summary section (above).

Topcoat on the cabinet is a mix of spar varnish, paint thinner and boiled linseed oil. A formulation for the finish can be found in a link in the Summary section (above).

Finish on the top was a product called "Maxithane" from Sico. It's a combination of stain and polyurethane. The color is Cedar. I happened to find a can of this product at a dollar store that specializes in closeout deals and haven't seen it in any stores since.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Christmas Gift-Chalkboard

This project was a Christmas gift for the niece and nephew. It turned out better than expected and was easy to do. I followed the plan, just made it shorter and narrow for a 3 and 6 year old to use. Mom and dad liked it a lot. I took off 8 inches from the height and width. Luckily someone else had the chalkboard paint leftover. That helped to keep the cost down. I had left over plywood from another project. I just bought the hinges and 1x2 and 1x3's. That's why the cost is fairly low for this project. Its worth saving those scrape pieces. Thanks Ana.

Estimated Cost
$30
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Chalkboard paint, 2 layers of Red Oak stain, with 2 layers of polycrylic.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Tilt Out Trash Bin

This was my first project using an Ana White plan....Modified it a bit...quite happy with how it came out...it was very low cost to make and a lot of fun.

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Varathane Stain....Spring Oak
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Countertop Pie Box Safe

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 11/21/2024 - 08:37

Sorry for the messy background. I made this out of scrap pine I had on my lumber rack. It turned out pretty poorly in my humble estimation, but it'll serve the purpose next week! I still need to finish it off with a magnetic latch for the door, and a satin clear coat. It's #3 lumber, so certainly not good lumber, but it was fun building it, and it's flaws will serve to make it a bit eclectic. The next one will be made out of hardwood! Thanks for the plan! It's really neat, and I hope to be able to market them as well. - Mike in beautiful northeastern Tennessee!

Built from Plan(s)