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Mother's Day First Build - "Cameron" Vintage Storage Dining Table

Submitted by meggrs on Sun, 05/20/2012 - 17:04

This wasn't my first DIY project but it was my build from this side and first real woodworking project and it's been the most satisfying to date. I made this table for Mother's Day for my mom who has been dreaming of the PB Cameron fixed trestle dining table but couldn't take the hefty price tag. Things I changed: - I added the "pegs" on the table ends to make it look more like the PB version. They are just 1/2" round wood plugs glued to the trestles. - I was going to add two more tabletop braces underneath (again to make it more like the PB version) but I cut one of them incorrectly so I just added on more in the middle. I'm turning the boo-boo lumber into a yarn swift; waste not. Things I learned: - If the wood is going to be stained and varnished, shell out for the *good* stuff. I had to put on way to many coats of polyurethane to make the cheapo pine boards smooth enough even after I had dampened it to raise the grain and sanded it. - Don't believe the stated length of the boards you buy. 36-inch boards are actually 36 inches and a bit. I ended up having to disassemble and re-cut my tabletop supports. - Practice with your jigsaw if you haven't made curved cuts before to see how tightly you can turn. Luckily I had extra ply to make another couple trestles after I botched the first two...

Built from Plan(s)
Vintage Storage Dining Table
Estimated Cost
$160 for materials
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Table base:
- Stained edges with Minwax Dark Walnut.
- Two coats Annie Sloan chalk paint in Old White.
- One coat Annie Sloan clear soft wax.
- Distressed edges with sandpaper to show stain underneath.
- One final coat Annie Sloan clear soft wax and a good buffing.

Tabletop:
- One coat Varathane wood conditioner. (Pine takes stain unevenly without it.)
- Three coats Minwax Dark Walnut.
- 18-million coats Minwax Semigloss Polyurethane. (It seemed like it anyway.)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

tracysmith

Sun, 05/20/2012 - 21:33

I've had to learn some of those things myself since I started building a year and a half ago. Sometimes it's frustrating and even costly, but when you learn it, you learn it and you never have to again. haha Unless you're really a gluten for punishment. ;-) Good job and thanks for sharing with us some of those lessons learned.

Mirror Frame

Submitted by AndyH on Tue, 03/04/2014 - 11:00

We had a big ugly frameless mirror in one of restrooms that builder had fitted as standard. Took it down and made this framed mirror instead.

Made from 4 by 1 with routed recess for mirror. Edges are 3 by 1s

Finished in Rustoleum Driftwood and two coats of Minwax Satin WIpe On Poly.

It is quite heavy so I fitted it to the wall with a French cleat made from two scraps of wood which also means it fits flush to the wall.

Estimated Cost
$40
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Rustoleum Driftwood and Minwax Wipe On Satin Poly
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Reclaimed Chilton Bed

This rustic farm bed is handcrafted from reclaimed weathered barn wood. The plank design and mixture of tones and textures give it a distinct rustic feel. Each piece celebrates the unadorned beauty of salvaged wood. Our reclaimed barn farmhouse bed is truly transitional. And now the best part, it can be made in any size needed -- King, Queen, Full or Twin.

Built from Plan(s)
Farmhouse Bed - Queen Sized
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Starwars AT-AT Walker toy

We couldn't find one in the store and my son wanted one for his birthday. I found an example online of a starwars themed charging station and he has played with it for years. Used some scrap wood and most of the cost was hardware and accessories.

Estimated Cost
$40
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Playhouse castle

Submitted by vic b on Tue, 05/22/2012 - 17:44

visit us at www.madeatthisplace.blogspot.com, for details. We built a large platform off the ground and just put a house on top. Then gradually extended the design.

Estimated Cost
$5000
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Aargh (not verified)

Wed, 05/23/2012 - 05:50

This is so bad ass!! One of my favorite memories of my own childhood was a huge cardboard box play house that my dad made. It has 3 or 4 rooms, I loved it. This takes it to a whole new level! Fantastic!!

birdsandsoap

Wed, 05/23/2012 - 15:12

...

^^^ There are no words up there because I am speechless. This is the coolest FORTRESS I've ever seen.

When are you installing the moat??

vicb (not verified)

Sat, 06/23/2012 - 07:46

Thanks guys, I'm lucky I have a husband who doesn't roll his eyes when I say, how about....... He loves building and so do I.

Two piece sofa table

I used a combo of a couple of Ana White's sofa table plans and I changed them so that two tables would fit together at the angle of my sectional couch. I used pennies on the top and covered in epoxy resin.

Estimated Cost
50$, (including, 25$ of resin, 25$ wood)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
I couldn't find a stain that I liked so I used some old wall paint watered down and wiped off like stain. Then, I topped with three coats of a shiny clear coat. I really like the shiny finish of the pennies. This paint is Sherwin Williams Stunning Shade. I painted the top of the table in the same paint and then I glued the pennies down with regular Elmer's glue. I cut the pennies around the edges with bolt cutters so they filled the entire area. After the pennies were in place I covered them with a pour on epoxy resin. I used Super Glaze that I got at Home Depot. The Super Glaze was about 25$ and I only used about a third of it. I didn't included the price of the pennies in the cost. I used about 15$ worth of pennies. Most of the time making this project was in gluing the pennies to the table and cutting them to size. The actual woodworking of the project could be finished in a weekend, but this was my first project so it took me longer. (If you use pennies to top a project, I highly suggest getting pennies that are already the shine that you are looking for. I foolishly tried to was 20$ dollars worth of pennies and ended up with bowls of rusty pennies all over my house.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

First project. I'm hooked

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 06/06/2016 - 18:41

Great afternoon project. This was my first build!  

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Dark wax on the top, chalk paint on the bottom
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Twin fancy farmhouse bed

Submitted by Beaker on Fri, 05/25/2012 - 12:20

A twin version of "Mom's Fancy Farmhouse Bed" that includes a matching footboard. Kreg jig used all around. The bed takes about 6-7 hours to cut everything and put it together. Staining takes quite a bit more because of the dry times needed.

Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax English Chestnut
Satin polyurethane (2 coats)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Debbie440

Mon, 12/30/2013 - 11:01

Did you do anything to the footboard to hide the pocket holes? I made the headboard and want to make the matching footboard, but I wasn't sure how the inside of the footboard would look.

Classic Bunk Beds in White

Submitted by Radcrafter on Mon, 03/10/2014 - 16:07

Simple, easy to build and oh-so functional. Loved these plans because of the ease of building and the budget friendly supply list.

The frame for the bunk beds were completed over the course of a weekend and the next week was spent sanding and painting.

The plan allows you to build a strong, sturdy bed that can be easily disassembled/reassembled as necessary. It worked great being able to carry the 4 separate panels into my daughter's small room and then screw everything together. I also liked that feature along with the ladder integrated into the bed.

An Important Tip (one Ana recommends all the time) - Be sure to read the comments section on the original plan. Lots of important information there, especially if you need to buy 8' boards instead of the 10' listed in the plan (like I had to) and a few of the missing cuts are noted in the comments.

You can read more about my build experience here... http://radcrafter.com/2014/03/adding-the-bunk-bed-bedroom-makeover-pt-2/

Built from this plan: Classic Bunk Beds: http://ana-white.com/2010/09/classic-bunk-beds-cleverly-designed.html

Blog Link
Adding the Bunk Beds
Estimated Cost
$100-200
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Behr Semi-Gloss in Ultra Pure White (no tint)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Rustic X Garden Shelf

My wife wanted a Garden Shelf to replace the one that just gave up the ghost, so I browsed my favorite site for plans similar to what I was thinking.  Thats when I found the Rustic X Book Case.  Perfect.

I need to stuff larger objects then books in there, so I changed it to 3 shelves and I put those on top of the cross members.  That was easier and it gives it that work bench look.

For the X's, I had the wood to risk so I tried recessing them.  I dry fitted (chop saw highly recommended) and marked them and when I flipped them over, they aligned perfectly.  With a circular saw set to just slightly less then 1/2 depth, and some very careful cutting, they fit together quite well.

Sturdy with a bit of class.  I'm pleased.  Thanks.

Built from Plan(s)
Rustic X Tall Bookshelf
Estimated Cost
Less then $100
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Thompson's Wood Seal - Honey Amber
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Simple Bed Twin

Submitted by GMWW on Mon, 05/28/2012 - 19:22

Total cost was under $200. The wood was a combination of select pine, Douglas fir. I used Minwax clear finish. Instead of slats I used plywood. This is going into the spare bedroom. We are quite pleased.

Built from Plan(s)
Simple Bed (Twin Size)
Estimated Cost
$200.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax wood conditioner and Minwax clear Polyurethane fast drying.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

GMWW

Fri, 06/01/2012 - 20:45

Yes it comes apart. A total of four pieces. Headboard, footboard, and the two sides. Also a fith piece if you count the plywood base for the mattress. The sides are screwed in at each of the corners of the head and footboards.

PSUlion01

Mon, 05/12/2014 - 19:01

Thinking of building this for my son as we move from crib to bed. Just curious how sturdy and strong the bed is? From the pictures it doesn't look like there's much wood where the rails attach to the head and footboard. Did you use pocket holes and screws? Any comments on how it's held up, what you might do differently? Also any idea if it'll hold a kid and parent for nightly story time?

Thanks...nice work!

GMWW

Wed, 05/14/2014 - 15:22

It is in our guest room and does not get much use. However, it is screwed in at the corners not with pocket screws because the rails were too close to the edges. I chose to screw them in starting farther back and at a 45 degree angle to send the screw deeper towards the center of the four posts. It is very strong. Another suggestion would to purchase bed hardware. Hardware can be found online or in a hardware stores for attaching rails to bed posts. I've used such hardware for fixing commercial beds I've purchased.

Hope this helps.

ShaunSmith

Sun, 11/02/2014 - 08:26

You did a beautiful job of making that bed. Any chance you could tell me where you put all the screws?  We have a Kreg Jig but are completely stuck on where to put the screws in without seeing them (because we'd like to stain).

GMWW

Tue, 01/20/2015 - 15:25

Sorry it took so long to answer. Where I put the screws depended on how the bed was going to be placed in the room. In our case, the headboard was going to up against a wall. Therefore the screws were on the wall side of the headboard. The footboard of the bed had the screws on the mattress side. Kreg sells pocket hole plugs that work very well. Glue them in after you screw the head and foot boards together and sand them before finishing.

The sides of the bed that are attached to the head and foot boards and screwed in too. I had to screw them in at a sharper angle to get enough sideboard material but deep enough into the head and foot boards in. Use the longest screws possible for strength without going all the way through the four corner posts.

GMWW

Tue, 01/20/2015 - 15:37

Sorry I had to take a look again at the underside of the bed. I actually used the pocket hole screws on the sideboard to attached to the foot and headboards cross pieces if that helps.

GMWW

Tue, 01/20/2015 - 15:50

Either way described above will work. See added photos of plugged finished pocket holes and underside attachment to foot-board.

Corner beds

Submitted by CLDavis on Sat, 03/15/2014 - 12:52

Thanks for the plans! The beds turned out great. I just made everything about 6 inches higher for more storage space.

Built from Plan(s)
Twin Corner Beds System
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Sandbox for G

Submitted by Redboots on Tue, 06/14/2016 - 18:15

I made this for my 4-year old granddaughter and added it to the play area I built for her last summer. 

Built from Plan(s)
Sand Box with Built-In Seats
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Exterior spray paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

X Console

I built this X console for my kitchen, to replace an ugly cheap wardrobe that previously held my kitchen appliances. This made space for a kitchen organization space too- with calendars above, and bins for the kids' schoolwork etc.
The plan was easy to customize, and a great afternoon build.

Built from Plan(s)
Rustic X Console Table
Estimated Cost
$25
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax gel stains in Rosewood and Black
Minwax Polyacrylic
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Concealed Wall Desk for Computer

Submitted by Gabie on Mon, 11/20/2023 - 10:51

I built this fold-up desk, out of sheer necessity. It's rather unassuming when closed, yet fully functional when open, with built-in power outlets and light, a large screen, a nook for the laptop and the chargers, etc. It's tailored to my needs and specific size limitations, but I think you could make a great general plan of it for anyone needing a small-space hideaway desk.

Farmhouse table with bench

Submitted by gmirjah on Thu, 05/31/2012 - 08:38

This was my second project......it came out of necessity. We had a dining room with no furniture. I wanted a table that would stand the test of time. A place where we could eat, do homework and enjoy making memories. We have 4 little ones so a sturdy table was a must! All the tables I looked at were cheaply made or WAY over our budget. I found a wonderful couple in Ann Arbor where I purchased my wood. I had them assemble the top, (8 1x6's) since I do not have the equipment to plane and sand a top that large. The rest I did a little at a time.

I am very pleased with the result!

I modified the plans to fit our needs.......the changes are as follows: I did not make bread board ends, and my width is 44.5 in.

My next phase of this dining room is to build a buffet and hutch......I always juggle about three projects at a time so my realistic goal will be Thanksgiving!

Estimated Cost
$900.00 for both
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax 3 parts jacobean 1 part ebony Finished with 3 coats of satin poly
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
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