Community Brag Posts

Farmer’s. Market Stall

Submitted by Cockroach on Wed, 12/22/2021 - 13:31

I made this for my daughter this year for Christmas. I’m pretty proud of how it turned out.

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Our First Headboard

My husband and I finished our first project together.  It was odd having him around in the garage, but I tried to not freak out too bad.  He was so excited, until we were about three hours into sanding.  Little did he know, that I would be sanding all week long.  He spent the rest of the time busy after that.  :)

The project went smoothly.  I think that the headboard is a little low even after I lowered the bed frame by removing the wheels.  I am going to need to build leg extension, but will just enjoy the headboard for a while as is.

You can find more photos on my blog.

Estimated Cost
$60
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Prime and Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

bookcase headboard

Submitted by bdp514 on Fri, 06/21/2013 - 09:20

I made this bookcase headboard to go with the haley bed I made from Ana's plans.

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
stain with Early American and Kona wood stain. Topped with sprayed lacquer
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Rasied Herb Garden - Recycled

Recycled raised herb garden. Simply removed all the innards of an old grill I was going to throw away. Once it was gutted I pressured washed it and touch up the paint. Then I built a simple cedar box and placed it inside. Wa-la added basil, parsley and oregano.

Estimated Cost
12.00 Cedar planks
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
None
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Castle loft bed

Submitted by chazbandy on Wed, 12/27/2017 - 09:34

Took different plans from this site and combined them to make this princess castle for my daughter. 

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Industrial grade Paint variety
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

my brothers hickory blanket chest

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 12/26/2021 - 12:36

ana here is a picture of a solid hickory blanket chest i made my younger brother the chest is made from 1x8 hickory i used walnut and aromatic cedar trim and for the side trim i used elm the chest features in the top hickory red oak walnut and white oak with walnut side trim and the front of the chest features exotic hard to find mexican bocote lumber i i built the whole chest using plugged kreg screw construction and i used aromatic cedar for the floor and for the finish i used minwax antique oil finish 3 coats this is by far my most 2nd favorite project to come out of my shop over my 20 plus yrs woodworking not bad for simple tools a humble shop and a outdoor rated cord for power hope you enjoy let me know your thoughts n i would be glad to share more pics of my work

Hanging Daybed/Desk

Submitted by stedders on Wed, 04/20/2011 - 16:44

This bed lifts up so that my son RJ has a desk big enough for him and his friends.  A large piece of plexiglass serves as a smooth service and a great place to store his music, art, and whatever he is working on at the moment.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Mahaogy
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Custom Bar Stools

We really liked the look of this stool with the nail heads, and we customized the stools to bar stool height by extending the length of the 2x2s to 27.5". We also bound the legs together before we started to put the stools together and sanded down the ends to make sure that they sat flush and wouldn't wobble...I would definitely recommend doing that because they are sturdy and don't wobble at all.

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
We painted the base with a black enamel paint. Then we added batting and foam for the cushion and wrapped the tops with a faux leather. We then trimmed everything with nail head pins.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Double Chair

Submitted by cjlaw on Fri, 06/05/2015 - 09:56

I made a few changes. I added walls and a hinge to the table to allow for a cooler to fit inside. I also decided to paint mine. The was a fun project and I love how it turned out.

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

Comments

trishbacon

Mon, 06/08/2015 - 09:20

How did you go about adding walls and a bottom to the middle? I was thinking about doing this, it seems that the seat slats would need to be shorter to accommodate this, is that what you did? Any information would be very helpful. Looks great!

cveres03

Wed, 07/01/2015 - 05:08

I wanted to add an ice chest to mine as well. Was thinking to close the sides but leave the facade. slip in a couple cross boards at the bottom and that should suffice. Add some hinges on the back end and you should be set.... that's my thought process for how i may make my next one. Would love to know how they did this

Simple Bunk Beds

A variation of the simple bunk beds made with old growth lumber stained with "honey" minwax stain and topped with 2 coats of satin minwax polyurethane .  Each step on the ladder made with dado cuts, glued, and screwed and secured to each bed to add strength and take up less floor space. Used 8 inch HeadLOK screws to attach head and foot boards to posts and 2 7/8 inch to secure steps on the ladder as well as top boards to the head and foot boards. I cut down x4 HeadLOK bolts to 2 inches to secure rail to top bed so they didn't go through other side. Utilized non mortise bed rail brackets for easy assembly and disassembly; holds strong with no wobble even before ladder and plywood bottom. 3/4 plywood bottom screwed to the rails to better support mattress and add ridgidity. I screwed them so the bottom child doesn't push up on the mattress for the top child. All screws with the exception of the HeadLOK were counter sunk for a flush finish. All to say? This thing is strong and turned out beautifully. 

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Bunk Beds
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Farmhouse table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 12/26/2021 - 14:23

The directions on all of Ana's projects are great. This farmhouse table is in my sunroom and is a perfect addition.

Comments

King Sized Farmhouse Bed

My first attempt at one of Ana's beautiful projects, and it turned out better than I (and my wife) could have imagined. I made this for our 14th anniversary as we have not had a bed during that time. I used Jacobean colored stain, which I wasn't sure of, but as luck would have it, a neighbor who is a professional painter drove by and stopped to check it out. He offered to lacquer it in a satin finish for free!!! and it made a world of difference. I have received several comments on how it looks showroom quality. My wife is very happy. Only problem is she now wants the Farmhouse nightstand and a matching dresser. Looks like I have many more weekends worth of work ahead of me. Wouldn't have it any other way though. Had a blast!

Estimated Cost
$180
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Min-Wax Jacobean and Satin Lacquer
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Scrap wood rustic boat

Submitted by AndyH on Mon, 06/08/2015 - 19:29

Rustic simple looking boats I have made for my Great Nephews

Chalkboard roof to write their names on and hand drawn windows by my step daughter.

I really like the rustic simple look.

Used A grey stain on the main part first. Then three coats of satin white each time sanding back with 400 grit until smooth.

Used a Forstner bit to drill a hole for the mast. I didnt want any screws or nails since it is being handled by a child.

Estimated Cost
$5 scrap wood and sample paints.
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Doll Bunk Beds

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 12/26/2021 - 15:31

Built this with plans found on site. I left it unfinished to match the furniture in their room. My daughter helped by sewing the mattress and pillow covers. The girls loved it!

Comments

Ledge Lovin'

This was my first project from a list of many...so simple, it was perfect for getting started after a long winter's rest.

Thank you Ana for the plan! I really wanted the floating shelves from Pottery Barn, but they were super pricey. I searched out the fancy hardware that PB uses to mount them and it would have cost as much for the mounting hardware alone than to buy them finished from Pottery Barn.

These shelves were an easy solution for the same look, without the hassle of having to build a sleeve to fit over cleats like other more seamless designs.

For my ledges, I chose to use 1x3s instead of 1x4s for the rear and base of the ledges. I didn't want them to protrude from the wall as far, nor did I want the rear of the ledges to be as visible (I'm wierded out by the contrast of the thick, dark line behind the pics. I would have chosen 1x2s for the back, but I didn't think it would be sturdy enough and it might be a little trickier to drill. I measured them to be a little smaller than the length of my sofa and they turned out just right. I built them in an hour or two and brought them in and stained them on my kitchen counter ( placed waxed paper underneath). It was February and too cold to do outside.

The best advice I have is to be really choosy about the lumber you buy. The "top choice," as they call it, should be renamed "crappiest choice." I guess that's what you get for cheap pine, right!

It fit just right for my budget and it was worth sifting through to make sure I wasn't getting a piece that was warped or twisted. I live in an old house and I'm sure the walls aren't exactly even (as you can see in the pic, the floor even slants a little to the right) but one of my ledges is not fully flush against the wall on one side because the board bows out a little (or maybe my wall bows in?).

Whatever. I'm thrilled with the look and love how I can display so many pics at one time. I'm thinking I want to put at least 4 pictures in each frame, and rotate them out seasonally. That way my display will go with the season. Yep, I'm a genius like that, hehe.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$15 w/ stain
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Red Mahogany stain from Minwax.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Shaker Style Dresser with Copper Hardware

Submitted by jhelsel on Sat, 06/13/2015 - 10:32

Definitely a more advanced project, but the end result was pretty nice. I used copper bars and fasteners to create a unique hardware look on this dresser.

A few words of advice for those looking to use these plans:

1. Verify that your plywood is truly 3/4". I used Home Depot's so-called "3/4" plywood, which is actually 5/8" or 11/16" plywood (I forget which). Without a true 3/4", the sides of your dresser will be slightly off. I discovered the problem too late, which meant I had to shim the drawer slides. Trust me, you don't want to go through that exercise!

2. You can recreate the copper look with simple supplies from Lowe's or Home Depot. You just need a length of copper pipe and copper plated steel bell hangers. After I cut the copper pipe to the right lengths, I washed each section using barkeeper's friend to get that shiny copper finish. Then I sprayed each piece with clear paint so it wouldn't tarnish. Still shiny even now!

3. Do NOT nail in the front boards of the drawers from the back! The directions call for 1" nails and when I nailed it in, I blew a chunk of wood right off the front of the drawer. I filled it with wood putty, but still, not a good plan. Just countersink a few 1" wood screws and your results will be much better.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$400-$500
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
I used Minwax Polyshades, Espresso, Satin. This is a two in one product that has both stain and finish. I wouldn't recommend using this. I had to use two coats and had a lot of dust nibs show up both times. If I could do it over again, I would stain the wood to the color I wanted, then apply a clear satin finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Mr ricky chur

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 12/26/2021 - 18:38

This wine rack project was built during 5th lockdown in Melbourne Victoria, Australia. Timber size is 35mm by 90mm. Table top is treated pine.

Comments

Backpack Locker

Submitted by Ambesi on Tue, 05/03/2011 - 10:31

I made this using the single locker plans and modifying them for the size I needed to fit the landing wall at the top of my stairs. I created this for my boys' backpacks and jackets. I used pine for the sides and shelves and I used some cedar planks that I already had for the back.
I used a white stain for the sides and shelves and stained the cedar back darker to match the dark baskets I found.
I love how this turned out, and I love how easy it was to make!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$90
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
white wash stain and jamocha stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Swing and arbor

Weekend swing project

Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Ana White

Tue, 05/07/2019 - 10:42

We don't currently have this plan available, although I'd be happy to draw it with the author's permission.

I have linked a few plans above that could be used to create this plan.  Just make sure you bury the arbor uprights underground on concrete pier posts or similar (like building a fence)