Community Brag Posts

This was a fun build using the media console plans.  I used ceramic tiles with a wood look in the door panels. Fairly inexpensive build and ended up with an expensive looking piece of furniture. 

This build has been (thus far) my biggest and most ambitious yet. This is not only for the size of the build but the techniques I used. While I did use pocket holes in many spots I changed the design by using two stretchers to span between the sides and provide support for both side walls and bed slats. To reduce the number of pocket holes the original plan called for I used my stacked dado kit and created to dado cuts in the stretchers to support the bed slats and side walls.

But I can't say enough good things about Ana and this site. The original plans where a inspiration to build this bed and continue to inspire me to build other projects around the house. All of our friends who have seen pictures of our Sons Ski Patrol Shack bed have raved about it and I can even see a little pride in my sons face when other kids are ranting about how "cool" his bed is.

So while I didn't follow the plans exactly the end result can't be disputed; its an awesome feeling to give your child such a great bed! My son came up to me and hugged me and said he loved his bed. So from a plan I downloaded to that moment of my son telling me he loved it was all worth the effort!! Thank you Ana for posting this and all the other plans. They are not just building plans to download they are happy memories waiting to be built!! Cheers from Colorado!

Built the sewing table for my wife Penney. It has a work surface that is 36" x 60" and is 32" high.

Used 3/4" Baltic Birch and used premium pine to add edge banding. Used 1/4" plywood for a back to the sewing table to add strength and I think helps the look of the table. My Kreg Jig was used everywhere possible when assembling the case. Used full length piano hinges with #6 x 5/8" screws to attach the leaves to the table. Made the doors using premium pine with a plywood panel. For the legs, I used folding, locking leg brackets from Lee Valley to attach the 1-1/2" square poplar legs. The casters are 3" double-locking from Woodcraft. 

Went a little over budget, but it turned out very nice and she loves it. 

Thank you for the easy to follow plans. 

I made this as a Christmas present for my little cousin. I was looking for something fast and last minute and found this. The plans were super easy to follow. The only change I made was the headboard is a little shorter than the plans because I used all scrap wood for this. It was a hit at Christmas! Thanks Ana!
 

This console table was built using Alder lumber.  I modified Ana's plans slighly by removing the center, vertical brace, and changing the thickness of the top.  I also altered the top by making it a "breadboard" style top.  The finish I created was unique in that fact that it was a 5 layer process.  Because Alder wood is a "blotchy" prone wood, I sealed it with shellac first, applied 1 coat of antique walnut gel stain, sprayed a toner (dye mixed in shellac)  to darken the wood, and then applied 2 coats of poly.  

I added front drawer trim & a walnut stained top to this already great design  

We saw the plans for this table and I had to have it. We followed it to a T! The only thing we did different is made it a foot shorter and added rustic nails on top. 

Weekend project, I used 4x4's instead of the 2x4's to give a heavier look, now off to buy a bandsaw to give them a 1/4" taper to give a more refined look.

After seeing the patio table with beer/wine cooler, I wanted to build this for my brother and wife who recently bought a house. I asked them if they were interested and of course they said yes. I modified the original plans by adding a 2x4 on each side of the cooler to make the table wider. I also made the legs out of 4x4 vs the 2x4s that were originally called for. I used redwood and then stained it and used a varnish for the final coating. I probably wouldn't use the varnish again for an outdoor table, because it looks like it should be an indoor table vs outdoor. Overall, I'm pleased with the results and the best part about it, I get to enjoy it every time I go over for a BBQ.

This was my very first woodworking project. It didn't end up perfect, but I learned a lot by making it, and it is still a quite nice dining table.

The minor modifications I made of the plan: I used 1x4-s as a frame for the table top, flush with the top. (The 2x2-s are next to it inside.) I made the lower supports out of 4x4-s (except that they didn't have 4x4-s at the store here so it's really 2 2x4-s put together). I have a few 2x4-s connecting the 2x8 and 2x6-'s in the base, to make it a bit more stable (not sure I really needed these but anyway), and I also ended up putting a few 2x4-s in the core of the base, again to make it a bit more robust. I routed the 1x4-s on the table frame, and also the table legs with a 45 degree bit (using a router is really fun! And really easy).

I used pine for the base and red oak for the table top -- mostly because I have oak cabinets in the kitchen. After sanding to 150 grit, I stained the oak first with Minwax Oriental Ginger (I would have used a dye if I had had one but this worked fine), and then two coats of GF antique oak. The Minwax gave a nice warm orange undertone while the GF highlighted the grain. It has 6 coats of GF high performance water based poly on it, sanded and wet sanded with very fine grit (up to 2000) so it's pretty smooth. It looks like many people use grain filler with oak, but I like the grain so I didn't. The base is painted white with whatever semigloss white paint I happened to have at hand.

Lessons learnt: 1) always, always measure twice, and always, always make sure that everything is square. 2) Don't build a table base from a board that's not absolutely straight. 3) Make sure to have enough screws and that the screws are of the right kind. 4) If you use a 45 degree router bit, you need to sand that 45 degree part much finer than the other parts of the table top, otherwise the grain will stick out and make it very rough. 5) Don't wet sand oak -- the poly dust white residue gets into the grain and it's impossible to remove. 

Used the plans for the Rustic X coffee table as a starting point. Left out the X's as they don't appeal to me. Took a butane torch and burned the base and tabletop before staining, and stained the table in alternating stains to give it a really unique appearance. Stains used were Rustoleum Summer Oak, and Minwax Early American, finished with Minwax Semigloss Poly.

We made this table and two benches from the plans! We used 3” self tapping deck screws because we couldn’t find any in the 2-3/4” mentioned in the plan. Love the result! We used danish oil in medium walnut.

Adirondack Side Table made from leftover 2x3 pine and two cedar fence posts. Stained with Minwax Dark Walnut and sprayed with Minwax clear matte sealer.

Got plans from this site. Made two carts so far. Second one smaller. Iron wheel little $$