Community Brag Posts

I wanted to replace the awful cart we keep our coffee maker and toaster oven on, and have always wanted to see a butcher-block top in our kitchen. We are renters, so doing anything like countertop remodeling is out of the question. I decided to build this little console and present it to my husband, the coffee-drinker of our house, for Valentines Day. The actual construction of the console was very easy, it was the sanding, plugging of pocket-holes, and staining that took a week! My husband loves it, though, and immediately rid of the old cart and set up his coffee-maker on the new one. We are both very proud of it.

My niece, who visits often needed a place of her own, for drawing, painting, playdohing, and of course the token lemonade stand. This is is, she loves it. When she's here, one weekend a month, it comes out, into the sunshine, so she can do her little girl activities. I left the top so I can resand if there are any accidents, and now it has a coat of poly sprayed on. I did make this project intermediate, due to the very tricky screwing that needs to be done not to go thru the top. I did use my Kreg Jig

I didn't use one of your plans for these shelves but wanted to share it here since I learned how to build because of you! These were really easy to put together and only cost $100!!! I have the step by step plans on my blog.

Stephanie

My wife wanted a farmhouse, rustic, restoration hardware type table but I wasn't about to spend the crazy money on one.  So I told her let me see if I can build one she would like and she loves it.  

This is a television stand/bookcase I built at the request of my wife. I used red oak plywood, red oak lumber, and the backing is 1/4" birch sheeting. It is put together with trim nails, wood glue, and countersunk wood screws. I used wood plugs to fill the screw holes. I marked it as intermediate due to the miter cuts on the trim.

I built this and then ordered storage baskets that fit to the size. I built it exactly to the plan except I did not make the top flush to a back wall and I added decorative trim. I think adding trim really adds a nice look to this project.

The tower was super easy to build and took hardly any time. The most time was spent on the finishing work (sanding and painting).

Built from Ana plans in a weekend. Finished last week. Chickens arrive this week.

Built this over a couple of week nights. I used the basic bookshelf plans available on this site.

It was fun!

I do have a couple of observations though:
1- Sand all pieces of wood BEFORE you cut them, to the desired lengths! Make sure the wood is nice an smooth. So much easier to do with big pieces, that can be balanced on a good support! Especially important when using the cheapest pine available!

2- Take your time, double check measurements, and follow the assembly directions. (Yes.. I made a mistake on the assembly part... at least it's on the back, and no one can see it)

I did change the width to fit my wall space, and I did add adjustable shelves (1 fixed shelf, to help hold the whole thing square). (I used a piece of peg board to place the holes for the shelf supports). Pretty neat! I also added a couple of extra shelves. (I still needs some paint) I needed the extra storage for organizing the stuff we need in the family eating area.

I also changed up the top finishing details. I mitered the corners, and layed the 1x2's flat, offset by .75 of an inch. It gives a nice look.

Modification of Ana White's Farmhouse Table adjusted to bar height.

Hello everybody
I am a retired man from Toronto, and I find wood working is very therapeutic. All credits to Mrs. Anna that’s she is been inspiring many people to engage with this activities. The most important steps to achieve my plan is sticking with the project I had planned. In the past as a rookie, I was very excited and started the project without a plan in order to speed up the process and finishing the task. The results were very disappointing and disaster.
Thank you for reading my experience.
Best regards
John

I fell in love with the darling bunk bed built by so many of Ana's readers. Since seeing it I've made several for my granddaughter, neighbors, and friends. What I've learned is that although they're cute, they take almost as much time as a full sized bed!

We constructed the Rustic Kitchen Island with a few modifications. My dad, president of the Norm Abrams fan club, built fantastic drawers using rabbet joints and fashioned a maple cutting board top. We also chamferred the edge of the top and the leg ends, very easy and adds a beautiful touch. We finished the cutting board top with "Salad Bowl Finish" which facilitates food prep.

This was a Christmas present for my boyfriend, he is in love with it! I watched him play with it like a little kid for hours after opening it. Thank you, Ana, for your great plans! (Also, Santa brought me your book for Christmas so I will be sharing many more completed projects!)

This was my very first project in the workshop. I was able to complete most of it on my own, which is why I rated it a "beginner" project. However, construction of the drawers using rabbet joints and prepping the maple for the top were considerably more difficult.

Almost finished but I managed to alter the plans into a full over full! Just use 2×4 instead of 2×1 and use 2×6 for the legs.

Antonio

This project took us about a day. We made 15. Other then an incident where my boyfriend almost shot my father in the foot with a nail gun (accidently of course lol) it went pretty well. Way better then the paper and mismatched ones that I had before!!