Project Information
First post on LJ, be kind =)
Up until this project I had only build a few jigs (sacrificial tablesaw fence, jointing jig for table saw, box finger jig, and a thickness cutting jig for the table saw) and done a bunch of practicing. So yea, I am pretty much a newbie.
My wife asked me to make a tote for her horse brushes for her birthday and the attached image is the result.
She loves it and I feel it turned out pretty good. I know that if I had to do it again, it would go a little smoother.
I had practiced the box joints a ton so they came out great.
The main challenges that I had were:
1. It is made of pine so that it would be light-weight and easy to lug back and forth to the stall. But, that makes it easy to ding during construction, so there are a few scars. But I figure she'll dirty it up soon enough.
2. Glue up. I have no idea how I managed to screw this up after a practice fitting and clamping, but in my haste at the actually glue up I reversed one of the sides and clamped it. You can imagine the panic I felt when I noticed as I was admiring my effort.
A quick scream of horror, and then I composed myself to quickly loosen the clamps and try to remove the wrongly placed board. The pins had swollen some and it took every bit of adrenaline I had to pry them apart. I was sure I was going to break one (it is just pine after all). I successfully pulled the boards apart and re-joined and re-clamped them facing the correct way. It wasn't pretty - but it was saved.
3. Squeeze out. I have never glued a project together before and didn't realize what the squeezed out (then wiped off) glue would do to my finishing efforts. After I put on the first coat of stain it was heartbreaking to see all the voids in the color due to the glue residual.
Out came the chisel. I delicately chipped away any glue that stood out sorely and then re-sanded gently and applied stain again. I probably should have just re-sanded the whole thing, but I was anxious to be done.
All's well that ends well, I guess.
Finishing effort:
1. Sanded 100 and 220.
2. Wiped on Wood Conditioner - let sit 30 mins.
3. 2 Coats of Minwax stain.
4. 3 coats of spray on lacquer.
No plans - it just came together.
Up until this project I had only build a few jigs (sacrificial tablesaw fence, jointing jig for table saw, box finger jig, and a thickness cutting jig for the table saw) and done a bunch of practicing. So yea, I am pretty much a newbie.
My wife asked me to make a tote for her horse brushes for her birthday and the attached image is the result.
She loves it and I feel it turned out pretty good. I know that if I had to do it again, it would go a little smoother.
I had practiced the box joints a ton so they came out great.
The main challenges that I had were:
1. It is made of pine so that it would be light-weight and easy to lug back and forth to the stall. But, that makes it easy to ding during construction, so there are a few scars. But I figure she'll dirty it up soon enough.
2. Glue up. I have no idea how I managed to screw this up after a practice fitting and clamping, but in my haste at the actually glue up I reversed one of the sides and clamped it. You can imagine the panic I felt when I noticed as I was admiring my effort.
A quick scream of horror, and then I composed myself to quickly loosen the clamps and try to remove the wrongly placed board. The pins had swollen some and it took every bit of adrenaline I had to pry them apart. I was sure I was going to break one (it is just pine after all). I successfully pulled the boards apart and re-joined and re-clamped them facing the correct way. It wasn't pretty - but it was saved.
3. Squeeze out. I have never glued a project together before and didn't realize what the squeezed out (then wiped off) glue would do to my finishing efforts. After I put on the first coat of stain it was heartbreaking to see all the voids in the color due to the glue residual.
Out came the chisel. I delicately chipped away any glue that stood out sorely and then re-sanded gently and applied stain again. I probably should have just re-sanded the whole thing, but I was anxious to be done.
All's well that ends well, I guess.
Finishing effort:
1. Sanded 100 and 220.
2. Wiped on Wood Conditioner - let sit 30 mins.
3. 2 Coats of Minwax stain.
4. 3 coats of spray on lacquer.
No plans - it just came together.
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