wi the skinny legs i would try to make some kind of stretchers, good chance to try small Mortise and Tenons. It's what i would do to try to challenge myself. Otherwise the basic plan looks good.
Playing around with SketchUp.... Suggestions?
So I've been pittling in the workshop this week making some quick little projects. I started out with a spice rack. Here's a pic of it unfinished.
![Cabinetry Wood Shelf Interior design Drawer]()
Then last night I started working on a lapdesk I saw on Pinterest. Here's a pic before I cut the top of it. Cutting a 1×12 proved to be hard to do once my circular saw's battery died. I did finally get it cut tonight. I wanted to stain it last night. I stained it tonight and painted the hardware black. Going to finish it off tomorrow. Here is what it looked like before the top and stain. Will post pics of it completed tomorrow.
![Table Wood Wood stain Hardwood Plank]()
So after posting my projects on facebook I had a lady contact me via private message asking me to build her something. Her request…. "can you build me…. a box… with four legs… and no sides?" LOL. I had her call me and I asked more questions about what she wanted. I was a bit intimidated at building something from scratch with no plans. And so I decided to create what I thought she wanted in sketchup to see what she thought. She was thrilled.
Here's what I came up with based on her desires and dimensions she gave me. Simple enough. I guess she is going to wrap it in chicken wire and use it as a guniea pig cage. I will also be making a lid for the top that will be on hinges to open and close. I thought it would show her a better idea of what I was thinking without the lid in the sketch.
![Rectangle Table Parallel Illustration Outdoor furniture]()
I used 2×2's as legs in the sketch but I have some scrap 2×3's that I'm going to use. She needed it to be pretty lite weight. But since I've never done anything like this… I don't know if there are things I need to make sure of. For example… this "box" is 3'x5'... do the legs need to be a certain size or height?
I've thought about adding some stretchers across the front and back to give it more stability. Any suggestions on how I can make this differently? But still give her this basic idea? I was intending on using some pallet borads I have on hand from the frame of the box. I believe I used 3/4"x3" boards in the sketch.
I'm open to suggestions.
Now… just need to make it. I'm also gonna need to create a cut list from my project. Gonna watch some youtube videos to figure out how to do that.
Now I'm off to sleep…. well… off to play in SketchUp or on YouTube… THEN I can go to sleep.
LOVE LOVE LOVE having my own workshop to go out and build something whenever I want.
Then last night I started working on a lapdesk I saw on Pinterest. Here's a pic before I cut the top of it. Cutting a 1×12 proved to be hard to do once my circular saw's battery died. I did finally get it cut tonight. I wanted to stain it last night. I stained it tonight and painted the hardware black. Going to finish it off tomorrow. Here is what it looked like before the top and stain. Will post pics of it completed tomorrow.
So after posting my projects on facebook I had a lady contact me via private message asking me to build her something. Her request…. "can you build me…. a box… with four legs… and no sides?" LOL. I had her call me and I asked more questions about what she wanted. I was a bit intimidated at building something from scratch with no plans. And so I decided to create what I thought she wanted in sketchup to see what she thought. She was thrilled.
Here's what I came up with based on her desires and dimensions she gave me. Simple enough. I guess she is going to wrap it in chicken wire and use it as a guniea pig cage. I will also be making a lid for the top that will be on hinges to open and close. I thought it would show her a better idea of what I was thinking without the lid in the sketch.
I used 2×2's as legs in the sketch but I have some scrap 2×3's that I'm going to use. She needed it to be pretty lite weight. But since I've never done anything like this… I don't know if there are things I need to make sure of. For example… this "box" is 3'x5'... do the legs need to be a certain size or height?
I've thought about adding some stretchers across the front and back to give it more stability. Any suggestions on how I can make this differently? But still give her this basic idea? I was intending on using some pallet borads I have on hand from the frame of the box. I believe I used 3/4"x3" boards in the sketch.
I'm open to suggestions.
Now… just need to make it. I'm also gonna need to create a cut list from my project. Gonna watch some youtube videos to figure out how to do that.
Now I'm off to sleep…. well… off to play in SketchUp or on YouTube… THEN I can go to sleep.
LOVE LOVE LOVE having my own workshop to go out and build something whenever I want.
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As a person that doesn't use sketchup, that's pretty impressive. Your work on your other projects looks great. Just keep knocking 'em dead. You'll be building houses in no time.
As Bondo said, I'd make the leg and the corner of the cage all out of one piece of wood.
![Furniture Table Rectangle Art Outdoor furniture]()
Use mortise & tenon joints throughout.
![Rectangle Picture frame Window Table Glass]()
Use mortise & tenon joints throughout.
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Wow. Really great comments and advice. This is why I love this site
One thing I know about guinea pigs is that she said they are allergic to cedar. As far as the other things brought up about them, I will bring those to her attention. And while the cage will be out of pine most likely… She has a piece that she said will lay in the bottom for easy clean up. She described it to me but not completely sure what it is. She raises them and I guess breeds them so I'm sure she knows what to do.
Sketchup is pretty cool. I have some tutorials I plan on watching to help out.
I've made three small projects this week. One is totally done… The lap desk above just needs hardware and the spice rack is just waiting to be hung. It's been a productive week.
One thing I know about guinea pigs is that she said they are allergic to cedar. As far as the other things brought up about them, I will bring those to her attention. And while the cage will be out of pine most likely… She has a piece that she said will lay in the bottom for easy clean up. She described it to me but not completely sure what it is. She raises them and I guess breeds them so I'm sure she knows what to do.
Sketchup is pretty cool. I have some tutorials I plan on watching to help out.
I've made three small projects this week. One is totally done… The lap desk above just needs hardware and the spice rack is just waiting to be hung. It's been a productive week.
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