The Easy Woodworking Blog

Technorati Tags: easy woodworking, ergonomic computer desk

Technorati Tags: easy woodworking project

Are you looking for an easy woodworking project with a plan? Look no further! I found this simple project from an e-zine article by Rick Bergin. An easy woodworking project is a rustic oak coffee table that can be done in four simple steps without any nails, screws, glue, or joints.

The first step is to acquire the oak beams for the table. You will need four rough cut kiln dried oak beams, each one meter long and 120 mm x 180 mm. These measurements do not have to be exact but can be adjusted according to your own preference. You should be able to find the oak beams at any lumberyard, but you should shop around before you buy to make sure you get the best deal.

The next step is to cut one of the beams into two 430 mm lengths and make a cutout on each of them. Cutting one of the beams into two 430 mm lengths will leave 140 mm of that beam unused. After you have the two 430 mm beams, pick one 120 mm side of each and measure 25 mm from the short edges of them. Then draw a line at those points. Then, preferably using a router, make a 25 mm deep cutout in each of the beams between the two lines. If you do not have a router, you can set a circular saw to 25 mm depth, make several cuts across the lumber, and use a chisel to make the cutouts.

The third step is to finish the oak beams by sanding them with a belt sander that has a medium grit belt. The cutouts on the two support beams should be finished well so that the table beams will have a steady surface on which to rest. After sanding, you may want to apply a couple of coats of Danish oil to enhance the wood grain.

Lastly, you are ready to put the remaining three one-meter length beams onto the two 430 mm support beams. First space the 430 mm beams about 600 mm (or two feet) apart. Then, place the three one-meter beams across them into the cutout spaces. You will not need to fix them in place because of their weight. There will be small spaces between the beams. You may place wedges or dowels in these spaces to keep them in place, but that is not essential.

By getting the oak beams, cutting them to the correct sizes, finishing them, and placing them together you will have created a rustic oak coffee table that will look great in the right setting. See the plan above for help with the directions. It should be a fun, easy woodworking project to cut your teeth on.

Technorati Tags: easy furniture, easy woodworking, woodworking design

Have you ever been in part of your home and thought, “I could really use a place to sit down here” but not had one? If so, an easy woodworking project for a small bench from PopularMechanics.com may be for you. An attractive bench with storage space inside can be built in seven steps using pine, plywood, and a number of tools and hardware.

The bench seat is 14 by 36 inches with a hinged top and storage space underneath. The legs are slanted boards with semicircles cut at the bottom. The bench has a single 30-inch hinge for the top and a spring-loaded lid support to prevent it from slamming down onto fingers. It can be painted whatever color you wish or dressed with stenciling, wallpaper, or a poster or print on the seat.

The article explains how to assemble the bench in seven steps. The first is to prepare the two 34-inch long aprons by cutting them from 1”x6” pine. Then the curves are drawn on the edges with a cardboard template for the second step, which is cutting the aprons with a saber saw with a fine-toothed blade. Besides the curves, the saber saw is used to cut grooves into the aprons that will hold the plywood bottom of the box used for storage. The third step is to cut the two 10 1/2-inch wide legs from 12”x1” pine and cut dados into them that will support the bottom of the storage box. The fourth step is to use a compass to mark the bottom of each leg and cut the semicircles into them with the saber saw. The fifth step is to assemble the aprons, legs and bottom with drywall screws. The sixth step is to plug the screw holes with dowels, sand them, and apply putty to them before priming and painting the bench. The seventh and final step is to attach the 14”x36” seat with the 30-inch hinge along with the lid support.

The project does require a number of materials and tools. The materials needed are the 1-inch thick pine boards for the aprons and legs, the 1/4-inch thick plywood for the storage box bottom, the 3/4-inch thick pine for the seat, twelve 1 5/8-inch drywall screws, twelve 3/8-inch diameter dowel plugs, a 30-inch long continuous hinge, and a toy box lid support. The tools needed are a saber saw, a table saw, a router, a 3/8-inch diameter countersink bit, a pencil compass, a drill or driver, an awl, 80-grit sandpaper, a 3” foam trim roller, and a foam brush.

For the complete woodworking design instructions and plans, see the How to Build a Wooden Bench article on popularmechanics.com. We could all use an extra bench to sit on and some extra storage space.

Technorati Tags: easy woodworking, woodworking design

So you’ve made or purchased a nice piece of wood furniture. Now how do you keep it looking good? There are many different opinions and products out there, but according to Vic Tesolin, editor of the magazine Canadian Woodworking and Home Improvement, you have to be careful whom you trust. In caring for your wood furniture, there are products to avoid, a right way to clean, and a good way to revitalize the wood.

It is best to avoid most wood cleaning products on the market. Many people advertise that their products “feed” and “nourish” the wood. Tesolin humorously makes the point that the act of cutting down the tree has killed the wood and there is no longer a need to feed or nourish it. He also claims that most furniture spray products contain silicon, which is harmful to the wood because it actually attracts dust and interferes in the event of refinishing. While silicon does give wood that wet, glossy look, it also makes you have to dust more often because it attracts dust (which is good for the furniture spray manufacturers, but not so good for you). Tesolin also claims that the silicon from the spray contaminates the wood and in the refinishing process makes it difficult for the new finish to adhere to the surface.

Tesolin recommends dry dusting wood furniture with microfiber cloth and using a damp rag to remove stains. The microfiber cloth will not scratch the surface and does very well at removing dust. A rag simply dampened with water will remove most stains.

Using furniture wax made from bees wax is a good and easy way to revitalize wood furniture. The bees wax hides minor scratches and gives the wood an even sheen. It should be applied in a circular motion with a soft cloth and then allowed to set for a few minutes. Then, rub out the finish using a piece of 0000 steel wool, moving it back and forth in the direction of the wood grain. This will give the furniture a renewed glow.

Using simple products such as microfiber cloth and bees wax to clean and polish wood furniture is preferable to buying most furniture spray products. After all, you do need to know how to keep wood products looking great as well as make them.

Technorati Tags: easy furniture, easy woodworking