It is hard to find an ergonomic computer desk for less than $600. However, if you build your own according to one website’s plan, it will cost about $350. While this is certainly not cheap, it is cheaper than buying one and will allow you the satisfaction of building and using your own desk. According to the Simplified Building Concepts website, a simple custom ergonomic computer desk can be built with medium-density fibreboard and aluminum fence post in about five steps.

The main materials of the desk are medium-density fibreboard (MDF) for the top, Kee Klamp fittings and fence post for the foundation, and an articulating keyboard adjustable unit for the keyboard tray. Other materials include primer and paint for the top and screws for the Kee Klamp fittings. While the look of the aluminum foundation may not appeal to everyone, it was chosen for the simplicity of construction and does give the desk a modern look. 

The construction of the desk can be divided into five steps. The first step is to draw a plan for the desktop according to how you want it to look and what space you have available. This can be done on graph paper. The next step is to cut the desktop out of the raw MDF material. This can be done with a circular saw and high quality jig saw if you have curves in the plan. The third step is to attach the Kee Klamp fittings and build the base. Building the foundation simply involves cutting the pipe and using an Allen wrench. 

The fourth and fifth steps are paining the desktop and adding the keyboard tray. Painting the MDF is essential because it swells very easily when wet and puts off dust if it is not painted. Painting involves the three steps of priming, painting, and finishing. The fifth and final major step is adding the adjustable keyboard unit by attaching the sliding track to the bottom of the desktop and the rest of the unit to the bottom of the keyboard tray that is cut out of MDF. This will create a smooth-functioning sliding ergonomic keyboard tray.

By following the steps described and pictured on the Simplified Building Concepts website, you can build your own ergonomic computer desk without buying one. It is a fairly easy woodworking project that will give you a large amount of use and satisfaction.

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Looking for an economical and easy woodworking project? You may want to try a portable stool project similar to the one I found in an article on Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories. The stools are made entirely of flat plywood pieces, can be designed in different ways for different uses, and may be designed in miniature using paperboard as a prototype.

The stools are made entirely with flat plywood pieces, making them very lightweight and portable. The author writes that her grandfather used to make similar stools that her family would use for backyard barbecues and camping trips. When disassembled, they can be tied together flat with a string or strap and easily carried. Fitting together with intersecting slots assembles the leg pieces. The seat sits on top of the intersecting leg pieces and is held in place by slats on the tops of the leg pieces.

The author came up with different designs for the stools with varying degrees of success. She writes that her first design was very wobbly and felt as if it may splinter with a slight twist when weight is put on it. This stool would probably not work very well for sitting, but it could be used as a small drink table on a camping trip or tailgating party. Her second and third designs work much better as sitting stools because they have three and four leg pieces rather than two. This makes them much less likely to twist and break than the two-leg piece stool in which the two pieces intersect right in the middle.

The author also suggests using paperboard models in miniature as prototypes for the full size plywood stools. Although plywood is cheap, paperboard is cheaper and smaller models are easier to make. They also give a good indication of how the larger plywood stools will bear weight.

These stools are composed of flat, easy-to-carry plywood, can be designed according to your need and preference, and can be made cheaply and quickly as paperboard models before building the actual wood stool. It may serve you well if you are looking for a useful easy woodworking project.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Does your laminated kitchen countertop need to be redone? Maybe it has become scratched and scuffed or you just want a new color. According to an online article, this can be an easy furniture do-it-yourself project that can be done by getting the material, preparing the countertop and laminate pieces, using wood dowels to separate the new laminate and the countertop, and trimming the laminate when you are finished.

The first step is to get the laminate material. You may find it at a hardware store and place it directly over the old surface. Measure the countertop and get slightly larger pieces of laminate that you will trim later.

The next step is to prepare the surfaces. First, you will need to sand the gloss off of the old surface so that the new laminate will stick to it. After sanding, remove the dust with a vacuum and a wet sponge. Then apply contact cement to the underside of the laminate and to the sanded countertop. Follow the directions on the cement package and keep the two pieces apart for about ten minutes. The cement should then be somewhat sticky to the touch.

Then place the wooden dowels on top of the countertop and put the new laminate on top of them. The dowels should be cut wider than the countertop and placed every few inches apart. This is done to set the top in place more easily. Then slide the dowels out one at a time, pressing the laminate to the countertop. Use a roller to press it down hard and smooth out the surface.

Finally, you will need to trim the new laminate top. You can do this with a straight edge ruler and a utility blade, a router that has a bit meant for cutting laminate, or other specialized trimming tools. Any of these may do the job and provide a smooth finish. The materials may be borrowed rather than bought if necessary.

By following these easy furniture project steps you can refinish your laminated kitchen countertops. It is a low cost way of giving your kitchen a make-over and having the satisfaction of doing it yourself.

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