It is probably kind of hard to see exactly what I spent all my time doing on this today, but really, I got a lot done. I would have gotten more done if I didn’t have to spend so much time trying to figure out how to keep my boards level with my cutting surfaces instead of actual cutting.
I got all of the outer walls cut (yes! I finally turned on the table saw and all fingers and toes are still attached) and the top one nailed into place. The bottom piece got the grooves routered for the dividers for the first section. I also got the side walls routered for the first shelf and got that shelf cut.
Other than the top, nothing is nailed into place just yet because I’m kind of having to build this like a puzzle as I go. Once I have everything cut, routered, and I know everything fits the way it is supposed to, then I will start gluing and nailing sections together.
I found out when I was doing the top board, that the contractors didn’t do a very good job of making sure their boards lined up. I ended up having to cut a notch in the upper board to fit around a 2 x 4 that stuck out by about a quarter of an inch. It was a pain in the butt to do, but thankfully, the side pieces cover it.
There are a few places where I didn’t do a great job and are a tiny bit on the ugly side, but that is one of the reasons why this is the first part I’m working on. Those mistakes are going to be a bit easier to hide than they would be on, say, a cabinet door. It is also why things like wood filler and caulk were invented and one of the many reasons why I’m painting all of this.
It is helping me to identify the areas I struggle the most with. One is getting a really precise measurement and I need to work on that a little bit better. I did learn the best way to set up a fence for my router to keep my grooves in line, though I learned it after I goofed a little.
Seeing the walls up inside of this makes me feel a whole lot better about being able to put up a piece of trim around it. Not only will it hide some of my goofs, but it will look so much better. I just have to figure out what is going to work best because it is still too small of a space for a standard door or window kind of trim.
I had hoped to get all the grooves routered in the shelf and the dividers cut for the spaces on this lower section today, but I just ran out of gas and decided it was better to stop than push myself and make a big mistake.
I still have two more shelf sections with dividers to cut and router before everything comes out so I can nail in the sides and put the back panels in. THEN all the inner pieces will get assembled and put back in. All of the filling and painting is going to need to get done before I can start on the next part, so there is still a lot left to do.
There are still a whole lot of little drawers to build, too. I’m not sure where in the process I’ll do those as they can be done at any time. I’m not sure if I will do them before moving on to cabinets or not.
Even with the little not so pretty or perfect areas, I’m really pleased with how this is looking so far.
TJ Fox: Sharing the Experience 