New to the forum. My current project

[Tomburns]

Hey everyone! I'm tom I'm 26 from north wales. I'm new to woodworking to a degree by that I mean I made all the tables and shelves in my workshop and other bits and bobs over the years and repaired things and started stuff that didn't go well so just stopped and went back to wrenching on my bikes or truck instead. but I'm just starting to really get into woodworking and I'm at the age when I don't really want to bosh stuff and try a bit harder to make things right. Even tho my skills are basic and I'm reasonably well kitted out in my workshop but the quality of my tools isn't the best like my mitre saw which I got for my self a few years back new isn't the best so doesn't quite cut things bang on, the cut is curved sometimes so things don't line up as well as they would with a more expensive saw but it's still a really handy saw and dose perform well apart from that.
Anyway moving on, when I left home a few years back I had to buy everything for my house so i couldn't afford nice things and ended up with argos value coffee table and stuff which I hated for years so I'm currently using that as a excuse to improve on my wood skills and I'm making everything my self I've made a new coffee table which ended up like a trunk which was a after thought really but I'm happy with the outcome I used angle iron for the edges to tidy up the mitre joints and give things a industrial look then followed the theme using cast iron handles, hinges and a hasp which I got a old style pad lock for which isn't in the picture.

So then I've moved on to a bookcase which I've basically got most of its main construction done at this point but the bottom shelf is going to have doors with cast iron hinges and handles.

I'm into the rustic style and that isn't just a excuse to bodge stuff its just what I like I have a rat rod style cafe racer and a rusty old truck so its just my style. Had to mess with the images because the files were to large and this is my first post so hopefully they attach ok

 

[RickN]

Welcome to the forum Tom, looking Good, any chance of a close up of the bike on the coffee table?
Liking the bookcase 8)
Regards Rick. ( Also Anti car missile pilot )

 

[blackrodd]

Hello and welcome, Both You're pieces look well made, I Like the coffee table and apart from keeping the shelf brackets about 40mm shorter, and therefore less obvious and easier to swing some doors in place, I like the book case too.
What finish are you intending to use?
Keep going and please post more.
Regards Rodders

 

[Logger]

Welcome, there is loads of advice on here and also on youtube as well. If you need to learn a technique, you can normally watch a video of someone else doing it.

I am self taught and have learnt from here and youtube and now have work till about September so you can learn all you need.

Unless you are looking for absolute precision, cheaper tools will not hold you back. From the photos, your furniture looks great and as its for you, if you like it, that's all that matters. If you like doing it as well even better.

Good luck

Nick

 

[Tomburns]

Thanx for the warm welcome guys. Here is a closer picture of the bike on the coffee table I just free hand drew the bike on copying a silhouette off Google images then carved it out with the router so isn't perfect but came out better than I thought it would. Had a hard time sanding some areas so its a bit darker now its varnished in them areas I'd not used varnish before so I didn't realise it would come up darker so that's one thing I've learnt

As for the book case the shelf brackets were something I was worried about being to visible so I'm glad you bought it up, I did consider putting grove in the sides with the router instead but its only 22mm thick so decided not to but I can easily plung in with the multi tool and take a bit out if you think I should? I was going to on the lower one anyway to make the doors sit in flush so won't be a issue and the multi tools my newest toy so be nice to use it. And I'm really not sure how to finish it any suggestions? Its only rough sawn timber so not sure if varnish will take well to that?

 

[blackrodd]

There are several ways for the shelf fitment, Certainly a 6mm housing joint would suffice for the shelves unless you intend on putting the whole Encyclopedia Britannica on them!
The main thing is you seem to have the proportion right and it looks good already!
Regarding finish, As you like the "rustic" look, perhaps a whizz around with a small Orbital sander, knock off any edges and stain or paint whatever.
Personally, I've had a good finish on tables painted with garden paint, easy to paint and finish off, Rustins or Ronseal, or Cuprinol.
What did you use on the table?
Regards Rodders

 

[Tomburns]

Ok well a friend of mine has seen my bookcase and asked me to make one for her so I'll definitely mount her shelves that way to make it look as good as I possibly can her face dropped when I told her it cost £34 to make. ye I quite like the character that the wood has with the boards being a slightly different shade it almost looks like reclaimed timber so do you think a sand and a clear vanish would work ok? Garden paint is definitely a good idea nice and cheap and doesn't take much skill to apply so I'll look into that I have some off cuts i could always try out a bit on first. I used a wilko mahogany varnish on the table, do you think I should try that so they match?

 

[RickN]

I can't draw for toffee, so I like the google transfer idea, it looks like it's turned out a treat. I'll be storing that one on the round-toit list.

 

[DTR]

Looking good, welcome to the forum

 

[Tomburns]

Thanx its a bit odd feeling like a newbie on here when I'm the highest poster on the ford ranger forum but you guys have made me feel very welcome! Like I said I'm replacing my living room furniture so I've got a few more projects lined up to run with after the bookcase so should see a few more threads from me coming up

 

[Tomburns]

Got quite a lot done on the bookcase today I cut the shelf bracket back on a 45 degree angle to make it less visible then went about mounting the doors on the bottom using some 4 inch tee hinges and little cup handles because I like the rustic look and I'm really happy with how that's come out I got a set of them cupboard magnets off eBay for about £1 as well so the doors shut nice then a gave it a 1st coat of varnish can't remember which one it is, oak something but I think its coming out nice its giving it a bit of a aged look so I'm happy so far sorry about quality of pictures I have to crop them and stuff to upload them otherwise there to big

 

[blackrodd]

Current project Looking very good, Perhaps you ought to make more stuff to go with it, Expand the range you could be on a winner
I like the varnish finish, brings out the knots etc, main thing is are you and the lady customer pleased with it?
Regards Rodders

 

[Tomburns]

Yes I'm happy it came out how I envisioned it would gave it a second coat of varnish this morning and I think I'll leave it at that I don't want it to go any darker. So its time to plan the next project now