Mini Projects: Chair and Fence

Hey my peoples!!

I've been tinkering around with some mini projects as an excuse to play with the router. I do have an ulterior motive for the mini projects though. It gives me more time to build up my tool infrastructure in preparation for the upcoming big upstairs renovation. I've still got to build a big router table and table saw setup for all the finish work that we will be doing up there. If I had my way and lots of time, I would build the furniture also. I am still leaning toward building the vanity and built in cabinets though.. we'll see. Anyway... On to the mini project pictures!!!!


Mini Project: Adirondack Chair

This little guy (actually it is a pretty good size and super comfortable) let me get a poor mans router setup going. I just needed to round over the lumber. Overall, it wasn't that difficult to build. It took me a little over a day to finish, the worst part was painting. I used a solid outdoor stain, and that stuff is super easy to put on. Best of all, you don't have to sand when you need to reapply! Every few years just clean it well and brush on a new coat. I made patterns because I plan on making  a few more to set out back. I may play with the seat angle, but everything else is great. If you want to try your hand at building one, you can find the link on the Popular Mechanics website. Link to Adirondack Chair

Adirondack Chair 

Mini Project: Mini Fence!!

Anyone that has visited our house can clearly see that our backyard fence is ready for the grave. We've had a design that we love (and so will the historic committee) for replacing the fence when we are ready, but that will most likely not be until next spring or so. In the meantime I found a way to test out the design and see how it looks for real.

Picture from when we moved in... oh the memories of hard work!

There was some ugly lattice fence in the front close to the A/C units. It was rotten so I donkey kicked it a couple of times and everything but posts came down. (Little did I know that the post were set in concrete deeper than they were tall.. AH!! RAGE Ensued!!) I think you can see the crappy little fence in one of our older pics.. The fence was only one panel about 5 feet long and there was a gate on it?? (not pictured) Why? Too far to walk around??

BEFORE - Ugly A/C Units

AFTER - What Ugly A/C Units?? 

This was a little more difficult than the chair.. all the staining! This time we used a semi-transparent outdoor stain for all the same reasons. I liked the way it turned out! It is like a white washed look. A word of caution.. ALWAYS check any stain and get samples prior to using.. it never looks like you thought it would. The fence is basically a 2:1 scale from what the bigger fence will be around the back of the property. We'll probably put some kind of landscaping at the base of it later to soften the transition. Overall, the design worked out well and this will give me something to show the committee when getting the real fence work approved.

Thats all for now. I've got some old windows from my sister that I am planning on working into some kind of old cold frame/ dresser for outdoors. It will be cool. Right now the schedule for the upstairs demolition is set for sometime after Halloween. It is scary just thinking about all that demo.

-crash