Complete!

[Greg Guarino]

Well, *one* unit anyway. The other still needs final assembly and glue.

The photos aren't very high quality; I'll have to try again in better light.

This hobby (woodworking) can bite you in the ass even at the very end. I went to great pains to make the unit stand straight. With my tools and skills, there's always a little bit of imprecision, but I did a decent job this time. Standing on a work surface that I had carefully checked for flatness there was a gap of less than a 32nd under one leg. I figured 50 pounds of books would even that out nicely.

But then I put the unit in its intended location and boy was that floor out of whack. So I ended up having to level the unit in place anyway.

[woodchucker]

Nice job, and yes most floors are not level. I too have gone to great pains, only to find out that the floor was out. BTW cover that outlet with a cover.. your work looks too nice to have that be a distraction.

[Bill]

Nice job! I don't know if you put any sort of feet under the legs, but you can probably find some that are adjustable.

Bill

[Ed Pawlowski]

Nice work. Get a tape graduated in 16ths and you won't see that 32nd. I can't see it from here.

[Leon]

Great job Greg. If the unit rocks and you are going to leave it there, double stick tape a small shim on the bottom of one of the legs. AND. Put a cover on that outlet. :-)

[Leon]

[Greg Guarino]

Yeah, I figured that you guys would comment on that. Some years ago I replaced all of the outlets in the house, except that one, which has until recently been inaccessible behind a piece of furniture. Once the second unit is built, I'll redistribute the contents and cover the outlet too. Thanks for the kind words.

[Greg Guarino]

On 12/14/2014 8:35 PM, Bill wrote: > Greg Guarino wrote: >> Well, *one* unit anyway. The other still needs final assembly and glue. >> >>

>> >> >> >> >> >> The photos aren't very high quality; I'll have to try again in better >> light. >> >> This hobby (woodworking) can bite you in the ass even at the very end. >> I went to great pains to make the unit stand straight. With my tools >> and skills, there's always a little bit of imprecision, but I did a >> decent job this time. Standing on a work surface that I had carefully >> checked for flatness there was a gap of less than a 32nd under one >> leg. I figured 50 pounds of books would even that out nicely. >> >> But then I put the unit in its intended location and boy was that >> floor out of whack. So I ended up having to level the unit in place >> anyway. >> >> --- >> This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus >> protection is active. >> >> > > > Nice job! I don't know if you put any sort of feet under the legs, but > you can probably find some that are adjustable. > > Bill I considered that, but didn't have them on hand. The "legs" consist of a

1x3 and a 1x2 fastened at a right angle. I screwed pieces of 1x2 into the corners of three of the legs, extending to the proper height for each. The "rocking" wasn't the only problem. Fixing that still left the top visibly out of level (due to the floor). That's why I needed to adjust three legs rather than one.

[Greg Guarino]

As I mentioned in another reply, "rocking" wasn't the only problem. The floor evidently slopes up pretty badly as it nears the wall. So I needed to "shim" three legs.

[Swingman]

Well done!

Just build eight chairs and see what happens. ;)

Not necessarily on this unit, but on pieces of great width or depth, leg levelers of some type are pretty much mandatory.

[dadiOH]

Maybe someday we will all wise up and make three legged chairs, those never rock :)

[Greg Guarino]

:)

[Greg Guarino]

Thanks. Definitely my most complicated project so far.

Considering the fact that two shelf units composed mostly of right angles took nearly six months, eight chairs would likely need to be leveled to the floor in the rec room at the old-age home.

I have some vague pipe dreams about a larger, more permanent shop and more efficient equipment. Oh, and the time to use it. Maybe someday. Although I've added some new techniques with each project, I think chairs of any kind are still a ways off. Having said that, it wasn't so long ago that ago these shelf units would have seemed out of reach as well.

I figured there'd be some leveling to do, but I was surprised to see how much. One of the legs is fully 3/8" off the floor. What's surprising is how inconspicuous that is when viewed from a normal adult head height.

[Swingman]

Happens more often than not.

This 70" long, six legged, bench would not have survived the first seating if these two end legs had not been shimmed as you see in this photo:

Although all six legs sit perfectly flat on a flat surface, it cries for leg levelers as a practical matter, just never got around to it, and probably never will.

- eWoodShop:

Wood Shop: KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)

[Greg Guarino]

That's a handsome piece. How are the seat slats fastened? Regular mortise and tenon?

[Swingman]

LOL, thanks, bit it is ugly as a mud fence, but utilitarian from the word go. Only a bench would suffice in that location, so functionality was the only concern:

Entire piece is old fashioned M&T joinery. The structural joinery is pinned:

Judging from the dates, it has been in use ten years now.

[Leon]

Horse Hockey! You only think it is ugly because you remember that one joint that does not fit as well as you wanted, but you can only see that if you turn it upside down and shine a bright light in the dark corner. ;~)

Greg is right, damn handsome. And the fact that it still looks like it did the first time I saw it in, IIRC, Dec 2004 is testament to the design and draftsmanship.

[Greg Guarino]

As a city fella, I have inadequate experience with mud fences; it doesn't sound complimentary though. But I am willing to bow to greater aesthetic expertise. Please to ship the offending bench to my house. I promise to shield you from further shame by claiming the ugly work as my own.

[Dave Balderstone]

Rule 1: Nothing in a house is flat, plumb, or level.

;-)

Very nice piece. Great lines, and if the finish is close to your photo I like the color a lot.

[Dave Balderstone]

+1