Outhouse Seat Redo - When An Idea Presents Itself

[Sonny]

I had salavged the seat from my grandparent's outhouse, demolished in the m id 70s. I had wondered what I could do with it. I had coated it with a sp ar urethane, until I could find a suitable project with it. Leon's sugges tion of putting a mirror in the opening was appealing.

I made a vanity mirror with it. Viola (sic)! We need a mirror at the fa rm bathroom, anyway, so this project should fit the bill, nicely. I'll ma ke a complimentary vanity cabinet, for it, later.

The seat board is 10/4 cypress, so it is nice and sturdy; 47" wide X 15" ta ll. I framed it with old salvaged cypress 4X4s and the bottom edge board i s about a 1.5X3. The seat is essentially framed like a picture would be. No glue was used, it's all pegged or notched together, though the glass sup ports/framing, on the backside, is screwed in place.

It looks much better, in person, than it does in the pics. It's not gross looking, either, as one might think an outhouse seat "decor" may be. I'm debating whether to put a finish on the framing. I think it looks good, a s is, accented by the unfinished framing.

We're to have crawfish etouffee at Mom's tonight, so I'll run it passed her , for her critique. I'm wondering if she'll recognize it. As much weird stuff as I made, and not just for her, she'll probably confirm I'm nuts, r ather than comment on the mirror.

This was a quick, fun project.

Sonny

[Leon]

Cool! The mirror making the depth appear double is cool too!

[Gordon Shumway]

You have done a lot of nice work including the mirror. There are going to be quite a few family heirlooms.

[Sonny]

I hadn't noticed that. Good eye. I like that, too.

Sonny

[Sonny]

be quite a few family heirlooms.

Thanks. I wish I had learned to do more precision or exacting work, long a go, rather than the "rough stuff", of many of my projects. Sometimes, I se nse the rough stuff is gimmick-like, in its make, appeal or presentation. All that rough stuff has gotten old, for me. I sometimes think I would, now, prefer to be making things a little more elegant and refined, but I ha ve doubts about my skills for that precision and workmanship. I'm too impa tient, these days, to be appropriately precise.

.... and/or for my personal self to be appropriately refined!!?

Sonny

[Swingman]

I fixed étouffée yesterday, but had to make do with shrimp. Crawfish are so expensive here this year that my coonass registration card would be revoked if the word got out I had paid that much for mud bugs ... not that shrimp are cheap. :(

Global warming, doncha know.

Your outhouse seat project is simply lovely, BTW ... just don't hang it in the kitchen, Cher! :)

[jloomis]

Interesting set of pictures and handmade furniture.... I enjoyed walking through the photo's very creative and great use of large pieces of wood. john

I had salavged the seat from my grandparent's outhouse, demolished in the mid 70s. I had wondered what I could do with it. I had coated it with a spar urethane, until I could find a suitable project with it. Leon's suggestion of putting a mirror in the opening was appealing.

I made a vanity mirror with it. Viola (sic)! We need a mirror at the farm bathroom, anyway, so this project should fit the bill, nicely. I'll make a complimentary vanity cabinet, for it, later.

The seat board is 10/4 cypress, so it is nice and sturdy; 47" wide X 15" tall. I framed it with old salvaged cypress 4X4s and the bottom edge board is about a 1.5X3. The seat is essentially framed like a picture would be. No glue was used, it's all pegged or notched together, though the glass supports/framing, on the backside, is screwed in place.

It looks much better, in person, than it does in the pics. It's not gross looking, either, as one might think an outhouse seat "decor" may be. I'm debating whether to put a finish on the framing. I think it looks good, as is, accented by the unfinished framing.

We're to have crawfish etouffee at Mom's tonight, so I'll run it passed her, for her critique. I'm wondering if she'll recognize it. As much weird stuff as I made, and not just for her, she'll probably confirm I'm nuts, rather than comment on the mirror.

This was a quick, fun project.

Sonny

[Sonny]

are so expensive here this year that my coonass registration card would be revoked if the word got out I had paid that much for mud bugs

Yeah, the crawfish got a late start, because of the lingering cold weather, so the prices, everywhere, has been high. They are just now starting to d rop and the size are much better, also.

Actually, we didn't have etouffee, as I was initially told by Jonas. He w as to bring some crawfish from the farm. He came back with a big loggerhea d turtle and some frogs, so we had sauce piquante. It was excellent.

Last few weeks, they were catching about 60 sacks of crawfish, every other day, at the farm. That production should continue increase a good bit more , too.

Sonny

[Sonny]

Thanks, John. I've enjoyed doing all that stuff.

*These days, depending on the project, some of the big wood projects require a higher percent of work, than fun.

Sonny

[Leon]

Hang it in the bathroom!