Factory Cart Coffee Table

This weekend I made, and then remade a coffee table for the patio.  I liked the original, but thought it too big for the space. After much reassurance from Kevin that it was perfect, I decided to ignore his support and redid it to suit me anyway. I went back and trimmed the top pieces to be in line with the sides of the box and give it a more cart like appearance.  I took the plans from Ana White, and adjusted them to meet my needs.  The major difference in mine being the height of the table and the top is not inset: therefore, I didn't need the supports in the inside of the base to hold up the top.

The photo above is the table as it sits now and below is the original.  You can see how the top extended over the sides.  

If you look at the wagon wheel bench behind it you can see the darker weathered places in the cracks.  I had wanted to achieve that in the table using an ebony stain, but I had a tiny explosion of Minwax when I opened the tube.  There was no going back, I had to do the entire table (and my hands, arms and shirt good thing it was water based) in the stain.  I like how the darker color looks as there is so much wood in, around and on my house.

I think for the finishing touches I'm going to add  two two inch metal bands around the sides of the bench and maybe a handle like you would see on a red wagon to complete the cart like look.

I used cedar we had in the barn and bough four wheels from our Columbus Ace hardware.  I had some issues with the getting the screws in straight but you can't see it in the pictures. I've never been good at getting screws to go in nice and straight, but I missed the edges of the wood in a few places, oops! I'm a beginner what can I say.

I'm looking forward to getting the finishing touches on the table and then I am going to start on a bench cushion for the wagon seat.  I'll be doing a no sew project.

Me + The Internet = Master Carpenter

The internet is a wonderful thing.  I don't have to leave my home here in the boonies to buy home decor anymore.  I can just make it.  You thought I was going to say order it online, but no!  I've been teaching myself the fine art of word working.  I've made 4 shelves and a bath-top desk.  

It all started when Kevin was bugging me about making the barndominium look like we actually live here. So it's been a year since we've moved in, and I've been a little busy what with getting married and being a roller derby queen and a house wife.  JEEZ.  

First, I started with these 1 foot barn beam shelves using some cedar we had in the barn. I got the idea from Ana White's blog.  

Below, you can see how the sides are a bit unfinished.  I need to sand and maybe use some wood filler to give it a more polished finished look.   

 I made them as floating shelves and was so impressed with myself. The pictures are of the unfinished shelves, but you can see how it was assembled to allow for the floating wall mount.

This empty space sandwiched betweent he top and bottom boards accommodates the wall cleat seen below.  Notice I messed up the screw hole and had to add another.  OPPS, oh well you can't see those when the shelf is up. 

I liked the 1ft barn beam shelves so much that I made a two footer for my guest bath.  This one I painted a barn wood grey (as shown) and then later distressed it and added a coat of Minwood Drift Wood stain.

 Because my shelves were so successful, I've a whole passle of projects I want to complete.  This bath-top desk is my latest creation.  It took seriously 20 minutes to put together and probably would have taken less time if I had measured properly.  When I was putting on the wood feet underneath, I measured from the insides of the feet instead of the outsides, so I had to move them in to get a proper bathtub fit. This was a pinterest project that I found @http://www.myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/diy-bathtub-shelf

(Look at Forrest, isn't he cute.  He likes to sit on the rug and protect the bathtub when I'm there.)  

My next project is to build a bench for my sister-in-law, Linda.  And then who knows what I'll make.  Come back and check up on my progress.