Rustic Hall Mirror and Coat Rack

You can purchase this item on my Etsy Store for $135 +s&h

I came across an old 24x24inch mirror and I had some old cedar 2x material so I decided I would try to make a framed mirror and coat rack.  The cedar came from my old workbench that I tore out of my shop because of it’s lack of function.  I didn’t realize it was cedar until I cut into it.

To make the frame I ripped a 2×6 piece of cedar roughly in half.  I then cut those pieces to oversized for the frame.  The next step was to cut a channel into the material to accept the mirror.  The mirror is about 1/4 inch thick.  To cut the channel I set my blade height to approximately 1/2 inch and marked the cut on my stock.  I was able to center the channel by intentionally setting my fence to cut slightly off-center then flipping the stock.  After that I cut the waste from the center buy moving my fence in a little bit.

The next step involved using my miter sled to cut the angles for the frame.  (If you don’t have a miter sled I highly recommend you make one for your table saw).  For the shelf I had some 2×6 material that I cut to what, I think, is a good proportion.  I attached everything with glue and pocket hole screws.

I didn’t have any hooks on hand so I ran to the hardware store and was able to find some antiqued brass hooks that work well with the patina.

To mount it to the wall I used a “french cleat” for it’s strength, stability and relative ease in mounting.  It’s now for sale on Etsy.

I shot a video of the build that I’ve uploaded to Youtube.

God bless,
Robert

The Dresser from Ave D: Trash to Treasure

SOLD

This project has been one of the most infuriating projects I’ve done in a long time.

Our small town did a city-wide clean up a few months ago.  If you had something you didn’t want you could put it out on the side of the road and the city would come buy and get it.  That’s how I found this dresser.  I knew it was happening so I went looking for some new projects.  When I came upon what I dub the “Dresser from Ave D” it was stained, colored on, spilled on, etc.  A few drawers were missing, as was most of the hardware.  I thought it would be cheap and easy to “flip” this into an entertainment center and sell it for profit.

The Dresser from Ave D (Before)

Cheap and easy didn’t happen.   With time, materials, and profit I would have to sell this dresser for over $700 based on my pricing formula (which is very fair IMO).  I’m listing it at $500,  That has me making less that I would like but at least I’m breaking even on materials and labor.

Upcycled Furniture

It turned out great.  If we had room in our living room it would be our new entertainment center (that comes from my wife).  The wood is finished  with gel-stain, then sealed with wipe-on poly.  I used an off-white/cream paint that my wife picked out.  I then waxed the entire thing.

Half Round Table Build

How this project started

SOLD

Over a year ago I was walking Starbuck one afternoon and I saw this table sitting in an alley next to a dumpster.  Two of the legs were missing but I saw potential.  We went home to get my truck.  I quickly used the other half to make a corner shelf for my wife’s craft room.  The half in the picture sat in this very spot for over a year.  The legs were put on the lumber rack in the store room, then nothing.

I didn’t have a plan for it, I just knew that it could be turned into something.  Then we pulled out carpet.  Then I was focused on my rifle reloading and setting up that part of my shop.  Then we redid the bathroom.  Then I built my wife’s Christmas present.  Then we painted.  Finally around the end of February I got to start working on my small business.

Over the course of a single Saturday afternoon I was able to transform this trash into a nice little gem.

 Phase One: Cleaning it up

First order of business: Remove old hardware

This ended up being trash for my purposes

Now 16 months of sand had to be cleaned

On the underneath, a corner had come loose

Glue and clamp time

Phase Two: Building the new base.

I routed a new apron and set the legs wider

I did this project completely from salvaged materials

I set the back legs a little wider than the front

For the back legs I ripped 2x material with tight straight grain into 1.5×1.5 legs

Pocket Holes save a lot of time and make things sturdy

Phase Three: Filling, Sanding, and Priming

Ready to fill the cracks

This is drywall mud

These are cracks filled with drywall mud

Primed and ready to paint

 Phase Four: Painting and Finishing

I first spray painted this black, then dry-brushed turquoise paint.  When it was dry I lightly sanded with 320 and sealed with clear coat

Half-Round Display Table

Half-Round Display Table

It came out great, and was a very fun little project.  I’m asking $125.00 for it locally.  Thanks for reading.

Peace be with you,

Robert

Repairing and Refinishing the Oak Entry Bench

I love how this project turned out.  Apparently so did others because it sold very quickly, and several people contacted me about it.  When I got it the mirror was long gone, and the seat was broken.  The original finish was in good shape  I probably could have just found a mirror and fixed the seat and been done with it in a day.  But to me, it was worth all the work of stripping, sanding, and refinishing.  

For this project I used. Cirtri-strip (it’s junk, seriously don’t buy it).  Minwax Hickory Gel-Stain, and Minwax Wipe-on Polyurethane.  I also used a “titainium” leafing to turn the gold hardware to a deep brushed silver.

I’ve put together a video that I posted on my Youtube Channel.  Enjoy.