Food Prep Set

Here is where we were going.  The finished set...

I started staining the top of the Rough Cedar Table before decided exactly what I wanted to do.  I liked the contrast of the red to the brown in the leg posts, and wound up going with staining all the new light colored cedar, and leaving to posts their aged brown color.

In preparation for the stain, I used the surface plane and sandpaper to smooth the rough Cedar on the top, and sides of the top, but left the rest of the wood rough.  I've put three coats on the top so far and think I am happy with it.

Maybe the best part of getting to this point is being able to get all the construction materials off the patio.  After this I am going back to the Shed, and the Garden Fence to get it finished off...

All this work is making me hungry, I think we're going to put these tables to work next.  Barbeque?

Block Table

I had a stack of scraps after building the Garden Fence, also here Garden Fence 2.  The fence is four feet tall which means that I needed to crop the eight foot Cedar posts to six feet.  So, I have this stack of 2 foot long, 4x4 Cedar posts.  I thought about making a mammoth chopping block, but Cedar is to soft and porous for a chopping block.

So, maybe a tabletop is what I wound up with.  I went round and round about what hardware I could use to connect the pieces for the top.  At one point I was going to use a 1/2 inch bolts through all the top pieces.  But, also trying to be frugal and only use what was already here I wound up gluing the top together.

I spread I piece of plastic over the saw table to keep from gluing the Block Table Top to the saw table.  Also, I'm using Gorilla Wood Glue.  I looked at the post material a long time trying to get the clearest surfaces on the top of the table, and hide the knots.

Then we'll apply a generous amount of glue between each piece, keeping them in order and aligned simultaneously.  I'm impressed with the glue, it has good adhesion immediately.  Once all the pieces are glued I'll clamp them with the bar clamps.

When you put the squeeze on the stack glue squirts out of every joint, and I spent another couple hours cleaning up the excess glue.  Gorilla Glue expands as it cures, co you have to keep after it for a while.  The pieces are stuck together well, but I am going to give it another 24 hours to cure before removing the clamps.

In the meantime I made the frame and leg pieces.  I'll glue and screw the frame to the top, and then likewise, glue and screw the legs to the frame.  The entire thing is glued now.  It should act as a contiguous piece, very rigid.

Its a short table, 28 inches.  I'm not sure where to integrate it yet.  I'm thinking that it should go with the Rough Cedar Table since they are made from the scraps from the Garden Fence.

The posts are Rough Cedar, so they are not perfect.  I spent a while working the top with a surface plane to make it flat and bet get the ridges out.  I also needed to square the ends with the saw a bit.  Then I sanded the top with 100 grit sandpaper.

Then finally adding the weather proofing stain, the same we used on the fence, so it matches.  I'm thinking that this set is going to look good when its done.

Workmate Renovation

I've had this Workmate since 2002.  It has had a part in everything I have built over the last decade.  It has endured all the projects.  It even held the Baby Q for a while.  The particle wood tops took most of the punishment.  So I had a couple leftover 2x6 pieces that were about right to replace the tops, so I thought its a good time to renovate the Workmate.

The original tops of the Workmate were particle wood, and I never liked it.  Particle wood is great for indoor furniture that never gets wet.  For a tool that lives outside?  Never.  I tried OSB (Oriented Strand Board) for exterior wall on the shed, and within five years they were trash.

Another thing I wanted to change about the Workmate is the surface area, so the replacement tops will be larger than the original tops.  Some times the Workmate gets used as a small table.

The original tops have recessed bolts, so I needed to make a relief for the head of the screws, and washers.  I used a hole saw to a specific depth, then used a chisel to clean out the holes.

There is also a half inch peg which actually anchors the top, and the screw just locks the assembly together.  I make another three sets of holes like these to mount the new tops...

Here you can see the contrast between the new and old tops.  It only takes a little water to make the particle wood come apart.  The new tops will get a sealing stain that will make them water resistant.

 ...and now we'll put it too work.

Rough Cedar Table

I've had it in my mind for a while to make a food preparation table for the patio.  I've been using the Workmate to hold the baby Q, and there is little space to put the food, sauces, utensils, etc.  I've also been working on fences lately, and I've got some extra Cedar hanging around.  So put the two together and we get Cedar food preparation table to hold the baby Q.

The legs are 6 inch by 6 inch Cedar posts, and this idea was hatched when I found the posts.  Someone was throwing them away, and I spotted them while I was out walking Harley on the morning of the trash pickup.  So after we finished the walk I went and retrieved them.

I had some spare 2x4s and 2x6s from building the Garden Fence, here also Garden Fence 2, and the wood type matches, so I figured they would work together.  Also had some leftover 3 1/2 inch screws to put it all together.  This type of construction I call Hatching, and I use it a lot for the Rustic Furniture I build.  There is no formal plan.  I use recycled, or scrap materials.  It goes together as the available materials allow.  This one is more uniform than most.

Here I'm piecing together the frame.  The 6x6 posts were different lengths, so the upper frame is above the top of the posts to make the top straight.  Then there is a shelf on the bottom.  I make the gap between the posts six inches so I could use a single 2x6 between them as a shelf.

Then there are two smaller 2x6 pieces adjacent to the center shelf 2x6.  The rough Cedar helps the Rustic Furniture appearance.  I'd like to put some accent pieces on there like Texas stars.  I should get a brand so I can brand my logo onto it.  I'm thinking "Texian" brand, but still thinking about it.

Finally for the top I used four 2x6s.  The whole thing has a big, blocky feel.  It is also higher (37 inches) than the average counter top which is good for me, a tall counter is easier on my back.  I may need to make some more like this.  I can see adding some features to make them look better like mitering the corners of the frame boards and the top.  Well, I'm off to build more stuff.