This project started on Wednesday afternoon when Liz sent me this email:
This is what I have in mind for the shelves above the tv:
http://www.amazon.com/Burnes-Boston-LL2932-Level-Black/dp/ B000B50F18/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8& qid=1314797349&sr=8-1
There should be 3 of them, just like this set includes. I'd like the longest one to be the same length (or as similar as can be) to the length of the entertainment center (50-ish inches I think?). the second should be maybe 3/4 of that length, and then the smallest one being roughly 3/4 length of the middle one.
Also - just like in this set from amazon, they should have a little lip in the front so I can prop things up and they won't fall over. That's probably obvious, but i just wanted to point it out.
I've looked all over the internet and in stores for these, but I can't find any long enough.
Is this do-able?
The only problem with starting this project this week was that I knew I would have to give back the nail gun, compressor, and miter saw to Bobby on Sunday because I've held onto them way too long now. He has no idea how much I've appreciated borrowing the tools. Now that I've had a little test drive and a taste of life with sweet tools, I'm starting to hunt craigslist. Our house just might explode in woody goodness if I owned them permanently. After the last month of building things, I can't go back to the stone age of non-miter saw/nail gun life.
The shelf lengths we decided on are 50", 30", and 20". They have crown molding around the bottom and then a piece of wood inside cut at an angle so it sits down below the top. She wants a lip, then a lip is what she gets.All in all this project took me 2.5 hours yesterday and cost $57 at Lowe's for the wood. Crown molding is shockingly expensive.
I actually have to go out on a limb and say this was probably my favorite project I've ever done. Not only did the project produce something usable, but it's also decorative and good looking. Here are the pictures:
I had to include an up-close look at the lip. You can see the small brad nail holes that I'll have to touch up. They should be almost invisible with wood filler.
The small gap at the top between the wall and shelf really bothers me, but I don't think I can get it any closer. It's the hangers that I bought that do not allow for any tighter of a hold. Oh well, from a distance you can barely tell, it's only from up close like this that it looks a little weird. I've already gotten some dark wood filler and after a day of drying, I should be able to stain these bad boys a dark mahogany brown just like our coffee table and put them back up.
Now if only I had a table saw to make the long wood lip angle cut easier... oh to dream...
4 comments:
Those are awesome! And you are soooo good to your wife. When I have projects in mind and he executes them, we usually have some problems.
One way to get them closer onto the wall might be (might...I'm not sure how they're designed, exactly) to screw a 1x2 furring strip to the wall and then set the shelves onto the strip and nail down through the top of the shelf into the wall. Assuming that the shelf is hollow inside. Or screw it into the furring strip to make it easier to remove later.
Also, I've heard from several sources that pawn shops are great places to buy used tools for cheap. I even have a student who works at one and says they usually have a surplus of power tools.
By: Hillary on September 4, 2011 at 11:53 PM
The other day we were laughing that most of my projects in the house start with Liz saying "I have an idea for a project... but I'll need your help."
Ugh, your idea is so much better than mine. What I did was screw square hooks into the wall and then put a little strip on the shelf that slides into the square hooks. I thought it would work perfectly, but it didn't. I have already given the brad nailer back, so maybe when I get my own, I'll change the way I hang it. Your way would certainly make it perfectly flush.
Ironically we had a pawn shop built a mile up the street from our house about a year or two ago. I can't stand that it's there, but I might go in and see if they have any. A friend of mine told me to just buy a compressor at the store, you can easily be given a dud if it's used. But to buy tools used because those last forever.
By: Fulton on September 5, 2011 at 10:28 AM
That's probably true about the compressor, but usually Lowe's and HD will run great specials where you get the compressor and one or two or three nail guns for a lot less than buying them separately. I'm not sure if that would apply to used guns, though. Someone ran over my finish nailer with a car. She replaced it for me, but then her husband was able to fix the nailer and he kept it for himself. :)
By: Hillary on September 5, 2011 at 11:50 AM
You're always welcome to come by and use my table/miter/band saws. Sadly they can't travel since I'm still slowly working on my kitchen island.
By: Jacob on September 6, 2011 at 2:39 AM
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