I built a thing for my classroom.

by "Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
Published 08/16/2017 at 23:09

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STARS: 9

It may not look like much, but it turned out well for something I threw together. The 1 x 12 shelf material was all free at Home Depot, where I plunder the cutoff pile every time I go. Most of the time, because Home Despot doesn’t wanna make money twice, they don’t charge me. (I’ve been known to follow a customer out to the parking lot in order to relieve them of the part they’re cutting off, as was the case for the backboard on Ttyymmnn’s boys’ basketball net.)

ANYHOW, the Snowflakes will keep their math binders on the shelves.

Replies (36)

"Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo" (thetomselleck)
08/16/2017 at 23:11, STARS: 0

Better quality than most shelving I see in new construction.

"Nibby" (nibby68)
08/16/2017 at 23:15, STARS: 1

Is it for binders or storing kids?

"WilliamsSW" (williamssw)
08/16/2017 at 23:38, STARS: 0

Nice work!

"Steve in Manhattan" (blogenfreude01)
08/17/2017 at 00:21, STARS: 0

Kids lucky to have you ....

"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
08/17/2017 at 00:42, STARS: 0

Flattery will get you EVERYWHERE, Darling.

But seriously: thank you.

"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
08/17/2017 at 00:44, STARS: 1

No, I use the cabinets for that. And the Detention Room.

"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
08/17/2017 at 00:46, STARS: 1

Thank you. I attempted to be very precise, but not to have a big production. The finish is just a coat of Zinsser blue. But all of the facing edges are rounded over with the router which improves it bigly.

"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
08/17/2017 at 00:47, STARS: 0

It is kind of you to say so, but I do enjoy them, enjoy being with them.

"6691 zapS" (6691-zaps)
08/17/2017 at 02:46, STARS: 0

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

"random001" (random001)
08/17/2017 at 06:50, STARS: 0

Wait a tick, home depot has a cut off pile?!

"random001" (random001)
08/17/2017 at 06:50, STARS: 0

Can you finish it in Gulf Livery?

"random001" (random001)
08/17/2017 at 06:52, STARS: 0

I’m currently jealous of things you apparently just “throw together”.

Ya bastard.

"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
08/17/2017 at 06:58, STARS: 0

That’s good work sir! I had no idea the Home Depot cutoff pile could be such a gold mine.

"Nibby" (nibby68)
08/17/2017 at 08:33, STARS: 0

what about wood chippers?

"Phyrxes once again has a wagon!" (phyrxes)
08/17/2017 at 08:36, STARS: 0

Very nice.

"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
08/17/2017 at 09:52, STARS: 0

Back by the saws in the Lumber Department. They spray purple paint on the ends of the pieces. Anything you find there, if they charge you for it, is 70% off. I get lots of good stuff that way. Recently, I brought home four or five 12-ft pine 1 x 4s and I think they only charged me for one of them and that one at 70% off.

I look at that pile every time I visit the store and I’m driving my van.

"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
08/17/2017 at 09:53, STARS: 0

Can you send me an image?

"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
08/17/2017 at 09:55, STARS: 1

Thank you. Lots of practice over many years. I’ve gone after a quality level in my work that is very precise, but I do not have the facilities to craft fine furniture, so I’m looking for a final product that is tidy but durable and pieces that are highly functional, but show thought-out details. Like the recessed kick on the bottom.

"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
08/17/2017 at 10:02, STARS: 2

Thank you. My aesthetic is, How much result can I get from tools that are intended for a construction jobsite? I have neither the equipment nor a proper shop for crafting fine furniture. (And good hardwood is expensive!) And as in this case, the material was practically free. I also keep a stock of 8-foot 2 x 4s that I buy surface dry from a local lumber yard. These are tight-grained and have very few, if any, knots. Then I mill these down to smaller pieces and work with them.

I spent a lot of time thinking it through, measuring and cutting. I applied the paint — one coat of Zinsser Blue — with a thin roller before assembly. Then the actual construction is more an assembly. Every connection has wood glue applied. The backing is 1/4" subfloor plywood which I glued and stapled, then ran the router around with a trimming bit. And the finished product will be used every single day and I will admire it every day. I just love doing that kind of stuff.

"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
08/17/2017 at 10:05, STARS: 1

The custodian gets complains too much about the mess.

"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
08/17/2017 at 10:06, STARS: 0

Thank you!

"random001" (random001)
08/17/2017 at 10:32, STARS: 0

Oh, yeah! The culling pile as it’s labelled in my home depot. I have bought a bunch of stuff there, especially when half the board is just fine and I only need that half anyway.

"random001" (random001)
08/17/2017 at 10:35, STARS: 0

gulf livery

gulf livery pantones:

http://www.colourlovers.com/palette/42239/Gulf_GT40

“The Gulf logo is Pantone Blue (PMS 301) and Pantone Orange (PMS 165). The light blue on the cars varies but is generally Pantone Pale Blue (PMS 290C).” 

"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
08/17/2017 at 10:46, STARS: 0

Yup.

"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
08/17/2017 at 10:50, STARS: 0

I thought you were imagining something more like this:

"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
08/17/2017 at 11:43, STARS: 0

I call it guerrilla cabinet making. I spent a big part of my youth doing similar jobs with similar tools for my dad’s construction company. My high school had jack squat for shop classes. I took a combination of things I learned on the job site and things I learned watching The New Yankee Workshop, and made some pretty good stuff.

When I was in high school, we once built two dozen custom solid cedar doors for an enclosed pool building in our driveway, using a miter saw, a circular saw, cheap bar clamps, a biscuit jointer, and a palm sander. I had to BEG my dad to buy the biscuit jointer. He wanted us to drill and dowel the frames. It probably saved us two days of labor, and it was over 100 degrees outside that week. Dad (mostly) started listening to me when I told him to buy a tool after that.

Even with a full shop at my disposal, I still think and build like I’m using hand power tools. I have fallen in love with pocket screws.

"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
08/17/2017 at 13:55, STARS: 0

I like seeing how precise I can get with job site tools.

Show me an example of what you’d call a pocket screw? At $8-10 per box at the hardware store, I probably have $300 worth of screws. Lots of Torx drive, Spaz, and the like. What I started out in 1990 the only screws you could buy were miserable black sheetrock screws or pot metal wood screws.

"Tupac's Cousin Mark" (johnfranc)
08/17/2017 at 14:38, STARS: 0

Your HD still gives away the cut offs free? The ones near me all have huge “NOT FREE” signs on the cut off bins. You have to ask a manager and they’ll give you a price on whatever you want from the bin.

"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
08/17/2017 at 16:49, STARS: 0

It’s not that they give them for free, it’s just that they don’t always ring everything up at the register. And there’s a concept called “inventory inflation.” I’d call it “making twice as much money,” but the Despot doesn’t see it like that. Charging again for the wood messes up their inventory management, they claim.

"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
08/17/2017 at 22:55, STARS: 0

I do too. The answer is precise enough for most jobs :)

These are pocket screws.

You put them into special pocket holes.

You drill the holes with a jig and a special drill bit. I have a fancy jig at school, and a much cheaper but still effective one at home.

I built these cubbies for kids to put their books and Chromebooks in while we’re in the shop. It’s entirely assembled with pocket screws and no glue. It’s unbelievably strong.

A couple years ago during parent teacher conferences, I had almost no parents scheduled for the entire day. I precut and drilled all the pieces in the days before it, and spent conference day assembling it.

"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
08/18/2017 at 19:05, STARS: 0

That is very tidy looking. I’ll have to look on YouTube for some demo videos. Not sure if I want to take on a new technique at present...

"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
08/18/2017 at 23:56, STARS: 1

You might change your mind when you see how easy it is. Strong too. I learned it watching The New Yankee Workshop, which if I recall you aren’t a fan of. My high school only had one 1-semester woodshop class, so I learned most of my woodworking watching Norm.

Pocket screws are so quick and easy, I used to feel kind of guilty for using them. Like I was cheating or something. Then five years ago I finished a complete gut and remodel of the second floor of our bungalow. I turned it into a master suite. I didn’t have time to build the furniture as well, so we decided to spend some money and bought a very expensive American made matching dresser, headboard, and nightstands. The stuff is beautiful and solid as can be. It’s also nearly entirely assembled with pocket screws.

"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
08/19/2017 at 08:33, STARS: 1

I’ll check it out. I wouldn’t say I’m not a fan of Norm so much as what he does is so completely out of my reach not so much in skills, but in equipment and material. My woodworking reality is too far removed from what he presents. I’d love to whip out beautiful furniture but the best I can whip out is that bookcase, which is not too slouchy for what it is. And unlike what I suspect is the case with an episode of Norn’s show, there weren’t any prototypes or practice pieces or helpers. Or a 1500 so ft workshop. Maybe all I am is envious.

"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
08/19/2017 at 09:55, STARS: 0

He made no secret that prototypes were made. He would often refer to them in the show. I enjoy watching the high end stuff. I find it fascinating, and I was able to learn techniques that were applicable to guerrilla cabinet-making. I wish it were still on.

"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
08/19/2017 at 15:14, STARS: 1

It’s good. Wasn’t trying to badmouth the show.

"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
08/20/2017 at 00:53, STARS: 1

I didn’t take that way. Nobody can be into everything.