Nightstand Part 3

It has been awhile since I posted for good reason. I got burned out to put it simply. Burning the candle at both ends has consequences. I still managed to get two A grades and two B grades for this last semester, register for next semester, put together my wives birthday, get a new roof on my house, continue to take care of my son, fix the sprinkler system and get it running again for this year, fertilize the lawn, fix the fountain in the back yard, re do the inside of my safe including adding custom shelving, replace the sump pump (again), and whatever else I did that I can't think of right now. It is unlike me to not work on my projects though so when the semester ended I decided to finish my nightstand. And.......

DONE! It is done. Yay. Well I finally finished it. All I have left to do is decide what to keep in the secret compartment, make some shelves/straps/pouches/pegs or whatnot to secure that item or items and then add two ingenious locking mechanisms that I will not be posting on the internet. (to be done at a later date) Anyway here it is:

As you can see it turned out very shiny. That is no accident and was actually quite a bit of work. To get that finish I used a two part epoxy resin clear coat from lowes. One mixes it thoroughly and pours it on and lets it dry for three days. Follow the instructions. Unlike what I did which was not read them. Well had I read them I would have noticed that for porous materials like say OAK, one has to put on a sealer coat first. If you do not do this then it will bubble as if it was carbonated, and the bubbles will dry as craters. To fix this I simply poured on a second coat, and then a third. For a total of nine days of dry time.There are a few craters left still, you can see a couple in the lower left quardrant of the top:

You can also see me, which is how shiny the coat is. It is also really thick, way better than a spray on clear coat. Here are a couple more pics of that:

Other things I had to do to get it to that point. Well I had to finish rough grit sanding it, made the individual planks look like one surface. Then Medium grit sand it to smooth out the rough grits work. And finally fine grit sand it twice to make it as smooth as possible. Then I took my router to the top and drawer faces. Then stained it black. Wipe the stain on then wipe it off, twice.

I Used a wax on all of the insides of it. I also sprayed the drawers with plastidip.I attached the handles once the clear was dry, had to buy new longer screws than the ones that came with it, and still had to drill out about a 1/4 inch or so for the head of the screw to inset in the drawer. Looks better that way anyway, er I mean I meant to do that.

Lets see... I added a chain to the secret compartment, and furniture sliders to the bottom on the sides so it will slide on carpet. Here is that compartment:

In all this project took way to long, but I guess I am being hard on myself since I do seem to have other things going on. I think I have decided to only take on one EXTRA project at a time from now on. So in addition to all my normal duties as a father, student, worker, EXT.... I will only do one project at a time. My next one is to turn my main floor bathroom/mudroom into a main floor bathroom/mudroom/laundry room. Should be fun.

The Roof Outlet

So the last couple weeks I have been working on all my projects. I also started school again. The end table is coming along nicely, all it needs now is a lot of sanding, some planing, stain and clear. I did manage to get an outlet hooked up on my roof.

***WARNING do not play with work on or mess with electrical wiring unless you know what you are doing***

This should have been a one day project. It was not.

I found out awhile ago that the middle switch in my master bedroom that did nothing used to be a ceiling fan. The wire for which had been cut at the light box and left there. So I decided that I could hook up an outlet on my roof using that switch for my X-mas lights.

I started by taking my bedroom light apart and climbing into the attic. I fed the offending ceiling fan wire (it had been cut twice here above the light) and a new wire I had bought into the light box. Routed the new wire to the edge of the roof. Then I climbed out and spliced them in the box, like one should. I put the light back together. Then I went up on the roof top... to take off my lights and hook up my new outlet. I had my wife bring me a coat hanger, since I could not reach the new wire but I could see it. Hooked it up and poof. It did not work.


Poop.


So the next day I climbed back in the attic to see what was the matter. It turns out that the wire had also been cut above the wall where the switch was. About six inches remained, and it would not reach itself again. So to Lowes I go to buy more wire and some junction boxes. Splices must be made in junction boxes. Super.

So the next day I go back into the attic to do some splicing, while I am up there I lay some planks down for easier walking. All spliced together I go up on the roof top... it does not work. Again.


^$#!$^^%@^%^%^@^%@!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


So the next day I take apart the switch. Now, I don't know if you have wired a three switch box before but I will tell you they work by magic. I know from experience there should be four wires,each with four wires inside. One that brings the power, one for each light, and one for the ceiling fan. There are only three wires. The middle switch is hooked up, it operates, power goes in and only comes out when it is switched. Yet it controls nothing. Not a thing. Magic.

So I take apart the whole box, managing to not disconnect any wires in doing so. I use a mirror to look into the wall. There it is, about half way up capped off and taped with duct tape, not electrical, but duct. Sigh. I reach into the wall pull it down and now I have my four wires with four wires inside apiece.

I then stare at the wiring trying to figure it out for about half an hour and I have an Epiphany out of no where. I disconnect some wires, reconnect in other places, splice others, and hook up the ceiling fan wire. A long lost Latin chant springs from my mouth, I apologize to the ancient gods that I don't have a goat to sacrifice, lightning strikes, I'm pretty sure there were monks chanting far off.... and..... It works! IT'S ALIVE!!!!

Crap now I have to sacrifice a goat.

OK, some of that didn't happen. However it works. I put it all back together, only half way cause I know better. Go to flip the breaker and it breaks. %((!( **^ W%. I tear it back apart and a wire had come loose and was touching ground. Easy enough I re-connect and this time I electrical tape everything. That is not required but is smart anyway. Then I repeat and this time it works for good. Put it all back together and start searching the internet on how to buy a goat....





P.S. Future me had better be thankful to present me. Next year when I do the Christmas lights I wont have to carry an extension cord on the roof, and I have a whole new breaker to run lights on now. An extra breaker means more lights.

Night Stand Part 2

Alright, I am back. I got a little done in the past weeks. Christmas was awesome with my son. Being three he finally understood what was going on. Fun. Santa brought him a power wheel. I will help him upgrade it, it needs rubber tires at least. I finished my trash can fence. I also sewed my Vader cape so it would be shorter by two inches and not drag on the ground. That was a long stitch, I actually had to reload the bobbin. Next for Vader is the robe, it needs pleats, or darts so it folds properly.

I managed to work on my night stand. Here it is with the back and sides attached:

For the second back, the one you would see if you looked into the drawer holes I used some scrap wood I had laying around. I glued two pieces of fence scrap together to make it thick enough. Then cut it to the required size and installed.

Then I attached the false back to it as you can see in the above pics. The one on the left is where the secret compartment will be. The one on the right is from the front. I went ahead and attached the sides, they are oak.

I also attached the top in the same fashion, and that is where is sits now. I cut the drawer slides, since the size I need are not made. I will use wood and simply wax it like I did the dowel that makes the secret compartment swivel. I am still sanding them smooth. At the same time I am sanding the rest of the secret drawer parts. These are both being made of scrap wood, since one will not really see the inside. Everything visible will be OAK. I got the drawer pulls in today as well. They are sexy and they know it....

So Next I will finish sanding the parts, finish the secret compartment. Then attach the drawer slides and make the drawers. Then sand, router, sand, and sand again. Then stain, clear, clear again. Finally attach the hardware and the lock for the secret compartment (which I will not share on here). Then it is done. I can then make my wife's night stand.

Amazing Grandma

My grandma is amazing. when growing up i learned my left from right playing guantlet with her on the nes. We played all the Mario games, she even played world of war craft. She was a good pool player, and loved life. I have the coolest grandma ever. She is now with my grandfather... it was unexpected and i am having trouble with it. She was going to see the Hobit today... she would have loved it. that is all for this week.

Quick Update

My work below, the Vader shirt has been taken down by a direct complaint from George Lucas. Well his lawyers anyway, but I'm going to pretend it was him to make me feel better. I am a bit miffed, it was obviously a drawing, and a parody. I know it was legal for me to sell it, otherwise spaceballs, the other 500+ T-shirts on redbubble alone, and every other parody should also be taken down and owe George money. They acted pretty quickly. Right now I do not have any way or money to fight it, so today the giant kills the ant on that one. Hopefully it is the last time something like this will happen.

Night Stand

Well it is finals week, yay. I have a massive paper due in Art class by tomorrow night that I haven't even had time to start. I just finished with my English class as soon as I submit this post. Yesterday I finished my other two classes with three finals. During all that I started with a new project, I will be cleaning out my basement and fixing it up a little so it isn't so dingy. This is a temporary fix until we can afford to finish it. I continued working on the new fence to hide the trash cans. I have one section out of three built. Also I fixed the problem with my Vader shoulder armor. All I had to do was take a strap with buckles and cut/burn some holes in the proper places and screw it into the straps that hold the shoulder bells on. The next Vader related project is the helmet mounting system. More on that later.

I have been having problems with people messing with my X-mas decorations outside. I am going to buy a camera and hopefully find out which little snot is doing it. I am tempted to put out an electric fence attached to the reindeer. However, I would probably get into trouble for that. Personally If I put a no trespassing sign out, I think it should be legal to place any sort of trap I want to. Land mines, claymores, electric fences, and giant pits come to mind. Makes me angry, obviously.

I was able to put out a new shirt on Redbubble. I was trying to convey that even evil can call for peace. That just because one believes in peace, it does not make them a good person. Also, that the call for peace can be used to subjugate. Finally that "peace" without freedom simply isn't a desirable situation. What it needs is a catchy caption to go under it that conveys all of the above. I have two pages of possible captions, but none of them work. So I decided to put it out and let it speak for itself. You can purchase it HERE.



It works because Vader wanted peace. He fought very hard for it. In the end to achieve peace he joined the dark side and in doing so decided that the only route to peace was enslavement of the whole galaxy. That from now on it would be the emperors way or a death sentence. A sentence he would gladly carry out on an individual, a race, or an entire planet.

I have started building a new night stand for myself. The first piece of furniture I built was a giant dresser. You see, I wanted a very tall, oak, black, shiny dresser. I searched many shops to locate one. Failing to find what I wanted, I did what any person would: I built one. I gained many skills in doing so and got exactly what I wanted. When I got married it became my dresser and her other four pieces of bedroom furniture. I was going to complete the set and sell hers, a plan she agreed with. Well six years later I am starting to do exactly that. Here is the original:

I had to cut it in two to get it our of my mothers basement, and I still have not fixed the fact that you can see the cut. For the new piece, first I built the front, back, and sides. The front is oak, the sides pine. They are just a skeleton so they need not be of oak. Then I built a fake back which will be a secret door. Here is the starting pieces of the back and a side that is put together:

You can see the pocket jig, and the best drill I have ever owned or used. The front:

Then I attached them together. I use a pocket screw jig. This plus glue makes a strong and professional looking joint. The secret door will be attached by wooden dowels so it can swivel open. Here you cannot see the back or fake back, because I made a mistake in my math and they require am adjustment before they will fit.

Next I put together the secret drawer and the backs. Both fake and real. Then cut the sides and top that go over the skeleton. Build the drawers, router and sand. Then stain and clear. I will post another update after that.

Vader Shin Guards

This week I was able to accomplish a lot. School is wrapping up and next week is finals, so this coming week might be slow as far as getting other things done. Today I am going to wrap up my ten page report for final turn in, and I already worked on my new night stand (more on that later).

This week I had to cut off a lock that made sure no one stole my trailer hitch off my truck because it rusted and the key would no loner fit. I used a cut off tool and it only took about 20 min. Now I will use a simple pin system and just hope no one steals my hitch. I also started work on my end table, and a fence I need to build around my trash cans so I will stop receiving angry letters from the HOA every winter. The rest of the year they are hidden by the bushes, when the leaves fall I get angry letters. So I will build a fence and see if I can get an angry letter for that. You would think they were helping pay my mortgage.

I climbed all over my roof, there were some bee's poking around when I set up the Christmas lights, so I filled the nooks and crannies with caulk in case they were thinking about setting up a hive. If they did already I might need to call someone. I certainly am not climbing around the attic if it is full of bee's. BTW climbing on my roof is nuts, the second floor is STEEP, so steep that the builders installed safety attachments so you can hook your climbing gear onto something. Finally I spent some time shopping and I am almost done with my Christmas lists.

Anyway, on to interesting things. I finished my Vader shin guards. The straps that held them on were terrible. They were too short and the buckle would come off when you tried to put them on.

So I cut new straps and sewed them on permanently to the guards. I used a sewing machine, it isn't going to win any beauty contests. This is because the guard was in the way, so I could not maneuver it around like I wanted to. However, it isn't going to fall apart, it isn't going to let the buckle fall off, and it isn't going to be seen while wearing the costume.

You can see I added a folded piece at the end of the strap and sewed it to ensure buckle retention. You can also see that I forgot to dust the insides.The next Vader related  project will be the shoulder armor. One of the straps that holds that on is missing and I might need to make a new one.