Home Improvement

How to Build Floor-To-Ceiling Bookshelves (With a Window Seat)

November 22, 2016 by Ash 68 Comments

Ever since building my first bookshelf in our first home, I’ve had a hankering ever since to do another one but on a much more grand scale.

My wish came true when Eileen came to me one day with some ideas for her office in our new home. An exciting project was brewing!

Since we didn’t have any large bookshelves in our present home, most of the books we packed up during our move were still in boxes. I’m talking cartons and cartons of books.

They were taking up a lot of valuable space in various locations around the house. So bookshelves were sorely needed.

Initially we were leaning towards a large L-shaped bookshelf in the office. Then Eileen had a great idea of placing the bookshelf against the window wall and incorporating a window seat.

The office window wall was very bland and not very exciting to look at. It was almost begging for a renovation.

Although it would provide a little less shelf storage than our initial L-shaped shelf idea, it would still be more than enough for all our books.

Also, the window seat would provide a little extra underneath cabinet storage, which is a pretty cool feature.

Planning the Built-In Bookshelves with a Window Seat

The project was essentially going to be two separate built-in bookshelves (on each side of the window) with a seat connecting the two in the middle. The seat would be sitting atop some wide kitchen cabinets for extra storage.

Above the window was just enough space for a single small shelf to store decorative items or horizontal books. Finally, some baseboard would run along the bottom, and some crown molding at the top.

Some designs I saw online used a standard shelf depth (around 12”) with the seat extending out further.

Eileen didn’t want a protruding edge, and she has the eye for design. So to prevent this, the depth of the seat had to be the same as the bookshelves.

Due to a closet opening on a perpendicular wall, I was restricted to a maximum depth of 15”. I was a little worried that this would not be enough depth to sit comfortably on, but a few trial sittings on 15” planks of wood proved to be acceptable.

This also meant deeper than normal shelves, but I wasn’t too concerned. I’m sure any extra space behind some books could be put to good use.

As with most of my projects, I started off in TinkerCad to sketch out a 3D design of what was floating around in my head. I came up with the following:

Determining Materials

With the design for built-in bookshelves flushed out, I was ready to begin.

I strongly considered using melamine covered particle board for the shelves, but instead opted for some good quality birch plywood.

Although the birch was a little more expensive, I wasn’t comfortable embarking on a project this size using melamine – a material I have never really worked with before.

Also I wanted to use a stronger material than melamine covered particleboard.

Next, I used a drawing program on my computer (Photoshop) to calculate the minimum number of 4 x 8 sheets of plywood needed to cut out all the required bookshelf pieces.

I then placed a Home Depot delivery order for all the bookshelf lumber (including some 2 x 4s and 2 x 6s for various segments in the design, baseboard, and crown molding for the trim and some miscellaneous hardware).

Here is the diagram I made in Photoshop to calculate the number of 4 x 8 plywood sheets needed:

Constructing the Built-In Bookshelves

When the bookshelf wood arrived, I quickly cut the plywood sheets into 15” wide strips using my circular saw and stored them for use shortly.

With all the materials on hand, I started the project.

Removing Carpeting

The first step was to remove the carpeting where the bookshelf would rest.

For a flat platform to build on, it needed to sit directly on the floor plywood sheathing. I accomplished this with the help of my utility knife and a metal ruler to help guide the cuts.

Then I removed some existing baseboard trim so the bookshelf could sit flush against the wall. The use of my oscillating multi tool helped out here to remove just enough baseboard, leaving the rest intact, so that the bookshelf would seamlessly blend in.

Here’s a picture showing me making progress on prepping the floor. I had to be extra careful removing the carpet tacking strips at the edges, as they were riddled with rusty looking nails:

Building the Foundation

Once all the bare plywood flooring was exposed and baseboard removed, I started work on the foundation for the two end bookshelf segments.

They would rest directly on the bare floor. I assembled the frames from 2 x 6 wood.

Here’s a picture of the completed frames:

While constructing the frames in the garage, the corners needed to be very square.

I didn’t have a 90 degree clamp at the time to assist, so using a scrap piece of 2 x 4 and two handy bar clamps, I got creative.

As seen in the picture below, I was able to lock in place two perpendicular pieces of wood allowing me to fasten them accurately with screws:

Here’s a picture of one of the frames in position resting on the bare floor (notice how I carved some grooves underneath to allow a coaxial cable to run through):

Relocating the Air Vent

I left the middle foundation frame (that the seat would rest on) for last as it would be a little trickier than the others.

There was a central air vent on the floor where this middle frame was going to sit, and so I had to redirect the airflow. After brainstorming various ideas on accomplishing this task,

I settled on a very simple yet effective method. I was just going to build a wooden duct into the foundation frame, and seal the inside edges with caulk to make it air tight.

Here is a picture of the end result (a louvred vent would be inserted into the front hole, which I cut out with my trusty jigsaw):

Here’s a picture after I caulked the wooden duct:

Securing the Foundation Frames to the Wall

Once the foundation frames were complete, I secured them in place. I used some lag bolts to attach the rear of the frames to some wall studs.

Then I used some L brackets to secure the front to the plywood flooring.

Here is a picture showing some L brackets in action:

You might have noticed a number of pocket holes in my construction. They are very convenient for attaching wood perpendicular to another one, especially in tight or not easily accessible areas.

With the help of a jig (I use the Kreg Pocket Hole Jig), they are very easy to make.

Here is a picture of one of the pocket holes up close:

Above the middle foundation frame, I also started building up the seat supports and cabinet housing, as seen in the picture below:

Helpful Tip: Here’s a useful trick I used while making the foundation frames. I had made a few alignment errors on the first frame, and so had to unscrew a few pieces and adjust.

Some wooden toothpicks came in very handy to plug the existing screw holes so that I could re-screw very near to those holes.

I simply stuck the toothpicks in the holes and broke off the protruding pieces. Here’s a picture of me ‘toothpicking’ the holes (all we had were party toothpicks, hence the bright colors):

Constructing the Shelves

With the foundation frames in place, I decided to start work on the shelves.

Making Dado Grooves

I was going to use the same technique as my first bookshelf I built in our old home – dado grooves to support the shelves, cut with a standard plunge router.

To start, I placed 2 of the bookshelf vertical end supports side by side, clamped them together tightly, and marked with a pencil where all the dados were to be cut.

Then using some scrap wood, I built a simple jig for my router to speed up the cutting and make all the dados identical.

Here are some pictures showing the the jig and the router in action.

With the help of the jig, cutting the dados was pretty effortless. Eileen even lent me a hand and cut some of them for me, while I did some other tasks.

Here are what the dados look like after routing:

Attaching the Individual Shelves

After the dados were all cut, I started attaching the individual shelves. To do this, I first applied some construction adhesive to the side of a shelf. Then I inserted it into one of the dado grooves.

Then while using some right angled clamps to hold the shelf in place (I decided to buy some to assist with this project), I fastened 3 deck screws from the other side to complete the task.

Here is a picture showing a shelf being attached:

Only the inner shelves used dado grooves. The top and bottom shelves were attached with just adhesive and screws.

Here is what it looked like with all the inner shelves attached:

Next, I applied more adhesive to the attached shelves, and dropped on the remaining dadoed vertical support.

Each shelf had to be adjusted so they fit perfectly into the dado grooves. Screws were also inserted to secure the connections.

Finally, I ran a 2×4 wood by the top shelf to serve as a mounting point for securing the bookshelf to the wall.

Priming and Painting the Bookshelves

To complete this bookshelf, I put on 2 coats of primer, and then 2 coats of a special urethane acrylic cabinet paint. I was worried about regular paint sticking to the books after sitting for some time, so I opted for this hard protective cabinet paint.

Then, with the help of Eileen, we carried the bookshelf upstairs and set it in place. Getting the shelf upstairs was no easy task, by the way.

I knew ahead of time that it was going to be a tight fit, but not impossible.

Here’s a picture of the shelf leaning, while we figured out just how to get it through the doorway.

The other bookshelf on the opposite side is actually slightly longer than this first one (due to the window not being perfectly centered on the wall). So we knew ahead of time that the second bookshelf would definitely not fit in our stairway and would have to be constructed upstairs in the bedroom.

Attaching the Shelf to the Foundation Frame

Using some deck screws, I attached the bottom shelf directly to the foundation frame. The left side of the shelf (touching the wall) was secured directly to some wall studs.

Finally, I secured the 2×4 cross piece at the top to some wall studs using some lag bolts.

Aside from the 2×4, I had used a countersinking drill bit to make the screw holes in the shelf. This made a clean hole for the screw to be countersunk without damaging the expensive birch plywood. I planned on filling in these holes with wood putty later to hide the screw head completely.

Here’s a picture showing the shelf secured in place:

Building the Second Bookshelf

Now it was time to start work on the second bookshelf that would sit on the right hand side.

As mentioned earlier, it was a few inches longer than the first one and would have to be constructed in the bedroom, rather than in the garage.

I did as much as I could in the garage though. First, I cut all the wood to the required sizes, and routed the dados using my jig. I also painted the individual pieces in the garage as well.

Also, I had to be careful not to get too close to the edges of the shelves with the paint though.

The edges would slide in the dado grooves, and any paint (particularly the urethane acrylic paint) would increase the thickness of the shelves and make this step difficult.

Working between the garage and the upstairs bedroom meant frequent trips up and down the stairs. Many times I would have a handful of tools to juggle.

Then during one of my frequent google search sessions for tool organizing ideas, I came across bucket organizers for tools. I didn’t even know they existed.

What a great way to repurpose the standard bucket. So I purchased one and made my garage/bedroom commute a lot easier.

Here’s a picture of mine:

Next, I transported all the individual shelf pieces upstairs, and started assembly with the help of some saw horses. It was a little more difficult to work in the bedroom due to the limited space, but it was manageable.

After the pieces were put together to assemble the bookshelf, I set it in place using the same steps I went through for the first bookshelf (securing to the wall and to the foundation frame).

Here is a picture of the right bookshelf partially assembled in the bedroom:

Here is a close-up showing the other vertical shelf support prepped with construction adhesive in the dados, ready to be attached to the rest of the shelf:

Both the left and right bookshelves were up at the point, and they were looking great.

Making the Window Seat

So next I started working on the middle portion – the seat and cabinets.

The cabinets were pre-fabricated ones I purchased online from Lowes. I got two of them to mount side-by-side. I just had to assemble them when they arrived.

Here is a picture of one of the cabinets after I assembled it:

To get the cabinets ready for installation, I built a framed housing for each. The I slid the cabinets into the housing, and screwed them in.

The top of the housing would also serve as the supports for the seat.

Here is a picture showing the cabinet housing completed:

Here is a picture showing the installed cabinets, as well as the seat attached with some countersunk screws:

Building the Top Shelf

With the seat and cabinets in place, it was time to install the final shelf above the window and get ready for the trim work.

To start, I ran three 2 x 4’s across the top of the bookshelves (in between the top front of the bookshelves and the ceiling).

Their primary purpose was to provide a nailing surface for the crown molding.

In addition, the middle 2 x 4 (that bridged the two bookshelves at the top) was going to help support the middle shelf that ran above the window.

I didn’t use dado grooves for this window shelf. I just used construction adhesive and screws to attach two plywood shelf pieces in between the two end bookshelves.

The top shelf piece also attached to the bridging 2 x 4 above. This window shelf was really long though (the same length as the seat), so to prevent it from drooping in the middle, I added a divider in the center to hold up the bottom shelf to the firmer top shelf.

Installing Crown Molding and Baseboard

Now it was time to install the crown molding and baseboard.

This was a relatively straight forward step. I had installed crown molding in the kitchen of our previous home, so was familiar with the procedure.

This time around though, I had a table saw, so the install went even easier.

For an easy crown molding install, having an angled surface to nail the trim into place is key.

So I measured the angle of the crown molding (the angle it would make with the wall), and ripped some 2 x 4s with my table saw to match this angle.

I attached them directly to the 2 x 4s already mounted on top of the bookshelves. Then, I used my finishing nail gun to attach the crown molding.

Here is a close-up of the crown molding:

The baseboard installed even easier. I just cut the pieces to length and secured them in with the nailgun.

The vent opening on the floor just needed a small top and bottom piece of the baseboard to blend in.

Here is what the baseboard looked like:

Attaching Trim

With the crown molding and baseboard installed, it was time to attach trim to cover the exposed edges of the plywood.

I couldn’t leave the bookshelves as they were because the plywood edges were very rough to the touch (easily leaving splinters) and were not very nice looking.

To save on costs, I decided to cut my own ¼” thick trim from 2 x 4s using my table saw.

I collected all the measurements I needed to cover all the exposed areas and got to work in the garage cutting the trim.

It worked out fairly well – although there were a number of knots in the wood causing several of the trim to break because they were so thin.

Also, other imperfections in the wood caused a few gouges in the cut trim.

So it definitely wasn’t perfect trim, but considering how cheap it was to make from 2 x 4s, it was worth it.

Besides, after the trim gets installed, I planned on patching up any flaws with wood putty. Then, once painted, the trim would look flawless.

Here is a picture showing the installed trim (I use construction adhesive and my finishing nailer to attach them):

Finishing Touches on Construction

Construction of the window bookshelf was pretty much complete at this point. I did attach some beadboard paneling above the seat with construction adhesive and the finishing nailer.

All that remained now was to fill all the countersunk holes with wood putty, patch and smooth any imperfections in the trim, caulk any small gaps (mostly with the crown molding and baseboard) and then apply paint where necessary.

Painting the Built-In Bookshelves & Wall

Eileen hopped in at this point to take over the painting. She painted all remaining wood – going over the edges, getting the trim, and touching up areas here and here.

She also painted the areas to the right and left of the window (which were currently still the color of the walls). That really made the bookshelf pop.

Here is Eileen hard at work finishing off the project:

Using our New Floor-To-Ceiling Bookshelf with a Window Seat

The project was now finished. Eileen immediately filled up the shelves with all the books we had, freeing up much needed space around the house. She even made a really nice cushion for the seat from scratch.

Here’s a picture of the cushion Eileen made for the window seat:

Here are a few more of the completed built-in bookshelves with a window seat.

The total cost of the built-in bookshelves project was around $600 and took me a few weeks to complete. It was a lot of fun to work on, and the payoff was huge.

It’s such a great addition to our home, and Eileen has a place that she loves for all of her books – it’s definitely her dream room now. Who wouldn’t want an entire wall of with floor-to-ceiling built-in bookshelves?!

To complete Eileen’s office, which is a sitting room off our bedroom, it needs some kind of doors. We are thinking about French doors or barn doors. What do you think?!

Make These Picture Ledges for Under $10

October 29, 2016 by Ash 59 Comments

Do you have a bunch of picture frames lying around and a couple hours of time on your hands? Make a DIY picture frame ledge. It’s simple to make, easy to arrange, and looks quite elegant.

Since our move, we still have boxes of pictures frames taking up way too much of our closet space. However, we are one ample box lighter, due to the awesome picture ledge that Ash made.

As I was digging through the box that held the white, cream, and grayish frames, I thought about a gallery. However, I already had one on a neighboring wall, so I wanted something different for this collection of pictures.

That being said, one of Ash’s least favorite chores is hanging pictures up on our walls. You should hear how he tries to procrastinate the task, let alone see his expression when he languidly follows me around the house with a hammer and nails.

And, he definitely does not enjoy when I ask him to hold the picture up to the wall, as I direct from across the room saying, “A little bit left, nope too much….” With my indecisiveness, that goes on for a little too long before I usually end up putting the picture somewhere else.

For these reasons, I knew Ash would love the idea of not having to hang any of the picture frames in this hefty box and instead have the pictures rest on a DIY picture frame ledge.

Would you know he had both photo ledges built in a couple hours?

He used all scrap wood, and then I painted with furniture paint for a nice finish.

The best part?

You can make them too for under $10!

How to Make DIY Picture Frame Ledges

Here are Ash’s instructions on how he built these simple photo ledges.

I came up with a very simple design for the DIY picture frame ledge. Here is an exploded 3D diagram that I created in TinkerCAD to show how the pieces came together:

I was able to use all scrap wood left over from previous projects. I cut the long pieces to the appropriate length. Eileen used the length of the love seat as a basis for how long she wanted the shelves.

Then, I formed the triangle support ends with my miter saw (this is one of my favorite tools – check out my other favorites).

After that, using some wood glue, clamps, and finishing nails, I attached the pieces to each other. Once the wood glue dried, I used the orbital sander to smooth down all the surfaces to make the different wood segments blend into each other seamlessly.

Since it was scrap wood, there were a few gouges here and there that I patched with wood filler and sanded down to a smooth surface.

Finally, my painter, aka Eileen, gave the shelves two coats of paint, and then it was ready to be mounted to the wall.

In mounting, I secured the shelves to the wall using two lag bolts, directly into two wall studs. The heads of the bolts stood out slightly, so to help blend them in, I covered them with some white paint to match the shelves.

Looking back, if I had some Forstner bits at the time, I would have countersunk the lag bolt heads to make them flush with the wood surface.

The cost of the project was free, as we had all of the material in our garage; however, I estimate the project costing $10 for the wood plus a quart of paint.

Our New DIY Picture Frame Ledge

I loved the way the picture shelves turned out. Ash built them so quickly, and without any trips to the store for additional materials, which is always a plus!

I think it took me longer to arrange the pictures than it did for Ash to construct them. (I’m super slow at arranging things…)

Everyone who visits has been commenting on how much they like them. A few people have said, “Have these always been here?” That is one of my favorite comments because it goes to show how great they look where they are.

Not to mention, Ash was so pleased that we didn’t have to hang all those frames. I haven’t told him we still have two more boxes of pictures in the closet. I’m not quite sure where they are going either. Maybe another picture ledge will be forthcoming.

Here’s another angle of our new DIY picture frame ledge. The more I look at it, the more I love it – and it was a lot easier than creating a gallery, and unlike the gallery, I can easily rearrange the picture frames too.

Shelving projects are one of my favorites – I just love different ways you can display pictures, books, and other items. I’m sure we will have more shelving projects coming soon.

Converting a CD Tower into a Pantry Shelf

October 15, 2016 by Ash 46 Comments

When we moved into our new home, we found an old, tall tower style CD holder shelf that the previous owners had left.

It was supposed to be screwed into the wall, but the screws were loose.

Seeing it as a hazard, Eileen wanted to remove it and toss it, but I had a feeling that we could repurpose it one day into something more useful.

So off it went into the corner of the garage where it sat for almost a year.

As the months went by, I was starting to regret my decision of keeping the tower because it was always getting in my way when working in the garage.

Then, one day as I was looking for some cashews in the pantry, I noticed something very interesting.

One side of the pantry had an extra thick wall. It was actually twice the thickness of a regular wall. How unusual, I thought.

My mind immediate jumped to storage.

If there was empty space in that wall, it could open up the doors for all sorts of pantry storage ideas.

Ever since I built a sliding spice shelf in our previous home (in between the fridge and the wall), I had been eager to come up with something similar for our new home.

The pantry was getting difficult to navigate with all our spices, and we could never find anything we needed. Unfortunately, there was no decent space to build the equivalent, so I needed other options for spice storage.

This thick wall was the perfect solution to our pantry storage shortage.

Planning for Extra Pantry Storage

First, I needed to assess the wall situation better.

I needed to know how much space was available inside this wall. For all I knew, it could have been thick to accommodate a central air duct.

I did some knocking on the wall and it sounded very hollow.

Still, I needed to know what was inside before unnecessarily ripping off a large chunk of drywall just to find the area impractical for use.

Using an Endoscope Camera

I took to the Internet and purchased a very cheap endoscope camera for my computer.

The endoscope would provide eyes into the wall and allow me peer around without causing too much damage.

When it arrived, I hooked it up to my laptop, tested it out a bit to get a feel for it.

Pictured below is the endoscope camera, which plugs into the computer via USB.

To give you an example of the detail it gives, I placed the camera inside my son’s fire engine, and displayed on the computer screen is a very detailed profile of the driver.

After testing it out, I then stuck it into a very small hole I drilled into the wall.

The camera had an adjustable light, so I could see inside the dark wall.

I looked up and down, and all around, and the endoscope revealed what I suspected all along – a lot of empty space!

Determining How to Use the Space

Now that I knew what type of space I was dealing with, I had to brainstorm the best way to make use of it.

It was a tall vertical space, so I was thinking along the lines of a vertical shelf to hold spices. That would certainly help with storage.

I went off into the garage to plan out designs for a custom-built shelf to fit the area.

In the garage, I saw some scrap wood resting in the corner that could be turned into shelf pieces, but once again, that tall tower style CD shelf was in the way.

The CD shelf was really starting to test my patience.

I was about to finally toss it out when I had a eureka moment. You know, that CD shelf looked very similar in size to the space that I discovered lurking in the pantry walls.

I anxiously took out my tape measure and did an exact comparison.

The shelf would indeed fit into the wall!

Good thing we did not throw out the CD shelf (more reason for Eileen to start accepting my hoard-ish ways).

It seemed like the perfect solution for spice storage.

It was not very deep, so it wouldn’t hold large cans or boxes, but would easily hold spices and baking materials, which was exactly what we needed.

Installing the CD Tower

Excited about repurposing the CD tower into a pantry shelf, I couldn’t wait to get started. I love being able to repurpose some of the junk I keep around. It’s my justification for keeping everything. And, we really needed the pantry storage. I was tired of rooting through baskets of spices.

Preparing the CD Tower

I could have used the shelf unaltered, but I decided to make it a little shorter for the pantry.

The full height would have sent it nearly to the ceiling, which would made it a little impractical for pantry storage that high.

Cutting into the Drywall

After the shelf was shortened, I needed to cut the hole in the drywall.

I first used a pencil and ruler to outline the exact cutout on the wall. Then I used a special drywall handsaw (commonly called a jab saw) to cut out the hole.

It was a little messy working with the drywall, so I kept my shop vac close by.

After the hole was made, I inserted the shelf into the wall to get a feel for how it would look.

It looked amazing! I couldn’t wait for Eileen to see.

Affixing the Shelf

Now I needed to permanently affix the shelf.

The shelf was not resting directly on the floor inside the wall (it was a few inches above the baseboard), so first I had to attach a 2 x 4 cross piece to rest the shelf on.

I used my Kreg pockethole jig and some pockethole screws to attach both ends of a short 2 x 4 to the wall studs.

I repeated the process to attach another cross piece above the shelf to secure the top.

Then I slid the shelf in between the upper and lower 2 x 4 supports and attached the shelf permanently using some screws.

Applying the Trim

All that was left now was to apply some trim.

I actually had a lot of extra trim left over from redoing some kitchen baseboard a few months prior.

The trim I had originally purchased was too tall for the kitchen, so I had cut it shorter using my table saw. Good thing I held onto the cutoffs.

They were the perfect size to use as trim for the new pantry shelf.

It was already painted too. I secured the trim directly to the shelf using some finishing nails.

Finishing Touches

I adjusted the heights of the individual shelves to accommodate a variety of spice configurations, and then the pantry shelf project was complete.

I loaded it up with all my spices and our baking materials, which freed up so much space in the pantry. It truly was such a perfect pantry storage solution.

This was one of the more simple projects I’ve done recently for such a big reward. I completed the project in a few hours, and best of all, it was free! If you are looking for pantry storage ideas, think outside of the box. You never know what you’ll come up with:)

I’m hoping to repurpose more of my stashed finds in the near future.

12 Must-Have Tools for Every DIYer

September 25, 2016 by Ash 3 Comments

I was sitting in my garage recently looking at my collection of tools on the pegboard, and was thinking how much I take them for granted a lot.

When working on projects, I don’t think twice about the tools. They are just sitting there waiting for use. I grab one as the task requires, and it gets the job done.

So an ode to my under-appreciated tools, I put together a list of the most used tools in my garage.

If you’re a budding DIY’er just getting your feet wet in the home improvement field, you should aim to acquire these tools as the need for them arises.

You could get them all at once, but that’s a pretty large investment, and a lot of the tools would probably just sit abandoned longing for usage.

Remember, as your skills improve, and projects under your belt accrue, so will your tool collection grow. Also, I didn’t include obvious ones like a hammer, screwdrivers or socket spanners.

So without further ado, here are 12 must-have tools for DIYers.

1. Cordless Drill

My drill is the most used tool in the garage. It’s such a versatile tool. It’s functionality goes far beyond just making holes with drill bits.

I use screwdriver bits to work with screws. I use a socket adapter to work with hex bolts.

When dealing with odd angles, I can use a right angle adapter to perform 90 degree drilling. With a paddle adapter, I can mix paint or grout.

Just recently, I discovered I can pump liquids with a drill pump adapter.

With so many different types of drill adapters out there, my personal collection is barely scratching the market, so I’m always on the lookout for cool ones.

My reliance on drill bit adapters encouraged me to even purchase a second drill.

It takes time to swap out drill bits or adapters, and it was starting to become an inconvenience when working with multiple ones at a time.

So tasks like drilling pilot holes for screws, and actually screwing in the screws was simplified to just a task of picking up the first drill, then picking up the second drill.

I even got extra batteries so that I could replace a dead one immediately.

These time-saving expenses improved my project efficiency tenfold.

So it’s a no-brainer why the handy drill is first on my list.

Some of the projects I used the cordless drill on are constructing the sliding garage shelves, creating a boxing speed bag station, and installing tile backsplash.

2. Miter saw

I originally purchased my miter saw for cutting the angles needed for a crown molding project I did a few years ago.

It turned out that this was just the tip of the iceberg of functionality that the miter saw could do for me.

Prior to the jawhorse, cutting wood meant breaking out the hand saw. I would rest the wood on whatever was nearby, and either stand on the wood or hold it firmly with the other hand.

If I had the Jawhorse setup, I would just clamp it down and make the cut.

Now I’m always up for a good workout, but making cuts by hand takes time. The cuts are also notorious for being inaccurate because it’s hard to cut perfectly vertical by hand.

The miter saw changed all that. I just put the wood in position, pull the trigger, press down the saw, and a perfect cut is made every time.

The miter saw also allowed me to do something I couldn’t do before – quickly prototype ideas.

A few of the projects I used the miter saw on are building the outdoor storage shed, the wagon for mower, and the water-saving rain barrel.

3. Wood clamps

For many years I got by without wood clamps. I did not know what I was missing out on.

Then one day I had to borrow a bar clamp from my neighbor to hold down some warped wood while I nailed it in place. I was hooked.

I could not have done that task without a clamp, and many projects since then have been aided dramatically with the use of wood clamps.

Clamps come in all types and sizes, from small C clamps to really long bar clamps, and everything in between.

I now have a variety of these clamps, including some specialty ones too – 90 degree clamps (when you need to hold two pieces of wood perpendicular to each other, like when building bookshelves) and face clamps (for holding two pieces of wood flush with each other for joining, like when using pocket holes).

Some of the projects I used wood clamps on are building my folding workbench, creating French cleat box shelves, and making an outdoor picnic table.

4. Table saw

The table saw has really brought by workmanship up a notch.

I bought mine out of necessity when I hit a snag building my storage shed.

I needed to make some long precise cuts that were too difficult to accomplish using my circular saw or by hand saw.

Being one of the more costly tools I own, I had delayed in getting a table saw for the longest time.

Now that I have one, I have never regretted the investment. I use it for everything from cutting T-11 siding to turning scrap plywood pieces into French cleat shelves.

It’s such a versatile and precise tool, even the neighbors (and the neighbors grown children) are coming to me for help!

As for accessories, I purchased an awesome featherboard to help guide my cuts (a lot of people usually build their own, but I needed one right away for a project and didn’t have the time to make one – plus the purchased one is much more flexible than one I could have built).

I also plan on getting some dado blades in the near future to quickly notch wood and cut grooves.

I used the table saw on many of projects including, the outdoor storage shed, the custom mailbox post, and the wagon for mower.

5. Random orbital sander

When you work with wood, you’ll come to appreciate a good sander.

There are lots of different types of sanders out there. Yet, for a DIYer, you can’t beat a random orbital sander. I purchased mine several years ago to help Eileen refinish an old wooden coffee table.

Prior to that, I had a little mouse sander, and that definitely wasn’t up to the task of stripping the whole table down to bare wood.

I was amazed at what a good job the orbital sander did. In no time at all, the wood was exposed.

I did have to use the mouse sander to get into the small, hard to reach areas, but that’s the purpose of a mouse sander.

These days I use the orbital sander for almost every sanding task at hand.

I just pick out the appropriate grit sandpaper for the job, fire up the orbital sander, and smooth wood is just moments away.

Some of the projects I used the random orbital sander on are the folding workbench, wagon for mower and outdoor storage shed.

6. Plunge Router

I purchased a plunge router a long time ago to help with cutting dado grooves for building a bookcase.

It did an excellent job.

Then it sat dormant for a long time until I started experimenting with bits other than straight cut bits. Now I find myself using the plunge router so much at the end of projects.

It really turns a good looking project into a WOW project.

Specifically, I’m using round-over bits to make nice beveled edges for my woodworking projects.

I built a picnic table the other day and didn’t want people getting splinters from the edges. So, I used the round-over bit to make a nice smooth profile.

Most recently, I made a very professional edge for my folding workbench with another version of the bit.

I’m excited to try out different types of routing bits in the near future and hone my routing skills.

I used the plunge router when I built a wall mounted bookcase and when I created my folding workbench.

7. Oscillating Multi-Tool

This is another recent addition to my tool collection.

I was working on a project the other day and needed to make sure really awkward cuts in a small space.

Realizing I didn’t have the tools to accomplish this easily, an opportunity arose to purchase an oscillating multi-tool.

I’ll admit that I didn’t know much about these tools at the time, but I was fairly sure it could accomplish the task at hand.

After some research, I bought a cordless version and it did exactly what I had expected it to do. I didn’t think I would be using it much more after that, but I was wrong.

I find myself grabbing this oscillating tool off the wall so many times to do cuts or to perform some sanding when I don’t feel the need to set up a larger tool.

It is sort of a hybrid between my compact circular saw and my electric sander.

A few projects I used the oscillating multi-tool on are the folding workbench, the sliding spice rack and an outdoor picnic table.

8. Wet/Dry Shop Vac

You would think that a shop vac was one of the first tools I got.

In actuality, I just purchased my first shop vac about a year ago. I can’t believe it took this long to appreciate the cleaning power of a good shop vac.

I had gotten used to saw dust being everywhere, and the floor of my garage looking like a mess.

With the shop vac, now everything is dust-free and my garage floor is always spotless.

After every wood cutting session, I start up the shop vac. In no time at all is the sawdust gone.

What I love most about the shop vac is that it picks up anything, including nails and screws. I didn’t know this before (any probably why I only just recently got a shop vac).

Now I don’t have to worry about parking the car in the garage and driving over sharp debris left over from past projects.

The shop vac makes certain that everything is removed from the floor.

9. Dremel

Every garage workshop owner should have a dremel and a host of accessory bits.

Not only is it great at precise woodworking cuts, but makes metalworking a feasible task for me.

I originally purchased a dremel to help me cut a hole in the side of my metal computer case. (I had bought an incredibly oversized processor cooler that was too large to fit inside the case. So, I need to punch a hole for it to stick out.)

I was a little nervous at first working with metal, and the sparks flying off the fiberglass reinforced cut-off wheels wasn’t helping, but it got the job done to a perfection.

In no time was a great looking square hole in this thick metal sheet, and my computer could now happily exhaust its heat.

Since then, I’ve never looked at metal as a barrier for me.

In fact, I recently bought some overhead garage shelving, and unfortunately, some of the assembly holes didn’t line up, so some bolts couldn’t fit all the way through. Without the dremel, I may have had to return it.

However, I used a tungsten carbide cutter bit and expanded the hole just enough to make it work. The dremel also works great for sharpening my mower blades too.

A couple of projects I used the dremel on when I was fixing up the mower and when I built my folding workbench.

10. Circular Saw (and compact version)

This is a staple tool of most garages.

I love waking up in the morning to neighbors whirring their circular saws as they are hard at work making sawdust. It’s one of the first power tools I purchased and has seen many hours in the field.

I use it for everything from ripping plywood sheets to cutting out lap joint grooves.

Most recently though, I acquired a compact circular saw and it’s a dream to use.

The downside of a regular circular saw is that it is heavy and bulky, and so hard to use in tight spaces or above your shoulders. They are also very tricky to do small precise cuts.

The compact version solves all of this.

It makes small cuts a breeze to handle, and can fit almost anywhere to perform the cuts. I originally purchased the compact circular saw to cut out window holes for my shed.

I tried using a regular circular saw, but quickly gave up because it felt really dangerous holding the behemoth over my head.

Now I use the compact one almost anytime I need to cut wood.

I love the convenience and precision it gives me.

It does have a very limited cutting depth though (little over an inch), and is not as powerful as a regular circular saw. So I still rely on the regular one for certain jobs.

I used the circular saw on many of my projects, including the outdoor storage shed and a custom mailbox post.

11. Power planer

These were introduced to me a few years back, and what an amazing tool they are.

I didn’t know they existed, as I had a regular hand planer, but it didn’t get much use. I was never really good at the technique and could not seem to get the blade sharp enough to be useful.

Then my neighbor lent me his power planer one day to help me shave down the tops of my closet doors so they would close properly.

In a few quick swipes, I trimmed a small layer off the tops of my doors. After that, they no longer jammed.

For years these doors never closed properly, and now they were fixed in minutes.

So I ended up buying my own power planer later on.

Not only do all the doors in my home close properly now, but I’ve used it in so many projects where I needed to level wood that wasn’t lining up right.

12. Finishing nail gun

My finishing nail gun was the most recent tool I acquired for my collection.

It was up there price wise along with the table saw, so it was an investment. However, it’s the crowning jewel of my collection.

You know you’re an accomplished DIYer the day you buy your first finishing nail gun.

I don’t use it as much as the drill, per say, but when I do use it, it’s such a convenient and efficient tool. It makes you want to keep going and going and get your project done.

I did a lot of research prior to purchasing the nail gun, and eventually settled on a 16-gauge version.

This thickness nail would be applicable to a much larger range of projects than other gauge nail guns could do. I originally purchased it to help install some crown molding.

Since then, I have used it for help in so many projects.

In just one weeknight, I built a variety of box shelves for the garage using the nail gun (with the help of construction adhesive and scrap plywood).

It would have taken me much longer using regular finishing nails and a hammer.

Just the other day too, I was erecting a 6×6 wooden post in concrete. I used the nail gun to temporarily attach some wooden supports to keep the post level.

I look forward to any opportunity I get to use to my finishing nail gun.

Also, I used the finishing nail gun on a couple of projects lately, including the French cleat box shelves and a shade sail.

Final Notes

I have plenty other tools (like my framing nail gun and jigsaw). However, this list of tools shines a light on what your average DIYer should aim to eventually have in their garage – the must-have tools for DIYers.

However, I do have a wishlist of tools that I would love to add to my collection. Things like a reciprocating saw, drill press, and sliding compound saw.

I’ll get those eventually as the need arises for them, and maybe they will have an impact on my list of most used tools.

Used tools?

On a final note about purchasing tools, there is nothing wrong with getting them used.

A little cosmetic damage is not a big deal, just make sure the tool still functions properly. Also, sometimes you’ll have to do a little bit of cleaning to restore used tools to optimal functionality.

A year ago, I had purchased a used Paslode framing nail gun on eBay for around $100. It retails new for more than double that.

The nails started to jam after a few days of usage. So, I bought a cheap cleaning kit. I took apart the tool and cleaned it internally with a special spray from the kit. It now fires nails like a brand new gun.

Anyway, all this tool talk has certainly gotten me in the mood to make some sawdust, so off I go into the garage.

Six DIY Weekend Projects That You Will Love

September 19, 2016 by Eileen Leave a Comment

With the cooler weather coming in, it’s the perfect time for weekend DIY projects. There’s something about the crisp, clean air that motivates me to accomplish more.

If you are anything like us, you are probably looking to get a few fall projects under your belt too.

The best projects are weekend ones, as I also love a project that only spans two days!

Plus, you can start and finish something amazing before the Monday morning blues set in.

From garage storage to backyard updates to kitchen upgrades, we are sharing quite a few home projects that only span a couple of days.

My personal favorite is the outdoor picnic table – it turned out so beautiful and we saved hundreds!

So, without further ado, here are six projects that you can complete over the course of the weekend.

1. Outdoor Picnic Table

Ash built this picnic table in just one day!

Imagine my surprise and delight:)

It was simple to make, and the results were beautiful. We especially love the composite decking on the tabletop and the seats, as it involved no staining or sealing – and provides a nice safe material to have meals on.

As for cost, this was a steal ($160!) compared to the cost of this type of outdoor furniture at the landscaping and home improvement stores, and it looks just as wonderful. It was definitely one of our favorite weekend DIY projects.

For a step-by-step tutorial, read Building a Picnic Table in One Day.

2. French Door Pantry

In our old house, we had an eyesore of a pantry.

It was nothing more than a nook of shelves with drawn curtains. It was nothing short of awful.

In sprucing up our house for our move, I was looking for ways to make our kitchen look less dated, without updating the counters and cabinets.

The idea of putting French doors then hit me. Ash agreed – he loves my design decisions…:)

We found a reasonable pair, installed them, and painted them white.

I couldn’t have been happier to see those awful curtains go – it was definitely a rags to riches moment!

It took a mere weekend of work, and I’m sure the nice folks who bought our house are enjoying them.

Check out the before and after along, with all the nitty gritty details in From Rags to Riches: Updating the Pantry.

3. Folding Workbench

Building a Folding Workbench for a Weekend DIY Project

This project was one of Ash’s favorite weekend DIY projects because he checked an item off his bucket list, as he finally built his own functional workbench.

It’s definitely a fan favorite, as it’s been featured on quite a few sites, including Life Hacker and Make.

In his post Constructing a Folding Workbench with Storage, Ash shares his plans (it’s an Ash original!) and explains not only this thought process, but all the necessary steps for you to build your own.

It only took two days, and Ash has been reaping its benefits ever since!

4. Sliding Garage Shelves

Ash and I are a little storage-obsessed. I’ll admit that I have a little Christmas stuff addiction, although I won’t even admit how many trees I have.

And, Ash, well he never throws anything away.

In his defense, he creates some really cool things from his hoard collection – including a built-in pantry shelf made from a CD shelf.

Thus, we could never have too much storage.

In our garage, we had a 20-foot corner of space between the wall and the fridge, and Ash turned this into 70 feet of space with stacked, slide-out storage shelves.

These shelves are awesome, storing some of our holiday decorations.

The slide-out feature provides easy access to boxes in the back, along with easy steps up to the top.

Not to mention, Ash created bonus shelving with the leftover wood.

If you love storage space as much as we do, check out Creating More Garage Storage.

In just a weekend, you could have yourself your very sliding storage shelves, just in time for the holidays.

5. Wooden Mower Wagon

Build a Utility Cart in Just One Weekend

Inspired by a trip to the strawberry fields, Ash had his mind set on building a trailer for his riding mower.

He figured he could haul yard waste to the curb more easily and even take the family on a few tractor rides.

His vision became a reality with this custom-built wagon.

When he finished the wagon, no one but Zeus was around – so he got the first ride. 🙂

Ash gives all the details, from basic construction to assembling the axles to hooking up the hitch connection in his post How to Build a Wagon for a Riding Mower.

After using it all summer, Ash found it more helpful than he originally thought, and he’ll continue to use it this fall bagging up all of the leaves.

6. Boardwalk Pathway for the Backyard

Thinking about tackling a wooden pathway project? It’s easier than you think. With just a few hours of work, Ash created a perfect path from our patio into the backyard.

Prior to this boardwalk, there was a narrow pathway with a few uneven rocks, so this was quite an upgrade. It took a little digging, but it was completed in a just a weekend – making it a perfect weekend DIY project.

After a year, it gets used each and every day and is holding up great. Looking for a boardwalk solution, read A Wooden Pathway for the Backyard.

All of these weekend DIY projects were tackled in just one weekend.

Make your Monday a little happier next week, knowing you created something awesome during your two day break.

Creative Garage DIYs to Increase Storage Space

September 6, 2016 by Ash 81 Comments

With our garage being my workshop and our primary storage area, it was filled to the brim with tools of all sizes, boxes and boxes of holiday decorations, yard tools and toys, and so much more.

We already did a lot of DIY projects that saved space and created more garage storage. I constructed a folding workbench, which was such an efficient workstation.

In a corner that formerly was a dumping ground of yard tools, I built a sliding shelf tower, which housed all of our holiday decorations. I also had a lot of creative shelves scattered around.

With so many things in our garage, any empty area was prime real estate, no matter how small.

A Hidden Gem

The other day, some wall space caught my eye – the gap between the two garage doors.

Right away I thought that it would be an excellent place for some narrow shelves. Strange that it took me a year to spot the little gem between my garage doors that could provide more garage storage.

Coincidentally, the project I was working on at the time (the built-in bookcase with window seat) produced a lot of scrap birch plywood.

This was expensive stuff – 4×8 sheets sell for $50 at Home Depot. So I wasn’t wasting any cut offs (I was quite inventive in the different ways I reused those scraps).

My shelving idea between the garage doors would be a perfect little project for some of the plywood scraps to get more garage storage.

Planning the Garage Storage Boxes

Simple flat shelves wouldn’t suffice though. With so little space, the shelves would be small, and things could fall off easily.

So instead of shelves, I started visualizing little boxes on the wall. How nice would it be to walk in wearing yard gloves, and have a box to toss them into as soon as I enter the garage?

I took the box idea a step further and considered using French cleats for them.

This would allow each box shelf to be removed by simply lifting it. It would lead to a very modular design where the boxes could be swapped with other ones on the fly.

Rather than digging through a box on the wall to find what I need, or make repeated trips to the wall, why not just take the box shelf with me? Not only would it create more garage storage – but it also would be very efficient.

Now that’s some clever thinking, if I do say so myself.

I came up with this simple box design below:

Here’s another view of the box design, resting on the wall via the French cleats:

Building the French Cleat Storage Boxes

I was excited to get more garage storage from this wasted space – I couldn’t wait to start building. Here’s a TinkerCAD exploded diagram showing in detail how it was constructed:

Constructing the First Garage Storage Box

In the diagram above, the orange piece on the far right is mounted to the wall (to allow the box shelf to drop into and secure to the wall). The rest of the pieces form the box itself.

The wall mounted piece and the other angled cut directly above it (attached to the box) form the French cleat system. I used scrap ¾” birch plywood for the box and French cleats.

For the floor of the box, I used ⅛” thick scrap plywood. I cut all the pieces to size quickly using my table saw, and then miter cut the side pieces for that nice angled profile.

For the French cleat 45 degree lengthwise cuts, I used the table saw again.

Then I used construction adhesive, some bar clamps and my 16 gauge finishing nail gun to assemble the wood pieces into a functional French cleat box shelf.

Technically, I built the first shelf without the nail gun. I just used regular finishing nails and a hammer.

Finishing Nail Gun for the Win

With these types of shelves, the strength comes mostly from the construction adhesive (that stuff is really strong when completely dry). The nails really just hold the pieces in place for the glue to set. So that’s why I used finishing nails.

Also, I didn’t want to risk splitting the plywood scraps, so finishing nails were a good choice due to their thin profile.

As I mentioned earlier, I was in the middle of a bookcase/window seat project at the time. Part of this project involved installing crown molding and baseboard.

I remembered installing crown molding in my previous home, and having an incredibly hard time doing it with finishing nails and a hammer. So, I ended up borrowing my neighbor’s cordless finishing nail gun, and the installation was such a breeze. I just held the crown molding in place, then tap tap tap, and the nails (technically brads) were countersunk, securing the molding to the wall.

So purchasing my own finishing nail gun had long been on my wish list.

I finally bit the bullet and purchased one for my birthday to use on the bookcase project. I also got some angled finishing nails to go along with it.

They arrived in the middle of these French cleat shelves. So the shelves were the perfect opportunity to hone my skills with the gun.

Here’s a picture of me using the finishing nail gun for one of the box shelves:

I originally purchased an 18-gauge finishing nail gun (keep reading to see why I returned it).

Sidenote on Nail Guns

For those not familiar with finishing nail gun terminology, the gauge represents the thickness of the nail. I’m using the word ‘nail’ loosely because these nail guns actually fire brads, which are strips of thick wire with a very fine head.

They are great for finishing applications (like securing trim) because the heads make a very small hole and require little work to conceal. The thinness of the brads also reduce the likelihood of splitting the wood when they are driven in.

Finishing nail guns are not to be confused with framing nail guns, which fire actual nails and use substantially more power to drive them (hence also more dangerous). I used a gas powered framing nail gun in my shed project if you are interested.

Anyway, I was saying earlier how I purchased an 18-gauge finishing nail gun. Unfortunately, I was not having a good experience using it with the birch plywood. Most of the nails would fire in straight, but then bend half way and stick out the side of the wood. It was very annoying.

I did some research online and found out that 18-gauge nails don’t work well in hardwoods (like birch) and will do exactly what they were doing with me (changing direction as they are driven into the hardwood).

So I decided to return the nail gun and get a 16-gauge version instead.

The new nails were noticeablely thicker and worked perfectly for me. The gun is now a permanent addition to my top 12 list of must-have tools.

What’s the best nail gun for a DIYer?

Depending on the type of woodworking project you’re doing, sometimes you’ll need a thinner nail (higher gauge) and sometimes you’ll need a thicker nail (lower gauge).

Unfortunately finishing nail guns can only fire a single gauge, so you’d need multiple guns to accommodate different nail gauges. This is obviously very expensive, and may not make financial sense for you unless you’re a dedicated contractor.

So, 16-gauge is a good compromise because a majority of the projects a typical DIYer works on can be satisfied with that sized nail gauge.

This has held true for me ever since purchasing the nail gun too. I’ve used it for everything from crown molding to shelves to quickly tacking on temporary supports for concreting wooden posts. It’s also my favorite tool, and well-worth the investment.

Finishing Up the Boxes

With the finishing nail gun, construction of 5 box shelves went by very quickly. I only made 5 because I ran out of scrap wood large enough for box shelves. The remaining smaller scraps had another destiny.

Five French cleat boxes were perfectly adequate for the space allocated though and would definitely create more garage storage and organization.

Here’s a picture of the completed French cleat boxes resting on the wall (they are empty below, but filled today will all sorts of goodies):

After this was completed, some of the remaining birch plywood scraps got used for another project.

Get More Garage Storage with These Ideas

I was going finishing nail gun crazy and just wanted to keep tap-tap-tapping brads. So, I ended up making an incredibly useful battery charging station for my cordless tool batteries.

The garage storage station consisted of four L shaped shelves fixed to the wall, with two triangular supports each.

Here’s a picture of the empty shelves on the walls so you can get an idea of the design:

Here’s what the shelves look like actually being used. This little nook helped get more garage storage and organization.

The shelves created more garage storage – enough space for 4+ battery chargers, extra batteries and a host of accessories.

I got creative and tacked on an empty plastic nail box to store stationary-like pencils, markers and scissors.

I’m most proud of my measuring tape holder though. I was always looking for my measuring tape and needed a dedicated location for it, so I mounted a metal strip to one of the shelves, and the measuring tape just clips onto it.

It’s in the perfect location too. Whenever I need a measuring tape, I just open the garage door and grab the tape off the holder. When done, I just snap it back on the holder and it’s there for future use.

Here’s a picture showing my measuring tape holder:

A Lot of Storage for a Little Effort

So that’s it for this round of more garage storage shelving. I constructed five French cleat boxes in the lost space between the double garage doors and added some bonus shelving too. Not only did I create more garage storage but this storage added another level of efficiency to our garage.

I completed everything on a Saturday with no additional cost to me because I used all scrap wood. Although I benefited a great deal from the finishing nail gun I purchased around the same time, it could have been done with just regular finishing nails and a hammer.

Stay tuned for future shelving ideas as inspiration strikes. I hope this article brought you some inspiration to get more garage storage too.

DIY Boxing Speed Bag Station That Stows

August 20, 2016 by Ash 15 Comments

For many years, I’ve been an avid amateur boxer, always looking to have a good sparring match in the ring with whomever is game.

Lately though, it had been hard to make time for the gym, so I wanted to do a lot of my training at home, where it’s more convenient.

I already had a cheap freestanding heavy bag (with the plastic base that you fill up with water – it was less than desirable but it gave me something to work with).

I also have a double ended bag (attached to a ceiling rafter in the basement and to a water filled base on the floor) and a slip bag (maize ball) that I mess around with as well.

Yet, what’s a good boxing workout without some rounds on the speed bag?

I had purchased a cheap speed bag platform many years ago and had it mounted in my previous home.

However, it never got much usage because it was secured to some wall studs that would literally shake things out of my kitchen cupboards on the other side of the wall.

Also, the house was very small and the noise carried everywhere.

Selecting a Speed Bag Location

After moving into our larger home, the question of where and how to mount my speed bag lingered in the back of my mind for a long time.

I really wanted it in the basement with my other boxing equipment, but the ceiling was really low. It would be awkward to hit the speed bag at that height.

Also, remembering back to cereal boxes falling out of the cupboards at my previous home, I was worried about the vibrations travelling up through the ceiling rafters and having repercussions upstairs.

I eventually decided on the garage as the ideal location.

The ceiling was very high, so I could set the speed bag to whatever height I wanted.

There was no second floor above the garage so no foreseeable issues with vibrations affecting things upstairs. Also, the garage insulated sound pretty well.

So as how many of my projects start, I did a lot of staring (at the garage ceiling for inspiration).

Finally it came to me. I would mount some type of contraption close to the center of the garage.

Even with both cars pulled into the garage, there was a center aisle that was open that would be perfect for speed bag workouts.

Determining a Design for the Speed Bag Platform

With the location selected, I had to be conscious of the clearance required for the speed bag platform.

The garage was a busy area for me as it was also my workshop. I did not want to have to keep dodging the speed bag every time I worked on a project in there.

So I thought hard about how I could make a system where the speed bag platform could easily stow away when not in use and be lowered when it was time for a work out.

After messing around in TinkerCAD for a few hours, I came up a design that eventually produced this awesome thing:

Building the Speed Bag Platform

I managed to build it entirely out of scrap wood.

It consists of an upper and lower piece. The top part is a fixed mount attached to the ceiling. The bottom part slides into the top part and allows the speed bag platform to raise or lower.

I used 4 heavy duty bolts, some washers, and some wingnuts to lock the platform into place when in the desired position.

Additionally, I opted for the wingnuts to make them easy to remove. This was rather than using regular nuts and having to use tools to raise/lower.

I also intentionally went a little heavy on the lower piece using some 4 x 4 wood. I wanted to make a solid rebound surface for the speed bag.

Starting with the Lower Piece

I started working on the lower piece first. I cut the 2 x 4s and 4 x 4s to length according to the TinkerCad diagram and connected them together using construction adhesive, 3” deck screws, 3.5” lag bolts and even some 6” TimberLok screws.

Here is the lower piece color coded with TinkerCAD to help explain the order of things:

I built the red part first using 2 pieces of 2 x 4s and 2 pieces of 4 x 4s.

This was followed by the green part (6 pieces of 2x4s).

I connected the green part to the red part using eight 3.5” lag bolts and washers.

Then the blue part (2 pieces of 4 x 4s) was connected to the red/green part using four 6” TimberLok screws.

Here’s a picture of how it all came together. You can probably tell that the 4 x 4s are pressure-treated due to the green tint, but you can’t always pick and choose with scrap wood:

Working on the Upper Piece

The upper part of the contraption is a little simpler.

Made entirely out of 2 x 4s, here is the completed version of it:

The two long 2 x 4s at the top will rest against the ceiling when mounted.

The two dangling vertical pieces serve as guides to facilitate raising/lowering the platform.

They will also have holes that align with holes on the bottom platform. This allows for bolts to lock the two pieces into place.

I used eight 3.5” lag bolts and washers to secure the vertical supports to the long ceiling 2 x 4s.

The upper and lower pieces were now completed.

Here is that they looked like combined (in the contracted/raised position):

Here is what they look like in the expanded/lowered position:

To keep the two pieces in the raised and lowered position, I drilled matching holes (on the four vertical 2 x 4s) in both positions to allow four heavy duty bolts to pass through.

To prevent the lower piece from falling out of the upper piece during a transition period (when all bolts have been removed and I’m raising or lowering the platform), I planned on screwing on two heavy gauge metal plates on the upper piece to catch the lower platform.

Mounting the Top Piece

So to mount the contraption, I had to secure the upper part to the ceiling rafters.

In an effort to reduce damage to the drywall ceiling from vibration (and dampen noise as well), I used ½” thick neoprene rubber sheets in between the 2 x 4s and the ceiling.

I purchased an 8 x 8 square of the rubber and cut it into four 4 x 4 smaller squares.

I drilled a small hole in the middle of each square for the fastener to pass through and placed the sheets in between the ceiling and the 2 x 4s.

For the actual fasteners, I opted to use four 6” TimberLok screws to connect everything to the ceiling rafters.

Here’s a picture of the mount (you can see the neoprene rubber sheets in between the ceiling and the 2 x 4s):

Inserting the Lower Piece

With the upper part mounted very securely to the ceiling, it was now time to insert the lower part.

I placed it into the raised position (highest it could go vertically) and temporarily held it in place with just two bolts.

This was when I screwed on the two metal plates at the bottom to prevent the lower piece from falling out of the upper piece.

Here is a picture showing how the metal plates were installed (you can also see some of the wingnuts from the removable bolts used to re-position the speed bag):

Attaching the Speed Bag

Now that my contraption was mounted securely to the ceiling, it was time to attach the actual speed bag platform.

I just used some lag bolts to secure it.

Here’s a picture from above showing the platform bolted on:

You’ll notice from the picture above that I had to notch the corners of the 4 x 4s. This was so they didn’t protrude beyond the edge of the circular speed bag platform.

Also, the empty square space in the center of the mounting base was intentional.

It allows the speed bag swivel bolts to pass through. It’s also an excellent storage pocket for the removable bolts.

When the speed bag mount is stowed away in the raised position, I don’t need all four bolts in place. So, I just secure two of them and the remaining two get placed in this center square pocket.

Here’s a close-up showing the swivel bolts passing into the empty square hole:

Testing the Speed Bag Station

My garage speed bag project was completed, and I was very satisfied with the results.

I did do some acoustic testing to verify the effectiveness of the neoprene rubber dampeners. I setup my phone to record audio from several key areas of the house and worked the bag as hard and loud as I could.

When I played back the recordings, I could not hear the bag at all. So I was confident that I could now work out whenever I wanted to, and not disturb anyone.

Time and Cost

This project was completed over the weekend for under $40.

I kept the cost really low by using all scrap wood.

My only expenses were the rubber dampeners and some of the fasteners. I already had a speed bag platform and bag, so those cut down costs too.

My platform is really cheap though (I believe I got it at Sears many years ago for $30).

I would like to replace it at some point with a solid piece of wood.

If you get a similar platform, at least get a decent bag (FYI smaller bag=faster rebounds, larger bag=slower rebounds) and a good swivel hook (not the plastic ball-bearing hook that a lot of cheap platforms come with).

Also, I use sandbags (via a heavy duty training weight bag) on top of the platform to add more solidity to the bag rebounds. It reduces a lot of vibrations as well.

Here’s a picture of me working out on the bag:

Finally, here’s a video of the speed bag in action:

Easy, Free Photo Booth App for Parties

July 31, 2016 by Ash 6 Comments

Eileen always throws awesome parties, thinking of every little detail, from the decorations to the games to the desserts.

Yet, once in a while, she enlists a little from from me.

She was looking to create a do-it-your-self photo booth for a small backyard party. She had a backdrop and props planned and was looking for me to help her find a software program that would run on her laptop.

To my dismay, I could not find any simple to use programs out there. Most of them you had to pay for, and the free ones were terrible.

What seemed like a simple task was turning out to be quite problematic.

Making the Photo Booth App

So, I decided to just write my own photo booth software. By the end of the day, I churned out an app I dubbed Easy Photo Booth. Eileen was totally impressed, and we’ve been using the app at parties ever since.

Eileen likes to print out the filmstrips and include them with the thank you notes. Guests seem to love that 🙂

How the Photo Booth App Works

My version was as simple and straightforward as they come.

Setting Up Easy Photo Booth

In front of the backdrop and props that Eileen set up, I placed a laptop (with a web camera) on a small table.

The guests would then see themselves on the laptop screen. Easy instructions on how to proceed popped up.

I even setup the software to save the film strip images to DropBox.

This allowed me to run a slideshow on the large family room TV of a live photo stream from the photo booth (via a second laptop I had plugged into the TV).

This way, other guests not taking pictures got to partake in the photo booth fun.

My photo booth software was a huge hit.

It’s now a staple event at our parties, and even our friends/families have started using it for some of their events. So I wanted to make the software easily available for everyone for free.

Download the Free App

You can download a PC version of “easy photo booth” software below.

I’m sorry, I don’t have a MacOS version of it, but I can port it over to Mac if I get a lot of requests for it.

Using the Photo Booth App

I made the photo booth app as simple and user-friendly as possible. And it has been working out perfectly!

To get an idea, here’s a screenshot of the program in action. There are simple options – such as Start Photo Booth, View Images, or Advanced mode, which provides more advanced options for the DIY photo booth app.

Using Easy Photo Booth - Easy, Free Photo Booth App for Parties

Easy Photo Booth also offers an advanced mode if you want to fine tune the functionality:

Using Easy Photo Booth, a free app for photo booths

Here’s what the software shows the guests after taking their pictures:

Easy, Free Photo Booth App for Parties Film strip images like the picture above are generated from the software. It also saves the images individually in case you wanted to use a snapshot outside of the film strip.

I also added an “overlay” feature, which superimposes foregrounds onto your images. Check it out in action below (I’m hiding behind some tree coverage):

Easy, Free Photo Booth App for Parties

So if you’re looking for free and easy to use photo booth software for your party, you should definitely check out our photo booth app – Easy Photo Booth. Download it using the link above 🙂

Constructing a Folding Workbench with Storage

July 18, 2016 by Ash 60 Comments

Digging through my scrap wood collection, I came across some pieces of pegboard from our previous home that I had forgotten about.

I had just relocated a lot of garden tools to the shed, and there was an empty wall in the garage that would now be perfect for the pegboard.

After mounting the pegboard and hanging up some tools, the wall still looked a little empty. I had a vision of mounting a heavy duty folding workbench to the wall.

This was the perfect location, and if the workbench folded, we could still fit the car in the garage.

Moreover, I was also in desperate need of a good workbench. I had been using the driveway and garage floor for all my projects.

The lack of a completely flat and level surface made projects more difficult. So I embarked on this bucket list project of building my own folding workbench.

Building a DIY Workbench that Folds When Not in Use

Installing the Pegboard in the Garage

First off, the pegboard needed to be installed. I had to create a slight gap between the wall and the board to allow the hooks to be inserted.

I used some scrap 1 x 3 wood left over from a prior project to create the gap.

Using my table saw, I cut the wood in half lengthwise to make 1 x 1.5 strips and screwed them to the studs behind the drywall.

Here’s a picture of the wall showing the mounted strips:

Then I hoisted up each 2 x 8 pegboard sheet and screwed them into the wood strips, using washers to secure the board. It all just seemed too simple, and I needed more of a challenge.

After, I hoisted up each 2 x 8 pegboard sheet and screwed them into the wood strips, using washers to secure the board. It all just seemed too simple, and I needed more of a challenge.

I then remembered some French cleat shelves I recently built in between the two garage doors (post to come soon!). They were portable shelves that could be removed from the wall by simply lifting. At the same time, they were very sturdily mounted.

So I quickly made 4 shallow box shelves and rigged up a French cleat system for them.

Here’s a picture of the shelves, along with the pegboard and my fancy tool collection:

Creating the Folding Workbench Design

With the pegboard and shelves installed, I could start on the DIY folding workbench.

To come up with the design, I first did a lot of research on existing workbenches, especially folding ones.

I was initially considering one that folded up to cover the pegboard when not in use. A nice feature of that design was that it left below the pegboard intact. So, I could make use of the space for shelving in the future.

I ended up ditching that idea because it would hinder my ability to get tools off the pegboard when the table was folded up.

The extra space below the pegboard was not worth that inconvenience.

Thus, I decided my workbench would fold downwards.

Many fold-down tables I came across had built in legs at the front that swung down. I wanted to make my table free of legs to give a more roomy feel, and also allow easy access to the floor when the table was down.

Sweeping up a sawdust covered floor is a lot easier with no table legs in the way. So finally, all my research culminated into a custom design, which I created in TinkerCad.

Here are the TinkerCAD diagrams of the table in the up and down position:

As you can see in the diagrams of the DIY folding workbench, I planned to have the table supported with 3 wall mounted legs.

Each leg would rest on hinges, allowing them to swing inwards and lay flat against the wall. With the legs folded in, the tabletop (also resting on hinges) would fold downwards to lay on top of the legs.

I really liked this floating workbench design and was eager to start work on it.

Constructing the DIY Folding Workbench

The workbench construction consisted of 3 main parts – tabletop, legs, and wall mounts. Once completed, I would need to secure the pieces to each other with hinges.

So first I started with the tabletop.

Building the Workbench Tabletop

For the DIY floating workbench tabletop, I opted to use several planks of 2 x 8 and 2 x 4 wood for the top, much like a picnic table. I liked the look because it blended in well with my existing garage shelves (including a sliding shelf behemoth I made a few months ago).

To assemble them together, I used a number of techniques.

First I drilled 10 pocket holes along the length of each board. I used the Kreg Pocket Hole jig to precisely drill all the holes.

Then I applied construction adhesive to sides of the planks, clamped them together tightly and fastened them to each other with 2.5″ pocket hole screws.

Wood Clamp Tip

If you’re really getting into some wood working projects lately and don’t already have a variety of wood clamps, I would strongly recommend getting some. For years, I never had the need for any.

Then about a year ago, I had to borrow a neighbor’s 3ft bar clamp to help hold some warped wood in place while I drilled it down. I was hooked ever since.

Now I’ve accumulated a host of clamps ranging from 3″ C clamps to 3ft bar clamps. For the bar clamps, I always try to get them in pairs because many clamping scenarios are better with multiple pressure points.

A lot of bar clamps also convert to spreaders, which let you “spread” a certain distance between two pieces of wood (never thought I’d use that feature, but trust me, you’ll run into a scenario where you’ll want to pry apart two pieces of wood).

I’ve also got a few 90 degree clamps, which are a godsend for building bookshelves (or any other scenario where you need to secure two pieces of wood perpendicular to each other).

I even use an awesome Kreg face clamp to keep two pieces of wood perfectly flush for joining (also use it for the pocket hole jig to keep it in place as well).

Alright, enough rambling about wood clamps.

Finally, I ran 3 perpendicular 2 x 4 supports underneath the tabletop for additional strength. These supports also serve as stops for the swinging legs, so the spacing of them was actually determined by the positions of the legs on the wall.

Here are pictures of the top and bottom of the DIY folding workbench’s completed tabletop:

The floating workbench’s tabletop was very heavy but sturdy. The surface and edges were a little rough, so I planned to sand it down in the end and then route the edges with a rounding over bit.

Constructing the Workbench Legs

Each leg consisted of 2 pieces of 2 x 10 planks, cut to 27” in length. I secured the planks to each other, similar to the table top (with pocket holes and wood glue).

I did notch the corner of each leg structure with a 45 degree cut for a nice angled design. This would give me more leg room, and also eliminate a pointed edge to get snagged on.

Here’s a picture of one of the legs being worked on. The DIY folding workbench was already becoming very handy, even just resting on some sawhorses:

The next task was to bolt 2 x 4 mounts into the wall studs. I used 3.5” lag bolts for the fasteners, and made sure they were perfectly level.

I completed the mounts:

For the horizontal 2×4 (that the table top will hinge to) that connects to each vertical support, I used 5 fasteners to secure it.

I used 3 lag bolts to attach to each vertical support and two 6″ TimberLok screws in between the vertical supports to attach it directly to two additional wall studs.

For the lag bolts, it was essential that they were flush with the surface of the wood.

Up until recently, countersinking lag bolts was not a clean and easy task for me.

This was until I bought a set of Forstner bits that made the task a breeze. Unlike regular drill bits, Forstner bits are specially made to cut flat bottom holes to precise depths.

Here is a picture of one of the bolts up close countersunk with a Forstner bit (note the gap around the bolt head to allow room for the socket spanner):

Finally, with the 3 main project segments completed (table top, legs, mounts), I could start attaching them to each other with hinges.

Prior to a Home Depot trip for all the lumber, I stopped by the local Habitat for Humanity Restore. I was in luck because I picked up 12 used door hinges for a mere $3. Home Depot was selling a pack of brand new ones for $23.

I highly recommend the Habitat stores if you happen to live near to one. They can sometimes yield big savings for your DIY projects.

Attaching the Workbench Hinges

Attaching the hinges went on fairly easily. I used three of the regular door hinges for each leg. Then, I used 3 heavy duty hinges for the table top.

Here’s a picture of the workbench legs mounted with some hinges. Once again, I used a level to ensure accurate alignments:

I positioned the table in place, and attached it to the wall mounts with the 3 heavy duty hinges.

I used two types of fasteners for the hinges. For the wall mount connection, I used four 1/4″ lag bolts per hinge.

For the table top connection, I used Simpson 1.5″ structural screws (these screws are amazing for all sorts of projects due to their anchoring strength, so I always have some on hand in the garage).

To prevent the doors from accidentally swinging shut while the table was down, I attached a small bolt lock on each leg to lock them into place.

Here’s a picture of one of the heavy duty hinges used to fasten the table top to the wall mounts:

Here is the bolt lock in action to secure the swinging legs.

Note the rectangular notch I had to make on two of the legs to account for the heavy duty table top hinge when folded inwards:

Final Touches on the DIY Folding Workbench

The floating workbench was practically complete at this point. The tabletop just needed a good sanding, and the edges needed a nice routed cut.

I used a 3/8″ radius round over edging bit with my plunge router.

Here’s a picture of the tabletop corner once routed (looks very professional, doesn’t it?):

Finally, I finished the DIY wall-mounted, folding workbench. Confident in its strength, Eileen and I both sat on it to prove that it was a sturdy design. The table did not even budge.

Eileen has plans to paint the garage walls. She found two gallons of high-quality blue paint at the Restore. And, she has an idea to make the pegboard look nicer too. Stay tuned for an updated picture!

Lumber and materials costed around $150. I completed the entire project over the weekend.

Overall, the DIY folding workbench was a much needed addition to my garage workshop. I will be using it a lot in the very near future.

We are already enjoying how much space the floating workbench saves. We love that we didn’t compromise any of our garage space while also finally having a place to work.

If you are in need of a workbench or are looking for a folding solution, this DIY folding workbench is completely do-able and you will love the results.

A Terrific Table Saw for DIYers

July 17, 2016 by Eileen 3 Comments

The Kobalt KT1015 Table Saw

In short, the KT1015 Kobalt table saw is an outstanding saw for its value and should perfectly suit the needs of any DIYer. From ripping plywood sheets to cutting lap joints with stacked dado blades, this table saw does it all for a budget price.

Earning 4 out of 5 measuring tapes, it’s definitely one of Ash’s most treasured tools. With the Kobalt in his collection, he is able to complete a whole new range of projects.

The Nitty Gritty

For many years I got by without a table saw. I’ve always just used my trusty handsaw or circular saw.

Because our previous home was small, I just didn’t have a need for it. I couldn’t work on as many projects as I wanted to.

This changed once we bought a larger home. The list of projects we wanted to complete on our new home was endless.

A larger yard meant things like planter boxes, storage sheds and picnic tables. A more spacious garage meant custom shelving and work benches. The projects went on and on.

It was inevitable that the need for a table saw would come up. It was the construction of the shed that prompted this.

The first couple weeks of working on the shed, I used my handsaw and portable power saws. Then as I got deeper into the project, I ran into a wall.

I realized that I needed to make certain long narrow cuts. These cuts were nearly impossible to do reliably and consistently with my current means.

So it was time for a table saw. I was really excited as I had always wanted one, and this was the perfect opportunity to make the investment.

I researched many table saws online until I settled on one I liked. At the time, the prices ranged from around $250 to thousands of dollars.

I opted for the Kobalt KT1050 table saw from Lowes. After a 10% coupon I purchased on eBay for $2, I got the table saw for just under $300 with free delivery. (Here’s a very similar tablesaw on Amazon)

Deciding Factors

There were two main deciding factors for choosing this saw versus others in the same price range. The first one was the maximum cutting depth at 90 degrees.

The KT1015 Kobalt table saw allowed up to 3.5 inches of height on the blade, which meant I could cut a 4 x 4 with one pass on the blade. Most of the other saws maxed out at 3.125.”

I could also cut 2 x 4s on the longer side if I needed as well.

The second decision factor was that it came with a folding built in stand.

I didn’t fully understand the mechanics of its intended operation until watching some YouTube videos. Then I decided this saw was perfect for me.

During normal usage, the saw sits on its stand and works like a regular table saw.

Then when you’re done your cutting for the day, you press a foot lever, raise two handles and the saw tilts vertically on its side and is wheeled away for storage.

The Kobalt table saw in its wheeled storage position:

The Absolutely Best Table Saw for DIYers In this mode, it looks and maneuvers like a two wheel dolly. Because it stands up vertically, it takes up minimal space against the wall when not in use.

This was perfect for my setup as I did not want a permanent spot for the table saw and was hoping to easily pull it out as needed.

In the picture below, the lever with the lock icon transforms the saw into working position.

The Kobalt Table Saw In Action

The table saw arrived about a week later at my front door. I was held up from working on the shed project due to cuts needed from the saw, so I was eager to set it up and continue construction.

It took about an hour to assemble all of the parts and learn operation of all the features.

Since it was my first time using a table saw, I did a number of practice cuts with scrap wood to get a feel for the saw and its mechanics.

I verified the 3.5” max blade height with a piece of 4 x 4. Then, I tried some angled cuts with the included miter slide. I also ripped some bevel cuts on some 2 x 4s.

The cuts were clean and effortless.

The dust port sprayed most of the sawdust out and away from me, piling it up in a hill.

Once I was comfortable, I did the real cuts I needed for my project and was very happy with the results.

Here is a picture of the side showing the yellow power switch and the blade adjustment wheel. You can raise or lower the blade by spinning the wheel.

Also, attached to the wheel is a bevel lever that you can use to adjust the angle of the blade. I found the power switch to be in the perfect location because it is easy to turn the saw off with your knee after a cut.

The opposite side of the saw is where the sawdust shoots out.

The Absolutely Best Table Saw for DIYers One thing I was not too happy about with the Kobalt table saw was the misalignment of the riving knife. The riving knife is a metal splitter that sits just behind the blade.

As the saw blade cuts through the wood, the riving knife slides right into the freshly cut groove and forces the wood to remain parallel to the guide fence.

It’s a safety feature of table saws that helps to prevent a lot of kickback (when the spinning motion of the blade forces the wood to jerk back at you).

The riving knife is supposed to be aligned perfectly with the blade, but mine was not. It actually wasn’t too bad at the beginning, but as I used the saw over the next couple months, the alignment got worse.

The Kobalt table saw manual did come with instructions on aligning it via some hexagonal screws, but I haven’t gotten around to fixing it.

I did also read online about a number of people having trouble with the alignment and could not fix it regardless of the adjustment screw settings.

Some people have even had to stick washers into the riving knife mounting points to align it manually.

Hopefully when I get the time to look into it more, it will work out for me.

In the meantime, when I cut wood, the riving knife either happens to nudge into the cut groove, or I have to place a pre-cut block of scrap wood to force the alignment.

I do occasionally just use my finger to manually nudge the riving knife into place with the blade spinning, but this is highly dangerous and I would not recommend to anyone (note to self to stop doing this and fix the alignment).

Another thing that I was not too fond of was aligning the guide fence. This is the guide that runs parallel to the blade that you slide your wood against to ensure your cut is even.

The guide has two clamping levers on both ends that you engage to lock it down to the table saw surface.

The problem with this technique is that you have to manually ensure the guide is parallel to the blade. If the guide isn’t parallel (within a close margin of error), then your cut is not going to be straight.

Also, your wood will likely get stuck at some point as you slide it through the blade. So both ends of the guide have to be the same distance away from the blade.

It’s really not that difficult to do. However, it can get annoying if you’re making a number of cuts and constantly adjusting the fence.

I’m used to using a tape measure to ensure both ends of the guide fence are the same distance from the edge of the table. Other people use a speed square to quickly align the fence.

The fancier table saws use a rack and pinion system for the guide fence. This is where you spin a handle to slide the fence left or right.

This would be perfect for me if I had a few more hundred dollars to spend on a table saw. Yet, that was outside my budget.

Here is a picture showing the guide fence with one of the adjustment levers.

There is a ruler on the front to help you set the distance from the blade, but I find this not to be always accurate. I tend to rely on my trusty measuring tape.

Using the guide fence on the table saw So the misaligned riving knife and the work needed to setup the guide fence are my only squabbles with the KT1015 Kobalt table saw.

It’s a terrific saw for a great value and should satisfy the needs of your typical home DIYer. My most prized item in my tool collection is definitely this Kobalt table saw.

For a mere $300, it has put me on a whole new level of craftsmanship, and allowed me to accomplish projects that would have been nearly impossible in the past.

Hammering It Home…

Listed below are the projects where I used the Kobalt KT105 table saw. To see detailed steps and pictures, click the project below.

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