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| Butt testing the new cat seat |
The cats have a new place to sit!
Over all I'm rather satisfied with this, it went together with relatively little drama, (an hour yesterday, 4 or so hours today) it's sturdy, it went together "quickly" and I didn't put an eye out making it.
Things I did right:
- The original plans called for making a narrower 3 shelf bookshelf (from 2x4 Furniture), I was able to modify the plans to make something that would fit the space (under a window)
- The original plans were seriously over-engineered, and I needed nowhere near as much hardware.
- I only had to make one trip to the local Home Despot.
- I have a little leftover wood from the shelves, and a serious chunk of leftover backing board.
- I have leftover hardware too, and glue. I shouldn't need to buy them for my next project.
- Successful use of power tools.
Things I didn't do right:
- I bought enough board feet of wood, but I didn't buy the right configuration, so I had to make the shelves a little narrower and shorter than originally planned. (If I make another one this size, 1-8' board, 1-10' board)
- I had to fight with it to get it square. I didn't have the clamps the parts list considered "useful" (more like darn near essential).
- I couldn't find my carpenter square (the plans call for a "framer's square" as another "useful" thing). the house has temporarily eaten it, which means replacing it. I was sort of able to make do, but I'd rather have the correct tool (it's really a rafter square), as it doubles as a straight edge for the jigsaw.
- I had to re-saw the board ends to get them straight (the jigsaw wasn't quite accurate enough.) which meant a little narrower, and a little shorter).
- I killed my palm sander. I was trying to sand the edge of the backing board to get it level with the bottom shelf, and bang, the sander makes noise, but it's not sanding, Replacing this tools is going to run $20-30. Nuts.
Things left to do:
Let the glue finish drying
Use some wood putty to cover some checks on the boards (I used #2 quality pine boards) and some of the screw heads so they'are not that visible
Pick out a stain or a paint to finish it. (and then do that)
Fill it with books. That won't be difficult, though I may want to get some 2x4's bit so I can double stack paperbacks.
Probably make a cushion for the cat butts. I don't think I've got anything quite the right size, though I have enough fabric in the stash to fold up.
Persuading the perverse fuzzy creatures to actually use it may be another matter. The picture was posed,
