What'cha makin, Maker? 2022 Edition

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What'cha makin, Maker? 2022 Edition

Post by trilobyte » Fri May 27, 2022 9:28 am

We've had threads like this in past years, and now that we're back into the swing of things on getting back to the playa it's time for another for 2022.

One of my favorite aspects of Burning Man is the DIY and maker culture. So many people from different backgrounds who find themselves doing new things and learning new skills and making weird stuff, either for simple survival, creature comforts at camp, or spectacular artistic sculpture and display. Sometimes people have been makers for years before getting out to the desert, other times Black Rock City opens a new door and gets somebody who was never into DIY before into making stuff at home. This thread is for the stuff we make at home in the default world. Planter boxes? A shed? Doing something interesting from a flatpack furniture kit? Tell us about it, share pics if you're able to... show us the cool and weird stuff you're getting up to :D

To put pictures in your posts, you will ideally want to upload them to a hosting site. If you've got a server or a wordpress blog or something, great. You can also create a free account on a site like tumblr (that's the one I use, though there are others). Upload there, and then 'copy the image address' ... from there, you can click on the Insert Image button in the toolbar above the site's post editor, and paste in that image address. See my example below.

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Re: What'cha makin, Maker? 2022 Edition

Post by trilobyte » Fri May 27, 2022 10:10 am

I'll get things started with a project I've been slowly pushing along over the last several weeks. Other work around the house and in the yard kept distracting me, but I finally got it finished... my new workshop table! In the last year, my partner and I have gone from being apartment/loft/duplex renty people to living in a home with some garage and yard space. After spending the last few months getting and putting together shelving and getting the garage organized, I've got room to build a workshop table. We want it to be indoor/outdoor (we've got a large paved space on the side of the house) and have heavy duty locking casters.... so it can be both easy to move and withstand some substantial weight and abuse. Let's start with those casters, which can support 1800lbs apiece...

Image

For the core frame, I wanted to use pressure-treated lumber. It costs a few bucks more, but given that it's going to be used indoors/outdoors it made sense. As a bonus, from my experience a good quality PT board tends to be stronger but weighs less than regular lumber. I'm guessing it's because they dry it out good before pressure-treating. Your mileage may vary, but that's been my experience, and after a few different super heavy and hard to move workshop tables in the past, making it easy to move was high on the list of features my partner wanted. After cutting the pieces I got to work with my pocket hole jig to make easy work making stronger joints.

Image

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For added support, I used steel joist hangers for the crossbeams...

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A table to make art can also be artful, so a coat or two of paint for the frame was in order...

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If you're going to anchor in crazy strong casters, why not use a crazy strong fastener?

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The tabletop itself is a really good construction grade pine, I rounded off the corners and than used a router to soften up the edges for a bit of fit and finish...

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After a little light sanding and a few coats of sealer, it's finally finished!

Image

And of course, the first thing my gf wants me to build after the workshop table.... is a table! :lol: Fortunately that one will be smaller and much easier, and something I can probably make out of stuff I have around the house...

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Re: What'cha makin, Maker? 2022 Edition

Post by ygmir » Fri May 27, 2022 2:56 pm

very nice Trilo! nice color, too!
that should serve you and several generations, well!
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Re: What'cha makin, Maker? 2022 Edition

Post by Elderberry » Fri May 27, 2022 3:50 pm

Nice job!
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Re: What'cha makin, Maker? 2022 Edition

Post by burner von braun » Fri May 27, 2022 8:23 pm

...
Last edited by burner von braun on Fri May 27, 2022 8:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: What'cha makin, Maker? 2022 Edition

Post by burner von braun » Fri May 27, 2022 8:27 pm

Your worktable looks great Trilo! Just wondering, did you use L-brackets and screws underneath to attach the table top surface to the framework?

Good job measuring the tight fit for the lower shelf too. Is that three pieces?

I also like the fun choice of color!
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Re: What'cha makin, Maker? 2022 Edition

Post by trilobyte » Tue May 31, 2022 9:53 am

Thanks! And yeah, I did the bottom shelf in 3 pieces. A smarter version of me would have measured and cut it as a single piece as I was putting the frame together, but... not this version of me haha. I knew I wanted to notch the corners, but I didn't think about the specifics of how I'd do that until after I'd already measured, cut, assembled, and painted the frame (I got those sheets of plywood for the shelf and tabletop on a later trip to the lumberyard). Each notched end is shorter than the middle, since I wanted for the cuts to be right above where I have a joist.

I used L-tabs on the lower shelf where those seams are at, but everywhere else the tabletop is connected using pocket hole screws. That fancy blue jig thing you can see in a pic or two is from this company called Kreg. Helps me make sure the pocket holes are at the correct angle, and the special bits have a block at the top end to make sure I don't make it too deep. Then just use the right length of pocket hole screw and it'll grip it tight and on an angle without going through the top surface.

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Re: What'cha makin, Maker? 2022 Edition

Post by ygmir » Tue May 31, 2022 3:18 pm

trilobyte wrote:
Tue May 31, 2022 9:53 am
Thanks! And yeah, I did the bottom shelf in 3 pieces. A smarter version of me would have measured and cut it as a single piece as I was putting the frame together, but... not this version of me haha. I knew I wanted to notch the corners, but I didn't think about the specifics of how I'd do that until after I'd already measured, cut, assembled, and painted the frame (I got those sheets of plywood for the shelf and tabletop on a later trip to the lumberyard). Each notched end is shorter than the middle, since I wanted for the cuts to be right above where I have a joist.

I used L-tabs on the lower shelf where those seams are at, but everywhere else the tabletop is connected using pocket hole screws. That fancy blue jig thing you can see in a pic or two is from this company called Kreg. Helps me make sure the pocket holes are at the correct angle, and the special bits have a block at the top end to make sure I don't make it too deep. Then just use the right length of pocket hole screw and it'll grip it tight and on an angle without going through the top surface.
fancy
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Re: What'cha makin, Maker? 2022 Edition

Post by burner von braun » Wed Jun 01, 2022 12:09 am

Interesting choice Trilo! Turns out, I also have one of those Kreg pocket screw kits that I used for a particular project some time back. I think I was putting nice 3/4" wooden trim along the outer edge of a countertop and didn't want any fasteners to show. I suppose I had decided that I didn't want to go with the 'wooden plugs covering countersunk screws' method. Since then, I guess for me, it had fallen out of rotation as a go-to solution. I remember it being a very clean and clever way to fasten boards under certain circumstances. I see you used it throughout your worktable construction.

Tell ya what, I think I'll search my back shelves, find this kit, and give it a home closer to the action!
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Re: What'cha makin, Maker? 2022 Edition

Post by BBadger » Wed Jun 01, 2022 12:53 pm

Very nice table! I love that you've painted it up. For some reason I never think to paint worktables.
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