Woodworking/DIY/Home Improvement Mega Thread

[betarhoalphadelta]

The lil coop I made, from the other thread.  It was just for 3 chickens.  My friend was just starting out.  Went over there for a few weekends.  The long arms and wheels made it so you could move it wherever you wanted.  Chickens got up and down okay and liked the middle area most.
Very rudimentary and she didn't want it finished or fancy.
Contained the chickens in a small footprint.  Places to lay and retrieve the eggs.  Mobile. 
If I did it again, I'd extend the bottom portion to extend out to the ends of the handles, just for more room.  Wouldn't change the functionality at all.

DIY is a giant middle finger to the egg lobby. 

Well done, my friend. 

[utee94]

Vinyl Lounge Library Wall project is coming along nicely.  I completed all construction last weekend and secured the stacks to the walls.  I have all of the face frame trim purchased and rough cut to size, I'm in the process of painting it right now and I'll have it installed by the end of the week.

I also have all electrical routed through the built-ins, had to make sure that was correct before securing everything together and to the walls, don't want any "oops" re-routes that don't look tidy.  All electrical fixtures will install after the final trim work is done.

And then some final hardware pieces to be installed after all of that.  Should be complete by the end of the weekend.

I've been taking a few pictures as I went along, not really many, I always forget when I'm focused on the work.  But I'll post up what I've got when it's done.

[MikeDeTiger]

Silly Gen-Xers.

Don't even know that if they do something and don't take a lot of pictures to post on Insta, it doesn't even count.  

[utee94]

Silly Gen-Xers.

Don't even know that if they do something and don't take a lot of pictures to post on Insta, it doesn't even count. 

Yeah I've always thought about putting together a youtube channel with a vlog of my work, but if I can't even be bothered to take still pictures, there's no way I'm gonna take the time to video record and edit all of the stuff.

I might have the patience for putting together some Tiktoks, someday.

[OrangeAfroMan]

Silly Gen-Xers.

Don't even know that if they do something and don't take a lot of pictures to post on Insta, it doesn't even count. 

I really had to dig for those pics, lol.  

[utee94]

OK well here goes nothing.

The Project:  Convert a front formal living room into a Vinyl Lounge with a Library Wall.

The Method: Use a couple of standard Ikea bookcases and hack them into something that looks built-in.

The Requirements: Must house a turntable, amp, two floor speakers, and a subwoofer.  Plus some books and photos and knick-knacks.  And must have a space for a console piano (to be moved over from my parents' house in the near future).

The Before: Not a great shot, admittedly.  I never remember to take a detailed Before shot, but this is a 12x14 room with a 10' ceiling, this vintage cabinet is what we use as a bar and along with the mirror is the only thing on the far wall from the entrance, there's an antique couch on the right side and two chairs on the left, one antique and one newer.



The After (the piano will go where the antique bar cabinet currently sits): 

[utee94]

The steps:

Build two Ikea bookcases and put them on the far wall at either side (I'm looking at the man in the mirror, I'm asking him to change his ways).  Test-fit some tchotchkes to try to sell the whole plan to the i s c & a aggie wife (represented by her foot in bottom photo).

[utee94]

Build a 2x4 frame that spans across the tops of the two Ikea bookcases and lag-screws into the wall studs, to support the top portion of the cabinetry, and tie the entire unit together as a built-in.  Build and test-fit the two custom outer upper cabinets, built from simple whitewood 1x12.



Test-fitting all 4 custom top cabinets:

[utee94]

Now with the uppers stained in walnut finish to match.  The color is close, the wood is unsurprisingly warmer than the faux walnut  veneer on the Ikea cabinetry, but once it's all loaded with stuff, we won't even notice.



Adding the pre-painted 1x6 and 1x3 MDF face frames to cover the 2x4 support structure and edges of the storebought bookcases"



And adding some blocking to the top, to support the eventual upper face frame:

[utee94]

Adding the top face frame trim piece, with vintage industrial library lights mounted through it, and the side lights also mounted and lit up.



And now the crown molding at the very top

[utee94]

Left side stack all finished, with the base molding detail shown.  It houses the left side stereo floor speaker and the subwoofer, which I've covered with some walnut veneer:



Right side stack all finished, it houses the right side stereo floor speaker, the turntable, and the amplifier.  I built out the shelf for the turntable and amp since they're around 15" deep while the bookcase is only 11" deep.



And the After picture once again:

[FearlessF]

nice work

[OrangeAfroMan]

Indeed, that's awesome.  I like the rod for high-reaching stability.

[utee94]

Indeed, that's awesome.  I like the rod for high-reaching stability.

Thanks! My 15yo son is really into exercise and working out, and asked if it's a pull-up bar.  I mean, I guess it could be.

It's actually a bar to support a rolling library ladder, but the space is small enough I'm not sure I'll ever build the ladder itself.