January's Roombox

I wasn't going to blog about my progress on this project since January reads my blog and I thought she might rather not see it until it's completed.  So, January - this is a SPOILER ALERT!!!  Quit reading if you don't want to see pictures. :)

This is a Houseworks roombox kit which I put together about a month or so ago.  Only had one real issue with the kit which was the instructions tell you to glue the two sides and back to the outside of the floor, which is fine.  But I got that done and then wished I hadn't because the last thing they have you do is glue the top piece inside the standing walls and back, and whether you glue the edges of the top piece (which I did) or glue a bead around the top of the walls and back, you have to slide that top piece into position - not good.  What I should have done was glue one side piece and the back to the base piece, glue the top onto the edges of those, then glue the other side piece to the outside edges of the base, back and top pieces. 

Before running into that problem, I had put the petitpoint rug, two finished bookcases, and other major pieces into the box to see how it was going to work.  It was all right, but I figured it would look better if I extended the depth by an inch - there would be more floor showing around the rug.  Fortunately, the sides were 1/8" think MDF and the floor and ceiling were 1/4" thick MDF so I just bought strip wood in those thicknesses, cut them to size and glued them on.

So, here in pictures, is where I am this morning and some of the steps getting here:

This first one is after I made the decision to deviate from what January had told me she would like.  She wanted not only the bookcases stained, but all the woodwork and once I finished the bookcases, I  just couldn't bring myself to do all the wainscoting and baseboard (and possibly crown molding) in that very dark stain.  I did stain some of the wainscoting to see how it would look and in addition to being dark it had the usual problem of not taking the stain well.  So, after much agonizing over colors I chose this one.  The piece on the left side is where I had painted a scrap with the color and then used an antiquing glaze over it.  I decided I liked it without the glaze better and will just use a regular satin varnish on everything.











After all my deliberations, it was time to get to work.  First, install the floor (Houseworks red oak stained with the bookcase stain).  On the left, it is in and weighted down with many books.  I managed to think ahead and lay a piece of waxed paper down over the flooring before I put the books in, just in case some glue oozed out.  You can also see on the side and top the extension pieces I added.  On the right is the finished floor which turned out fine - no glue smears, bubbles or bulges. 

Next I glued in the sidewalls' baseboard pieces.  Don't remember why I decided to do that - maybe just cause I wanted to!  Then, I primed the walls down to a little below where the wainscoting will go and also primed the ceiling.  On the right, the ceiling paper has been installed and glory be, it didn't bubble!  I've had that happen sometimes.  I used actual wallpaper paste and had a little trouble getting the paper in, mainly because as soon as it hit the surface, it grabbed and wanted to stay put.  So I decided before I paper the walls I would sand them lightly and then put a thin coat of ModPodge on them to hopefully give me a slightly slicker surface.

I'm basically enjoying this project although it's been kind of nerve-wracking.  Back when I was doing this type of thing with some regularity, I learned all sorts of tricks and construction became relatively simple.  But it's been so long that I find I'm a lot more nervous about it now.  Not having a really good workspace doesn't help either, but I think some of the worst is over.  I'm ready to paper the walls now - am going to do that before I install the wainscot.  I think the only other really difficult part may be when it's time to attach the grooved molding around the front edges that allow an acrylic front to slide in and out.  I've done dry runs already and it does go together, but somehow I just see "danger" signs when I contemplate it, so I've already told myself if it doesn't work, I won't panic - I'll take it to a framer or something and have them make something that will work.

More to come...

Unskilled laborer builds bookcases

Believe me, this is not a tutorial.  And a number of my on-line miniaturist friends will probably shudder if they see this, but here is how I made my two bookcases for January's roombox.  Actually, these are my second and third bookcases using the same method.  And these two turned out fine for sitting in the back of a roombox, but I'm not as happy with them as I was with my first one.  But then, I'm a little old lady now with shaky hands, nowhere very good to work, and not anywhere near as good eyesight.  Those are my excuses and I'm sticking with them! :)

My equipment consists of a craft knife, a miter box and saw, three different gluing thingies for keeping pieces squared while the glue dries (none of which am I really thrilled with), clamps, masking tape (which I used a lot of) and a cutting mat.  So, this isn't professional quality, artisan furniture building here.  As an aside, if you want to see that, you need to visit Elga's blog (see my profile for a link).  She's the lady from South Africa who I will be meeting in Amsterdam to visit that German miniature show.  Her woodworking skills sort of boggle the mind and she's only been at it maybe a year or two, if I remember right.

So, okay - mostly pictures now.
When I made my first bookcase, I actually managed to come up with a good way to get pieces of wood cut to the same length which probably anyone else who has only the miter box and saw to work with has also come up with, but just in case - it's as simple as taping the two pieces of wood together and cutting them both to size at the same time.  Doesn't work for things that need a miter cut, of course, but for straight cuts, it really is a help, at least for someone like me who finds it impossible to mark two pieces of wood separately, cut them in the miter box separately and have them come out exactly the same.  So these two pictures are just starting out after having stained all the wood.  On the left, the wood for the sides of the bookcase is taped and in the miter box and on the right, the first side piece has been glued onto the back and is clamped.  I realize stained wood doesn't glue as well as raw, but the rock and the hard place one has to choose between is either a better hold for the glue, or avoiding spots that won't take stain because they've had glue on them.  I opt for the second choice. 

 Don't ask me why every other picture shows the wood a different color.  I'm not a professional photographer either!  On the left I've added balsa wood to the bottoms of the cases so that the baseboard will have a better surface to glue to.  And one of the bookcases already has its crown molding in place.  To do that, I first glued pieces on the top as shown in the picture on the right, again giving myself a better surface to glue to.

I wish they really were this color, I really like it. :)  But I couldn't keep buying cans of stain until I found the perfect one!  I debated gluing each piece of crown molding on separately, gluing all three pieces together first and then gluing the whole thing on, or doing it this way which was to glue one corner together, glue that piece on, and then glue on the other side piece.  The reason for this was because had I glued all three together first and then tried to glue it on, I would have had glue all over the place I think.  And if I had glued the three pieces on separately, I think it would have been more difficult to get everything thing as straight as I got it (which still isn't perfect!)

In these pictures I'm starting the shelves.  You can see two shelves cut out with the tape still around them on the left.  Also in that picture are two side pieces that I cut taped together.  When I made my first bookcase, I really had to ponder for a while how I could possibly hope to get level shelves and then this idea dawned on me.  I cut out the little side pieces, glue them on each side, lay the shelf on top of them (in the picture on the right), glue on the next two side pieces, and so on.  I don't even have to glue the shelves in!  And, voila (I'm going to France!), level shelves.

And, finally, here is the finished product and in basically the true color.  The last thing I did (that you can't see) was glue on narrow strips of trim wood down each side to cover the shelf braces so it looks like the shelves are inset into the sides.

The bookcases have several hidden defects, and the stain and finish is not the quality I'd prefer, but when filled up with books and other goodies, I think they'll do quite well.  And I got fancy on the one and made the half shelf so I could have something taller in the open space or maybe even hang a little picture or something.

So now onto the roombox.  I cleared off my cardtable, dusted the sawdust off my windowsill and pulled out the roombox and put it on the table with all the electrical supplies so I'm ready to get started on it.  I'll post shorter progress reports which I have progress to report. :)