DIY enhancements?

[Sandancers]

Make sure you've got a new tape measure too ... they shrink after a while so you cut stuff too short ... and start thinking that some things are longer than they are ?

The wife has one like that, I think it's wonderful !

 

[Minxy]

The wife has one like that, I think it's wonderful !

... depends what she's measuring I suppose!

 

[ToBoldlyGo]

I guess you're right figaro. Shame but i'll look forward to getting a modern one too. I've also a pukka engineers square on my shopping list, although the shelf I've put into our vans bathroom cupboard is so warped it looks like a banana, and such precision cuts I did too. The ply is b/bb grade, seems more like e/f minus to me. I'm thinking of trying to remove the warp by putting the shelf under a van wheel ...

 

[ToBoldlyGo]

Thanks for those pointers Robin. I've made and installed 6 shelves. The 5mm visually appears too thin but weight and function wise the shelves are fine. I had your ".. measure twice... " in mind when I needed a cutout out of one shelf (where the cupboard has wiring running vertically). I cut it out on the left of the shelf then realised for breakout avoidance I'd cut the shelf upside down ... grrr. Thanks for glue and screw I would only have picked one of those.

I do enjoy it too, the shelves look distinctly amateurish but then hey I'm distinctly amateur. As I write this there's a big tray of pairs of shoes by the hab door and im going to make a shelving unit that will be easy to use and remove that clutter.

Tips? As others have said, safety first.

Use sharp blades, clamp work piece, both hands on the tool behind the cutting line, make sure electrical flex is either plugged in above or trails over your shoulder and down to the tool, eye and ear protection.

To help with the cuts in plywood - clamp a straight edge to ensure nice straight cuts. Use new and sharp fine/small tooth blades in the jigsaw or circular saw. Put tape (or preferably clamp a sacrificial piece of timber) on the lower edge to help minimise breakout.

Measure twice, cut once.

Glue and screw, don’t just screw.

Above all, enjoy the work. I love it.

 

[keithchesterfield2]

First things first -

Buy a very large FIRST AID Kit and know how to use that before starting.

I am not joking.

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