Changing Table for “Little Senorita”

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Bekah asked me to make a changing table, since the ones they looked at in stores were so pricey. I found the plans for this one in my Wood Magazine.

She wanted it painted white to match the crib she already had, so we matched the paint color at Home Depot.

Here I am attaching the Maple legs to the maple plywood carcase – just Titebond III glue, no screws or nails.

ChangingTable1

After cutting the rabbets and dado for the carcase, I masked the inside and painted the pieces before assembly. This simplified the painting chores immensely.

Here Bekah and Chloe have come to check on the progress…

ChangingTable2

I used a piece of pegboard as a template for drilling the shelf pins, and then routed a dado in the underside of the shelf so the 5mm shelf pins would be invisible. This picture shows the movable shelves better …

movableShelves

I waited until we transported the changing table to Bekah’s before installing the drawer pulls.

ChangingTable3

This is the first major project that I painted rather than stained. Turned out pretty good. Painting is a bunch more work. It was two coats of primer, and two of semi-gloss enamel. Painted finish can hide imperfections in the materials. I used Rockhard putty to fill in dents and voids in the plywood end grain before painting.

More money in the hardware (slides, knobs) and paint than in the wood!

ChangingTable4

If I do another one, I would consider either making four drawers instead of three or increasing the depth of the 3 drawers.

Capri

Here is Capri Elise checking it out at 1 week old.

Sewing Cabinet

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Google SketchUp Sewing Cabinet


This project started in Google sketch. After reading the writeups about sketch in several of my woodworking magazines, I decided to give it a try.


The cabinet back keeps the carcase square while it is nailed and screwed together. I like to use pipe clamps because of the amount of force I can exert. A big glue-up takes time, and the pipe clamps can ‘move’ the pieces around even after the glue starts to stick.


CarcaseAssembly Sewing Cabinet


After drawers have been installed, the faces are spaced apart using shims (I used tongue depressors), to provide uniform gaps. I then remove the faces, apply glue to the drawer fronts, reassemble and use the pin nailer to hold them in place. Clamps are used to hold the faces tight against the drawer fronts until the glue dries. The drawer faces could also be attached with screws from inside the drawer if desired.


This method allows finished drawer face positions to be adjusted to correct any error that may have occurred when the slides were installed. The pin nails are so small as to be practically invisible, and can be sanded flush. I believe they are much preferable to using double sided tape. They are certainly easier and faster.


Here is the carcase with all the drawers installed. Just the drawer fronts were painted.

Here is the carcase with all the drawers installed. Just the drawer fronts were painted.



Here is a shot with the knobs installed.

Here is a shot with the knobs installed.



I made these thread spool holders by drilling holes in the narrow side of a 2x4 with a forstner bit, and then splitting the 2x4 down the middle, through the long axis of the holes.

I made these thread spool holders by drilling holes in the narrow side of a 2x4 with a forstner bit, and then splitting the 2x4 down the middle, through the long axis of the holes.



Here is one of the two shelf units. The partitions were sized to hold plastic tubs to hold different sewing projects (fabric, thread, instructions, etc.). The shelves were made from melamine covered mdf. I was quite happy with the results - when finishing the interior, wayward stain and finish wiped right off the melamine, and the tubs glide effortlessly. Oak strips were used to finish off the edges.

Here is one of the two shelf units. The partitions were sized to hold plastic tubs to hold different sewing projects (fabric, thread, instructions, etc.). The shelves were made from melamine covered mdf. I was quite happy with the results - when finishing the interior, wayward stain and finish wiped right off the melamine, and the tubs glide effortlessly. Oak strips were used to finish off the edges.



Oak Trim

After the oak trim was glued to the melamine top, I used a block plane to trim the oak flush. Skewing the plane reduces the cutting angle of the blade so it acts like a low angle plane. I placed painters tape on the melamine side of the plane sole. This lifts the sole slightly so the blade does not touch the finished surface of the melamine.



Completed Top

Completed Top



Here is the front view of the finished cabinet with the top installed. The cutting mat slips under rabbets on the trim.

Here is the front view of the finished cabinet with the top installed. The cutting mat slips under rabbets on the trim.



Here is a shot from the back side, you can see all the cubbies with the plastic trays inserted.

Here is a shot from the back side, you can see all the cubbies with the plastic trays inserted.