DECK STOOLS

I needed some stools for the table in our gazebo.

I was thinking something on the order of these at mypatiogardenfurniture.com, but I'm too cheap to buy them and I couldn't find any easy plan to make them.

So I decided to steal borrow Ana's ladder table plans.
A little tweaking to make it sturdier to sit on and I think we've got a winner.

Here's hers:

And here's mine:

  

This is how I built them.

Tools I used:                                     Materials:

 Table Saw                                          (2) 6 ft Treated Deck Boards (5/4" X 6")

 Miter Saw                                           2" Deck Screws

 Tape Measure

 Carpenter's Square

 Drill and bit including countersink bit

I pretty much followed Ana's plans except that I made them a little shorter and I used 5/4" treated deck boards instead of  1x3's and 1x2's. This did require ripping some of the boards on the table saw, but I wanted something that would be for outdoors.

This is the cut list of the pieces I used. 

Cut all the pieces to length with the miter saw, then rip all but [2] 14" boards and [2] 10 1/2" boards, which will be used for the seat and bottom shelf, to 2 1/2". [Leave the highlighted pieces full width.]

For all pieces: Drill holes for the screws and use a countersink bit to make depressions in the boards so the screws will countersink. Be sure the rounded side of the boards are all facing to the front for the seat, shelf and legs. For the seat and shelf supports, the rounded edge will be facing down.

Make the seat support by making a box frame with
[2]10 1/2" X 2 1/2" boards and  [2] 5" X 2 1/2" boards.  Square up the piece with the carpenter's square and  use clamps to keep it in place. Make sure the flat sides of the boards are flush [even]. Screw it together using 2" coated deck screws. When you have all the screws in place, remove the clamps and set the middle 5" X 2 1/2" board in and repeat the clamping and screwing process.

Assemble the seat by placing [2] 14" X 5 1/2" boards on top of the frame you just made and clamp to keep in place, and centered. At all steps be sure to measure, measure, measure, and make minor adjustments as necessary. Drill and screw down as before.



Build the shelf support similar to the seat support, except it will be a "ladder type" form instead of a box frame, using [2] 10 1/2" X 2 1/2"  boards and [2] 9" X 2 1/2" boards. Attach the 9" boards 2" from the ends of the 10 1/2" boards, as shown in the image below.



Assemble the shelf in the same manner as the seat, using [2] 10 1/2" X 5 1/2" boards and [1] 10 1/2" X 2 1/2" boards. The cut board will be the rear of the shelf, cut side to the back. The ends of the top boards will be flush with the ends of the 10 1/2" boards. Make sure you have a slightly longer overlap in the front than the back. Again, be sure to measure carefully and clamp in place. Drill and screw together.

This is the finished shelf. Note the cut side at the back.

Cut the legs on the miter saw. Clamp the [2] front legs together and cut first one end at 20°, through both boards. Measure for the length you want and cut the other side parallel to the first side, at 20°. Repeat this process for the back legs, except they are cut at 5°.



Assemble the stool beginning with a front leg and back leg on one side. Make sure the rounded edges are facing to the front of the stool. Line up the back leg at the top to the edge of the seat support frame in the back and line up the front leg at the top to the edge of the seat support frame in the front. Here is a nice image from Ana that shows the position.

www.knock-offwood.com

Clamp in place and drill  and screw together. Repeat for the other [2] legs. Use the carpenter's square to make sure the legs are level with each other, front to back, side to side, and diagonally.



 I did have to nip off the front corners at 45°, because it was just too sharp to slide onto next to the table. When I put a finish on these after the wood has dried, I'll sand down the edges a little so that there are no sharp edges.

And here are the finished stools; sans paint and stain.

GUEST BLOGGING

Hi there friends!  Rayan - the Frugal Designer here to tell you that your Blogger has been kidnapped...by me!  Not to worry, it's only temporary, I promise to return them shortly and in one piece!  I hope you will come visit them over at my site, I know they would love to see you all and I would be honored to have you as well!  See you soon..Xx Rayan!

Tru here:
"I will be guest blogging on  The Frugal Designer tonight at 9PM CST, my time, (7PM PST)                                                          

Please pop on over and see me. While you're there, check out her site The Frugal Designer
It's one of those blogs that has a lot to offer; not just her own projects, but she also showcases other bloggers' projects as well. She is certainly helping me to get recognized by other bloggers."

PLANTABLE PLANT STAND

So, here's my idea for a plantable plant stand to put my Strawberry Jar on.

And here's what it would be with the jar on top.












Whatta ya  think? Doable?
I'll let you know in a couple of days.

UPDATE:
Check it out HERE. Not a totally successful experiment.

THE COLOSSAL POTATO TOWER VENTURE - "UPDATE"

May 15, 2010

May 27, 2010

June 8, 2010

                                                                

               

THE COLOSSAL POTATO TOWER VENTURE

So, I got this idea for a Potato Skyscraper/Tower here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rGWZAIjsTUAs he didn't give any real instructions, I'm attempting this experiment on my own. The idea is that the plants will grow out the sides and top of the tower and the whole thing will be green. In the fall when the plants die back, the whole inside is supposed to be full of potatoes. We shall see.

These are the tools and materials I used:

Shovel

Gloves 

Scissors

Garden kneeling pad

Landscape fabric

Cable ties

Good fertile dirt (mine was from the cow pasture, but you could use compost)

Straw

I had some prep work to do, because it was going in a place that had tough stalks that I had to remove, but the theory is you can put it right on top of the grass. So, anyway, place the landscape fabric down where you want you tower placed. I put bricks on the outer edge, so I can mow close to it and not have weeds, hopefully.

Next take a length of Chicken Wire (fencing), available at the home center or a farm supply center. I used about 10 feet or so, but you can make it any size you want. Just remember, the bigger you make it, the easier it will want to tip over. I had a couple of fence posts in here already for tying up my plants, so I used them to anchor the Tower to in the back.

You may not be able to see it very well, but I overlapped the edges after I made a circle of the chicken wire and fastened it with cable ties.

Now, start filling with dirt or compost. 

Put in about a 3-4 inch layer.

Next, goes a 3-4 inch layer of straw.

I planted 3 different varieties of potatoes:

Reds

Mega Chip (white)

Yukon Gold (white)

I cut them so there was at least one eye in a section and allowed them to air dry for an hour or two, so they got kind of a crust on them. This is 

supposed to help prevent rotting I guess.

Layer the cut potatoes on the straw and then add a layer of dirt or compost and straw.

Continue layering in this manner until you are finished. 

I had 2# of each type of potato and made 2 layers of each kind, for a total of six layers.

Finish with dirt or compost over the last layer of potatoes.

I put a layer straw on top, just to keep the weeds down. 

Here is my tower, finished. 

I planted it on May 15th.

Be sure to water the tower frequently, as potatoes have a lot of moisture in them.

And look who decided it was a bed the minute I got done!

Here it is on May 27th. 

The plants are starting to grow out the sides and top.