“Before you build a masterpiece you must design it. It’s the same way with life, you know. Too many people go through life living by chance, but when you live by design and know the life you want to create, you are able to create a masterpiece instead of a piece of junk.”Occasionally I fancy myself as a carpenter. It usually occurs only once or twice a year, spaced out enough so that I have forgotten the splinters, sore back, and tired hands from the last project. The beauty of building and making as opposed to contracting or buying, is the craft. You must imagine the outcome, develop a plan, and then push through if you are to ever finish the venture. The more precise the plan, measurements, and cuts; the easier the pieces mate. Even when things don't go quite as planned, or if the blueprint lacked some critical detail, creativity and sandpaper can usually salvage the work. (And there is always another board somewhere...)
― The Carpenter: A Story About the Greatest Success Strategies of All
Here is a collection of projects that have consumed some of me over the years. When you build to your own design there is a certain pride, not just from the outcome, but the fit and function that you precisely had in mind. Hopefully these projects will give you a few ideas... Keep making regardless!
Cubicle Shelves
Practical and simple. A couple variations of this design, in various sizes, sit around our home.
Paperback Bookshelf
This was actually a request... The shelves had to be just the right size for mass market paperbacks.
Entry Bench
Angles, angles, angles. And a few squares on bottom for shoes...
Outdoor Structures
Outdoor structures tend to require a tad bit more planning and time. The 3D models were built using SketchUp to help determine dimensions.
Arbor
Sometimes only the smallest amount of shade is required for a hot dry climate.
Deck
There were 2 additional sections planned for this deck that still have not been built...
Roll-Top Desk
If you decide to build a desk, you may as well make it a roll-top. It is a classic design modified slightly. The seat was offset to make a letter by legal file drawer on one side. The other side is mini-tower computer tray as opposed to traditional drawers.
