Dog Box

One of the lads at work wanted me to make him a dog box. This is a box that is kept in the back of your truck to keep your dog in, it's mainly for working dogs and the smaller space means they can warm up much faster after a days shooting, it also keeps the rest of the vehicle clean.

All the sides cut to size

It's built to fit his vehicle so the back had to be sloping to fit tight against his back seats and make the most of the space available. I started making it a couple of weekends ago when the weather was nice. I have to do this at the moment as I have nowhere else to make it.

Alfresco carpentry!

 I cut all the ply pieces first then joined them using a 25mm batten screwed and glued into all the corners. I used 12.5mm ply for the panels as it's strong enough but it will also mean you'd be able to lift it on your own.

The basic carcase made up

Today I made the front frame using some 25mm x 75mm PSE. I rebated the edges so the wire would sit flush with the outside using my little Bosch router.

Just hinges and beads left to finish it.

I've still got to add some trim to hold the wire in place and fix on the hinges before its finished but it's almost there. This would have been much easier to make if I had a workshop or a covered space to work but I'll just have to wait for that!

Fitted Book Shelves

I fitted this book shelf a couple of weeks ago, fitted into an alcove in one of the bedrooms.

 I made them out of Sapele with brass strips either side, so the height of the shelves can be adjusted to suit the books it's holding.

Painted up they work quite well in the room, although I think I'd have them fitted down to the floor if they were mine.

Handrail

I had to add some handrail above some stairs today.
A nice job to do but I had to notch the newel post into the stairs to make it strong enough. I know I've said it before but I always make sure the newel has a good fixing.

Mortise and tenon cut by hand

 The handrail was mortised and tenoned into the top for strength then the hole thing fixed into place as one. I then added the spindles and any beading it needed before sanding it up.

Spindles in



Newel notched into staircase

The finished article

A nice job for a Wednesday afternoon

Vanity Unit

Started to build a vanity unit this week.
A fairly simple design, I just building a desk type unit in an alcove (which I'll later add doors to) and a shelving unit above.
 

Routing the housings to hold the shelves

 For the shelving unit I housed in all the shelves using the little Bosch router. This was the only way of doing it as the unit had to be assembled in it final place, as things like architrave being in the way prevented me from lifting it in as one. Also housing the shelves in makes the unit much stronger than just being screwed.

There will be doors fitted on the bottom section

 This was all made out of sapele again. Still not my favourite wood in the world, but it's a strong hardwood and ideal if it's going to be painted like this is.

A solid set of shelves