Wednesday, June 22, 2005


Here is the pantry I built for Mrs. Curley - in installments. Most was built in October, the doors were built and installed about two weeks ago. It is bigger than it looks here. It is 7 feet tall and something like 32-35 inches deep. The lighting is bad, but hopefully you can get the idea of it.

4 comments:

N. Trandem said...

Nice! Three questions: What kinds of tools did you use? What's the best way for a city boy to learn woodworking? Have you built prie-dieus?

Jim Curley said...

Thanks.

1. I used a tablesaw sparingly. Mostly I used hand tools: handsaw, hammer, handplane, rabbetplane, sanding block, screwdriver, mallet and punch.

2. I taught myself over the years. (I was a city/suburb boy for most of my life) I made much more before the kids came and when they were little. Now it is difficult to find the time for such a project. This is changing as now I have interested and helpful apprentices. My rules: I never use (or purchase) a power tool until I can do the particular task by hand. You learn by doing. Yes I have a couple books that I relied on to teach me some things(they slip my mind now) but really you learn by doing. Build a book case or a stool or a box and go from there. When single, I had a two bedroom apartment. One bedroom was my shop. I am sure the folks upstairs wondered what I was dong half the time.

Don't get me wrong, I am not artist, but I can build functional, and sometimes nice-looking furniture. I have lost half the skill I had ten years ago just due to non-use.

3. No, I haven't but almost built one several years ago. This would be a good project to start on.

Thanks for noticing.

Anonymous said...

That is amazing.

Do you have a good recommendation for a simple bookcase plan? Something that can be accomplished with a table saw and hand tools?


Thanks,

Jim Curley said...

Zach, Let me think a bit on it. I must have a few books around here with plans in them. Probably faster would be to go to the craft/hobby section of a bookstore/library and see what they have. But I'll see what I can find.

Thanks.