QUEEN SIZE BED FRAME MADE INTO BENCH (part 3 OF 4)

"The Queen Sized Bench"

Part 3

With the continuation of this project. I took the side rail and cut then the length of the back measured in between the arm rest. One for the back to bring the opening down some and one for the front to connect the arm rest and give it stability, strength and the beginning of the seat frame. This has to be strong enough to handle people seating on the bench. By the time I am done this bench should be able to handle up to 500 lbs easily. Since this bench is easily 5 foot long I will be adding either one center seat leg or two. Another thing about this bench is that it will offer some storage under the seat area.

Let's continue:

We left off with both arms being drilled for dowels and the same for the backboard where they connect. They were clamped and allowed to dry for 12 hour minimum. When I am almost done I may put some screws into the back of the backboard to strengthen the arm connection other than just the dowels. But for it will suffice. This picture shows the progress up until now.

Arm rest attached

Now it is time to add to the frame to square it off and begin to make the base for the seat. I took the side rails for the bed and cut off the ends which had the metal hooks that attached to the headboard and foot board. It is just easier to cut them off. Each rail supplied enough for length form side to side and the seat base attached to the arm rest.

The rails cut

The metal hooks were cut off

SIMPLE BATHROOM SHELF AND MAGAZINE RACK

In between the drying of the glue on the bench project I decided to finish a small shelf project I have been wanting to do for the last 3 years I have lived in my place. I live in a condo association and like most of them, the units are all cookie cutter. In this one they had decided to use glass block instead of windows in the kitchen and bathroom.

Anyway the toilet area is in a nook in the bathroom which has a weird shape and right above the toilet is the glass block. On the other side of the glass block is the exit porch for my condo and my neighbors. Although the person is distorted when viewing through the glass block, you can still distinguish a person and their body parts. A curtain would actually be ridiculous looking. So I decided on a shelf with a small curtain on the bottom shelf and a picture frame on the mid shelf (top shelf is for storage). The condo had veneer counter tops as original install for both the bathroom and the kitchen. The color (and I like colors) is a pale mid pink (who knows the thought on that, especially the same color in the kitchen). It makes it tough to match a good color especially to make it sex neutral (I am a man! and I know real men wear pink - and I do, but for this purpose it makes it difficult). Unless you want to change the counter top, which makes this project something else totally and more expensive.

The shelf before painting and the glass block showing

Back to the project. I measured and made a box with some 10" by 0.5" (I bought a 10 ft plank and used some I had around) and put a shelf in the middle. I then screwed into the side walls (studs) for stability and strength. I made sure when I screwed into the walls the screw heads were in good. I then puttied over them. Once all dry. I sanded and painted ... one word about paint (ok more than one)

Shelf after install, paint and accessorized

QUEEN SIZE BED FRAME MADE INTO BENCH (part 2 OF 4)

Well I got a little lazy and used all this weather action as an excuse to put away my material. Wood does warp in humid conditions ... right? LOL Anyway, thank God that the hurricanes and storms have left us for a bit. My well wishes for those survivors of any calamity and prayers for those we've lost.

I started working before I realized I wasn't documenting so I apologize, but I didn't get too far. I'm not sure I mentioned this the last time, I'll go back and read it again later, but, The projects I work on are for any one to do. I have some skills but sometimes not enough for the project. I do a lot of internet research or I may ask someone I know or maybe the people who work where you buy your hardware and materials. They do sell it for a reason ... But like this project, I have work on smaller wood projects. I have experience using basic tools and basic electric tools (you know ... screw driver, hammer, drill, level hand saw or circular saw). Some of us just have high school or home skills. AND THAT IS ALL YOU NEED! did I make that clear. I may not name the tool its proper name or use the right tool for the situation. I may not measure right or I may just make a mistake here or there. Most I can fix. I am just not here to be a professional or to make you one. I do hope you enjoy my creativeness. Some ideas are mine, some are others. I may have seen a DIY project online an I wanted to try it out, or maybe add my twist to an existing one. But anything I post here I will document it as much as possible so you can see it is mine because I made it. Now on to the project.

It is Labor Day weekend, the last day in fact. Had family day on Saturday, quiet fun on Sunday and now working like any Monday. Let's begin:

"The Queen Sized Bench"
Part 2

As I mentioned above, I started the project before I started the picture documenting part to show the progress. The only thing I did not fully photograph was the measuring and drilling of the dowel holes on both parts of the material to be joined.

Why use dowels you say? Being the most difficult part of the project because you have to make sure it matches the holes on the other part being joined, I feel it is necessary so that (1) you don't have a lot of screws to deal with and cover before painting, and (2) I feel it offers more strength and stability to a wooden project. In reality it would be nice to do it all with hidden dowels but I also feel that when all done with the project, but before paint, the screw will tighten it all up as a final step.

All I did was to logically guess where the dowels would work best. I wanted ample wood around dowel and solid wood at that. If you look at the piece in question (below) you will see that the main length is split by the track made for the panel. Even though I glued in the panel edge into the track and sanded it down, it wasn't strong enough for a dowel. Remember this is a bench and it needs to hold weight.

Dowel holes made in solid wood on arm for bench