[ariesonu]

I am an amateur woodworker and love to create things from discarded wood and/or pallet wood. Favorite being pine and maple wood from pallets.
Here are few of the items I have made or "restored":
These are posted inthe order that they were made:

1) Side table is made of leftover pieces from other projects:


2) Made out of pine wood from pallets and given a clear coat of lacquer.

3) Its reflection of my earlier design but here legs were made more sturdier and proper shelf added. Some may not like the color but I was bored of pastels and brown shades.


4) A neighbour had this MDF board computer table and asked me if I can fix the slag in top, I chose to RESTORE it at marginal cost (2.5k).
95% of the table is original material with new laminating and ofcourse the design.


I invite other members with similar interest to post their works, tools and experiences.

Raab rakha.

[huntrz]

That's some fantastic work you have done there. Its very inspiring. Can you also put some pics of the tools you use. Did you have any prior experience/training on carpentry?

Can you also throw some light(if you are aware of) on polishing of wooden furniture, like what needs to be bought and the steps involved for DIY polishing.

[Rehaan]

Well, this might be cheating, since it's essentially laser-cut plywood

Did it as a project in college:



























cya
R

[saket77]

Nice work there guys! Admire your DIY skills! Would be immensely interested in DIY furniture polish procedure.

Thank for the nice pictures.
Regards,
Saket

[sudev]

Like the idea. But no button for thanks in the thread.

How did laser cut work? Are there machines available some where in India (better still Delhi) for such cutting?

[khoj]

Yeah Rehaan, why no 'thank' button on this and similar threads.

I too would like to know about the laser cutting machine but the wall sockets point stateside. However are you still involved in furniture designing/manufacturing or was this a small part of your design curriculum.



Want to thank 'ariesonu' for starting this. You come up with these gems one after another first the aquariums, then the imports on dockyards and now this. BTW are you a 'Ramgarhia'

Originally Posted by ariesonu

I am an amateur woodworker .....
Raab rakha.

[alpha1]

Great thread.
I remember finding the carpentry and the metal fitting workshops as the most interesting ones at college.

Therefore when a few years back a glass table at home came undone with its metal legs - I decided to make a table base made from plywood on my own after checking around that most of the prefab ones like cane cost a bomb.
This was quite similar to what ariesonu has posted.

Rehaan wish carpenters were as efficient in cutting the plywood boards as economically as you have done!


ariesonu - lovely items you have fabricated. Woodworking is really immensely satisfying stuff, especially for me, it gives a kind of Robinson Crusoe feeling.

[ariesonu]

Rehaan: Awesome project bro.

Some more of my projects:
Open Shoe Stand that is also my aquarium stand:

Corner table for 29" TV with slots for DVD and STB.

Originally Posted by sudev

Are there machines available some where in India (better still Delhi) for such cutting?

Yup, they are available India-wide and prices start from 2.5L. Not an amateur's game.

Originally Posted by khoj

Want to thank 'ariesonu' for starting this. You come up with these gems one after another first the aquariums, then the imports on dockyards and now this. BTW are you a 'Ramgarhia'

Aquariums and woodworking are hobbies. Import from Ports are part of job.. Nobody could have guessed it better, yup am a hardcore RAMGARHIA.

Originally Posted by alpha1

Great thread. ariesonu - lovely items you have fabricated.

Thanks bro.

Originally Posted by huntrz

That's some fantastic work you have done there. Its very inspiring. Can you also put some pics of the tools you use. Did you have any prior experience/training on carpentry?
Can you also throw some light(if you are aware of) on polishing of wooden furniture, like what needs to be bought and the steps involved for DIY polishing.

Most of my hand tools are from STANLEY brand. Planers are from ANAND brand (Best ones yet)
Sander is BOSCH, Drill machine & Router are B&D, I use marble cutter (with wood saw blade) but regret buying it. I should have bought proper wood circular saw. Budget permitting I wish to buy a COMPOUND MITRE SAW but since I live in an apartment, I have to be careful that these power tools are used carfeully with minimal noise pollution.

Originally Posted by saket77

Nice work there guys! Admire your DIY skills! Would be immensely interested in DIY furniture polish procedure. Regards,
Saket

Huntrz & saket: Polish/Paint: am still on HIT-&-TRY basis but is posting my experiences below:


I have posted photos of PAINTS / STAINERS / VARNISH /POWDER COLOR that I use.
For bland grainy look, I simply use Asian clear varnish after mirror-type sanding. The varnish ages beautifully with time (see Shoe stand & Corner table).

For staining, I use STAINERS (see dark bottle next to Varnish can however very limited color choices are available) but then I found that Universal Stainers (Asian-white bottles) do good job too. Apply directly with soft wet cotton cloth (cotton sari cloth at Hardware shops-20Rs) and wipe before its fully dry (See the yellow table in previous post)

For color polishing, there are 10 Rupee pouches of various colors available which you have to buy along with turpentine or thin oil. One can mix and match various shades and end results are awesome.
I'll try to post step-by-step photos of application. Most pro-polishers use this type of color application in India. Am still learning with this one but have achieved some satisfactory results too.

Of course nothing goes not till you have sanded the wood to perfection. This is one job that every wood-worker hates but creating an object is like giving birth to child but sanding is like bringing your child up with good values. If you miss at any stage, you will see the results in final polish/painting.

Painting: I use acrylic paints or spray paints.

Raab rakha.

[saket77]

Originally Posted by ariesonu

Huntrz & saket: Polish/Paint: am still on HIT-&-TRY basis but is posting my experiences below:

That is a very useful information for DIYers. Thank you so much. I would like to give my teak color furniture piece a try with a DIY polishing with your tips.

Thanks and keep up the great job that you have been doing.

Regards,
Saket

[ron_9191]

Man this is an awesome thread. One of a kind. And the work you have done oozes quality and perfection for a DIY'er. I love to do something like this but never had the chance or the place to do it. I will keep following this thread for sure.

[DWC]

Lovely work, hats off to you! Most people would rather get this sort of work done for themselves, but the joy of creating something out of your own hands is something else altogether. Coincidentally, i'm planning on building a wooden seating around a tree in my garden as well as put together an aquarium for my red eared sliders.

[ariesonu]

Originally Posted by saket77

I would like to give my teak color furniture piece a try with a DIY polishing with your tips.Regards, Saket

Teaks grains are beautiful and the older it gets the better it looks. If it is old then it should have dark tan tint by now.
If it is PAINTED and you wish to bring out its wooden grainy look: then you can use paint remover and then use sandapaper in order of 180-220 grits and go with higher and finer grits till you have removed every speck of paint and you have bare wood in sight. You can use any grit above 300 to get the satin finish. Keep a bottle of turpentine or paint thinner handy. Dab a cotton cloth in oil/thinner and swipe it over sanded area. It will give you preview of wood grain. Ensure that you dont see any sandpaper scratches. Once you are done withs anding, give it atleast three coats of CLEAR VARNISH. First coat should be thinned using turpentine or paint thinner and last coat should be as it is from can.
Give enough time for each coat to dry. DO NOT sand once you have begin applying varnish.
You may also need wood cement (off-white powder that resembles Plaster-Of-Paris & costs about Rs 50 for half KG) for filling the nail holes and marginal cracks in the wood. Make paste with water and fill in the gaps/points. Some hardware shops also call is wood-POP.
SANDING JOB IS WHERE YOU PATIENCE IS TESTED TO CORE SO BE PERSISTENT WITH WHAT YOU BEGIN.

However if you wish to color paint it then sand it with 180-220 grits only and make base for new paint to adhere. Get acrylic paint of your choice, GOOD brush and PAINT. You may choose to use cotton roller (not sponge type) for painting flat surfaces. Roller will give even spread to color.

I would go for wooden grainy look with varnish coat. Why dont post photos of furniture you wish to do.

RON/DWC: Thanks gentlemen.

Raab rakha.

[TheQuarterMile]

For those asking about laser cutting.. Its done at jogeshwari along SV Road in Mumbai. They charge anywhere between 5-7Rs. per minute. Used it a lot for my architecture projects in college.

[saket77]

Cannot thank you enough for your detailed advice.

Originally Posted by ariesonu

Why dont post photos of furniture you wish to do.

Yes, sure. Will post the pictures of the pieces soon.

Regards,
Saket

[joeblack]

This is interesting thread, i have recently started wood work and i am simply loving it. I will post few pics in few days.

@ Ariesonu, can you please give step by step instructions for wood polishing methods?

thanks in advance.