Simple, Quick and Cost-Effective: Your New Closet

When we moved in we hung our clothes on the closet bar, tossed a bunch of random stuff on the closet floor and hid some less-used items away on the top shelf. It worked, but not very well. I eventually realized that with a few hours of time and energy I could make it much more efficient.
 
There are many different design and organization approaches to this project, depending on what you want to have access to in your closet. We regularly use clothes on hangers, but also want to be able to have easy access to our outdoor clothing items, as we try to spend as much time outside as possible. Until now I piled much of my outdoor athletics clothing in a pile on the top shelf, but, as you can imagine, it was frustrating.

Step 1: Design
I opted for two upper full-width shelves, with simple, labelled storage bins on both of those shelves to house seasonal clothes. Under the shelves was a standard hanging rod. On the ground we went with simple plastic storage bins for housing less-often-used clothes, shoes and other items that we still need access to from time-to-time.

I made a decision that, in order to make as much room as possible for clothing we use somewhat regularly throughout the year, the stuff we rarely use gets stored in the basement. This freed up some space. I would encourage you to do the same, and to design your closet around the stuff you use more regularly – unless you’re lucky enough to have a huge closet, that is.

One different option would be to include a row of shelves or drawers down the center of your closet, that runs from the floor all the way up to the top shelf. Some people might find that raising the hanging rod, adding a shelf at knee level, installing some drawers or cubbies under the lower shelf, and putting shoes on top of the lower shelf works for their situation. Removing the hanging rod and adding full-width shelving at 12" intervals may work for others. The design of your closet has to be appropriate for your situation – just think of what you’re trying to store, and what solution would work best for you when designing your closet.

Buy some stuff
The first thing I did after I had a general design in my head, was to visit my local home store to see what they had in terms of storage bins. I knew the overall width I was dealing with was 73", and the bins I found were just slightly under 12" wide, so the fit was perfect. I bought 12 of them. I also bought a pair of sweater storage hangers. They fasten to the hanging rod, and allow my wife and I to store folded sweaters and other often-used clothing.

Next, I paid a visit to my local home improvement store and bought a sheet of 3/4" white melamine, some white iron-on edging tape, a new hanging rod, the brackets to hold the hanging rod and a 12" deep shelf bracket that would accept the hanging rod.

Dismantle your closet
The rest of the project took me only a few hours, which was great, as I had a lot of clothes and other items scattered across our bedroom. I was able to have everything cleaned up before my wife came home. Remove everything from your closet, then remove and dispose of any of the shelves or rods that are not going to be reused. I left the existing wall cleat across the back wall of the closet, as well as the two across the sides, as they worked nicely with the design approach I had taken.

Start building
Since I was reusing the existing shelf cleats, I didn’t need to worry about them. If you removed the cleats, this is the time to cut and install new cleats on the side and back walls. It’s also possible to just install cleats on the side walls, as the 12" metal bracket provides a lot of support in the center of the shelf. Ensure the cleats are level and well-secured to the studs. Solid wood and plywood both work great for these pieces. Both materials will have to be painted to match the interior of your closet before installing them.

With some room to move around, I was able to take accurate measurements between the two side walls. In the shop I ripped the two 12"-wide shelves to width, then crosscut them to length at 1/4" less than the exact measurement, applied iron-on tape to their front edges and sanded all the sharp edges, making extra sure the edge tape was flush – or even sanded slightly below the mating face – so it would not be damaged by sliding out the storage bins.

While in the shop I also cut the center divider to size and taped its front edge. It was cut 1/4" narrower that the shelves, as well as 1-1/2" taller than the storage bins I bought. In hindsight, I should have made two more pieces identical to these, so they could be secured at either end of the closet, above the lower shelf. They would have been screwed to the wall and would have held up both far ends of the upper shelf. Live and learn. What I did do was cut two 4"-wide × 22"-long cleats that would be fixed to the side walls instead. By doing this I had the advantage of sinking screws into two studs on each side. Which route you want to take is up to you.

I made the crazy mistake of assuming the side and back walls of the closet were square to each other. Silly me. Even though I cut the two shelves 1/4" shorter, they wouldn’t fit in the opening. The ends of the shelves had to be cut on a slight angle, as the side walls tapered inward towards the back wall of the closet. Bottom line…measure for overall width between the side walls, but also check for square and adjust accordingly.

After a trip back to the shop for a few angled trim cuts I was back in action inside the closet.

I placed the lower shelf on the existing cleats, but didn’t secure it in place just yet. I then positioned the center divider on top of the bottom shelf, and against either side wall, and marked lines where the bottom surface of the upper shelf would be located. The upper shelf cleats were then screwed to the wall so their upper edges were flush with the lines marked on the wall.

To fit the upper and lower shelves in place required some logistics. With cleats for both upper and lower levels now in place, I removed the lower shelf and positioned the upper shelf in place. In order to fit the lower shelf in, I had to raise one end of the upper shelf to allow the same end of the lower shelf to be raised above the upper cleats.

Doing this allowed me to fit the far end of the lower shelf above the lower cleats, then bring the raised end of both shelves down onto the cleats. With everything in place I screwed both shelves to the cleats.

Next, I marked the location of the center divider, positioned it in place, counter-bored some holes through the upper and lower shelves and fixed the divider in place.

To create a sag-free shelf I added a 12" bracket under the center of the lower shelf. Because the cleat on the back wall interfered with securing the bracket directly against the wall, I cut and installed a spacer the same thickness as the cleat behind the bottom portion of the bracket. This would provide something for the bracket to press against when the shelf was loaded with weight. Cut the hanging rod to length,  and use the brackets to install it. Make sure the rod finishes level, so it won't be an eyesore every time you use it. Cap all the screw heads with white press-on covers to hide all the screws. They’re not for fine furniture, but they’re perfect for this situation.

Cover the Edges – Iron-on tape is easy to use and does a pretty good job at covering the edges of sheet goods. Iron it on, trim the excess with a plane iron that isn’t overly sharp, and sand the edges so it doesn’t chip off.

Locate the Upper Shelf Cleats – With the lower shelf in place, position the center divider on top of the lower shelf, and against the wall, then draw lines on the wall to mark the top of the center divider. The top edge of the upper shelf cleats will align with these marks.

Center Divider – Once Brown has the lower and upper shelves in place, he positions the center divider between them, drills pilot holes, and secures the divider with four screws.

Fill your closet
Now for the fun part – finding a place for everything, and putting everything in its place. We often hear of organizing our beloved shops like this, and for good reason. I think the home is very similar; if you have a place for something, you’re much more likely to put it back so it’s easy to find and use next time. I filled the lower storage bins with more-often-used items, as they’re easier to reach, and left the upper bins for the items that rarely get used. With my sweaters in their new hanging home, I was able to find homes for my pants, as well as some other items, on the hanging rod. Below the hanging clothes were more rarely used items.

The whole project took me much longer to dream up and design in my head than it did to actually build. If this is something you’re considering tackling, start with the general type of storage you would like – drawers, shelves, etc. – and consider reducing the amount of items you want to store in the closet. Culling your wardrobe, and donating what you don’t need anymore, is something that almost everyone can do, and that will make the end result of your closet update even tidier and better looking. Now onto my next project – making a set of simple panelled doors for our

Shelf Support Bracket – A simple 12"-deep metal bracket, with a rod-hanging hook on its front end, supports the shelving assembly. Since the rear cleat keeps the bracket off the back wall, Brown added a piece of material the same thickness as the cleat to the back wall. This piece will transfer weight from the shelf to the back wall, eliminating sag.

Build a Backyard Firewood Holder

/5, LENGTH/TIME – 2/5, COST – 2/5

This past spring my brother built an in-ground fire pit at the end of our backyard. To complement this addition to the yard, and as a Mother’s Day gift, I decided to build my mom a decorative wood holder as we had firewood, but no place to store it.

I chose cedar for the parts that were more visible, and pressure- treated lumber for the less visible parts, but using cedar for all the parts is an option.

Start at the top
The starting point of this project is the roof section, as it will be constructed separately from the rest of the structure and will dictate the overall width and depth. The roof structure is a simple ladder design, made from pressure-treated 2×4 lumber. First cut six roof cross pieces at 21" in length. This dimension will dictate the overall depth of the structure. I chose 21" as it will nicely accommodate a typical piece of firewood, with a bit of overhang on each side.

Next, we need to cut the four roof trusses to length, and at an angle. The pitch of the roof will be determined by the angle you cut at the end of these pieces. You can play around with different angles until you get the look you desire. I chose an angle of 70° to give a moderate slope. Cut this angle on both ends of each of the roof trusses.

Cut a birdsmouth notch in each of the roof trusses to allow the assembled roof structure to sit on the 6×6 vertical posts. If you’re unsure of the angle for the birdsmouth notches, a fullsized drawing will help out. Another option is to leave these notches until you have the firewood holder closer to completion to make the cuts.

Take two of the roof trusses and lay them beside each other, standing on their bottom edges. Place three of the roof cross pieces between the roof trusses so their top and bottom edges are flush. Ensure the roof cross piece that will be closest to the outer end of the finished firewood holder is far enough away from the ends of the roof trusses, in order to leave room for the horizontal decorative rail down the road. Predrill and screw the parts together using four screws for each brace, two in each side. The front of these boards will not be visible, so the screws won’t be a concern. Repeat these steps again for the second side. When finished you should have two ladder type structures. Lay them aside for now.

Birdsmouth – Brown notched the roof trusses so they would fit over the corner of the legs. A full-size drawing will help work out the dimensions of this notch.

Four strong legs
I opted to use 6×6 material for the legs for an extra heavy look, but 4×4 material is also an option. Cut the four legs to length. If you’re using 6×6's these cuts can seem a little complicated, as most DIYers do not have a miter saw capable of cutting through a 6×6. Not to worry, as that is an easy obstacle to overcome. Just mark the beam to length and cut through as far as your saw allows, then roll the beam over and continue the cut on the next side. You now have four 6×6 legs cut at 5' long.

Bottom braces
Cutting the two bottom side braces and one bottom back brace that help secure the legs is the next step. These braces sit on the ground and are mounted directly to the bottom of the 6×6 legs to provide overall rigidity. Cut two pieces of 2×6 cedar at 24" long and one piece of 2×6 pressure-treated to 8' long. Cut a 45° angle at both ends of the bottom back brace and a 45° angle at one end of each of the shorter bottom side braces. Now take two of the legs, lay them on the ground 8' apart, and screw the bottom back brace to the bottom of the legs so the corner of the 2×6 bottom back brace is flush with the corners of the legs. Screw the pressure-treated piece on with long exterior screws so it’s structurally sound.

Screw the bottom side braces to the underside of the two legs so the 45° angles create a mitered joint. You should now have two cedar legs lying on the ground with a pressure-treated 2×6 brace between them, and the two cedar foot braces mounted to the legs and sticking straight up in the air. Next, cut six side braces to fit between the front and back legs. Use long screws to toenail three braces to each leg. One should be flush with the bottom of the legs, one flush with the top of the legs, and the last can be attached 30" above the bottom of the leg. With the assembly still lying on the ground you can position the final two legs in place and secure them with screws.

Stand up and strengthen
Attach four temporary 2×4s to the faces of the legs, near their tops. This keeps the legs fixed in place, relative to each other. Now it’s time to carefully stand the structure up. To give the assembly more stability, add an “X” brace to the back, made of two pieces of pressure-treated 2×4 lumber. I chose to mount one of these pieces flush with the back edge of the rear legs, 15" from the ground and 7" from the top of the legs, and the other slightly offset towards the front of the structure. To determine the correct angle for mounting inside the legs, tack each brace to the legs at the desired location and mark a vertical line on the brace where it intersects with the leg. Do this at each end of the braces and cut at the line. Toenail each brace onto the inside of each leg, being sure to pre-drill prior to mounting to avoid splitting the wood.

Strengthen the Base – You can see three side braces joining two of the legs, as well as the X-brace at the back of the firewood holder.  The X-brace protects against racking. Also notice the bottom braces, which the legs are sitting on top of. They get mitred together, and those mitre joints are hidden underneath the back legs.

Back to the top
The completion of the roof is next. Cut the roof cleat to 21" long, then take the two roof halves and line them up so the mating joint is tight. An extra set of hands may be needed to hold the assemblies together. Take your 21"- long roof cleat and place it inside the peak, half on either side of the joint, around 2" below the peak, then screw it in from the outside. This will serve to hold the two halves of your roof together. Place it on top of the legs so the edges of the legs sit in the notches in the roof trusses. Screw the roof halves into the legs.

Decorative pieces
Cut and mount the horizontal decorative rail to the top of the front legs. There should be just enough space under the roof trusses for this piece to slide in on its face so that the side edge is facing out. Screw this piece straight down into the top of the legs.

Next, cut a piece of 2×4 cedar to fit between the horizontal rail and the peak of the roof. This piece is screwed to the center of the horizontal rail and tucks behind the edge of the roof trusses, where it’s also screwed into place. The two angled decorative rails form the “W” that sits under the peak of the roof. Cut these two pieces so one end forms a point that will fit snugly between the horizontal and vertical decorative pieces previously mounted.
The last decorative pieces are the fascia; they are to be cut from 2×6 cedar and are 57" long. They mount on the front of the roof trusses, covering any screw heads. Attach them from behind so no hardware is visible. Cut angles in the ends of these boards to match the ends of the roof trusses.

The final step is to sheet the roof. I cut two pieces of OSB 24" wide and 57" long, mounted to the roof trusses. This OSB didn’t overhang the decorative cedar fascia, as I could only get two 24"-wide pieces from one 4x8 sheet. You could make the entire structure 1-1/2" narrower if you wanted to be able to cover the entire structure with the sheathing. Screw the boards to the roof trusses. Once it’s secured you’re ready to add shingles using appropriate roofing nails. I found that this project required less than a full bundle of shingles. I laid a few patio stones and placed the firewood holder on top of them. The stones helped keep moisture away from the wood and tidy up the entire look. A few coats of any exterior finish will protect the project from the elements, as well as keep it looking nice for years to come. If you choose to apply a film finish you may need to do more maintenance on it over the years, while a penetrating finish will require less maintenance.

Add Some Decoration – The vertical decorative rail is cut then fixed in place with screws, then the two angled decorative rails are cut and fixed in place from the back.

Spray Booth for Small Shops

Awhile back I embraced HVLP spray finishing, and I’m sure glad I did. I built a 200-square-foot shed in the summer of 2015, and sprayed the interior walls white for a bright, clean look. Cringing at the thought of brushing and rolling seemingly acres of protruding lumber and recessed plywood cladding, I took the plunge I’d contemplated often and bought an HVLP paint spray system. Wow, what a great way to apply finish!

Since then, I’ve enjoyed spray finishing furniture projects in my shop using a makeshift portable booth setup to draw away the little overspray HVLP creates. After the HVLP kit, a basic booth is the best friend you can have when spraying indoors; and in Canada, that’s most of the year. My makeshift booth, a large cardboard box cut and folded to form an alcove, with a furnace filter and window fan set in the rear to draw and filter air, was fussy to set up; floppy, requiring bracing, and it proved too small for anything but table-top projects. The concept worked fine but it needed refinement.

To be clear, this design is only for use using waterborne finishes, never for spraying finishes with flammable, potentially explosive solvents.

Simple and effective

Here’s my redesign; light and portable, always fast and easy to set up, it’s compact to store when not in use and modular, so I can set up as much or as little as I need. It’s very budget friendly and made from readily available materials. The concept can be scaled up or down to fit anyone’s needs, project size and available space.

The structural bones of the booth are 2' × 8' × 1/2" sheets of closed-cell foam insulation and 1-1/2"-thick clear pine frames that were milled and grooved to accept the foam. Two furnace filters, solid wood to create a cavity to secure the furnace filters, 2-1/2" loose pin hinges, a tube of translucent caulking and some 2" flathead wood screws to draw the mitred corners together are the only other materials needed.

I used 20" × 20" filters, as that’s what my home furnace uses, but using 24" filters would simplify the construction of the two center frames. Alternately, you could adjust the width of the frames to accommodate the same size filter you already use at home.

The full setup is six 24" × 72" panels, but for most finishing projects I’ll use only the central two or four panels, leaving the two “wings” on the shelf. Regardless of whether I’m spraying a small box, a chair or a cabinet, I can form an alcove with plenty of airflow and filtration behind any project so overspray can be drawn away effectively for a perfect result.

Furnace filters

The two centre panels are each made to hold 20"x 20" disposable furnace filters 32" above the floor, so one or two 20" window fans can sit fully flush to the filters. Typically, the fans(s) rest on a bench or other work surface behind the booth while the project being sprayed is supported on a versatile wheeled shop table, but this can be altered easily to suit my needs.

Construct the frames

The framed panels are joined by hinges with ‘loose pins’. By accurately marking, mortising and insetting, the hinge halves
can be joined or separated at will; panels can be inserted, added, removed or interchanged readily. The gap between panels is never greater than 1/8", easily bridged by painter’s tape if preferred.
Beginning by jointing and milling my stock to 1-1/4" thick- ness, I then ripped 1" wide strips to make the frame material and machined a 1/2" × 1/2" groove in one face. As the foam sheets are never uniformly 1/2" thick, some finesse passes then tweaked the width of the grooves to firmly slip fit the individual panels.
With the foam sheets cut to length, the grooved framing material was mitred to snuggly border the foam, leaving 1/16" room for final fit. Once dry-fit flat on my bench, I drew a sight line 45° across each corner, an eyeball reference to drill two countersunk holes across each mitre, centered 7/16" in from each frame face. I then sunk two 2" screws to bridge and unite the frame members at each corner.

Groove Frame Pieces – Salusbury routed grooves to capture the insulation in the face of the pine frame stock. This operation could also be done on the table saw.

Mitred Cuts – A sacrificial fence on the mitre saw keeps the cut crisp and reduces the chances of airborne offcuts. Salusbury used a stop to ensure all like frame members were the same length.

Secure With Screws – Two screws installed in countersunk pilot holes keeps the corners together. Notice the pencil line at a 45° angle; it helps guide freehand drilling.

Install the hinges for your spray booth

With all six panels assembled and screwed together, I sorted out which would be the centre, left-hand and right- hand pairs, pencil marking each panel to identify bottom, and mating sides for order of assembly. This showed me where to apply hinges, being sure to install them pinhead up. Referencing from the bottom only, I mated, aligned and clamped each pair of panels, then marked each hinge location using a layout knife and machinist’s square, bridging both panels for continuous layout across the assembly.

I repeated this process for each of the five mating edges. Next, with the panels paired, I routed out the waste within each hinge mortise, tuned the fit with a keen chisel, inset the hinges and using a self-centering drill bit drilled out the screw holes then installed the screws. With a pair of panels now united by hinges, I tapped out the loose pins and moved on to the next mating edges, repeating the process for all five mating edges.

Large or Small Booth – Precisely installed hinges assure interchangeability of booth sections down the road. The hinge pins are easily removed so the user can use all, or just a few, of the booth panels.

Furnace filter cavities

Next, I focused on the centre pair of assemblies, creating
the openings to receive the filters. I began by making framing material, some 1-1/4" × 15/16" with a 1/2" × 1/2" rabbet in one edge. The foam panels would fit into the 1/2" × 1/2" rabbet. I also machined some 7/16" × 1-3/4" flat stock to frame the backside of the foam while providing a 1/2"-wide backstop for the filters. With this trim dimension, plus the outside measurement of the filter, I used a sharp knife to cut an opening into the foam, cut the L-shaped filter trim to length so it would fit between the outer vertical frame members and then installed the horizontal filter frame using Titebond glue and a few pins. I also attached the flat stock to the ‘L’-profiled inner frame/ border to give the filter something to stop against. Considering differences between filter brand sizing, I allowed a 1/4" for a loose filter fit (1/8" all around), the filter retained with blue painter’s tape from the ‘working’ side.

Filter Use – This cross-section shows
the cut-away foam insulation panel fitting into the L-grooved horizontal filter piece, as well as how the added piece on the right helps hold the filter in place. Blue tape is the final addition to ensure the filter doesn’t fall out during use, yet is easily removed for replacement.

Joinery Details – Salusbury butt joined the vertical filter frame member in place with glue and pins. It has a groove on its edge to accept the narrow strip of rigid foam insulation. A narrow piece of wood was also attached to the opposite side of the frame, on the edge of the outer frame member, for the insulation to butt up against.

Caulk the corners of your spray booth

With all the panels completed, I did a final check for square and straightness. That done, I secured all the elements with
a tiny bead of translucent interior/exterior caulking spread everywhere the foam contacted the frame. Once cured, it pro- vides a unifying bond yet will allow me to easily cut it away if I ever want to replace the foam.

In use, I use one or both central panels, as well as up to four side panels, depending on the size of the project and the volume of fluid I expect to be spraying. Simply removing and installing hinge pins is all it takes to set up as much or as little as required.

A permanent improvement over a floppy cardboard box!

I went for cost effectiveness, lightness and versatility using pine and foam, but this proven concept can be adapted. The foam could be substituted for stiff cardboard, or 1/4" plywood. What will you make for your shop?

Ready for Action – When only a small project is being sprayed Salusbury sets up just three panels. Larger projects require all the panels to be assembled.

Light and Stackable – The broken-down spray booth stores flat on a shelf, waiting for the next project. The panels are very light, and can be handled above head easily.

DIY - Plywood/Glass Aquarium

I had very little experience building anything prior to attempting this type of project. I researched as much as I could find on the internet and through discussion groups. Once I felt I had all I needed, I jumped right in and tried to make my tank as fast as possible. (Hint: taking your time is best) One smart thing I did, was planning on building a small version of my tank first. The theory being, if it leaks, I won’t have a ton or more of water on the floor.
This article is intended to be used after reading the original plans for the plywood aquarium. Some information will be repeated, but it will be easier to go through step by step. My most important advice is patience. If you don’t rush, and focus on doing the job right, your tank will work the first time.
The first step is to draw up plans for a tank: what are the dimensions you wish for the tank? The GARF website has a great program to give you your cut list when you enter your future tank dimensions. A couple important facts for glass thickness. If your tank height will be 18 inches or less, ¼ inch glass is fine. 18 – 24 “ tank height requires 3/8 “ thickness and 24 – 36” tank height requires ½” glass. It isn’t recommended to make tanks taller than 36” (at least with these materials). As long as the tank itself is well supported, the overall number of gallons will not influence this, as the overall height of the column of water and it’s weight is the important factor. ¾ inch exterior grade plywood is your other basic building material.
Now that you have your tank dimensions and materials list (see other article) you can buy your supplies. Understand that this tank becomes cost saving at around 75-gallons. Everything is found at your basic hardware store (Home Depot/Lowes) with the exception of the epoxy. The important aspect of the two part epoxy paint is it’s future safety for your fish. Finding a paint that is potable is ideal. I think most epoxy paints should be ok, since it hardens into a hard plastic layer, however, not a step to take lightly. Sources for the paint include pool supply stores (swimming pool paint with curing agent), auto stores (look for marine/RV epoxy). I even have read of people using the Home Depot stuff, usually used for garages, etc. It does seem to matter if it is colored or not. I purchased mine online through a marine supply store. Mine was less of a paint, more of a bonding epoxy, but it worked well for my smaller tank, and painted on very easily.
Measure and cut your wood. Check the edges of the plywood for any defects/rough spots and fill with wood putty and sand smooth to optimize bonding surface area. I recommend measuring out your screw holes in your wood once it is all cut to fit (every 2-3”) and then pre-drill your holes (Note: take your time when drilling.) Several options are available to glue your panels together. I couldn’t find any resorcenol wood glue, but picked up some Gorilla Glue instead. This stuff is great, and quick drying. The major downside: not waterproof. Liquid nails is probably your best bet; not only does it glue your wood together, but basically acts as a second waterproof barrier. Glue your wood together and screw together as the other article directs. This is much easier if you have one or two others to help you out. As each piece is glued on, screw in all your screws – this eliminates the need for using clamps. Be sure to wipe all excess glue off, as this stuff is very hard to get out once dried. (Note: don’t screw/glue your internal brace on yet, you still need to get your piece of glass into the tank.)
Once you give the wood time to dry and set (24 hours), you can apply your epoxy paint. I can’t stress enough the need for a very well ventilated area to apply. An open garage is not good enough, even with a fan. This stuff is extremely toxic. Ten minutes close up to this stuff is enough to cause some serious harm. (Note: check your epoxy for optimum temperatures, it may not set well or take longer to dry outside the 50-75 F degree range.) Allow adequate time between coats. I found 48 hours much better than 24. Use a power sander with caution, it’s easy to remove the previously applied epoxy coat.
A note relating to your glass. Most likely, you will be ordering a custom cut piece, order the edges polished to avoid potential harm when installing. If you are making a smaller tank (glass not too heavy), have a way to place weight evenly distributed over the glass to ensure good compression of the silicone and avoid any gaps/air spaces. (Bags of aquarium sand/gravel work well for this). Once this is in place, place a thick bead of silicone around the interior edge of glass. I had never used/applied silicone before, but some tricks to having it come out neat. Use a wet finger or preferably a tool to push the silicone into the creases and remove all the air spaces. If you apply masking tape along the edge of where the bead is, when you push it down, remove the tape, giving you a nice clean border.
Another option to seal the inner corners of your tank, given me by one of our fellow members is to use fiberglass matting applied covering the inner edges ½ inch each border and then apply 2-3 coats of your epoxy paint. When dry, this forms a solid layer of waterproof “plastic” and effectively sealing your tank. You will still need to use silicone to seal the edges of the glass. I got my silicone from two places. Big Al’s Online store sells the big caulking tubes of aquarium safe silicone for a couple dollar each. Or you can go to your local hardware store and get GE brand clear silicone (avoid any with mildew resistant labels – toxic for fish). (Note: apply silicone in well ventilated area – Very strong vinegar odor.)
The labels on the silicone and the DIY sites all say allow the silicone to cure for 48 hours before filling your tank. I found this was not enough time, and although I had applied it properly, under water pressure, small channels were pushed out in the still malleable silicone, resulting in a leak. I recommend giving it 3-4 days (patience, remember) before filling. The fully cured silicone should be clear and have no more horrible odor. Just make sure to have the tank test filled in an area that can handle a leak. If your tank leaks, it will probably be very slow/minor, but better to be safe. I recommend having the tank filled for a couple days to check for leaks. Then you can set it up for real.
I hope this article is helpful. Once I made many mistakes, mostly from trying to rush the project, I found it was actually pretty simple and the results are a great tank. □

Building an Aquarium Cabinet

I have built a cabinet for my 4ft aquarium myself, in order to save money. Despite it being a while since I got my GCSE in Craft Design and Technology, everything went to plan!

I had two different ideas, one a box frame stand made from 2x2 wood, and one a cabinet made from chipboard. Both designs are shown here. In the end, I combined the two designs - a frame for strength, boxed in with chipboard to brace the structure and to turn it into a cabinet. I added some old brackets and a board offcut inside for a shelf, and to my surprise I had a strong cabinet which looks acceptable and is holding the tank well!

Here is a guide to how it was made, in photos. The cost was £19 for the pine 2x2, £16 for the chipboard, and £15 for paint, hinges, magnetic catches and doorhandles.

I needed the following equipment, most of which I already had: wood glue, electric drill/screwdriver, chisel, mallet, g-cramps, wood saw, junior hacksaw, sander, various drill bits including countersink bit and various screws. Other jobs were made easier by using a tenon/box saw (for very precise cuts) and circular saw (quicker!) but these were not essential. I also took care to use eye protection and dust mask where necessary.

It took me ten days to build, working for a few hours a day. I also managed to do most of it sitting down, which was important as I have mobility problems and can't stand for too long.

First you need to throw the cat out of the room!	I tried sawing my 2x2 with a tenon boxed saw, which gave very precise cuts, but a circular saw was quicker.
Here are all the pieces of wood cut to shape, and checked for length against the tank they will be holding.	A lap joint was cut into each end, chiselled to the exact size, and sanded smooth.
The frame is laid out ready for gluing.	Here are two ends ready to be glued, with the glue applied liberally. As my wood did not line up perfectly, I ended up having to glue both sides, but only one is recommended. The joint was held with a G-cramp for the first few hours while drying.
The completed frames for the top and bottom of the structure. Cat has snuck back in to inspect handiwork.	Having made the frames, I drilled and screwed the legs on using long decking screws.
The legs were a little wobbly until joined at both top and bottom!	Finally the structure is complete. It was fairly solid too, until I tested it by lying on it. After that it had a strange wobble.
Outside, painting the frame and the top, side and door boards so they are waterproof.	The top and bottom are laid in place - the bottom is actually inside the cabinet to make a floor for my equipment. When fitting the top, ensure it is flat all over with a spirit level.
Screws to attach the boards are countersunk, so a hole like this is made with a countersink drill bit...	...and then the screws fit flush with the wood, important when there will be a glass structure on top of it.
The back board needs large notches cut on both sides using wood saw and chisel.	One notch is for the filter pipes, the other for the electric cables.
The cabinet now has top, bottom and back attached. I used an offcut to make a shelf. The structure was now rock solid, to my relief!	Looking inside the cabinet now the sides are on. You can see the brackets for the shelf.
The completed cabinet now with doors fitted with hinges, magnetic catches and seahorse shaped handles. A proud moment!	Inside you can see plenty of room for the necessary equipment, food and so on.
The finished cabinet, with the tank set up. Looks fabulous, and does the job!

It wasn't all plain sailing! Here are some things that went wrong...

• Pilot holes drilled too big so bracket screws were held in place by wood glue
• Pilot holes drilled too small so drill bit broke off in cabinet
• Screws for hinges too long for door - had to hacksaw the ends off, file and paint over them
• Screws for magnetic catch too long for door - instead I used superglue
• Paint ran out part way through only to find it is discontinued and I had to mix and match with something else
• Back was put on upside down so the notches are lower than planned
• Shelf was kept on cupboard floor below brackets while I worked on other bits. Once the sides were on, it was too tight to slide the shelf back into place and the sides had to come off again!

Despite this I have a cupboard which is bearing up well, and makes me proud.

Japanese-Inspired Shop Storage

There are times when the shop storage solutions I build are bare-bones and strictly functional. Sometimes even ugly. But other times I like to take a bit of time and create something that not only functions nicely but is fun to build and looks nice. I’ve always enjoyed Japanese design, but it’s rare I get to make something along these lines.

Design

The main reason I built this cabinet was partially to store sanding supplies, with a large storage area for some medium-sized tools and boxes, but it could be used to store almost anything shop-related.

The dimensions were for the specific spot I had in my shop, but in some cases I tried to use materials carefully, to reduce waste. Feel free to adjust the overall dimensions to suit your needs.

Materials

Being that this was for a shop fixture, I didn’t want to go overboard on spending. I opted for 2x4 materials for all of the solid wood, and was lucky enough to have a few pieces of plywood around, for some of the other parts. I purchased a sheet of ½"-thick, exterior grade spruce plywood for a few of the remaining unseen parts, as it’s not the best looking material. Other than the top, the two gables, the drawer faces and the door panels, the parts made of sheet goods will not be seen, so don’t break the bank; scrap interior / exterior plywood, particle board or even MDF would all work fine, especially if it’s what you happen to already have on hand.

2x4s are not as durable as many other woods, but I don’t mind some wear marks as time goes on. 2x4s are cheap and fairly easy to use, and if you search you can often find somewhat clear, straight stock to work with. Allowing this material to dry is important, as it’s often too wet to use right away.
 

Start with the frames

The two frame assemblies that make up the front and back of the cabinet is a good place to start. Both assemblies are the same size, and have a top, bottom and two side legs. The front frame assembly has an additional center divider, as well as three drawer rails.

Dress the parts flat, and to final width and length, then cut half lap joints to secure the top and bottom rails to the side legs and center divider. Also cut a half lap in the front top and bottom rails to accept the center divider. The drawer rails will be installed in the front assembly after it’s together. When cutting the half lap joints, keep in mind many of the joints will be different widths, as the top rail, side legs, center divider and bottom rail are all different widths.

With the half lap joints fitting nicely, cut the ends of the top and bottom rails at 7 degrees. This shouldn’t change the overall length of the rails, as the cuts should be aligned with the outside corner of these rails. At this point I planed the side legs and the center divider down by about 1/8". This makes it unnecessary to flush the front faces of the half lap joints, and if there is any warping or movement down the road, it won’t be visible.

Assemble both the front and back frame assemblies, making sure they’re square. When the back assembly is dry, rout a rabbet in the inside edge of the frame with a rabbet bit. Cut and install the back panel into this rabbet. Trim both assemblies on the table saw, so they’re the exact same width, and so the top and bottom edges are smooth.

Install the Back Panel – To secure the back in place Brown routed a rabbet into the frame once it was assembled. A back was then cut to size, and its corners were rounded to fit the rabbet before being installed.
 

Drawer rails

The drawer rails are cut 2" longer than the opening is wide, then a 1"-wide notch is cut into both ends of the rails, so they fit snugly between the side leg and the center divider. The depth of the notch should be cut so the front face of the rail sits about 1/8" away from the face of the divider and side leg.

A groove on the back of the drawer rails will accept a tenon on the solid wood drawer guide and help hold it in place. There are many ways to do this, but I chose to use a table saw, and cut stopped grooves centered on the rail. A router with a slot cutter will also work nicely, as will a straight bit in a router table. To accept the bottom drawer runner, a groove will also have to be cut into the inner face of the bottom front rail.

Two screws through the back of each drawer divider, along with some glue, will help keep them in place. When dry, drill a 3"-deep × 3/8"-diameter hole through the sides of the side leg and the center divider, into the drawer rails, then glue in a long piece of dowel rod to add some more strength. Trim them flush when dry.

Groove Options – There are many ways to cut the groove in the backs of the drawer rails, and you should use a method you’re comfortable with. Brown clamped a stop block to his rip fence, made a simple plunge cut, turned the piece end-for-end then repeated the plunge cut. This left a groove that was centered on the rail. A router with a slot-cutting bit could also have been used.

Assemble the Drawer Rails – Glue and screws do a good job of securing the drawer rails to the inside face of the front frame assembly. They’re spaced to provide even drawer openings.

Gable assemblies
The top and bottom gable rails, as well as the gable panel can now be machined. A groove in both gable rails accepts the panel. The assembly is created slightly wider than required, then ripped to final width. It’s then edge glued between the front and back assemblies, with a few dowels to assist with location. When gluing the top and bottom gable rails to the panel, keep them about 1/8" away from one edge of the gable panel, so you can use that edge of the gable panel to run against the rip fence when ripping the gable assembly to final width.

When the gable parts were made, I stained the panels, as I wanted a two-tone look. Staining after assembly would surely result in getting stain on the gable rails. You don’t have to stain your panels though. Use glue and clamps to assemble the gables, then trim the assemblies to final width on a table saw.

Stain First – Brown stained the gable panel, then assembled it to the top and bottom rails, so no stain would get on the rails. Notice the masked-off areas at the top and bottom of the panel. This stops stain from weakening the glue joint when the parts are assembled.

Dowels for Location – One dowel in each of the solid wood headers will assist with locating the gable during assembly. First, drill a dowel hole in the gable rails, then use a dowel center to transfer that location to the frame assemblies and drill those holes with a brad point drill bit.
 

Drill for dowels

The gables are edge glued to the front and back frame assemblies, but dowels assist with locating the parts during final assembly. Although I drilled them later, it’s safest to drill these dowel holes now, so you can create the grooves to accept the top and bottom panels, knowing confidently where the grooves should start and stop.

First, drill a hole in the ends of the top and bottom rails with the help of a dowel jig. You can drill these holes freehand, but the bit tends to skate around in end grain. Next, insert a dowel center into the holes, position the gable in place and apply pressure to the gable assembly, leaving small imprints where the mating dowel holes are to be located. Finally, use a brad point bit to drill the holes in the frame assemblies freehand, being sure not to drill through the show face.

Don’t Drill Too Far – When Brown drilled the first dowel hole in the frame assembly he blew right through to the back of the assembly; luckily it was the back assembly and won’t be seen. A simple shop-made collar can be fit over the drill bit and the drill bit adjusted for length in the chuck, to ensure holes are only drilled so far into the workpiece.

Grooves to accept top and bottom

Grooves in the inner faces of both front and back assemblies will be cut with a router equipped with a straight bit and an edge guide. When routing the top groove it should be positioned so the upper surface of the top will finish flush with the edge of the front and back assemblies. Use a 3/4" piece for the top, or the lip above the groove that will accept the top panel will be too weak. The position of the bottom groove isn’t as crucial – somewhere near the center of the bottom rails will do nicely.

In terms of where to stop these grooves on the left and right sides of the frame assemblies, mark a pencil line where the mating gable is located. Rout your groove so it finishes inside the lines. Once you have the grooves in the front and back frame assemblies, you can add a mating groove in the rails of the gable assemblies.

Getting Groovy – Brown drew the future location of the gable top rail on the inside face of the frame assemblies to visualize where the gables would meet the assemblies. This told him where to start and stop the grooves to accept the top. A similar groove was routed in the center of the bottom rails.
 

Top and bottom panels

Cut the top and bottom panels to size. I used a piece of 1/2" plywood for the bottom, so it simply fit into the 1/2"-wide groove I routed into the frame assemblies. I used a 3/4" top, so it had to be rabbeted to fit the grooves.

I didn’t add a shelf or a divider panel to separate the drawer bank from the main storage area, but if you want to, now is the time to cut those parts and machine the appropriate joinery.

Assemble the cabinet in stages

During the dry-fit stage my cabinet was assembled, then taken apart, many times. I slowly snuck up on fitting the top to the routed grooves and made sure all the components fit together nicely.

A cabinet like this needs to be assembled in stages, as it’s too large a task to do at once. First, apply glue to the edge and dowel holes on the backside of one gable assembly, then install it against the back panel. Add some glue to the grooves that will accept the top, as well as a bit of glue on the rabbet in the top that will fit into the back and gable, then bring all three parts together. Without gluing any of the remaining parts, add the second gable and front frame assembly, before clamping the joints tight.

When dry, remove the unglued gable and front frame assembly. Next, apply glue to the rear edge of the second gable, as well as the groove in that gable assembly that will mate with the top panel. More glue goes in the grooves in the gables and back assembly that will accept the bottom panel. Assemble the bottom and the gable, then position the front frame assembly in place without glue, before clamping all the joints tight. When dry, remove the front frame assembly; apply glue, re-assemble, and clamp.

A quick note about assembling furniture in stages: It’s important to assemble most of the parts during each stage, even if they aren’t glued in place. This ensures the parts will fit back together during subsequent stages. Even if a piece is glued in place, if it is 1/16" off it will create havoc down the road.
 

Drawer runners

Each drawer runner supports and guides the back of the drawer. They also stop the drawer below it from tilting downward when it’s open. These runners should be machined to 1/4" thicker than the drawer dividers, but their width isn’t crucial. A tenon to fit the groove in the drawer rails can now be machined, and the pieces cut to length. You will need to cut the runner slightly shorter than needed, in order to be able to fit the runner in place, but don’t install the runners yet.

Drawer Runners – Simple wood runners, and drawers with notched backs, make for a simple yet effective system. The runner above a drawer stops it from tilting when open. The two vertical strips on the back of the cabinet are simple drawer stops. Notice the drawer runners finish 1/4" higher than the drawer rails.
 

Build the drawers

At this stage the drawers can be made, then their backs notched to fit the drawer runners. All the drawer parts can be cut to the same width. From there, cut the fronts to finished length, and the sides slightly oversized. Set up a dado blade to cut a rabbet in the fronts and sides, then all the drawer parts can be trimmed to final length.

Bottoms can be cut to size, and the drawers can be assembled. When machining the groove to accept the drawer bottoms you have to consider the height of the drawer runners. If the runners are 1/4" thicker than the drawer rails, you will want the lower surface of your drawer bottom to finish about 1/16" closer to the bottom of the drawer sides – so about 3/16"; this is because once the notch in the drawer back is cut, the drawer bottom is what will be supporting the drawer on the runner. The 1/16" difference is so there will be a slight gap between the drawer front and the drawer rail when the drawer is closed.

With the drawers assembled, set your table saw blade height to cut a notch that is flush with the underside of your drawer bottom. After some math to determine the location and width of the notch, make repeated passes, adjusting the fence slightly each time, to create the notch.
 

Install the runners

Starting with the bottom drawer, locate the rear end of the runner and fix it in place with an L-bracket. Glue the tenon into the groove at the front of the runner. Work your way upwards, installing the runners so the drawer fronts have even gaps and work nicely.

To stop the top drawer from tilting downward when opened, glue a length of solid wood to the underside of the top panel, flush with the lower edge of the top front rail.

Finally, screw two strips of solid wood vertically onto the back panel. Customize the thickness of these pieces to position the drawers so they look good when viewed from the front of the cabinet.
 

Doors

There are many ways to make doors, but I chose an approach in keeping with traditional Japanese design, at least visually. First, I cut the frame members to size, added bridle joints to their corners and assembled the frames. When dry I used my router and rabbet bit to create a rabbet in the backs of the doors, and cut a piece of plywood to fit that opening. To mimic the strips of wood some Japanese craftsmen use, I tilted a rip blade to 45 degrees, then made a series of cuts to add grooves to the door panels. A stop was positioned so the lower portion of the panel would appear whole.

I stained the panels, as well as the drawer fronts, while I was at it, then glued them in place. I cut thin panel strips to act as a horizontal frame member, and glued them to the door panels. While machining these two pieces I did the same for the cabinet gables. When attaching these pieces I had to sand away some of the stain to ensure glue would hold the strips in place. All of these pieces are strictly for aesthetic reasons.
 

Strengthen with dowels

All eight corners are now strengthened with 3"-long lengths of 3/8" dowel rod. I used a simple drilling jig to align the holes and keep them straight. Two dowels were added to each corner, then trimmed flush.
 

Apply a finish

A quick sanding was next, and I made sure the edges were all eased heavily. To protect the wood from stains and wear I applied a few coats of Varathane Professional Clear Oil-Based Finish. It’s easy to apply, builds quite quickly and is very durable. I brushed on three coats, sanding between each coat, then used an aerosol spray can to apply a nice, even coat.

Apply a Finish – A product like Varathane Professional Clear Finish is great for a situation where you want a durable yet simple finish. Brown brushed on three coats then used an aerosol can of the same product to apply a final coat.
 

The details

Black carpet tacks are now added to the door panels to add to the traditional Japanese look.

Hang the doors with no-mortise hinges, add a block of wood to support the double magnetic touch-latch and install the latch. Pulls would work fine, though my knees don’t enjoy protruding hardware.

I installed T-nuts under the four corners and the center divider so the cabinet could be levelled once in place. It was now time to put it in its final home, fill it up and put it to use.