My father’s carpenter friend, Charlie, made this prototype for the radiator covers quite a while ago. I’ve had it for some time and I’ve been reluctant to get started on the project because his craftsmanship is so good. It’s intimidating to have this around, because I doubt I can live up to even the leg. I want to do the design a little different because I don’t want to steal his design out right.
This is part 2 of this project, but I think it’s worthwhile to show the layout of my parent’s front porch. There are 3 no-longer-operational radiators that they want tables to go over for plants and other nick-knacks.
I did a (pretty sloppy) 3d model of the front porch. The tables in the above image are an older version of the model, but the design is basically the same.
I’ve taken the elements of Charlies design and fit them to 2x4s. I think Charlie, as a carpenter, has a lot more wood in inventory than I do and I need to do the project with hardware store studs. 2x4s are around $3.40 for a 8 foot length.
I’m still frustrated by a 2-x-4 only being 1.5-x-3.5. I get it, but why be imprecise?
Anyway, as usual, I grouped out the individual pieces in the 3d model.
I cut down the structural pieces (brown above) to size, mainly to process them easier. As with studs, a couple were twisted, so cutting them down will make them easier to plane.
Cross cutting went pretty smooth. My camera fell, so the animation is off. Sorry.
I planed down both sides. This picture is the first board. Pine makes a HUGE mess. I don’t show any of that.
All of the 2x4s planed down and looking ready to go out for dinner.
Because framers have delicate hands, I need to cut off the rounded edges. I made it through about half of the boards and it was time for dinner. These are the legs and the shorter boards for the top.
Tomorrow I ‘d like to have the legs tapered and the skeleton put together.
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