I might be the worst carpenter. but I'm trying to psych myself out to step up.
 

the lady across the street installed a little library. last year, some hoodlums pushed it over and really tweaked it. parents heard, and the next morning, I saw a them supervising the kids trying to straighten it out.

it is about done now. door is gone, it is a rombus in every direction.

nobody seems to care. people use it. especially the little kids and the elderly.

so, I think I am going to take it on. I have a fear of table saws. PTSD almost from cutting myself badly.

how hard can this be? I plan on gluing and clamping boards for the structure. and installing a new library from the post up. digging a hole will suck.

the OG lady moved to Minnesota so I think it is up to me. I'm helping a coworker prep for upcoming promotion interview. maybe he can repay me by helping me. he is a finish carpenter..well in his youth. he has skills.

Vash, you can't be afraid of the saws, you just have to respect them! I know, not much help, but good on you for tackling it!SmileWavy

Show us a pic and maybe we can help.

Vash how did you cut yourself badly ? Blade guard removed ? Not using a push stick ? Severe kick back ? My point is " generally " speaking table saws are safe if used properly . As stated above power tools need to be respected . Fear clouds judgement and can lead to lapse in concentration . That's when a tool bites you . Good luck with the project , you can do this I am sure . But if you are truly scared then walk away . We won't take your man card :D

Hey, it's a box. Almost every beginning level carpentry project is a box ( and some of the more advanced ones, too).
You've got this.
My advice: draw everything first. Understand how the parts go together and figure out why the original one folded with some abuse and engineer the crap out of this one.

Best
Les

Digging the hole won't be as bad as you fear. But squaring the post up single-handed is a slight pain. It'll help to have a, well, helper. The rest is bound to be better than what's there now.

One thing about wood working that I came to appreciate many years ago when I started; your mistakes give you a warm smile on a cold night.

Go for it!

Yep, provide pics, please.

You're Vash! You can do this. We all have faith.

( try to not remove any digits in the process )

Im not sure how you cut yourself but I remember seeing your post about it way back. I wasn't posting as much back then. I bet you pulled the board out from the front and the stock got pinched between the blade and the fence and pulled your hang into the blade. The trick is to never, ever allow the piece of lumber between a running saw blade and the fence or cross cut a narrow piece.

I taught High school wood shop when I got out of college for a few years. If my little 15-16 year old, boy and girl students can built some pretty complex projects, you sure can too. They all know how to use the table saw safely. Now let's see those simple plans and a couple of pics of the location

a circular saw can make a nice cut - ......... proper blade and a straight edge.
nice side facing down - maybe some tape on the good edge - beforehand.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1728669217.jpg

my two cents:

If you are not comfortable using a power saw,
don't use a power saw.

Either get someone to do it for you or get someone
to teach you and make you proficient with a power saw
and thereby comfortable with it's use.

I find the safest way to use a power tool is to grab it by the balls if you know what I mean.

You mean like when the kick back happens, it nails you in the balls?;)

Les,

Its a rhombus that wants to be more like a box.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1728674292.jpg

I say, given no insight except rhombus, it's crooked. Straighten/square it out and measure. Go to Home Depot and have them cut a piece of particle board all the way to good on both sides 1" thick plywood to shore the thing up and hold it square. I have to assume a simple IKEA type bookshelf with a back and a door or doors.

No idea what you have to do but as stated, if you are afraid don't do it. Maybe the co-worker who owes you works while you supervise would work best.

I've done a project or two with "I don't have a saw, lets see what size wood is available at Lowes"

Certainly enough to build a box, etc. Might need to make one or two cuts wiht a hand saw.

Original is plywood. I feel I can do better.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1728675587.jpg

You don't have to start from scratch. People give away suitable boxes all the time.

Wooden drawers or cabinets from a kitchen remod, home stereo speakers, flat-pack furniture. Maybe a decrepit old tool box or tackle box can be the basis with some imagination and creativity.
Find a suitable carcass on a craigslist or neighborhood free pile, and then augment it with your own ideas. Put a shelf or two inside, cut some nice planks for the outside to disguise the humble origins, and make it look wonderful. Then figure out how to attach the base to a post (maybe the post could be steel - 1 1/2 or 2" threaded pipe with the appropriate flange? Just an idea).

I wish I lived closer. I'd love to help you figure this out. I'd try to make it for as little cost as possible if not free, but by using creativity, make sure it isn't a blight in the neighborhood.
There's a guy that lives around me that turned an old gas pump into a parking-strip free-box for toy cars. His cost was elbow grease, not cash, and it looks fantastic.

I was, not affectionately, called the “Wood Butcher” by my grandfather, an excellent craftsman.

My motto: Measure once, cut three times then go get more wood

It’s a gift.

As far as digging the hole...one of the neighbors is bound to have one of these....
Buy one bag of redi-mix and you're all set.


https://images.thdstatic.com/product...00-64_1000.jpg

This looks like a terrific post - why don't you just use this?

I would try taking it apart and then just put it back together. Longer screws etc.

Nothing wrong with that thing. Needs a new back to stiff the structure up. There should be a back on there, remove it and install a 1/2" CDX plywood back. Measure both corners or diagonals and get it sq up, nail it and it will last a long time. As far as the face frame goes, just nail on new pieces if not, re-nail existing but use glue. Dig the hole about 16" down insert the pole, pour concrete. Make sure concrete is a bit above grade with slope if that's even important. Use a couple of stakes to keep the structure plum.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1728680621.gif
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1728680621.jpg

I don’t have any advice to offer. I just want to see the final product.

BTW, there are really no cuts needed on the table if you can go get that 1/2" back cut at home depot.

Here are a few old pics of student's projects when I taught school. The two bench were made by a couple of 15 and 17 year old girls. The floating coffee table was made by 16 year old boy. Oh yeah, they know how to sue the table saw safely.

Sorry, forgot the picshttp://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1728688551.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1728688551.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1728688551.jpg

Remember, Push blocks are your friend. Me? I ran a framing nail through my pointer finger and it pierced the tip of my middle finger. I've cycled tens of thousands of nails through that nailer and one time it double pumps and BAM I've got a framing nail sticking through the meaty part of the pointer finger. What I'm getting at is, no matter how many times you do something, there's always a chance for an accident. As others have said, respect a table saw and understand where your hands shouldn't be.... and that's generally anywhere near the blade..... push blocks.

2 cent advice-
If you decide to remake it, try to avoid plywood. I made my wife a mailbox and used similar plywood. Problem is, moisture soaks between the plys and rips them apart.

I got the "opportunity" to start over from scratch about 2 years later. :)

This is an environment where single solid pieces rule out over ply.

Good luck!
R

Baz, I bet if you asked nicely, and provided a detailed plan of every piece needed, bird parts members would each cut you a piece and send them to you.
A birds parts bird feeder for books.

You'd assemble and be done with it. This would, of course, require a very good plan. People would sign up for each individual piece and send it in.

Dang those hoodlums, I love those little libraries. Have a couple by my house I use all the time. Good on you for getting it back in proper shape.

New door. Coat of paint. Call it a day.

Or let the lumberyard or depot make the rips for you. You can do this without a table saw. Frankly I often use a circular saw with a clamped guide.. or snapping a line and following it is ok for this type of work. As my dad used to say, ‘you’re not building a church’

I’ve abandoned a few woodworking projects simply out of frustration. Seems like no matter how many times I cut a board it’s still too short.

Vash,

I hear you. I am not a craftsman but I seem to spend a fair amount of my time making stuff. There are wins, and, well, there are other end results.

But I wanted to comment RE: the PTSD and a tablesaw. My HS Shop Teacher was pretty gifted. He was missing two and one half fingertips. At a very clean, surgical angle. Yep. Tablesaw accident. This got my attention. If he could cut off fingers, I could absolutely do the same. A lesson I have held close for 40 years.

Me? First, I am left handed. Second, I am not particularly coordinated. Third, I am right eye dominant. This means shooting a simple basketball shot is pretty goofy and hilarious. It also means I am terrified of cutting something off of me - which - is a high probability.

I make a point to slow down. Plan my actions. Think about stuff. Then cut. I made a pretty fair fence this summer with no accidents. I am making a 10x12 shed right now. There have been mistakes but it is coming together. I expect to put on roof decking today and tomorrow. Lots of hand sawing! Yay!

But my point? Slow down. Anticipate. Use safety devices (push stick) and things are far far safer. Just don't ask about my super near miss with a router. Because that would have had me in the hospital or morgue.

As suggested, that box doesn't look too bad, so I would save myself some grief and just refurbish what is there. Take it apart, rebuild it, add a door back to it, seal it all up well to protect the books from weather, and utilize the existing post. Easy peasy.
If you do end up sawing something, measure twice, cut once!!!

Sent from my SM-S916U using Tapatalk

It's all about scale man. That board isn't cut too short, Yer just scaling the project down a bit. Trick is to cut the next board to the same size as the one that was previously thought to be too short!

I have this idea, that Vash is eventually going to post a pic of his finished result, and it's going to be an aesthetic masterpiece that's also sturdy enough to support a tank.

Get an air (or battery) pin nailer. That will make your repairs easier.

You guys just want and excuse to buy a new tool:D

A few small finish nails and some glue will do the trick. Its needs to be repaired with a few deck screws and be done with it.

Vash, is the post loose and no longer stable for the kids to knock it over? If its stable, jsut repair it. Screw down the top and fix the face frame and call it the day. When done, I want to see your face in the local papers and how you saved the day for both the young and old. Vash for city mayor

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Hometown hero this week. Mayor next month. Governator next year!

Jesus started out as a carpenter.