BUILD IT: F COULRDIOSCCHAOSOEL CHAIRS
A B
CD
Fig. A: Sand all the edges to keep the sides of the case
flush, and clear of splinters. Fig. B: A little wood glue
goes a long way; apply sparingly.
Fig. C: Drill the screws flush with the surface of the
wood and no deeper, or you’ll risk cracking. Fig. D: Paint
the top of the case bottom to show off your curios.
Materials
» Window
» Pine boards 1"× 4"× 6' ( 2 or more)
depending on the perimeter
measurement of the window
» Medium-grade sandpaper
» Miter box
» ¾" MDF board 2'× 4'
» Circular saw or table saw
or a friend with one
» Wood glue
» Pencil
» T" drill bit
» 2" drywall screws ( 20 or so)
» Paint and paintbrush/roller
(optional)
» 2" narrow utility hinges ( 2)
» Furniture legs and mounting plates,
plus ½" screws at the appropriate
gauge for the mounting plates
92 Craft: Volume06 5
1. Scavenge for materials.
First you’ll need to hunt for a good window with its
wood framing (sash) intact. There are 3 things to
consider when scavenging or hitting an architectural
salvage yard:
• The window frame needs only 1 “good” side, so
you can be slightly forgiving in your selection.
• The side that faces down should have at least
1 frame member that’s a minimum 2" wide to
support the width of the hinges.
• Look for a frame no larger than 2'× 4'. The reason
for this is that the bottom of the curio case is made
from MDF (medium density fiberboard), which is
sold in precut 2'× 4' sheets. The size of your window
will, obviously, determine the size of your curio case,
and a case sized larger than 2'× 4' will require cutting from a 4'× 8' sheet of MDF or plywood, adding
cost to your project.
Next, comb a couple of thrift shops for a complete
set of furniture legs, at a length of your choosing.
Often you can find some crappy little table with
removable legs for much less than you’d pay for a
new set of legs with the mounting hardware. You’re
also likely to get a set of legs with a little more flair
than the big-box hardware store variety.
