Project: Easel

[Matt Meiser]

I finished up this easel for my daughter for Christmas tonight. Its made from red oak, finished with one coat of Sealcoat and three coats of Target USL waterborne lacquer which came out mediocre due to orange peel and some heavy spots. Spraying something like this is a pain! It could be wet sanded to look good, but since this will probably take a beating, I'm not going to worry about it. The chalkboard is made from 1/4” MDF painted with Rust-O-Leum chalkboard paint. I’m not thrilled with the paint as it doesn’t level very well, but she’ll be happy. The other side is a magnetic whiteboard that I purchased at Costco and removed from the factory metal frame. It is pretty tall, but the boards are pretty tall too so it should work for her for many years height-wise without having to add adjustability.

[Mike McCann]

Looks great now don't forget all the accessories the chalk the white marker pens and ereaser.

[Don Bullock]

Matt, that's a great project and gift. Your daughter is going to love it and the fact that you made it for her will even make it better.:D

[Jim Becker]

Very nice!!!! I may need to build something like that for the girls once we have a room to put it in...

[Norman Pyles]

Very nice. Is your daughter a teacher?

[Matt Meiser]

No, she's 5. An easel is one of the things she's been talking about wanting for Christmas all fall.

[Danny Thompson]

Nice work, Matt. What are the rough dimensions?

[Rich Torino]

Real nice Matt. That will get a ton of use for tears to come...

[Matt Meiser]

The boards themselves are roughtly 24x30 with a 2" frame. The size was based on the size of the whiteboard, which had clipped corners originally so I cut it down a little. I made the chalkboard the same size so that the frames could be the same. The uprights are 5' long, so with the angle it is a little shorter than that overall. Since my daughter is already about 44" tall, she probably won't be able to reach the top yet.

[Peter Stahl]

You do nice work Matt. Your daughter should love it.

[Bill Huber]

Matt, I like the way you did the top with the wood hinge, I wish I had thought of that when I made the one for my daughter (big daughter teacher).
I used hinges and it was ok but I like yours much better.

How do you keep it from opening more then you want it to?

[Mike Langford]

.....How do you keep it from opening more then you want it to?

Bill, There's a small chain fastened to the bottom cross braces...
76904
A simple and effective solution...like the wooden hinges!
(I didn't notice it until you asked the question! ;))

Great job, Matt

[Matt Meiser]

Its hard to see in the picture because it looks like something on the floor, but there is a piece of chain connecting the two bottom supports.

[gary Zimmel]

Matt

The easel looks fantastic. Your daughter will enjoy it for years ot come.

Hope you and your family have a merry xmas season..

[Bill Huber]

Its hard to see in the picture because it looks like something on the floor, but there is a piece of chain connecting the two bottom supports.

I see it now, I just thought that was a crack in the floor.

When I build the one for my daughter, she is a school teacher and wanted it for her room. I was going to use a strap somewhat like what you did with the chain.
The problem was when you would pick it up to move it it would close on your fingers. I also found that if you pushed the front back and the back legs didn't move it could fold.
I used locks on both sides of mine, in your case I don't think it is that big of a deal, its not going to be in a room of 25 third graders.

Again, that is a good looking easel and I really like the wood hinge. I think if I ever make another one I will use that hinge set up.