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Thread: My 30 Minute Shelf. What are your quick projects?

  1. #1

    My 30 Minute Shelf. What are your quick projects?

    OK, it's not exactly fine woodworking, but it only took me 30 minutes to bang together. (and maybe another 30 minutes of combined time to stain and polyurethane).

    I delivered the new table to my in-laws last week, and we thought it might be helpful to make a little shelf to store their medications on rather than taking up space on the smaller table. I didn't have much time, and even less inspiration, so I fiddled around in the shop with the red oak scraps I had left over from my table project. I was sort of aiming for something that complimented the style of the table. For better or worse, this is what I came up with.

    The two side supports are actually the scraps I had leftover from cutting the table legs to length. The trickiest issue with these was figuring out how to safely cut and route such small chunks of wood. I ended up clamping them to a larger board and cutting, and held them with a clamp to round over the edges in my router table. No fancy joinery here, just pocket screws and glue, but it should serve the purpose.

    Anyway, it got me thinking about what kind of "quickie" projects you all have whipped up. Do you have pictures of any projects that took you an hour or less to build? I've seen a lot of grand pieces here, but I suspect there are lots of smaller projects that never get shown off, even though they may serve very useful functions. Maybe a book end, or a coat hook, or something like that? Something like a cutting board would qualify, but somehow I think the ones I've seen here took a LOT more than an hours worth of work...

    Anthony
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  2. #2
    Join Date
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    I my experience, there are no quick projects.

  3. #3
    What Jamie said.

  4. #4
    Join Date
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    Sharpening my pencil goes pretty quick. Everything that follows takes pretty much forever.
    Use the fence Luke

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jack Camillo View Post
    depending on how often I do it, waxing my tool can take between 3 and 30 minutes.
    I got yelled at, (typed at to be accurate), by a moderator because my choice of words were a bit....... I don't even remember, I'm supposed to tone it down in any case.

    BTW- If it takes you 30 minutes to wax your tool, you're doing it wrong.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
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    That little shelf is very simple Anthony but... it is quite eloquent in it's simplicity. I really like the way you did the block look on the bottom supports. Very nice work.

    Quick projects... I built one of those Dubby taper jigs I have been eyeing that cost $119 for under $12 with some hardware I had on hand this evening. About two hours and about as quick as it gets around my shop. I just built a coffee table in 24 hours or six 4 hour days. Then again.. it took almost 3 weeks for the finish to cure.

    I'm not sure anything is really quick other than time passing.

    Sarge..

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
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    Bettendorf, IA
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    Anthony,

    I have to agree with others, I am not able to get anything done in 30 minutes or less. I guess I enjoy my time in the shop too much and just take my time in doing things. Nice job on your shelf, I have made many shelves of the same style, but never in 30 minutes or less.

    Dick
    dickn

  8. #8
    Dick,

    I have made many shelves of the same style, but never in 30 minutes or less.
    I probably wouldn't be able to again, but I still had all my tools set up from building the table. So the lumber was already sized and there was no setup time involved. All I really had to do was cut the two leg blocks to length, rip the top to width, and cut three boards to length. Then a quick pass on the router table, and screwed everything together. It "may" have taken a bit more than 30 minutes, but not by much.

    So maybe I should have asked to see projects that took less than a DAY to build?

    Anthony

  9. #9
    Join Date
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    I would say in the "one day" category, I've done things like picture frames and doll furniture. With water soluble dye and shellac, even finishing these items in one day is doable. Oh, I remember that I did a walnut coat rack (wall mounted) in one day quite a few years ago including turning the Shaker style pegs. The finish was just wax and the item is still in use and looking like new.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  10. #10
    Join Date
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    30 minute reindeer. Large and small.
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    Never, under any circumstances, consume a laxative and sleeping pill, on the same night

  11. #11
    Join Date
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    Last time I spent 30 minutes on a project it was trying to figure out what the next step was...

    Congrats on the nice shelf.
    Dewey

    "Everything is better with Inlay or Marquetry!"


  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Kalamazoo, MI
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    280
    Usually in 30 mins, I can make scrap wood for the fireplace!
    If over thinking was an Olympic event, I'd win Gold every time!

  13. #13
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Oahu, Hawaii
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    261

    New Guy

    HI,
    I am new to the Projects forum but would like to chime in.

    Did this in a day, albeit a long one
    http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.p...758#post960758
    I would like to have spent more time on the finish. Maybe some grain filler...
    Thanks for looking

    Colin

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Canton, GA
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    123
    Nice looking shelf there.

    It takes me thirty minutes to get both cars backed out of the garage and all of my tools wheeled into position before I can even think about making sawdust.

  15. #15
    My heater needs to run 30 minutes before I even make it out to the shop

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