Simple BR TV Stand..

[John Thompson]

Simple Bedroom TV Stand...
Another of my simple designs in an attempt to match the bed and 6 drawer chest I made for my wife. This is the simple piece of the puzzle that will also include a chest on chest. But.. simple in execution does not always relate to simple in design and can lead to frustration.

The design is straight-forward but I became frustrated with the concept of making a modern, small TV blend with the over-all concept. I had to grit my teeth before forcing myself to cut holes in the rear dust shield to allow electrical cords to pass through. That goes against my grain as I suppose I am some-what "old-school". How do you make a TV blend into the picture... you don't IMO and compromise.

So.. another domestic harmony decision was made and I cut the holes as my lovely insisted. So... what you see is what you get. The good news is you don't see them from most normal angles. The bad news is they are there and I know they are there.

Another of my Southern Cross inspired creations from local wood and Hazard County, Georgia (home of the Duke's which includes Daisy) inspiration. Solid wood.. all joints with exception of 6 screws for top fastening.. Mortises are machine cut with tenons hand sawed. Secret mitered DT's (which can't be seen) on mitered base corners.

In other words.. more "junk" from me to blend with my other "junk". My ability with a camera and lighting distorts reality somewhat... but I have accepted that as just the way it is... with my camera and my knowledge of how to use it.

Now.. I can go build some more "junk".

Sarge..

[gary Zimmel]

John

Nice job on the T.V. stand. I like the way you curved the side rails and the shelves.

I understand the camera thing. Someday I also will get the hang of them.

Make sure to let us know whats on agenda for the project.

[Walt Caza]

Hey Sarge,
Looks good to me. Utility is beauty. I lifted that notion from the Shakers.

I hear that it bothers you, but no one is gonna deduct marks for cable
pass-throughs. I am sure it is no consolation, but they do sell caps for
such holes. Maybe some homemade ones, with just a slot for the wire after
insertion? (Darn those big, fat plugs which require a larger hole.)
Sure...you can handcarve them in your spare time!

Perhaps the tv stand is not all you might wish for...but it is certainly far
better than other solutions I have seen...eek!

You really show your character when you handsaw tenons.
Same with secret mitered DT's!
Any chance you might have your expert camera crew get us a close-up
shot of those dovetails?!?

I love self-depricating humour, but I didn't spot any junk in those pics...

More great work from you, be careful not to raise the bar too high!
You are always generous in critiquing the work of others...
But a real hard marker when it comes to your own!
take it easy,
Walt

Now hurry on and get busy with another project...
what do you think...you're retired!?!?

ps I have been wild for chest-on-chest since I was a boy, long before
I knew what it was called, or that it even might have a name.

[glenn bradley]

Simple is good. That looks great.

[John Thompson]

Thanks Gary.. Walt & Glenn..... Very much appreciated!

Well Walt.. I worked restoring "muscle cars" for years and am considering putting a digital read-out dash-board on the chest-on-chest just to get under "her" skin for "needing" the TV in a bedroom to start with. Kind of give it that modern look as if sitting in the cock-pit of a F-18 fighter jet with possible bogey's approaching at any moment.

Of course "she" would threaten to kill me if I did but... I just love a touch of danger in life to further enhance participation.

Thanks again guys....

Sarge..

[J. Z. Guest]

Nice work Sarge, as usual. You obviously don't need advice on the furniture construction, so I will give another photography tip:

Close-up shots with a wide angle lens give barrel distortion. To minimize that, move back, and zoom in a bit. You're on the right track with being at the same height as the subject.

[John Thompson]

Thank you much Jeffery. Now... I will ask a question about your comment on close-ups with a wide angle lens. It's a little cheap digital set for auto. In the first picture on left I see the barrel-roll you mention and wondered how it did that.

On the far picture to the right.. that is essentially how it looks physically as I cut the intial curve inside.. but then took a spoke-shave to that curve and eyed my way to a very flowing curve of intermitten depth. And then added a slight diagonal curve to the outside corner on the stile with the spoke-shave also. When viewing it directly I intentionally wanted it to give the visual impression that the sides were also curved out. Picture 4 (outside right) does just that... but the effect is accelerated in picture one (outside left) as the bottom appears to barrel in more than reality. I wondered how it did that.

I basically had a similar situation with the 6 drawer chest fI posted several weeks ago. The front straight on shots has somewhat of a barrel roll and your theory very well explains the reason why. I don't thing this little camera will adjust after setting on auto.. so I am somewhat stuck with the effect.

Would turning it to vertical position help as opposed to horizonal or would it just lead to a barrel roll effect top and bottom? I suppose that is the question as my wife uses it to take shots of things she sells on her crochet store on E-bay. Can't justify a more expensive camera that would allow more versatiity. Not with the price of gas.

Thanks and if you could answer that question...

Sarge..

[Jim Becker]

John, that's very nice work. Looks like it will do the job you have for it admirably!

[John Thompson]

Thanks Jim. It will have to do as I will search for the remaining grain matches not already in my rack for a chest on chest starting today. This chest will take more than 2 1/2 weeks to do as the stand but.. I love to be busy and enjoy the challenge. That says it all for an amateur I suppose.

Sarge..