Hello! I guess to anyone who is reading this thread it's no surprise that i'm new here so i'll go ahead and introduce myself and get all those formalities out of the way.
My name is Melanie, as you can see from my username. I am an up and coming woodworker, just starting out. I am a horse person. I have a lot of stuff, and think plastic boxes are really tacky and so started my first real foray into real woodworking.
I've never been a stranger to a hammer and so once i needed a box i got some plans from the awesome people at http://elitetackdesign.com/ (hope that plug is not against forum rules but i do love them so much that i'll risk it, if not then mods please remove) and went to work! A very kind person from one of my horse forums pointed me to this place (Jim B.) and so here i am!
My first project is the light colored box in the attachments.... finishing from this first project was a trainwreck. Never again will i use polyshades! It seemed like a really awesome idea in theory and not knowing any better i bought it...... it was so awful. I dont know how this stuff stays on the market. So, that was box #1, my personal box. It was met with such fanfare at my barn that i started tinkering around and improving on my last design and when word got out that i was building a second it was sold before it was even finished.
So, box #2 is the darker one, and sold. I finished the outside in a darker stain and added some "value added" features to come with it like a grooming caddy. So i'm hard at work on box number three. I have a few questions and concerns.... My current project (#4, not pictured) uses 1/2" birch instead of the plain a/c plywood that i have been using, the local lumber mill didn't have any a/c left in stock so i got a "deal" on this but i was completely not prepared to actually work it. I tore up the edges pretty good on that laminate, dont know if it's my table saw of if i'm just sloppy but i can't present it to the person on the waitlist without feeling guilty, and so am going to have to hide those joints with something nicer. So, what do you guys use to finish out the edges? Besides custom milled wood.... i am selling these things at a dirt discount since i'm just learning. Secondly, the first box i sold has had a gigantic gouge in it, a wheelbarrow "bit" it. To be expected when in a high traffic area. It's in a place where brass corners *might* cover it, but i may go ahead and retrofit her entire box with trim since she has bought two and she is a really nice person that i dont mind spending extra time on. In that case, can i just use titebond on top of poly and have it be "OK" or will that be a disaster?
A thousand apologies if this post seems rather..... disjointed. I was fighting for a while with images until i figured out how it worked on this forum and so cheers!! Thanks for reading!