Building furniture

[muddy]

Not sure where to put this, sorry.

Can someone recommend some reading/videos on building small pieces of furniture for dwelling? I'm thinking not really complex stuff, maybe a bed platform, maybe a small kitchenette setup with some fold-out extra usable space. Stuff like that (function over form).

I have access to the workshop and advice of a very skilled woodworker, but want to learn how to do these things myself. Thanks.

 

[Wabbit]

I don't have anything specific, but until then maybe this to get some ideas?

http://www.instructables.com/howto/Furniture/

If ya do make something, pics please! Lol g'luck!

 

[BradKW]

Building pieces of functional furniture that will be durable over time can be approached in a couple ways I think.

The most common examples we see in DIY mobile forums and YouTube fall under the first approach, which is to overbuild with heavier materials and more fasteners than a professional would use. If someone has the basic understanding of how and when to pre-drill holes, and they make some rectangles for a bed frame by butt-joining 2x4's with 3" deck screws, then links it together with some more 2x4's and sticks plywood on top, that is going to be a functional and durable platform for many years.

Maybe then it occurs to them to jigsaw out some holes, slap a piano hinge on it, and presto...a hinged door to access stuff under the platform.

Where furniture starts to exhibit higher craftsmanship is in joinery. I'm going to copy a definition and link a page that lists some different types for examples. Joinery is a part of woodworking that involves joining together pieces of timber or lumber, to produce more complex items. Some wood joints employ fasteners, bindings, or adhesives, while others use only wood elements. The characteristics of wooden joints - strength, flexibility, toughness, appearance, etc. - derive from the properties of the materials involved and the purpose of the joint. Therefore, different joinery techniques are used to meet differing requirements.  Woodworking joints

Joinery can let you accomplish more with less. I'm currently building an enclosure for both my large 'fridge and an window AC on top. It will need to be strong, but also lightweight and able to flex without failure. I'm not going overboard, but just basic dado and cross lap joints, when combined with Gorilla poly glue, let me use 2x2 and 1x2 to create the cabinetry with just a router and saw:

[img=400x400]http://i465.photobucket.com/albums/...ads/IMG_20160905_125858_zpsgakzdlz4.jpg[/img]

Joinery can really be fascinating...I get a kick out of watching vids on old world stuff, Japanese and Korean joints most recently.

I would suggest you always use fir instead of pine...pine has some purposes, but unless it's for a visual effect, furniture is not one of them.

If you ask more specific questions, you'll get more specific answers  

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

I can give you a few simple pointers. I've built cabinets and furniture professionally for 18 years. You don't need anything thicker than 3/4" material. People using 2x4's to hold a bed up is extreme overkill.

I'd also use your friend and his shop to your advantage. Spending an hour with someone that does it professionally is equal to spending 20 hours on your own thru trial an error.

Few basic tools and you can build just about anything. Battery operated circular saw, jig saw, and drill can do most anything with the addition of a straight edge. Table saw, miter saw and router will make everything a little easier and come out a bit nicer.

Kreg Jig and a few clamps can really expand a beginners skill set.

Look at some youtube videos on how to make and assemble basic cabinetry. Basic cabinet construction (box construction) is the basic foundation for building most anything.

 

[Almost There]

You could also go through some of the build threads here and when you see something that you might like to have, ask either the person who built it or if they're not around much anymore, ask the rest of us to help figure out how to build what you're looking at.

Here's the build thread for Lady Arabella for an example. I did the whole thing with a jig saw, a drill, a few clamps and the Kreg Jr. kit.

https://vanlivingforum.com/Thread-Building-Arabella

There's lot of other build threads to choose from too!!

 

[highdesertranger]

when building for a vehicle there is really no reason to use 2x4's. 1x2 and 2x2 combined with plywood is fine. for skinning, 1/8 plywood is great. 1/8 plywood is also good for fitting to the curvature of van walls, I am talking true plywood not OSB or particle board. highdesertranger

 

[muddy]

If you ask more specific questions, you'll get more specific answers  

For sure. I don't have a vehicle yet so the ideas only exist in my head right now -- planning on taking a tape measure along to some test drives and thinking harder on what exactly I want to do.

Thanks for all the good advice gang, some good stuff to think about here.

 

[Almost There]

IMO the tape measure needs to come second to some serious cogitating on what it is that's important to you for an interior.

Is a fully functioning kitchen high on the list, do you need a double bed or is a single/twin ok, how important is a toilet. Do you need office space, etc. etc.

All of those will determine, along with the tape measure to make it all fit, what kind of interior you're going to need to build to keep you happy.

Truthfully, I've seen more than a few do the tape measure thing first and a couple of years down the road, they're on their 3rd interior build because they didn't take enough time figuring out what they wanted BEFORE they ever took tools in hand.

 

[muddy]

Good point - I agree.

Office space is something I'm interested in (mainly just an ergonomic laptop setup -- I don't need much in the way of extra equipment), and have not seen many examples of in vehicles. I'm a freelance software developer so while I won't be working full time, I will be doing 40-hour weeks on the computer here and there.

 

[BradKW]

Speaking of tape measures, re-learning or refining how you use one is important with furniture and cabinets. Most people never really have reason to pay attention to the 1/16th increments, let alone mentally marking the 32nds, but these can make a difference when making doors and such. Also important is learning to accurately and consistently make pencil marks...you'll find that the viewing angle can dramatically alter where you believe the mark is going.

Just getting the pencil exactly where you want it isn't a gimme, which is why you make your mark as a little slash, view it critically from above, then make a second slash to create a "V" and pinpoint the spot.

Another thing that you'll need to learn awareness of is the thickness of the saw blade, or its kerf, and which side of the line you want to cut on. Not paying attention and doing it opposite has certainly left me looking at two pieces that should be identical, but are 1/4" different...

 

[SternWake]

Many many years before i ever made sawdust, I used to watch the New Yankee workshop on PBS.

When i started doing carpentry I would find myself using techniques from having watch the show.

You tube 2x speed is a wonderful thing:

 

[TrainChaser]

I agree with ERLH and HDR that you don't need 2x4s -- it's overbuilding that you don't need and takes up extra space. I built my platform bed completely with 2x2s and 1/2" plywood, and it was strong through a lot of use and two vans. My platform was only 18" above the floor, so 2x2s were strong enough for that short length.

The next thing is to plan your STORAGE first, and build around them -- you don't want space for three and a half drawers when you could have had four with better planning. Planning for my next van, I will raise the platform and allow for two stacked drawers underneath, rather than the single-high one. All the space above the bed (I used a regular twin mattress) was wasted. Live and learn. Like with everything else.

 

[rvpopeye]

On almost all my builds I got my storage containers and other gear first , then measured it all and then designed the build to fit everything with minimal wasted space.

 

[DannyB1954]

Sometimes I use 2 x 4 because there is more room for glue and fasteners where they join, then I take a hole saw to the middle section to make a girder out of them.  Here is a design I have yet to build.

 

[akrvbob]

I can give you a few simple pointers.  I've built cabinets and furniture professionally for 18 years.  You don't need anything thicker than 3/4" material.  People using 2x4's to hold a bed up is extreme overkill.  

First, I'm sure you forgot  more about carpentry than I ever hope to know! Second, no one would consider paying me to build something for them!! Third, you are 100% absolutely right!!

But I still use and recommend 2x4s for beds for these reasons:

1) the weight difference on bed legs is insignificant. If I use one or even two  2x4s, how much weight can you save?
2) finding a good 2x2 is much harder
3) the cost difference is nothing
4) its much easier for the unskilled to screw into them without missing or splitting the wood. Almost anyone can drive two 3" screws down into one.

But, it's just personal opinion and preference, nothing more. 
Bob

 

[akrvbob]

Other than the bed, I highly recommend used furniture and plastic drawers so you need to build almost nothing else. Especially for an office! A good desk can be amazingl versatile, especially a roll top or a well designed computer desk. In fact you can make your bed with nothing but 2 drawer filing cabinets under it.

Keep a creative eye on furniture you have or at thrift stores--may be all you need.
Bob

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

Well I can't argue with that logic Bob. As the natural progression in woodworking is to start with larger than necessary materials because it's easier to work with for beginners. Not to insult anyone, but it's not much difference than toddlers playing with huge lego blocks and as they get older they progress to the smaller ones.

Plywood can be used structurally for furniture. It does take some skill not to staple or screw threw the side of it. A Kreg jig can aid newbies in eliminating that problem. The difference in weight between plywood and 2x4's would be negligible but plywood will give you a more finished/refined look.

I encourage anyone to grab a few tools and build what they can with any materials they can. The self satisfaction from doing it yourself will go far beyond what materials you chose to do it with.

My Mom still has the first bookcase I made on my own when I was 8 years old. It's a sad looking bookcase, but it's going on 28 years old so can't say it didn't serve it's purpose. Nothing more than some 1x12 boards cut with a jigsaw and put together with drywall screws.

 

[rvpopeye]

An easy quick way to get something useful is milk crates and tie wraps !


ERLH
Now you're making me feel old ,,,,you had drywall screws when you were 8 !

 

[Headache]

There's one more reason to consider 2x4s: if you are a fat ass like I am a well placed 2x4 is the difference between your furniture collapsing or not!

I've made a storage platform bed out of a used bookcase. I just laid the bookcase on it's back, reinforced the center with 2x4s and then cut 2 pieces of 1/2" plywood as the platform for the mattress and another that was about 5" wide and as long as the bookcase. I screwed down the long piece on one side of the bookcase then attached the 2 storage platform pieces with hinges onto the long piece of plywood. The long piece was so when I lifted the mattress up it had a place to set so I could lift up either door and get to the junk I stored in the bed.

One could make something similar with a skinnier bookcase with a support slide out and a flexible mattress. Slide the support out and lay the mattress flat when sleeping then slide it back in for a couch when sitting. You'd just have to make sure you attached the slide so you can still lift it to get to your storage.

Disclaimer: I'm not near as skilled with power tools as these folks. YMMV