the circular saw project, part 1

when i moved the kids' bluebonnet pictures from the foyer to the living room, it left a big gap on the wall in the foyer. 

it didn't take me long to think of what i wanted to put there!

i've seen lots of stuff made with pallets on various blogs that i read.  i had a pallet out in the garage that i'd been saving for a project someday.  i knew immediately that i wanted to build a shelf to hang in that empty spot.

the circular saw left with the ex-husband -- it should have stayed since i used it more than he did!!! --so i found me a man with a circular saw & we made plans to cut some wood one day.  well, that day finally arrived this past weekend.


first, you get yourself a pallet.  i got this one at church.  the flooring we put in the pastor's office came on it.  it's a little "new" looking, but i'll fix that!

then you get yourself a man with a circular saw.  i got this one at church too!  (i love my church!!)




then you be sure to have your camera handy & inform him that you'll be taking lots of pictures for your blog!!!!  (i think i saw him roll his eyes at this comment, but he was a very good sport about it!!!)


we had to pry off some of the pieces of wood off the back because we needed a piece for the bottom & i wanted to fill in one of the empty spaces. 

we started to pry them up with my "girly" hammer, but the wood started to split at some of the nails.

so we used a heavy trailer hitch thing that he had in the back of his truck. why he had an extra hitch, i'll never know, but it sure came in handy!!

we re-used the nails, so this shelf is 100% original pallet.  nothing added.

we removed that bottom piece that was busted & replaced it with another slat.

(i say "we", but it was "he".  i was busy taking pictures!!)


the cutting begins!

i'm holding the end of this pallet with one hand & taking pictures with the other!  i can multi-task!!!!

trimming off a little bit of one board so it'll fit in the gap

he's really good with that saw -- he even adjusted the angle plate thingy (technical term!)  for different cuts!

drilling holes to hang it.  that's MY drill.  he likes my drill & drill bit collection.  he said i have a "powerful, manly drill" -- ha!  silly boy!!!

and here's the finished shelf!

the middle piece broke, but i "dingged it up" so it looks like it's supposed to be that way & i rather like it better this way than with all 3 pieces  being pointy.   i LOVE the bottom front with the knick broken out of it & the knots on the piece we added & the knicks in the top piece!!!  adds a lot of "character"!


it was so easy, we decided to use the other end of the pallet & make another one!  and since we knew what we were doing at this point, the 2nd one went together in no time at all!

this time the end piece broke off!!  i'm going to glue it on though.


i could have done this project all by myself & all i intended for him to have to do was let me borrow his saw.  but he offered to cut the wood, so i let him & then he just took over the project!  he seemed like he was having a good time, so i let him!!  i got to hold the wood & take lots of pictures & it was fun.  and i must admit, it was nice having his muscles pry that wood apart & nail it back together.  we finished 2 shelves in less time than it would have taken me to do one & i didn't mess any of it up!!

it was my job to stain it.  i had just enough in this little can to do one shelf.  this can of stain definitely wasn't like the "widow's oil black paint" that i used for the whole-house-furniture-makeover!   i need to go buy another can to do the other shelf.

i'll show you the finished product tomorrow!!!!!  it's beautiful!!!  i can't stop looking at it!!!

i'm so blessed!!!!!


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