Another Christmas gift

Each year my family draws names for a gift exchange. This year I drew my dad! I knew right away that I wanted to make him something with my own two hands. At first I thought he would like a new bench (since his one outside his back door finally rotted and met it's death upon his burn pile). But then I found a plan from Ana White for a Lap Desk. My dad currently keeps a large particle type board by his chair to use at meal time or to hold his reading matterial so I thought his would be a perfect fit for him. I didn't really modify Ana's plans at all except for the use of a few pocket screws so I could use my new jig. This was the project that I first did with my newest tool. I did chose to exclude the side storage. I am hoping this will be slended enough to fit in his lap while sitting in his recliner, otherwise I guess he'll have to start sitting on the sofa.

Now, my dad is fond of wood in it's natural state so I only applied a tung oil finish to help with durability. As with my previous post about the chair, I am not happy with how the wood filler looks and if this were for myself (which I might just end up making one to keep) I would have painted it.

So here it is! What do you think? Not bad for one evening worth of work, I think! 

Merry Christmas!

I promise I did not forget you dear blog of mine. I've just been REALLY busy! Last Tuesday B (my husband) informed me that I would be making a chair for his co-worker. We had talked about it, thought about plans, price, what not... he didn't just "inform" me the way I just made that sound, lol. This co-worker really wanted it done by Christmas and I didn't think there was any hope for that (with only 1.5 weeks before Christmas, a full weekend with no time for wood, and the little fact that I had never built a chair before!). BUT I actually pulled it off!  I put the finishing touches on last night, exactly one week from when I started it (insert big proud grin HERE)!

So, on to the details!! I gathered ideas and photos and kind of just did some work in my head. I can't draw or sketch or even write pretty, so all things stay in my head. I am crazy, madly obsessed with Ana White over at ana-white.com. The bulk of my "plan" came from this crazy mod Ana plan. While the style was not quite what I was going for, it led me in the right direction. But this was the chair that was my true inspiration!

Isn't that a beauty?! I found it online, "Amish made" for a mear $219!! Want to know my cost? $30!!

So here are my photo's of this little chairs journey :)!

My outline for my cuts. I made it taller than the Ana plan, going for a more traditional look, I think I did 22 1/2 inches from the bend.

Here are my cut legs. Look good huh? But let me tell you, there was a LOT of sanding to get them even and looking this good!

Here is the back all laid out and read for lots of screws and glue!

A little while later...

Close up of the insides!

TONS of pocket holes! Thanks Kreg Jig!

Now, my one complaint with this chair... the wood filled pocket holes don't match the rest of the wood and it drives me CRAZY. B swears it doesn't matter... but hey, it was my first chair. You live, build, and learn.

Danish Oil is dry and ready to deliver (oil has Medium Walnut stain built in).

And I think this guy will make a great little Christmas gift.

What do you think!!!??? I hope no one loves it and wants say... 12 of them (mother) because these bad boys are time consuming!