I decided to see if I wanted an outside staircase on the Weaver's workshop or not.
We took the kit out. Cut the plastic shrink wrap and pulled out the directions.
The very first sentence of the directions is, "Label all parts in light pencil before removing from the sheet.
What would you do? I very carefully removed the plastic shrink wrap. I had to lift it off of the work surface to get the back off....Oops!
See all of those pieces that Tessie has in hand?
Those very neatly dropped off of the bottom sheet and into a messy pile. I think that Greenleaf should put a warning sign before they tell you to label the pieces....Like "Do not remove the plastic wrap!"
Most irritating development.
Of course the ones that you use first are the pieces that make up the corner posts. It tells me to stick three of them together...(warped) I did the old dots of glue trick. Instead of a line of glue down the strips, that would warp them worse, I put dots about an inch apart.
Then I found a square corner to clamp them to. Unfortunately the gluing jig is too short. My lap table works just fine.
I have all six posts(18 pieces) glued and forced into straightness. Between Tessie and I, we squeezed them into submission.
Whilst they are drying, we are going back to see if we can identify about 15 pieces of wood that are somewhat similar and were stuck to one another. When they dropped out, they left one big hole....It is not going to be like a jigsaw puzzle, where you have clues with little tabs.
Like I said, this could take a while. Hopefully we will figure it out before tomorrow and have a finished staircase for you to see.
As usual, I can't leave well enough alone. It may end up being a completely different staircase than the one in the illustration. Wish us luck!
See you tomorrow.
4 comments:
I'm sorry, I had to laugh, Casey. Not at you, but WITH you. I have been there and done that more than once. Initially it was shocking, then it became disheartening. Playing pick-up-sticks was not the plan! After a while, don't those strips all sort of begin to l@@k alike? I think the "architect" was so busy figuring out how to get as many of the pieces onto the existing sheet of plywood, that he/she FORGOT that once the sheets are stamped out they are no longer just "lines on a paper." Duh! The other thing that they forgot is the nature of wood...it tends to follow the grain lines not the stamped lines. For me, often the veneer decides to stay with the original piece of plywood, leaving me with some mighty nasty l@@king gaps. Yes, yes, I know, it is my own fault, as I am generally in far too much of a hurry to get on with the task at hand, that my mind lapses, and I forget to run the craft knife down each of the seams SECOND, before attempting to separate them. [FIRST was reserved for "labeling," remember? LOL] This second little "step" does go a long way in preventing the veneer from splintering. I think most of us have had our trials and tribulations with kits. [Learn from our mistakes neophytes! It will save you from gnashing your teeth, tearing your hair out and saying things that ought not be said.] But alas, the finished product is always well worth the effort, less the frustration, right, Casey? : )
I think I have this very same staircase!? I ended up with lots of little sticks, labeled of course, in a coffee cup! That's where they are now. Have been for months!
Can't wait to watch you build this. If and when I get around to doing mine, maybe you will have worked out the puzzle? :D
Mini, this one was lasar cut. No splinters at least, but very clean cuts. So if you want them to start together....Nope.
Kathi, for what I have in mind, I don't think that this is going to be anything like the original plan if I use it. Follow along and see what happens...
a veces la impaciencia por comenzar algo nuevo nos juega malas pasadas , pero tenemos la suerte de tener inventiva para resolver los pequeños retos que esto supone , seguro que con Tessy lograras montar la escalera finalmente
besitos
Mari
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