New granddaughter is here! Changing table/dresser delivered!

Al Navas

Member
Messages
147
Location
Between St Joseph and Savannah, MO
..
.:D THANKS FOR LOOKING!!!


Super gloat of the year for us - our fifth granddaughter was born a whole week early! She just could not wait until I finished this project, which would have been late, anyway. This one is for Rita Anne, just one week old. She weighed 8 lbs., 7 ounces - our daughter and her new baby are doing GREAT.

Many of you already saw, and also provided very nice comments elsewhere on this changing table/dresser combination project, in this earlier thread.

Quick background for this project:

I want to make a new changing table that can later be used as a chest-of-drawers with shelves on the side. Why waste the effort if the unit would be used only a few months at best?
yellowyes.gif


Design: Based on a Wood Magazine project plan -
1. It must be 42 inches tall, to near elbow height for our daughter.
2. Around 20 inches deep.
3. Around 50 inches long. The top will be attached to allow it to float on the top board, to allow for expansion.
4. Incorporate at least three, and possibly four drawers, around 30 inches wide, on full extensions slides mounted on the sides.
5. Have at least two adjustable shelves.
6. Light color wood, as daughter hates dark woods.
7. The finish should be easily redone, as it is known that some damage will take place. ==>> Waterlox.
8. Use solid wood all the way around. ==>> QS sycamore! Had to order some, to make the drawers - hope it will be here soon... In the meantime, using flat-sawn for the boxes, but the fronts will be QS.
9. Dovetail construction for the main box - tails showing on the side panels; sliding dovetail for the vertical divider.
10. Depending on how well things go, the final dimensions should be close to those given above
yellowlaugh.gif
yellowlaugh.gif
.

This whole thing started with the Wood Magazine changing table project that appeared in the Dec. 2006 / January 2007 issue. I made modifications per this sketch:

Changingtable.jpg


To continue with the project:

Dry fit of the false drawer fronts, two different views - I was puzzled about the gap between the top drawer and the one just below it. It turns out that the grain played games on me, and it resulted in an optical illusion:

Changingtabledryfit.jpg


Changingtabledryfit-2.jpg


I applied six coats of Waterlox Original, tried on the drawers for fit on the full-extension slides, dry-fit the top, and played around with the spindle railing that is supposed to keep baby things from falling as Rita Anne is being changed. Note that at this stage I have already changed the base to an inset plinth, with no openings around it - to totally eliminate things from rolling under the table/dresser:

Changingtable-Waterloxandtopon.jpg


After buffing the Waterlox finish with 0000 steel wool a baby butt smooth finish, the table/dresser is ready for delivery. All drawer pulls are placed 2.5 inches from the top edge, and centered, in an effort to minimize racking of the wide drawers:

Changingtable-readyfordelivery.jpg


The table/dresser in place at the old family farm house, where our daughter and her wonderful family live:

Changingtable-DELIVERED.jpg


A detail photo - the baskets in their place on the dresser, and the new, made-to-spec mattress. Our daughter had the other girls at ballet lessons, and her hubby and I sneaked in the finished project :D .
Changingtable-DELIVERED-BASKETS.jpg


Once again, THANKS FOR LOOKING! This was such a fun project for a very special granddaughter - number FIVE!!! :D

.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Way to go Al, that is one nice job you have done, I know it will get a lot of use, and be VERY appreciated as everything will be in one place and at hand.

VERY nice!!

Cheers!
 
Stuart, thanks a bunch! Our daughter already thinks this was a great gift. If it holds up, it will have proven itself...

Sam, thanks! It was fun to make.

Jerry, granddaughters ARE the best gift gift. Of course, daughters are too - things just get better after they turn 32 or so:rofl: .

Thanks to all for looking!


.
 
Top