Favorite class

I'm not sure if this would necessarily shock some of you - but one of my all-time favorite classes EVER was 8th grade shop class.  (for those of you who went to school with me and can't remember if I was in school with you in 8th grade - I probably wasn't.  I went to school in WV the last part of 6th grade through 8th grade there.)

I don't know if shop class was a requirement for you in school but it was for us.  And I still have my shelf I made in class!! ....unlike the madras shorts I had to make in Home Ec...  and even if I did still have them I probably wouldn't be able to get them up past my knees...  However, a shelf is always usable!  Which is one reason I think I have continued to be interested in DIY projects over the years.  ...as opposed to sewing.  even though I actually do own a sewing machine.  But I digress.

Up until now all of my project have been of the DIY variety.  Tile floors, painting walls, installing new trim, ceiling fans, cabinets, lighting fixtures, etc.  The only thing truly "made" was the inset bookshelves that dad and the hubby built our first Christmas we were married.  But I didn't help with that project.  It was, I suppose, a father-in-law/ son-in-law "bonding experience" project.  Alas, I was not asked to help.  I suppose the hubby made new shed doors.  But he boldly declared he was going to make them and who am I to get in his way??

I don't know if you're the same as me but I notice that if I don't purchase something myself I really never learn to use it properly.  For example, a month or so ago I got a Driod phone.  The hubby already has the exact same phone.  Even when I tried to learn on my own it really didn't happen that way because 1) if I had a question I asked the hubby as opposed to figuring it out on my own and 2) he didn't really explain a lot - he just grabbed it, did what I was asking and handed it back.  Therefore I really didn't learn.  He just did it for me. 

This is a problem.  Because now I don't know myself.  See the dilemma??

This is the same with our power tools.  I used to know my way around lots of tools.  Still do.  But there are a few that the hubby bought and has been overly protective of them since the purchase. (I don't think he means too at all.  I doubt he even realizes it.  Maybe it's not a matter of being overprotective but actually being greedy with them.  Every time one has to be used he insists he do it...)  For that reason we have a tool or two that I'm not familiar with and would like to became better acquainted.  By myself.  That's the only way I can really learn.

So I'm making a Murphy bed. 

I would say "by myself" but that isn't exactly true.  It's damn near impossible to cut out shapes from a 4 x 8 foot piece of plywood by ones' self.  So I had to enlist the help of the hubby to get my pieces cut.  Hopefully that's all the help I need.  Because I really want to make this myself.  Not that I think the hubby wouldn't do a good job.  Just the opposite.  He'd do a great job!  It'd be to EXACT specifications, would take 14 months to complete and I wouldn't have had a hand in any of it.  Because we don't "share" projects well.  It would be "his" project.  And that's not the point.  I want it to be "my" project.  So if it looks good then I did a great job.  And if it looks shitty.... well, then I guess I'm not as good as I'd hoped I'd be.

So, how am I going to build a Murphy bed?  Do you even know what a Murphy bed is??

A Murphy bed is sometimes referred to as a wall bed.  You pull it out from the wall.  Mine, however, is not going to be "inside" the wall.  A Murphy bed is just attached to the wall.  You pull it down and TA DA!  A bed.  This will be for our guest room.

If you try and buy one of these beds already constructed it will cost you over $2000.  (now do you see why I'm going this myself??)  I found a company online that will sell you a kit that contains all the hardware you need (including the pistons) and detailed instructions on how to make your own Murphy bed.  The kit was $300.  Not only does it have instructions but also a DVD.  So unless you cut or measure wrong (which is a real possibility) it's dummy proof.  (and I will NEVER admit that I said that if I run into problems with this build later down the road....)

So, one trip to Home Depot, 3 trips to Lowe's, a new circular saw and $300 of lumber later I'm on my way.  I've cut all my pieces and made my frame. 

Sorry but the only open place to lean it up in the garage was against the shelves with the recycling and other miscellaneous "stuff" on them. 

I'm on a short hiatus until next week.  Tonight I have a dinner I have to go to and tomorrow I have to run an errand about 45 minutes up the road.  Then the hubby and I are off to a family wedding in Maine.  But I'll be back to work next week.  I'll keep you posted on how it goes.  I don't think any of you reading this are probably into making stuff with wood and power tools but it's what I'm doing so I'll tell you about it.  And I'm sure this won't go smoothly.  It can't.  There's bound to be hiccups I'm sure that'll be noteworthy, if at least not funny. 

But if I stop blogging all together then worry that I've cut off something with a power tool and am in the hospital.  (just kidding...  even a finger I'm sure they could stitch back on and send me on my way within a few hours.)