Alright. It’s been a busy month. I smashed out 16 board and batten shutters and an ash table top for the new Piatto at the causeway (I got the contract! They liked it so much they asked me to build them a counter top, too!!). I am pleased with how they both turned out. I always get nervous before a build but with every build my skills are getting better! I’ll post a how-to build for each build below.
In other news, I’m excited to say I’m making headway with my new shop plans!! I’m pumped to start this and it could happen as soon as August. Fingers crossed!! I also got a new job. Some of you may know I’ve been a resource teacher at Morell High and Mt. Stewart Consolidated for the last 8 years. I really enjoyed my time at these two schools but I accepted a new position at Glen Stewart Elementary teaching grade 2 and 3 resource! I am beyond excited to be teaching at a school where my daughter will go. Once she finishes at Glen Stewart, I’ll transfer to her next school, then her next school and so on. That’s okay to do, right?! But I am looking forward to my new position! Interesting fact– I was in resource from grades 1-12. Six of those years were at Glen Stewart. I’m going back to where it all started!
Lets get into the builds. We’ll start with the shutters
How to build board and batten shutters
I built 8 sets of shutters. First, I measured each set and clamped them together so they would all be an identical length.Some shutters were bigger than others. Some windows are larger than others.I put my chamfer bit in the router table and took the sharp edges off to give it a little detail.Oh man, the concentration!Like so.Next, I got a couple gallons of black paint and went to town. I put 5 coats on. Shortly after this picture was taken, my elbow hit the can,sending the paint can tumbling to the garage floor. I then decided it was a good time to paint our garage floor black lol. Oh baby, great form!I ripped the cross pieces down to 2 1/2 inches. (Note the saw, and pretty nice bum if you zoom in)I made a little jig and used paint sticks to evenly space out the boards. I glued and brad nailed them in place first.I then flipped them over and screwed them from the back. You won’t see these screws as this side will be against the house.Me hanging with shutters.A few more coats and there you have it. Shutters!If you noticed the saw I was using in the picture above, you’ll see that this is a new one!!! This saw was once my grandfather’s, who gave it to my father, who then mentioned I could have it once I built my shop. He then said I could take it anytime. About 10 minutes after he told me this, I had it in my garage. I absolutely love my new saw!!! It is a beast and I’m proud that it’s mine!!
Alright, you all know how to build shutters now. I can’t wait to see you all make these wooden shutters.
Lets jump right into the next build. This table top is solid ash. It weights 6589 pounds and it is awesome!! I can’t wait to head to Piatto and eat some pizza on their new custom built table!!
How to build a table top
I ordered the Ash from Royalty Hardwoods in Pools Corner.Isn’t it beautiful?!!!I just happened to pick them up on a day where it rained like a mother f*cker. Thankfully, I had a tarp that kept most of the water out! (Pretty happy I bought this trailer off Kijiji)Unfortunately, one board got soaked. I put it in the boiler room at school to dry out.I cut all my boards to a little over 10 feet long, making sure to cut out any bad parts of the wood.I test fitted before glue up. I built this at school because there is more room and better clamps!! Plus, I had my mentor keeping an eye on me.I used biscuits to help me align the board for glue up. This just helps keep everything level and straight.
Mr. Roger Kelly. I will miss him. Not sure what he is doing here. Probably forwarding a chain letter or a joke to someone.I put it back in the trailer after glue up and brought it home. Doesn’t that grain look killer?!!Next, I squared off the edgesLike soI sanded the top using 80 grit paper, then took a damp rag and rubbed it into the table top. The water raises the grain and then I sanded it again at 150, then 220. It was some smoooooth!They wanted it to look weathered and white so I thought I’d first stain in grey!Once I did that, I thought it was looking pretty awesome!Next, I figured I’d put a little white wash on top to really give it a weathered look.Like soJesus mother of a duck, it turned the table top blue!!! Not good Jim, not good!So I had to sand the bastard back down and start again.But once I sanded it, the stain left some cool marks in the grain and I just went with it! I put 7 coats of polycrylic on both sides.I busted out my palm router and rounded over the sharp corners.
Voila
Oh yeah. I built a cutting board for a colleague I’m going to miss next year!I also built this for my mother’s birthday and Father’s Day. Two for one. Get them while they’re hot!
Alright. Two big builds. One big post. For those who have read this, which I think 85% are my Mom’s friends or the parents of my childhood friends/teammates, thank you for making it to the bottom, and thanks again for the great support! It’s awesome!! Up next, I have a maple kitchen table to start (possibly two), and I’m doing a mock up for the beer tap handles. I’ll submit that to my client and hopefully they’ll think they are awesome and I’ll get that contract!! I’ll be starting to build my shop real soon too! I met with my contractor Saturday morning to go over what I need to do. I’m not sure if he knows he’s my contractor yet (lol) but hopefully he tells me what to do and I’ll just listen to his directions. It’s actually my friends father. Awesome dude!
by 
Voila
juddy judson builds 
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