Last week I came up with the plans for what I thought was going to be the perfect little console table for the corner of my living room. After a trip to the hardware store, I spent an afternoon excitedly putting together my design. And when I was finished ... it was a big, fat FAIL!
The table pictured above may not look like a complete failure but it is in fact a rickety, bow-legged mess. At first I was absolutely crestfallen — not only because I was forced back to the drawing board, but also because I had planned on blogging about my new super-cute DIY table this week! Double fail!
I went into the project with complete confidence. After Building DIY Plumbing Pipe Shelves in My Dining Room, I was confident I could build a table using the same supplies. So I drew up plans, took my list to the hardware store, picked up my supplies, and dived right into my project. It wasn't until I started putting the table together than I realized the table legs would need cross braces to make it sturdy. D'oh! I finished putting the table together anyway (hello, glutton for punishment much?) and then stood it in the corner and cursed at it for a few minutes.
So then what? It's kind of like falling off a horse — you just have to get right back on! I've gone back to the drawing board and put together a new design. Luckily, the plumbing pipes I purchased for this table are a standard size so I'll be able to exchange them for the supplies I'll need for console table version 2.0.
(Image: Jason Loper)
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Hair pin legs to the rescue?
A shelf would be adorable there, maybe with hooks underneath.
it happens.You might end up liking version 2.0 even better :)
haha Glad my DIY project not ended up like this or I would have some really strange walls ;)
Everything DIY I've ever tried has been a disaster, which is why I'm never even think about doing it myself anymore.
So if I had been doing this project I wouldn't have had a plan or a list and, as a result, I would have had to make several trips to the hardware store and tears would have been the end result. So a applaud your efforts and hope that you can take solace in the fact that you handled it better than me.
I can't type today either. I refuse to consider anymore DIY projects. Catastrophic. Always.
It won't just require cross-bracing. It's too tall with too skinny of a base. You'll either need to anchor it into the wall or you'll need to add weight to the feet.
I have found that it is easy to "hit the wall" when working on DIY projects, getting caught up in a mistake and coming to the conclusion that all of your hard work was for nothing. On the other hand, I have also found that it only takes one small idea, and suddenly your project is alive and well, and has regained all of the precious potential that it had when you first envisioned it. Although this enables a lot of procrastination in my own life, sometimes it is best leave a project alone until you can find that perfect inspiration to take the next step towards completion.
yes, anchor it to the wall. i think a small version of your pipe shelves project would look great here!
Why not cut those pipes half way down and put a "T" connector in to brace the legs? There's always a solution - just not the one you might expect. I'm an artist, my hubby is an engineer. I design, and he "makes it right." We are a great DIY team.
I'm still reeling from coating my freshly-white painted tile (a DIY job) with a generous coat of polyurethane. Ugh, it was a rookie mistake. DIY dark side pictures here: http://www.gohausgo.com/2011/08/rookie-mistake/
I've totally been there . . . this weekend, in fact. But when you finally get it right it's that much sweeter!
The big round fail stamp is "fail". Makes it too hard to see your project.
That aside, those hardware store bought legs and mounts generally don't work too well.
I can relate ...
I have just painted a few old wooden crates to hang on a wall. I haven't installed them yet because they look so bad on that particular wall and any other wall in my house. Simply too big.
I'm sure version 2 will be better! An alternative would be to only use 2 front legs and screw the wood top to the wall with small "L" brackets (recessed from side edges and painted wall color to disappear).
Just so you know for a future design, with legs at that height without a taper you need a stretcher to stabilize the legs. This could be 'I" shaped, an "x", etc.
ikea has amazing wall mounted shelves that would give you a floating effect, and you could paint it the same color of the wall... Have used this multiple times this trick in several situations and it works as a charm. I think they are only 8" deep. the bracket hides inside the shelf, so can not see - the name fails me
LACK - they are 10 inch in depth and come in various lenghts.
When making furniture, having everything turn out straight and even is the hardest part. Being off by the *tiniest* margin can screw everything up.
It's why I won't get a final cut on wood at Home Depot or Lowe's - they never cut exactly enough.
I know what's it like to do something which turns out not exactly how you pictured it in your mind. I never give up tho :)
But you did a beautiful job on your wall stencil. WALL STENCIL WIN. :)
cross braces will look terrific, I think. be sure to share your results!
I would get rid of the the two legs closest to the wall and achor the top to the wall. There used to be a similar table at DWR.
Part of the fun of creating new pieces of furniture or any project is the trial and error part. Who knows what you can discover. However, when a project fails, sometimes it's hard not to give up and move on. I am glad it didn't deter you from continuing!
i'm still working on my DIY project of remodeling my 1920s bungalow... after a year (and counting!) i still suffer trials and tribulations... and wonder if it will ever end...
when is AT going to come to the rescue of DIY projects gone astray?
please sign me up!
A for effort. Insert quote about Thomas Edison and 10,000 things that are not lightbulbs. :o)
In my experience, it takes many tweaks and revisions to actually solve a design problem. Best not to worry about the timeline, but just to revise details until the project works. It always takes much more time that I had thought it would, but I don't think I've ever had a "failure." (And it does help to step away from it frequently.)
This looks like a mistake I would have made. I'm great at "re-doing" but not so much at actual building, plus, I don't have the patience!
It's great that they posted about the fact that things don't always go according to plan. It would be great if they would publish some "how to get it right"s.
I have had my fair share of DIY fails but I won't rest until my diy projects are all complete!
DIY is fun and 'long-lasting' if you are really really good. Otherwise should just leave it to the professionals.( I am re-doing my apartment now, with serious help from professionals.) But, then, this is India, carpenters / plumbers / masons are cheap. And, I guess, here , we'd rather get help than do it ourselves. Looks good, lasts longer , no complaints :)
"DIY" is fixing a broken leg on an old table you love, rather than finding a restorer. What this post describes is "furniture design and construction." Surprise - you're not a furniture designer!
Actually Arkay, DIY (do it yourself) and can apply to anything you do yourself vs paying someone else to do, including furniture design and construction.
Why not use the same T-cross bracing hardware used on your shelving unit midway down the legs to add the stability you need?
I'm with JMarsh, umpteen trips to the hardware store until I figure out something that works. I don't usually resort to tears when frustrated but have been known to cuss a blue streak at inanimate objects. The guys at the local hardware store know me pretty well by now.
Could you turn it into a shelved piece? Do the same thing, but half the legs and attach another topper to the bottom, then add one to the top using the remainder of the legs.