TAMING MATERIALS COSTS

One woodworker's solution for minimizing expenses.

SHOP OWNER: Stephen Yale

LOCATION: Southport, CT

I built this sideboard from some 2x4s and the slats from my grandson's crib. I wanted to construct a piece for minimal cost by using existing material. I dimensioned the 2x4s by first ripping them to size on the tablesaw and then running them through the surface planer. The slats from the crib, which I would use for the top of the sideboard, also went through the surface planer to square them up and remove the finish.

All of the joints are mortise and tenon. I had just purchased a new hollow chisel mortising machine and this provided a good chance to try it out. The unit has forty-two mortise and tenon joints and the mortiser works great.

The shelves are birch-veneered plywood set into a 1/4" rabbet. Because of the mortise and tenon joints, assembly was easy. I stained the unit with Minwax cherry stain and then sealed with Minwax wipe-on polyurethane. As the photos show, it now sits in our hallway.