| Over the years I have used wood in a variety of | | | | natural wooden toys I have made. OK there has only |
| DIY projects in my home. My very first was quite | | | | been two so far but it is a start. The first of the |
| basic and meant me taking up the majority of the | | | | natural wooden toys I made was a nineteen |
| floor boards in the upstairs rooms and landing and | | | | hundreds shop with shop counter to the ground floor |
| replacing with brand new. Why? you may ask. It | | | | and living accommodation to the first. The front was |
| wasn't something I should have had to do but | | | | made to look like the front of a shop with a little |
| because the central heating pipes were not laid deep | | | | opening door and shop window, as well as the large |
| enough the floor boards would cause a ringing noise | | | | door to access the whole shop. There were little |
| on the copper pipes as you walked over them. So | | | | lights and furniture, the shop owner, his wife and kids. |
| not only did I have to lay new ones I also had to cut | | | | My daughter still plays with it in her bedroom and |
| channels underneath them so as not to rub on the | | | | looking at its condition when she grows up her kids |
| copper pipes. Now that was a chore. | | | | will be playing with it too. |
| My next project was much more enjoyable. I would | | | | My second but I hope not last of the kids wooden |
| be taking down the old painted paneled banister rail | | | | toys that I made was a hobby horse. With the head |
| and renewing it with wooden hand rail and spindles, | | | | cut by using a template as a guide, the wood was |
| then finishing with stain and varnish. I also had to | | | | about 1 1/2 inches thick so all I needed to do was |
| remove the paint from some of the old hand rail, | | | | cut the profile then sand it to a fine finish. Before |
| sand, stain and then varnish that too. It all came to | | | | varnishing I bored a hole where its neck finished so I |
| fruition within about three weeks and I was very | | | | could put the pole with handle into it after gluing. |
| proud of my handy work when friends and relatives | | | | Even with this basic design it looked very professional |
| came to visit commenting on how lovely it was, | | | | and the kids still play with it to this day. |
| especially when they would ask for the builders | | | | If you think some of the wood working projects I |
| name. | | | | have done could be beneficial for you just browse |
| Now the ultimate and I would class this more of a | | | | the web sites on the internet as there a lots where |
| hobby than DIY work on the house, would be the | | | | you can get plans from for similar types of projects. |