Thursday, October 11, 2012

The TV console that took two weeks to assemble

Well, that headline is a little misleading.  I started assembling this a little over two weeks ago.  And when I had it all together, the bottom drawer just wouldn't slide in.  I finally determined the rail was faulty and called and ordered a replacement which arrived today.  So here is the project that didn't really take two weeks.  Just three evenings separated by two weeks.

The hard step: Attach two sides to four different pieces of wood at once using cam locks and wood pegs. Nine pegs to line up on each side.   This step took a lot of patience.  Luckily I'm long on that commodity.
The first side was easy. But the second side was oh so tricky trying to keep all four unruly pieces of wood in place so as to slide all nine pegs into their proper holes. My struggle was interrupted by a long phone call from a friend, which relaxed me enough that everything just went together on the next try.  So far so good.

The basic cabinet was done. I decided to wait until the next evening to do the top and the drawers. I thought nothing would be as hard as those sides were.  But the drawers turned out to be a demon.  Well, one drawer anyway and just one side.  It just wouldn't slide in. 
I finally determined the rail was faulty.  I gave up until I could get a replacement rail.  When I examined the replacements (they sent me a pair), it took me a bit to figure out they had sent the complete assembly with drawer side and cabinet side.  I got the piece I needed and studied the job.  I wasn't sure how hard this was going to be as the rails had been factory installed and I had not had to attach them originally. But it was not hard at all--just four small screws. Easy out with my power drill.  Easy back in--carefully screwing in by hand.  And then the drawer slid in like a charm.   
So the TV console is finished. No more furniture assembly remaining to do.  No more construction.  Even the final inspection is over.  The place is ready for me to move in. I can finally put this room together.  Pictures soon of the completed remodel.

4 comments:

Hawk's Perspective said...

Items like that should be custom made. You need to find a proper carpenter to provide you with something that pleases you without requiring you to handle it so much.

Bekkieann said...

You are so right, I really need such a guy. Maybe I'll place an advertisement and see what I get.

troutbirder said...

I'd offer my services but unfortunately when it comes to mechanical and fixing things am a total klutz. My rule is that if the directions for assemby are more tha one page long I won't buy it... I don't care much either if there are more than a few pages in a foreign language I can't read either...

Bekkieann said...

I think it's genetic, TB. My dad was a fixer of all things. I inherited some mechanical leanings from him, and all my kids seem to have inherited it from me. People think I'm crazy, but I rather like projects like this.