# DIY and Hobby projects, small to big. Pictures of course

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-and-hobby-projects-small-to-big-pictures-of-course/957910>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** arts-crafts, tools-electric-diy\
**Created:** [January 17, 2022, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-and-hobby-projects-small-to-big-pictures-of-course/957910 "2022-01-17T00:50:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 326

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2023, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-and-hobby-projects-small-to-big-pictures-of-course/957910/326 "2023-05-20T00:22:08Z")

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Well, the hardware store was a big help. They didn’t have a right-size router bit, and their wood selection was lacking. (And the ‘kid’ ‘helping’ me was pretty much slacking.) Here are the dimensions:

Mortises: 7/16 x 2⅜.  
Face boards: 2⅜ x 11/16 x 60  
Crosspieces/Leg ends: ⅞ x 2⅜ x 17½.  
Slats: ¾ x 1½ x 60

They had some hemlock that was just about the right width for the face boards. I think they were like 2½ instead of 2⅜. I could live with that, as long as the tops are even with the slats. The wood for the crosspieces and the leg ends was 7/16 thick, and a little wider than original. I could deal with that, too. The wood for the slats? Yes, they had ¾-inch thick pieces; but they were about ⅜ inch too wide. Coincidentally, the spacing between the slats on the original table is ⅜ inch. So if I used those, my slat table wouldn’t have any spaces between the slats – unless I increased the width. Could do, but I’d like to try to keep the dimensions as close as possible to the original. (Besides, it’s been a long day. Ten slats plus 11 x ⅜ inch spacing = ?-inch crosspieces. I don’t know the width of the wood at the hardware store. 1 inch? 1⅛? Then, how long are the crosspieces? No energy to do the math right now.)

In other words, it was a bust. If I don’t go down to Olympia tomorrow, I’ll try Home Despot. I asked the lumber kid at the hardware store if there are any lumber yards around, and he could only suggest Home Depo or Lowe’s, so…

Incidentally, I mentioned the ‘leg ends’. I’d assumed the legs were put on the original with hanger bolts and discs. Turns out they’re screwed into a piece of wood that screws onto the crosspieces. Much simpler – and cheaper – solution than hanger bolts and mounting discs.

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