Day One: A Slow Start

     Today went a little differently than I imagined it: Instead of jumping right in to building bunk beds, I spent the morning setting up this blog and assembling my new folding workbench (Black & Decker) and table saw (Ryobi). The best part of the morning was when I discovered that I would have to remove my basement door to bring the saw outside. Yes, that was certainly awesome.

     Initially, the plan for the day was to cut and sand the frame of the bottom bunk, after a trip to buy some stain, glue, and screws. But after over a week of anticipation I was so damned eager to start working with the wood that I quickly decided to go to the store after cutting and sanding...which never actually happened. The sanding took so long that I only had time to clean up before it was time to make supper.

     Maxwell and Arlene hung out in the back yard with me all afternoon, and Maxwell was (of course) VERY interested in everything I was doing, and was mimicking everything that I would let him. Although it slowed me down a fair bit, it was pretty darned cute, right up until I had to go to the bathroom, at which point he made a beeline for the scrap wood and grabbed a length of 2x4 and ran with it over to the miter saw! Of course, I unplugged it before I left it alone and locked the blade down, and Arlene was there, too. Proof positive that (a) it's safety first where kids are concerned and all safety measures and precautions should be taken, and (b) Maxwell is going to give me a heart attack, that little bastard.

    Another reason so little was accomplished today was because I was sanding, like, FOREVER! I'm sanding all six edges on every piece of wood, and while the 2x4's went pretty quickly, the cedar 1x6's took forever. Partly due to the fact that I paid $9 for an 8' rough finish plank, rather than $36 for the same length finished on both sides, and partly due to the fact that I foolishly used 120 grit paper right off the hop, rather than starting with 80 grit. I realized this when I was 3/4 through the very last piece of cedar, and when I switched to 80 grit for the last bit I swear I was going more than 3 times as fast! Oh well, live and learn (or live and remember, as is the case here) and it was a beautiful day to spend in the yard.

     This is what I've got done so far :
-2x4 x 47 1/4" (x2)
-2x4 x 81" (x2)
-1x6 x 47 1/4" (x2)
-1x6 x 81" (x2)

     Despite my meager progress, somebody is excited to have bunk beds!