The Intranet Is A Series Of Tubes

As I mentioned in a previous post, the current cable situation is completely unacceptable.
Having cables running across a high traffic area is not a great idea, especially since it could result in pulling a projector off a high shelf.

Materials

Just a few pipe hangers, mounting brackets, threaded rod, and pvc piping.

Pipe Hangers are quite good when it comes to hanging pipes.

There's a lot going on.

The Process

Cut and paint the pipes to the appropriate lengths, factoring in the joints. I did about a 2" offset from the wall.

Not an ideal way to cut a pipe, but very effective.

Some bent wire makes for a good drying rack.

I wanted to avoid drilling into the ceiling, so I mounted it against the [Valance] instead.

The pipe hangers have a quick release. how convenient.

The Product

Hooks can hold more than just blinds.

Skate Deck Wall Mount

One part of skateboarding that I'm good at is appreciating the artwork. One of my talented sisters produced a deck and I wanted to mount it on my wall with a little style.


The idea is to have the board mounted out from the wall far enough that the curvature of the board doesn't touch the wall, but have it secure enough that the board won't rock (and it can support a floating frame).

Preliminary Work

The general idea

I decided to go with a modified french cleat. I staggered the cleats to ensure I had enough surface area to support the board from only the top two holes without losing stability

Revisions were necessary

The frame mount would also be attached at the top of the removable block, and would support the frame from the top-center position.

Materials

> Wood

> 2 square bend hooks

> A length of aluminum flat about 11" long

> Self leveling frame brackets (the same width as the flat)

> 2", 3" screws

> clamps, saw, grinder, drill, glue, tape measure, coffee

I'll make it work

The Process

The Mount

I offset two boards and cut them at about a 30 degrees, squared them up and screwed them together, adding another block for the mounting face.

I used a grinder to cut the hooks to the thickness of the board, beveled the edge to remove the sharp bits,  and screwed them into pilot holes in the mount face.

I added some non-slip matting for cushioning and... well... to stop things from slipping.

2 more screws, and it's up on the wall.

It's on the level

Phase one, complete

The Frame

I bent the aluminum flat into the frame support, drilled a hole in the bottom, and fastened it to the removable mounting block.

I used some primed moulding to glue a frame together. I used some filler to fix the seams and painted it. Add frame bracket to taste.

The Product

Add the board...

and a cherry on top.

Hanging Light Fixture Hack

My dining room light fixture left something to be desired.
It was a generic 2 bulb fixture with a glass cover. Since my kitchen table doubles as a work table, I wanted to get some more direct light.

how things used to be

Preliminary Work

The basic idea was to use the existing mount and add my own light in the least ugly way possible.

I figured I could use some thick wire to bend a frame with and hang the fixture from. I would need to use the available power, as well.

like a warm power cable hug

I thought it would be nice if the weight of the light itself helped suspend it above the table. By looping the wire around in a tight 1.5 turn helix, the added weight would enlongate the helix, decreasing the radius and adding pressure to the coiled wire held within!

Materials

Only a few simple items for this project. 

> Coat hanger

> Industrial hanging pot light 

> Light fixture to AC power adapter

> Pliers and a length of dowel or broom handle to bend the wire

The Process

Only a few steps to realize my dreams of concentrated illumination.
Placing the original threaded support rod a small loop at the top of the wire frame, I screwed the fitting reasonably tight.

Screw in the adapter, plug in the light, coil and hang the fixture.

done.

The Product

A nice spot to sit down to work!
BONUS: I believe I mentioned it was a 2 bulb fixture! with an extra adapter, you can plug in an extension cord to have power close by while you work! Just remember to have it suspended away from the light!

Custom Wall Shelving Part 2: The Projector Mount

After getting the shelves up, the next step is getting that digital projector to sit majestically atop the upper shelf.

After purchacing the projector (the BenQ W1070, in this case), I learned that the 'Lens Shift' adjustment is really only viable if your projector is on a ceiling mount. Seeing as I intend to use my projector right side up on a high shelf, I needed a way to angle the image downward. The simple solution is to angle the projector downwards.

Preliminary Work

My idea was to use 2 threaded rods to suspend a wooden board, so you can adjust the tilt as well as the angle so it would be easy to adjust the image on my wall.

the general idea

I was hoping to find some generic plastic feet with  a thread, but it was easier to find a bolt of the right length, so plans changed slightly.
The bolts alone wouldn't be stable enough, so I added a piece of wood as a base.

much more stable. drawn after the fact.*

a small piece of wood in the front to ease nerves
* I made a few revisions as I went.

Materials

I had a bunch of leftover wood from the shelving project, so I just bought some hardware.

leftover wood, drawer liner, and hardware

> wood. I had some. > 2x 6 inch bolts > hinge > tea nuts > small angle bracket >  drawer liner* > small piece of masonite or some thin durable material*

The Process

I cut the wood I needed to size. One base, one piece to secure the front of the projector, and two for the back and footing.

a piece of wood in the shape of a square

I secured a the front piece with the angle bracket, and attached the hinge underneath the middle of the opposite side.

safety belt

I drilled a few pilot holes in the footing to allow the bolts enough room to freely turn in two pieces that were the same size for the bolts to go in.

safety first

For the back, I then hammered in the tea nuts and attached it to the hinge connected to the base.
On the footing piece, I used a chisel to cut a square hole around the pilot hole that was deeper than the head of the bolt. After inserting the bolt, I covered the holes by gluing a square of masonite pegboard over top and covering them with non-slip drawer liner to act as the feet.

I was impatient

I added two nuts onto each bolt and locked them together part way down so I could grip the bolt to adjust each side individually.

The Product

Works like a charm!

I'm still thinking about the cable situation


I'll think of something...

Network Device Organization

Most ISPs provide customers with modem/router combination units these days, but if you find yourself with more than one device, you generally have a mess on your hands.

I have a modem, router, and switch. When these guys hang out together they tend to heat up something fierce. Being a strict administrator, I decided to separate them to stop the shenanigans.
I did this for about $1.00. 

Materials

There's a dollar store not far from my house that has a great selection of... well... everything. This includes cheap cooling racks.

> Cooling rack
> Wire cutters, metal file
> Thin hard surface

The Process

Step 1.  Cut a wire for either side of the device you want to secure, being sure to leave a wire in between

Step 2.  Bend  the cut ends up at a 45 degree angle and inwards so that it can apply firm pressure on the device it's holding

Step 3. Use your file to take off any sharp edges that may have been created when you cut the wire.

Step 4. Slide the hard surface under the cut wires and over the uncut ones.

Step 5. Put your devices in the rack and rest easy!

The Product

Custom Wall Shelving

I decided to install some shelves. After seeing what 'off the shelf' shelving had to offer, I thought it best if I made my own. Unfortunately this blog was an afterthought so I don't have much content in terms of process, but here it is.

The Concept

After consulting more experienced persons than myself, I was advised to secure a wooden board to the wall stud and then attach the shelving track to the board.
I've seen many shelves that run around the inside corner of a room, but I really wanted to see a shelf that wraps around the outer corner of a wall. Not only is it more interesting, but it would be a perfect spot for a digital projector. This outside cornering is only on the top shelf which is high enough that it's out of the way. If this were carried through the other shelves, it would cause several support issues as well as encroaching on a high traffic area.

Concentrating on function in my form, I chose to cut the shelf ends at 45 degree angles. This makes sure the boards are out of the way when you walk around the corner since they are flush to the edge of the wall.

look concept, suspension concept

Having the shelf run around the outside corner of a wall poses one major problem - the corner will be a significant distance away from the support. Having any weight that far out from the wall isn't a great idea and options are limited, so I chose to use metal cable to suspend the outer edge from the ceiling.

Materials

Unfortunately this section and the next are pretty bare. I have no photos, but here's the skinny.
- Knotty pine boards (cheap) making sure it was as straight, and in varying width.
- Matching brackets in sets of 3
- Metal cable
- Turnbuckles
- Rings to fix the cable to the shelf/ceiling
- Cable crimps to create fastening loops in the cable
- Screws
- Horizontal and vertical L brackets
- Shellac
- Wax

The Process

First thing is cutting everything to size. It's a good idea, so you can seal all of the cut ends when you apply your wood finish.

Preparing the wood was pretty easy. Since I wanted a nice natural look, it's just a matter of applying the shellac, allowing it to dry, and then buffing it with some wax. It looks great and it's water resistant.

I then marked off the studs in the wall, secured the boards to the studs making sure they are level horizontally, and fixed the shelving track to the boards.

Add the brackets, check the level, add a shelf, check the level, screw shelf to brackets, check the level...

Fixing the top shelf was easy, using horizontal L brackets fix the 90 degree corner, and vertical L brackets to secure the top of the shelf to the wall discreetly. After creating the cable supports (cutting that cable was incredibly difficult without the right tools), I measured, leveled, and installed them. The turnbuckles are useful for making sure the cable is nice and taught.

The Product

And there you have it. Not too far off from my original concept art. It's sturdy and the lower shelf is a nice height for a bar or perhaps a few turntables!

A small piece of scrap wood and a few extra brackets made a nice floating shelf