A lot of my DIY process is trial and error, and there’s a lot of time and a lot of mistakes. But in general, I’m okay with the mistakes because they help me learn and keep my brain in problem-solving mode. Sometimes (maybe even most of the time) I can work through the errors and find a solution to the problems. But sometimes I have to scrap an idea and come up with a completely different idea. In any case, I almost always enjoy the process because I love learning and love the challenge of solving problems as they arise.
However, I’m still working on my entry console. I still don’t have it all figured out, but I know for sure that I will end up with a console table that I love. I won’t stop until I get there. You all know me well enough by now to know that. And with our current rainy weather preventing me from working on my outdoor projects, this is the perfect time for me to have fun with this project until I get it right.
First, let me address one thing from my last post about this console table. I mentioned in this post that the guy at the Benjamin Moore store told me to wipe the whole thing down with acetone and then try the gel stain. And then I mentioned that I skipped this step. I have never seen this kind of backlash in my comments about any of my decisions. Hell, I even got a “shame on you.”
Well, the reason I didn’t use acetone is because I didn’t think it was necessary. He recommended this without ever seeing my console table. And when I told him it was waxed, he probably imagined something like the pieces sold in resale shops where people buy old furniture, paint and wax it very quickly, and then resell it for a profit. Most of these do-it-yourselfers make the parts very quickly to make as much profit as possible. I’ve been to these stores. I have seen these pieces. I felt these pieces with all this waxy buildup and thought to myself, “Did you even polish that thing?” You can literally run your fingernail over these pieces and get wax under your fingernail.
My console table wasn’t like that. Not only is it an older piece that has been cleaned many times over the years, each time removing some wax, but I also gave it a good polish as I waxed it. So I knew there wasn’t much wax on it to begin with. The color that caused the problem wasn’t from the wax. The orange color came from the stain I used before waxing. The stain is the problem, not the wax.
But to satisfy the curiosity of those who were wondering if it could make a difference, here is a drawer (the one missing the edge) before using acetone…
And here it is after using acetone. There is literally no difference in color. And that patchy paint is the cause of the problem.
Benjamin Moore’s man did not recommend acetone to solve the paint problem. He recommended it because he thought it might be necessary to remove wax buildup to improve adhesion. But adhesion wasn’t a problem as there was very little wax left at this point. And all this to say: No, it wouldn’t have made a difference in the outcome. And no, I’m not ashamed of skipping this step.
Okay, let’s move on. After reading all of your comments on the proposed new base for the console table, which looked like this in my very short mockup…
…several people said they preferred the turned legs. And you all know how I feel about turned wooden legs. I love turned wooden legs and want them on everything if possible! And someone included a link to this sideboard from Wayfair (affiliate link). So I decided to see if I could make this work.
This would require me to attach wooden blocks to the turned legs to create space to attach these stretchers. (I don’t know if that’s what they’re called, but I call them stretchers – the pieces that hold the legs together and give them stability.) Because of the way I built the original console table with the turned legs and shelf, these legs were already two separate pieces, which gave me the perfect spot to add a block.
So I made blocks out of 2″ x 2″ lumber, glued them together and nailed them in place. I didn’t bother filling and sanding wood at this point because I just wanted to see if I liked the idea. And I didn’t take the time to sand the corners to round them like in the inspiration picture.
I tested the idea with one of the blocks I made. I originally liked it. I knew I could do it if I took this path.
But to account for the extra height of the block I would have to cut the equivalent height off the top of the legs. And that got me thinking.
I don’t have a really good way to cut off twisted legs and make sure they’re perfectly straight and smooth at the top. So far I’ve only done this with my miter saw, but getting the tip perfectly straight is a challenge. I’d even say it’s impossible if you’re trying to cut off a leg that’s already twisted. And really, I didn’t want to cut any more of the twisted design off the legs.
So I glued and nailed the two pieces of each leg back together, just like I did years ago before I cut them apart for this console table. And I used wood filler where the two pieces met.
But while I was waiting for the wood filler to dry so I could sand them, I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how to attach these so that they were perfectly straight and stable. Most of these legs have a block at the top that is integrated into the body of the console table. These had no block at the top. And even if they did, integrating it into the body of the console table would mean I would have to essentially rebuild it, and I’m not willing to do that.
So the legs would basically have to be glued to the bottom and I would just have to hope and pray that they stay in place and don’t wobble. That didn’t seem like a wise decision to me.
Ultimately I decided to save the turned legs for a future project. I’m not sure what the project will look like at this point, but I’ll never get rid of the turned legs. And I went with my original idea of using straight wood to build the new base with four very simple legs and three very simple stretchers to attach them. However, they will be thicker than the ones seen on my model. But at least I tried. I took a day to solve the problem and get the turned legs working, but these legs have already been cut so many times with my miter saw that I don’t think there is a way to salvage them to make them strong enough for this console table.
It was fun to try, but now I have a plan and I really want to finish this console table and my entire living room and entryway so I’m ready to go outside and do some outdoor projects as soon as the sun comes out.
