Tuesday, May 28, 2013

I made a mess out of this Ikea Hack and I am counting on you to help me save it!



We needed more big truck toy storage in the basement.

I decided to stack the extra IKEA Lack side tables (they were stored under the counter in the storage room, and I am clearing out stuff for the street sale...so it was street sale or bust!)

I wanted them the same height as the ledge.  I needed to cut 3 3/8th's off each leg.

The ban saw power tool ripped the hollow legs to shreds. I switched to the hack saw, but my hands and forearms were already a mess of pulled muscles from planting new grass seed in the back lawn yesterday (I had to mow the lawn, then rake the debris, then use the garden rake - the one with big claws, to break up the dry soil. Pounding the garden rake into the dry mud over and over under it loosened. Then breaking up the large clumps of dirt in my hands. Tedious, but I wanted the seed and new soil down because they were calling for rain this week.  Yes, I pulled my palm muscles, if there is such a thing!)

Anyways, the hack saw teeth were too coarse but they cut so I went for it.

I think I need to file the edges and get some sort of all purpose industrial strength glue to finish this.  I used craft glue and the glue gun, but who am I kidding? this will hold for maybe 3 seconds.

Any tips!? Thanks!!!
 

7 comments:

  1. Tanya from Dans le TownhouseMay 28, 2013 at 12:22 PM

    I am always amazed by how much STUFF kids have! Holy cow.

    Sand them for sure.
    Lepage PL Premium Construction Adhesive is good stuff. I used it to glue the stenciled mirror for this project (http://dans-le-townhouse.blogspot.ca/2012/06/poem-stenciled-on-to-antiqued-mirror.html).

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  2. you could try putting a piece of wood between the pairs of of tables, like a shelf. that way you could use screws or nails to attach the top tables to the wood as well as the bottom tables...might make it sturdier. does that make sense? i'm not sure i'm explaining the picture in my head very well.

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  3. Paintable caulk covers a multitude of sins.

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  4. I would definitely get a stronger carpenter's glue. In addition, I'd probbaly use some campaign-style corner brackets to conceal the joints. It will give the shelf an industrial chic apeal while still working with your basement overall style. Here are a couple of brackets for references: http://hydrophytesblog.com/?p=214, http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=699004.

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  5. I know it doesn't help now, but some masking or painters tape over the area you are cutting should eliminate most of the flaking and shredding. A little sand paper and paintable calking should smooth everything out. Good luck!

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  6. Hi, some great ideas already posted. I would recut them as it looks like you have some space and as suggested put masking tape around the area you will be cutting and/or you can place a scrap wood block in the leg to make it more sturdy and then use a mitre saw or table saw to cut (sorry I am not sure what the leg width is for this product so I am assuming a block of wood will fit).

    Also you can use the appropriate sized block of wood that will fit in the hollow leg and drill a hole in the block all the way through and put a lug bolt similar to the one that was used to screw in the leg (use a drill bit the size of the thread not the size of the head of the thread as it needs to secure and then you can screw the thread onto the other lack table top. Repeat for all legs and then you can fit the table legs over top and not glue it, ie the block will prevent it from sliding, or you can get some industrial construction caulking and after you have fastened the block to the table top, caulk the block and slide the hollow legs onto it and thus,adhering it permanently.

    Or just get a block of wood and industrial caulking and caulk it to the table below and then slide hollow legs over top adhered or not.

    Or as suggested some small L brackets that you can fasten to the table leg and table top.

    Or you can get some trim with a thin thickness and either make a box around the table top that can hide the uneven cuts or just make small flat brackets that just go along the table legs to hide the cut.

    You could even use a thick paper board from an art store if you wanted.

    Okay I just keep getting more ideas I better stop.

    Sorry for such a long comment, hope I am sure you will make it fabulous as the rest of your projects.

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