Make a side table and magazine stand, convenient for remotes, chippies and chocolates. Photo / Michael Craig
Make a side table and magazine stand, convenient for remotes, chippies and chocolates. Photo / Michael Craig
Greig Morgan devises a vital piece of telly viewing equipment.
Aside table is a must-have piece of furniture that we didn't have. When I told my wife what I had in mind, her reply was, "Can you incorporate a magazine rack as well?" That's the beauty of DIY - you can make a piece of furniture to suityour needs. So here you have it, a two-in-one item that houses your TV remotes, cuppa and also takes care of your books. But I won't tell her it was a good idea.
Step 1 - Measure, mark and cut (on the waste side of the pencil line) two pieces of 20mm-thick and two 30mm-thick laminated panelling to length, the same width as the 450mm panel, making the base and the top pieces square. Next, pre-drill in about 30mm from the outside edge on the 20mm top piece, evenly spaced apart, before fixing it to the 30mm top piece. With a belt sander, sand the outside edges flush and the outside edges of the base pieces also.
Step 2 - To make the post, measure, mark and cut the 30mm panel to length (about 350mm), then cut five strips at 150mm, laminate the strips together by gluing and rubbing the joins together, with all pieces glued and as flush as possible. Clamp the pieces together and leave for the glue to set. Once set, remove clamps and sand flush, then trim both ends flush.
Step 3 - Mark and cut 45-degree mitred joints with the inner mark (to the size of the pre-drilled 20mm thick base) on the 280mm side pieces. Then, screwing up from the underside, fix the side pieces flush with the outside base edges, gluing and clamping the mitred joints. When the glue is set, sand the box with a belt sander so all outer edges are flush and smooth.
Step 4 - Unscrew the top pieces and mark the centre position on the 20mm top and bottom piece, then pre-drill centre holes before fixing the post in place by screwing down from the top and up from the underside of the base.
Step 5 - Measure and cut a couple of packers of 20mm-thick panel, about 300mm long by 50mm wide, then pre-drill a hole centrally at the end of both pieces and fix in place centrally and about 50mm in from the edges on the 30mm base. Now, line up the box section with the 30mm base piece and fix it to the packers, then fix the top pieces back together again.
Step 6 - Remove dust before applying a stain varnish coat and lightly sanding with a wet-and-dry paper between coats (follow instructions on the can for best results).
Materials • 450x19x1800mm pine panel (top and bottom) • 450x28x1800mm pine panel (top and bottom) • 280x19x1800mm pine panel (sides) • Stain varnish • 40mm screws • PVA glue • 100grit sander belt • 150g sandpaper • 220 wet and dry paper
Tip Wiping excess glue with a damp cloth makes it easier to sand. Sand all components with finishing sander, including rounding off all edges, before assembly.
