The Reclaimed Woodworker

Chris Gleason is the author of several books including Built-In Furniture for the Home, The Complete Kitchen Makeover, Complete Custom Closet, Old-School Workshop Accessories and Building Real Furniture for Everyday Life. He was raised on a farm in upstate New York. He has been raising chickens in his Salt Lake City backyard for over six years. He has owned Gleason Woodworking Studios for over 13 years. Popular Woodworking magazine described Chris as a "maverick cabinetmaker with a sharp eye for design." and he brings this passion and creativity to everything from cabinetry to furniture to unique cutting boards.

Table of Contents 





Intro 





1) Introduction: where to find reclaimed wood, things to think about, my general philosophy 





 





Starter Projects 





2) Headboard: This wall-mounted headboard is simple and would be at home in modern or rustic settings. 





3) Bench: This colorful bench can be built in an afternoon using pocket hole joinery or plugged screws. 





4) Cabinet doors: New doors can quickly update any space. I’ll provide detail on hinges, as they can be tricky. 





5) Tabletop: Re-use an existing base and you’ll feel like you have a whole new dining room. 





6) Countertop: wooden countertops can add lots of warmth and charm. Maintenance tips included. 





7) Sliding barn door: Popular for a while now, they are practical too. Installation advice included. 





8) Oversize leaning mirror frame: Glass shops sell unframed mirrors; provide your own frame for a custom look. 





9) Wood accent wall: You can enhance any area by adding a focal point made up of weathered wood. 





10) Wall shelves on brackets: These simple plank shelves sit on brackets and are removable. I’ll show you how to make the brackets. 





 





More Complex 





11) Coffee table: The chunky form of this coffee table is balanced by the interesting texture of the wood. 





12) Desk: The efficient chevron layout of the boards on the top of this desk allow you to use short pieces. 





13) Low media cabinet: The colorful cabinet could incorporate doors made from pallet wood. 





14) Bathroom vanity: This vanity could be sized for a vessel sink or a traditional drop-in. 





15) Dining table: The trestle design goes back a long time; here it receives a live-edge top for a modern twist. 





16) Side chair: This chair could be used anywhere in the home, and it serves as a perfect intro into chairmaking. 





17) Outdoor lounge chair: A far cry from the venerable Adirondack, this minimalist design has clean, simple lines. 





18) Credenza: One of the more involved projects in this book, this project is included with this proposal. 





19) Kitchen island: This freestanding island adds prep area and storage to any kitchen. One could even integrate the countertop from chapter 6. 





 





Sidebar topics: 







Recycled Content: In case you can’t obtain quite enough reclaimed materials for a particular project, I’ll provide some tips to help source supplemental materials as needed. I’ll show you how to identify plywoods and MDFs that are made with nearly 100% recycled content, for example, and how to mix up a simple vinegar and steel wool solution to make inexpenseive homemade stains that are better than anything you can buy.
Live-edge lumber: Many lumber stores don’t carry this highly-prized type of lumber because it isn’t available in “commodity” form. I’ll provide tips on how to source lumber in its least process state. This will offer you organic edges, wider-than-normal boards, and access to unusual species.
Dealing with defects (knots, cracks, splits, end checks): Not every board is usable for every task; learn how to tell the difference and choose lumber wisely.
Joinery 101: This primer will provide names for all the relevant types of joints and their uses.
Pallet Wood 101: You could use pallet wood in many of the projects in this book. A few words of introduction are in order, though. For example, many people assume that pallets are junk, but that’s often not true. Rule #1? Always ask permission before grabbing a pallet.
Finishing: Part of the appeal of salvaged wood is the natural patina that it has built up on its own over the years, but occasionally you may wish to finish parts or all of a project. For example, most countertops will need to be sealed. I’ll provide information on deciding when to apply finish, and why.
Adhesives: Woodworking calls for a number of different glues to be used, depending on the applications. This sidebar will educate readers so they know when to you PVA’s (standard yellow wood glue), polyurethane adhesives (Gorilla Glue), construction adhesive, and cyanoacrylate (superglue).