The Project Report: Almost Finished

Against all odds and expectations borne of prior history, The Project has come together almost as if I knew what I was doing:

The angle from which this photo was taken was less than ideal, but perhaps you can visualize what’s happening if I provide a few clues:

• The main storage area is the box with the expanded steel grating on each side and on the bottom.

• The shelf on the right side is just the right height and width to accommodate parking the lawn mower under it

• The rectangular u-shaped area on the left side is for storing lengths of lumber, shelving, a furniture dolly, etc.

• The top bar (near the ceiling) will eventually sprout metal hooks from which I’ll hang various apparati such as the weed-eater, hedge trimmers, bow saw, etc.

• The left end of that top bar will accommodate the upright dolly. The one on the right end will have some other thing, as yet unknown, hanging from it.

The whole thing rolls about on casters. The top bar is also removable and breaks down for ease of storage, although I can’t imagine why I’d ever need to do that (other than the fact that it’s too tall to move out of the garage with the top bar in place).

I was particularly pleased (and surprised!) at how that top bar turned out, as it didn’t look like this in the original plan. As with most of my projects, when it came time to actually put the plan into motion, some serious flaws became apparent. In this case, the need for better bracing and stability led me to the triangle seen on the left end, and believe me when I tell you that getting those angles anywhere close to right was an exercise in sheer luck.

The other amazing thing is that out of the 72′ of tubing I began with, I ended up with only about 6′, and that’s in various bits and pieces, none of which is longer than about 18″. Trust me when I tell you that’s nothing short of a miracle.

All that’s left is some detail work — placing of various hooks and holders, perhaps some paint (but probably not…that’s my least favorite thing to do). It’s not a work of art, but it’s a work that works, and I had fun doing it. I’m not sure how it could get much better than that.