Fast 2 x 4 - Garden Project

   To protect our tree from careless city lawn mowers and to add a bit of style to the boulevard I turned a stud grade 2 x 4 into a retaining collar around the our tulip tree.

  If you are gardener or know a gardener this project is dead easy needing only a saw and fasteners.

  I began by cutting 8 nine inch sections of 2 x 4 with my mitre saw. Next I cut a 45 degree angles on the ends of four of the pieces. All of the cutting could be done with a hand saw and a mitre box making this a basic D.I.Y project.

  You can see how the pieces fit together, note the overhang.  I clamped two pieces of the project to the bench top and drilled two holes in the pieces with the 45 degree ends.  Then I counter sunk the heads and used self taping Kreg screws to hold the pieces together. I used a cordless drill and driver but again this could be done by hand, or you could nail the sections together. 

  If you were making a larger octagon you could hide all the screws inside using pocket holes. I will do a blog later showing the inside technique for those of you that don't already know it. 

 Once I got the whole project together I cut the over hang off with a Japanese tooth pattern saw. 

   Even though this project will soon be hidden by grass and wood chips I sanded it to 100 grit just to ease the edges and smooth out some of the machine marks. But I did decide not to bother using wood plugs to fill the screw holes.  If this were going in our yard amongst my wife's beautiful flowers I would have filled the screw holes, sanded it smoother and maybe even stained it. 

  There is a good chance that the city maintenance crew  will bash into the collar before the season is out which is why I made it. If you used a 2 x 8 you could easily make an eight sided raised garden to feature annuals or herbs based on the same idea as this project.

 I enjoyed a long motorcycle ride, a visit with my Mother and shop/garden time today.  It doesn't get much better than that.

cheers, Ian W


   

  

   

2 x 4 project

  If you wander around the internet like I do you are familiar with the 2x4 Challenge. My project is not an entry into the challenge but...something that I whipped up with an eight foot 2x4 left over from a fence repair job.

 The basic dimensions are easy and really the only tools you need  are mitre saw, Pocket Hole Jig, a drill and a sander.

  Parts List:

4 at  11 by 2 by 4
4 at  12 by 2 by 4

  I cut 45 degree mitres on the ends of the 12 inch boards.

  Seven of the frames parts were assembled in the shop using  wood screws and the last section was screwed together when placed around the tree.

completed frame, 26 1/2 inches across

  When I put the frame together I used Pocket Holes, this is how I clamped the frame together when I screwed it together.

   After I screwed the frame together I cut the over hang off with a hand saw and then sanded things smoothish.

  When the project is finally done you get this:

Cheers, Ian W