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| Secure the legs with countersunk three-inch,
corrosion-resistant decking screws. With the legs in place, the bottom shelf can now be dropped into place. |
Measure 24-3/4" from the square end of each leg and make a line on the inside. Attach some temprary support blocks to the legs with small nails, so that the top side of the blocks line up with the lines you just drew. Flip the bottom shelf assembly upside down and fit it into the frame, so the decking rests on these support blocks.
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Permanently attach the bottom shelf to the legs with more countersunk three-inch,
corrosion-resistant decking screws. With the bottom shelf secure, remove the temporary support blocks and flip the grilling station right-side up. |
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| To complete the structural part of the frame, insert the upper end rails and screw them in place. These end rails are made of 14" pieces of cedar 2x4. |
The holes you drilled into the ends of the rails will hold a piece of 3/4" dowel that will be the lifting handle. Slide the dowel through the holes until the far end of the dowel is flush with the outside edge. Mark a cut line on the other side. |
Cut the dowel to length, and fit it back into the holes. Drill pilot holes through the bottom of the rail and drive in short screws to lock the handle in place. |
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| The axle for the wheels is made from a length of 1/2" steel rod that can be bought at your local home improvement center. Its length will depend on the thickness of the wheels you use and the washers -- one on each side of each wheel. Be sure to wear eye protection when cutting metal with a fine-toothed hacksaw blade! |
When you have determined the length of the axle and cut it to length, slide the axle into the 1/2" holes you've drilled in the bottom of the back legs and slip a washer over each end. |
Attach the lawnmower wheels to the axle and tap an axle cap onto the ends of the axle to fasten the wheels in place. |
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| Cut and insert notched pieces of decking on the ends of the shelf. You could also make all of the decking flush with the rails on either side, if you prefer. This just means that the bottom shelf will be a bit shallower. |
The next step will be building the top: a 39" piece of cedar 2x4. To avoid any sharp corners, draw a radius on the outside corners of the two long pieces of cedar that will frame the top. Use a miter saw to trim off the excess and use the spindle sander to create four safe, rounded corners. |
The top of this prep station will be assembled using biscuit joinery. Start by clamping one of the pieces you just sanded onto a work surface. The curved corners should be facing away from you. |
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| This plate joiner has a rotating cutter that will cut precise slots. The cutter is designed to make sure the slots are straight and always the same distance from the top of any matching pieces. The center of the first slot will be 1-3/4" from the end of the top front. |
Make three more slots next to the first, each one 4" apart. The last slot should be 1-3/4" from the far end of the top front. Repeat on the other long piece of cedar, which will become the top back. |
Use the plate joiner to cut slots in the very center of each of the five 14" top rails. Cut one slot on each side of these rails.
Fill the slots in one side of the rails with a water
resistant wood glue, like Titebond
II. |
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