You know the project ... someone gives you something free, and you think ... WOW, I can make something out of this and it won't be expensive! Well that has happened with the window I received from a friend. Could I just hang it as is? make it into a mirror? .... no I decided to make it into a bookcase, and use the window as a door.
In order to trick myself into seeing this as an inexpensive project, I have been buying bits of wood as I go along; some days making two trips a day to the lumber store, and definitely hitting it every night on the way home. Another reason I do this is that I have the wood cut at the store, my cutting skills are negligible.
This is my non-woodworker's tutorial.
Building by the Seat of your Pants 101.
I made two bases, one for top and bottom, and attached the side panels.
Added a bottom, then the bottom shelf.
For the top, I added nailing strips, so I could screw the top on from the underside and the screws wouldn't show.. then once the top was on, put another piece over the base so the workings didn't show.
To hold the face trim on, I added these hurricane fasteners (in case a hurricane whips through my bedroom). I wanted the face trim to be VERY sturdy as the weight of the hinges and the door would be weighing on it (can you tell I've never built a piece of furniture before ... I just wandered Home Depot til I saw something that might work)
A bit of trim on the bottom.
The face trim is on, first shelf in, testing trim for the top. Oh yes ... filler is your friend.
I'm whipping right along ... well five days along ... and am really happy with how it is looking.
Just need to add another shelf, get the trim on, sand, prime, paint, antique, hinge the window and get that installed. .... what maybe 5 more trips to the lumber store??
