Popular Woodworking 2002-12 № 131, страница 10

Out on a Limb

Eight-hour Armoire?

Popular Woodworking takes on WOOD before a TV audience in the battle of the 'Warehouse Warriors.'

How about this for working under pressure? Challenge your biggest rival (WOOD magazine) to go head-to-head on a woodworking project before a nationwide television audience. Well that's what we did when the DIY Network's program "Warehouse Warriors" taped a day-long program showing each magazine's team of three staffers designing and building an armoire.

If you haven't seen the show, here's how it works: With no advance notice, each team is given the same project to build in eight hours. Teams have identical supplies and tools. Neither team knows how the other team is progressing or what design their opponent has created until time has run out. A panel of judges scores each project on design, creative use of materials, craftsmanship and level of completion.

Now if you think building an armoire in eight hours (even with three guys) sounds challenging, consider that you don't get eight hours at all. In reality, while the clock keeps ticking, you have to stop while the host asks you questions. There's no time out for lunch or bathroom breaks. In all, we had six and a half hours to conceive the project, work out the details and cutting list, then build and literally slap a finish on it.

So what did we build? The exterior was a contemporary-styled armoire from oak plywood capped with a formed metal "bonnet." On the interior, we went wild. It was no clothes closet, that's for sure.

The lower interior right-hand section featured a cabinet with a sink built into a laminate countertop. To its left was a small refrigerator. The upper section featured shelving for entertainment center equipment.

The upper and lower sections each had grain-matched overlay doors. We dubbed our wet bar/entertainment center the "Playboy After Dark" model. The only element we planned but didn't have time to install was a mirror above the countertop's back splash.

The program is relatively new and had never had pro woodworkers on as contestants, as was evident by a number of remarks by the host. For example, after the first hour and a half, we were just completing the design and cutting list. The host seemed really panicked because we hadn't started building. He didn't seem reassured when I explained that planning was the most critical phase and the project would take twice as long if we were fixing mistakes. Much later, the host seemed astonished as he said, "Wow, it looks exactly like the design! That's never happened on the show before!"

How did the WOOD magazine team do? They built a nice piece, but I'll show my prejudice and say that to call it an "armoire" was a stretch. Have you ever seen an armoire that had a bench in front of it with open shelves above that? At the buzzer, they still had some work to do, although you really couldn't tell. They later admitted to planning four doors that didn't get built or hung.

And the winner? Well, check your local listings and you be the judge. The official outcome? For those of you who can't get the program, let's just say we didn't lose. PW

Steve Shanesy Editor and publisher

CONTACT INFORMATION

Steve Shanesy

Editor & Publisher Specialties: Projects, techniques, article and project selection 513-531-2690 ext. 1238 steve.shanesy@fwpubs.com

David Thiel

Senior Editor Specialties: Projects, new products and tools, tricks of the trade 513-531-2690 ext. 1255 david.thiel@fwpubs.com

Christopher Schwarz

Senior Editor Specialties: Author liaison, website, projects, hand-tool techniques 513-531-2690 ext. 1407 chris.schwarz@fwpubs.com

Kara Gebhart

Assistant Editor

Specialties: Special issues, author liaison, copy editing 513-531-2690 ext. 1348 kara.gebhart@fwpubs.com

Linda Watts_

Art Director

Specialties: Magazine and cover design, photo direction 513-531-2690 ext. 1396 linda.watts@fwpubs.com

Our Privacy Promise to You

We make portions of our customer list available to carefully screened companies that offer products and services we believe you may enjoy. If you do not want to receive those offers and/or information, please let us know by contacting us at: List Manager, F & W Publications, 4700 E. Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236

SAFETY NOTE

Safety is your responsibility. Manufacturers place safety devices on their equipment for a reason. In many photos you see in Popular Woodworking, these have been removed to provide clarity. In some cases we'll use an awkward body position so you can better see what's being demonstrated. Don't copy us. Think about each procedure you're going to perform beforehand. Safety First!

10

Popular Woodworking December 2002