I have spent most of today taking apart the old fitted cupboards in our conservatory. They had to be removed before the existing roof is replaced by the new glass one, and the old polycarbonate roof is due to be removed on Monday and the installation of the new roof should start on Tuesday.
The cupboards where manufactured by IKEA, and as is usual with their flat-pack furniture, all the side panels of the cupboard carcasses were held together by special metal twist-lock fasteners and short wooden dowels. As I was disassembling the carcasses I made sure that I put the wooden dowels to one side as I thought that I might be able to find a modelling use for them ... and after giving it some thought, I think that I have.
The wooden dowels are 35mm long and 8mm wide, have slight bevelling around the ends, and have small ridges cut along their length. If they are cut in half, the two parts look like small gabions ... and I now have enough to construct quite a length of gabioned earthworks. Perhaps I will make some once I have perfected the construction method for my L-shaped built-up areas.
The cupboards where manufactured by IKEA, and as is usual with their flat-pack furniture, all the side panels of the cupboard carcasses were held together by special metal twist-lock fasteners and short wooden dowels. As I was disassembling the carcasses I made sure that I put the wooden dowels to one side as I thought that I might be able to find a modelling use for them ... and after giving it some thought, I think that I have.
The wooden dowels are 35mm long and 8mm wide, have slight bevelling around the ends, and have small ridges cut along their length. If they are cut in half, the two parts look like small gabions ... and I now have enough to construct quite a length of gabioned earthworks. Perhaps I will make some once I have perfected the construction method for my L-shaped built-up areas.
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Bob,
ReplyDeleteA truly 'Old School' style, DIY idea!
I wonder what else your fertile brain will be able to construct from demolished IKEA furniture?
Arthur
Arthur1815,
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw them I thought 'I am sure that I can find a use for them' ... and then I did!
I did think about what else I could use the bits for, but other than to build another wargames table - which I don't need - I could not find a use for them.
All the best,
Bob
I use those same dowels for fluted pillars.
ReplyDeleteAnd has an another example of old furniture bits re-use, I have turned a decorative gallery rail post from an old kitchen unit into the base of an ornamental sundial for use in our CWS game at Salute this year
The true war games artist: seeing the war games potential in any kind of odds and ends that come his way. Well done, that man!
ReplyDeleteIan Dury,
ReplyDeleteFluted pillars, eh? What a very good idea! I should have spotted that one myself.
I hope to see your sundial in action at SALUTE. Using pieces of decorative gallery rail from an old kitchen unit sounds like an inspired bit of wargames recycling.
All the best,
Bob
Archduke Piccolo,
ReplyDeleteAs I have commented before, I just do my best ... and sometimes my ideas are good ones!
All the best,
Bob
Andrew Saunders,
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing what you can find that is useful when you start to look.
All the best,
Bob
Hi Bob, found your piece online - what an excellent idea!
ReplyDeleteIf you should need anymore wooden dowels we manufacture them in the UK and ship worldwide.
We have many different diameters and lengths in all varieties of hardwood.
Kind Regards
Garry Stevenson,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link.
All the best,
Bob