Face frames are on, ready to start the oil

Well, not going to work these days means I spend alot of time in the shop, which is not all bad.

Got all the face frames on the cases and filling in all the nail holes, screw holes, and trying to make it smooth and pretty. 

Have shelves in all the cases that will get shelves and put the drawers in yesterday to see how it all looks.

The face frame on the cabinet where the drawers go was too wide, so the top drawer would not go in.  After a little attitude adjustment and changing the size of that face frame, all the drawers are installed and sliding good

Still need to do drawers for the bottom two left cabinets that will hold toys.  Those drawers will be really short, with out much in the way of sides.  Bought some more poplar for that today, so should be able to start on those soon.

The top three shelves on the left side, plus the end cabinet will all be opened, with no doors.  Have some small hockey puck sized lights to shine on the objects being displayed.  Don't want to put the lights in until the oil and on and the cabinets are "finished".  Drilled the holes and ran string where the wiring will go once the finish is on.

That was quite the adventure.  The outlet box and transformer will go in the top, left cabinet.  I drilled a hole through the top of the EC and thought I would put a nut on a string and push it through the hole.  I planned to use one of those long handles, with grippers to grab the nut and pull it to the hole in the top of each cabinet.

I put the long handle back to snag the nug and I heard "click".  The long handle had a magnet on the end, that I did not realize.  It snagged the nut and I could move it where ever I wanted to.  Made the job quite easy.

Picked up the custom made glass shelves today from the glass shop.  Those look really good.  The edges are beveled and the glass looks sharp.

All the cases are in!!

Got the last of the cases built and installed on the left side of the TV.

The bottom two cabinets will have drawers for toys and games for the grandchildren and doors on front.  The middle three cabinets are for books, toys, etc.  These will have doors too.  The top three cases will be opened to display pictures, art objects and other things.

The end cabinet, will be opened shelves, with glass shelves.  This case as well as the 3 opened cases will all have a light in the top of them to shine down on objects that are being displayed.

Last week I took a template of the glasses to a glass shop to have them cut and the edges beveled.

Thee is an outlet in the top, left upper case to plug in the transformer for the top lights.

On Saturday, I put in the drawers and the shelves in the cabinets that will hold DVD's.  The sliding glass door is to the right of this cabinet.  Wanted to see what the drawers looked like in the cabinet.  There was a light switch on the wall for the light that goes out on to the patio.  Roger, my electrician extended the wires and capped them until I got this cabinet in place.

Now that this cabinet is in place, I got the final end board installed on Saturday and cut a hold through these boards and between the drawers to move the light switch to the side of the cabinet for the deck light.  Just about ready to call Roger for one last time to install switch and the outlet in the top left cabinet.  He has been so good to come by at different stages to do the electrical stuff for us.

Left Side of TV

Now the cabinets on the left side of TV needed to be built and installed.  Had to do a base below those cabinets.  Made the base out of 2 x 4's.  The floor was really uneven, so I had to use furniture levelers on the base, but finally got that installed and leveled.

One of the reasons for building the entertainment center was to store toys the grandkids use when they are visiting.  That is what is going in these cabinets.  There will be drawers, with drawer slides so the toys can pull out and be put back easily.

Built three cabinets for on top of these base cabinets.  They will have an opened shelf on top and drawers on the bottom of these cabinets.

Got the upper cabinets put in last night.  Only had 2 cabinets done until Scott helped me put these in last night.  Did not want to put the back on the 3rd one in case I had to cut it down and make it skinnier.  Finished the 3rd cabinet this morning and Scott helped me haul it downstairs before he left for work.

The corner cabinet, that goes on the end is done, with one minor problem.  I measured the height of that cabinet, then put the top and bottom on it.  That made it too tall for the ceiling.  Have to cut that one down, but it won't be a bit deal and should be able to get that one done today.

Making progress on Entertainment Center

So, with all this free time, making great progress on the Entertainment Center.  Got the drawers done for the DVD cabinet and installed that cabinet.  This goes to the right of the TV and next to the sliding glass doors.

The drawers are out of the case right now while I get the screws holes filled and sanded. 

Unemployed!!

So for the first time in 35+ years, I am unemployed.  It feels really strange not going to work.  In July, we got a new commissioner at the Department of Public Safety.  On July 28th he set up a meeting with me for September 12th.  I thought possibly a new assignment or job responsibilities.  Nope, it was the end of the line.  The letter was already typed and the decision had already been made.  I was being terminated.  My last day was September 26th.

The previous commissioner was retiring, so his position was announced in June.  The interview process went through June.  I applied for the position and was one of five people who interviewed for the position.

Not sure if the new commissioner was uncomfortable with the fact that I had applied for his job, which he got, or what. 

So, I have updated the resume and have started to apply for positions.

Kind of a bitter pill to swallow that after 30 years, I was just let go.  Luckily I have my Master's Degree and some good work experience that should help me find another job.