Looking for a great weekend project to tackle with your kids? Look no further than Toolmonger schnaars‘ awesome “suburban siege” trebuchet. Unsatisfied with their original Lego and Connex models, he and his son switched to pine 1×2s and angle steel to build something a bit, well, more powerful.

From his kick-ass writeup in the Flickr pool:

It’s just a base and an A-frame with a bolt going through it. I used two bungee cords for the power, and you have to adjust them a bit to get the right amount of tension to throw something, but not so much it destroys the thing. The whole thing took about an hour to bang out. [...] I put two holes in the arm: one to give it a high arc throw and one to give it a line drive.

Does it work? Hells, yeah: “The nerf baseball on the bench goes about 75′ on both settings. Golf balls go about 100′ and roll forever.”

(Thanks to schnaars for the great CC-licensed photo — and sweet project!)

This bed is about as different as it gets from the one we posted about yesterday. This piece from reader Notzombiefood is all about fun for kids. Quite honestly it represents all things that are great about kid beds — it’s big, sturdy, and can be made into a fort if necessary.

Notzombiefood says that he added a few shelves and desk space for his youngsters’ gear. That’s one heck of a tall order for one piece of furniture; however from what we can see from the photo he seems to have achieved his goal on all levels. Also, that’s a badass ladder.

Toolmonger Photo Pool [Flickr]

It’s a funny thing that happens when a tool is left forgotten in a tool box for fifty or so years before it’s pulled back out again. Suddenly adjustable wrenches like these are not called a nasty old tool, but a vintage tool. We find the change itself interesting.

When you look at these adjustables, what do you see? The lower one says Speednut and is recognizable as a wrench but there are subtle differences that let us know this is not something new — the adjustment for one, the handle for another. I’ve never seen one like it, but I know exactly what is is and more or less how to use it. They are reminders that we haven’t got everything quite figured out yet but always strive to do better.

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There are very few furniture projects that can pay off as big as building your own bed. For us it’s a symbol of your effort supporting your relaxation. Reader Blitzcat has just completed his bed frame for the homestead, and it looks sweet.

Blitzcat went for the complete functionality approach of ply instead of expensive hardwoods, which is both a practical and cheaper solution. Also, it looks great thus far. Add a mattress and slide a few draws for storage underneath, and Blitz will have a great bed and tons of space to store what my other half affectionately refers to as “crap” — nicely done.

Toolmonger Photo Pool [Flickr]

This shot of reader Volvo Luber’s Japanese block plane is just short of tool pr0n. I love shiny, rich-looking wood in the first place, but this has a nice simplicity to it that cannot be denied.

I would collect this type of thing myself, but the prices normally associated with planes of this nature are more than my budget can afford to swell in most cases, so I must be content with the less flashy variety you might find at the local big box. If you’re into this kind of Japanese plane, check out the others in Luber’s collection. It’s enough to make you drool.

Toolmonger Photo Pool [Flickr]

While checking out reader Hugojcardoso’s other projects, I came across an awesome photo of a rigged-up starting procedure that made me laugh. This image is the classic busted key scenario and a reminder that we’ve all been there.

Back in the day I started my Ford Courier just like this for about 3 months before I managed to get a new key for it. Just so Hugo doesn’t feel bad — when I met my wife she would start her GMC Jimmy by shorting across the terminals with a screwdriver. I was a bit taken aback but I remember thinking, “Damn that’s hot; I should marry her.” Of course the joke was on me a few weeks later since I gave her my car to drive and was chasing down electrical problems in it full-time.

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A few years ago I tried to ponder why folks seemed to make Adirondack chairs a favored woodworking project. Of course I lived in a small apartment with a 2×6 patio then as well. I later found that when there’s room for them, Adirondacks are fun to build and easy to enjoy — picture a Corona commercial.

This pair of cedar Adirondacks built by reader engmike8 is proof positive that Mike has his priorities in order. They are simple, clean and ready to go. May the hours of lounging in these fine chairs be many more than the hours building them, sir!

Toolmonger Photo Pool [Flickr]

There will always be a soft spot around here for grills. They cook meat, they hold fire, and they’re a good excuse to drink beer — all good things. This completely custom “T” shaped grill built by reader Jmillerid is something of a work of art as boxes-with-fire go.

Created from two drums meticulously cut and fitted to form its shape, the grill then had a place for coals and vents cut in as well as racks and vents. All in all, we’d say it’s a damned good looking grill. Of course, the only way to truly test something like this is to break out the beer and cook something — which we hope Jmillerid does at the first available opportunity.

Toolmonger Photo Pool [Flickr]

Reader Litcritter just received a Christmas present from hell. Check out this old workbench. Complete with vises and clamp-holes, this bench has seen its share of action. Litcritter gives us the low-down:

Christie’s folks brought this up with them when they came for Christmas, and if it were my only gift, I’d be ecstatic. Here’s what we know about it: It belonged to her great grandfather, who was a hospital administrator in Michigan. The hospital he ran provided occupational therapy for shell-shocked vets returning from WWI, and it likely came from there.

The blue tape is the labels Christie’s dad made so we could reassemble it. It will quite likely never be this clean again.

We’re not sure it would be any more useful cleaned it but we’re positive it would lose some character if he polished the ol’ tank up. Besides, half the fun of having a rig like this is making a mess with it. Looks great to us just the way it is.

Toolmonger Photo Pool [Flickr]

Some might cast dispersions on a cherry trash bin. We, however, take our hats off to longtime reader Beano for his completed Cherry wood trash can. It’s got awesome trim, nice hardware, and scrolled feet.

For what it’s worth, man, we think there’s no higher calling than tossing convention aside and making handy stuff out of high-dollar material. Perhaps I should begin work on my own black walnut trash bin.

Toolmonger Photo Pool [Flickr]

This is a picture of a tired man. We like this series for several reasons; reader Jason and friend are doing a demo on a house — sweet. And while it’s back breaking work and uber-cool to do, there’s normally a point when you have to start building it back up again. That’s the really fun part.

If you’ve never used a jackhammer, it’s a lot harder on the body than one might expect. Arms and backs wear out pretty fast. Chuck can manage it longer than I can just because of the mass difference, but it’s still not anybody’s favorite. Unless, of course, the other option is a sledge.

Toolmonger Photo Pool [Flickr]

Reader Ghb624 reworked his front steps recently. Anyone who’s ever taken on concrete anything knows that it can either go south in a big hurry or turn out just fine. In this case it looks like Ghb has managed to get a good-looking result without making it worse.

After resurfacing them with patching concrete and painting. Now the long term test begins.
This was my first ever attempt at resurfacing concrete, and trying to end up with a smooth and level surface, with a slight slope for water runoff. Prior to the fix, the steps had a negative slope such that water didn’t run off after a rain. Consequently, paint wouldn’t stick for very long, and the tread surfaces had become eroded and rough.

The last time I tried to resurface concrete I succeeded in making a horrible-looking mess that took me even longer to clean up — I’ll see if I can’t find some pictures to prove it. We hope your new green entryway stays that way for a good number of years, sir.

Toolmonger Photo Pool [Flickr]

This is a picture of reader Gregjsmith’s fireplace. It’s a fine looking mess. We made a mess last week that wasn’t half this nice. Anytime someone turns a piece of their house into rubble we are 100 percent behind the thought.

We’re assuming Greg plans to build a new fireplace and just needed to get the old one out of the way in the quickest manner possible — with a big-ass hammer. Whatever the reason, it makes us smile.

Greg, please be sure to send in a few pics when you’re done. We can’t wait.

Toolmonger Photo Pool [Flickr]

We have yet another toolbox restoration from longtime Toolmonger reader txinkman. This time the Black & Decker box which he was a little hesitant to restore has undergone its time in the txinkman shop and come out looking as good as the day it was made.

I liken txinkman’s ability to fix up old wood tool boxes to those montages where Charlie Brown and the gang wave their arms around and make crappy things look new — except txinkman’s way is full of hours upon hours of work and effort, and Brown and the gang were on LSD having a shared hallucination.

This is positively the best-looking Black & Decker tool chest I have ever seen. It’s too bad they aren’t making these anymore; I’d take this over another stud finder any day.

Toolmonger Photo Pool [Flickr]

There are quite a few answers to the question of what makes up a good tool. Normally for us the answer depends on what you’re trying to do and how the tool helps you do that. If it allows you to do something you can’t or wouldn’t do before, then you’ve got a winner. Reader ghb624 tells us how he came by his latest find.

Went to the hardware store today for some info and advice. As usual, they came through for me. But they also got a wee bit of business in return. An impulse purchase of the item seen here. It’s got a little magnet near the end of the gadget, so that you can hold a nail in position and get it started, with minimal risk to one’s thumb. I know, I know, an experienced carpenter hits the nail, not his thumb. But I’m not that experienced. Besides, there are awkward places where you need to start a nail and can hardly squeeze in with a hand. Plus overhead locations, and so on.

Still, this little item may be somewhat like the fishing lures I’ve heard about — the ones that are more likely to “catch” a fisherman than a fish, and therefore ideal for the manufacturer and retailer.

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Push come to shove, we always support a project’s function over elegance. If you can do it quickly and on the cheap, too, you’ve got a trifecta on your hands. Reader Sakraft1 manages to pull that off with his window cover.

Basically Sakraft1 wanted to keep snow and leaves from piling up in the window ledge of his basement window. A trip to the local home center yielded a piece that doesn’t restrict the light but will keep most debris out of the window. For safety the whole thing swivels up in case you need to get out of there in a hurry. Not too bad for a weekend’s work.

Toolmonger Photo Pool [Flickr]

Reader rboyett2001 just made my hit list. Check out this sweet-ass deal he scored for his shop. If the title of the image is correct, it’s a Jet DC-1100C model dust collection system.

I got a great deal today. This is a $600 dust collector that has barely seen any use at all. The previous owner barely got any sawdust into it. I got if off ebay for $228.00!

Mr. Boyett: hats off and beers up to you; excellent bargain hunting, sir. And it looks to be in great shape. We hope it turns out many years of dust-free service. Now if you’ll excuse me, I feel the need to go sweep the shop.

Toolmonger Photo Pool [Flickr]