European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 16, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Is photos by Ken George having the right tools is important for the Handyman especially the woodworker. Hell i can build that myself of yeah by Frank Cook United press International t o every arrogant Novice who has successfully whacked together a wooden Birdhouse goes this warning out there somewhere lurks an $80 Coulee table you can build yourself for just $270. The Cost to the ego is somewhat greater. In the recent past the arrival of new living loom chairs lamps and a carpet quickly made obsolete a Friendly old lobster trap with a badly scratched Clear plastic cover. And As often happens that obsolescence neatly coincided with the arrival of a Catalon offering a flashy $60 alternative made out of Oak with a shiny Glass lop. Enter the boast thai has ruined Many a do it yours Elfer hell i can build that  it should be noted Here that the general objective of do it yours Elfers is to create something that Well does t look like you did it yourself. The finished product should look professional Bright and shiny solid and smooth stable and Ever so slightly artistic. A corollary notion is that doing it yourself should be cheaper than having someone do it for you. Ego is sometimes a larger Factor than intelligence. Still if one has successfully completed a previous project there should be nothing to fear. All it takes is a Little planning. Step one a woodworking Magazine that fells the Standard dimensions of things like chairs bookcases Coffee tables Etc. Cost $1.69. Step two sketch pad you need to draw out your  before you Start sawing the Wood $1.25. The next step in this Case was to Lake a Short course at the local Community Center on beginning woodworking under the premise ill pick up a Tew Basic skills i can always  $50 having already invested $52 94 without touching a single piece of Wood it was time to go to the lumber Yard. With sketch in hand and skills in mind i licked off a list to a fellow who mistakenly though i did t know what i was doing. I need two kinds of rectangle boards that Are about 4 feet Long four kind of Square posts that Are about 16 inches High four a no eight rails  he put up a hand. There s a pile of while Oak Over there. Just pull out what you need " now the problem with lumberyard is that All they have is lumber i.e., hunks of Wood. They Don t really have boards posts rails Etc., and they especially Don t have boards posts rails Etc. That Are handily pre Cut to your specifications. Nor i Learned was White Oak cheap. Hundred an ten dollars  what Hundred an  while the dark Side of my mind muttered dark things to itself the rational part reasoned i be already spent $1.69 for the Magazine $1 25 for the sketch pad and $50 for a course. If i Slop now i la have wasted thai Money. Thai ii be  i wrote out a Check and the clerk smiled a scene that would repeat itself several times Over the next few weeks of measuring sawing and drilling. Wood does not a piece of furniture make. Ii lakes screws to screw it together $1.70. It lakes Wood filler to rough Over those Little mishaps. $2 89. And three kinds of sandpaper 100 grit 220 and 320to smooth Down the surface. $6 28. And danish Oil lots of danish Oil to make the finish Nice and shiny. $14.84. And a paint Brush to apply the Oil $1.26. And paint thinner to clean the Brush. $2.69. And hand cleaner to clean the hands. $1.40. Then there s the Glass. Now. Here s Glass and there is Glass. For $22 you could get something dangerously thin guaranteed to shatter on Impact and barely Able to is slain the weight of a Magazine let alone a Magazine and a can of Beer. Or for a Little More there is Glass that is Nice and thick and tempered so it won t shatter. Or. For a Little More than that there is Glass that is Nice and thick and tempered and artistically Bevelled around the edges. Or for around $200, there is Glass that is All of the above plus tinted to a Nice Shade of Gray or Green. Glass $22. Second piece of Glass $55 the Day before the lobster trap was moved out and the Coffee table was moved in the offending Catalon disappeared. Not 10 minutes after it was in place an admirer posed a question How much do you think it cos you about 60 Bucks i lied plus lax Page 14 the and stripes tuesday