My wife and I went to Ikea today. I agreed to let her buy a few things off
of my to do list; a dresser, shelving, curtains, etc. Things that have been
on my list for years, and are no closer to being started now than they were
when the list was made. Lately I've gotten to the point where my time is
more valuable than my self respect. What, with twin 4 year olds, a newborn,
a new job started earlier this year, and a part time teaching gig that just
started this week, I feel about as thin as the shavings from my favorite
Japanese hand plane. I miss my favorite Japanese hand plane...

I love Ikea. We walked through there like kids in a candy store. We are
both trained as architects (small "a", no licenses...), and love good design
almost as much as we love to ridicule bad design (really, that's not as
arrogant as it sounds...). Ikea is filled with both. Mostly, it's filled
with interesting solutions to the problem of Life. I look at unique,
pre-packaged furniture, and see a bright office filled with Designers,
pouring all of their creative energies into the Everyday. Spending endless
hours redrawing details in an attempt to maximize aesthetics, ergonimics,
and efficiency.

I'd bet that they have never even touched their own creations. If they did
I'm sure these Designers would be disgusted by the flimsy pressboard doors,
the sloppy fit of the prefab drawer sides. It's a stark contrast between
attention to detail and inattention to material.

I see the throngs of people pushing carts stacked full of prepackaged
uniqueness, patiently debating with their significant other over the merits
of an unfinished pinewood shelf, vs. a laminated paper shelf, vs. an exposed
edge plywood shelf. Most visitors seem to appreciate the design work and
the established prices, even as my wife and I discuss quality control or
cost-to-build for each item. Even the children are enthralled by the
experience, gleefully jumping on an endless row of mattresses or hiding in
the thin cloth of the curtain display.

We walked the meandering aisles of Ikea for nearly 4 hours, emerging from
the sensory deprivation of the Big Box shortly after dark, and well past
dinnertime. We quickly loaded our loot into the back of The Big Red
Minivan, grabbed some fast food, and headed for home. All told, we spent
$16.22 at Ikea today. We got a pair of plastic storage bins that just
happen to fit perfectly in the kids' toy storage shelving unit that I built
last year, and a few throw pillows that were on sale. That doesn't count 2
cups of coffee, 2 chocolate milk cartons, 1 piece of chocolate cake, and 1
ice cream cone shared by 4 of us. (The newborn opted out of all of the
treats, but did enjoy a few ounces from the ol' bottle.)

Having left for the store with the best intentions of making my life easier,
we have somehow added a few new ideas to my to do list. My wife has kindly
offered to review the list, to help me re-prioritize my assigned tasks. She
has even offered to minimize complaints if I were to actually spend some
time in the shop. Now that the twins are old enough to "help daddy" in the
shop (they know the difference between flat head and phillips, hammer and
mallet, dovetail and finger joint, and many other tools and terms that make
a father proud), all I would be missing is the pleasant conversation with my
wife and the excited but clumsy smile of our newborn.

Sometimes, I miss the sense of accomplishment that comes with a finished
project. Sometimes, I resent the sense of urgency that comes from an
oversized to do list. Sometimes, I feel too schizophrenic to know what to
do next. And sometimes, I try to look around as a simple observer, to
absorb what I can, and try not to worry about what else I'm supposed to be
doing. Like sleeping; right now I'm supposed to be sleeping.

-MJ
http://www.mjhkstudios.com/woodwork/Frameset.htm

In suppport of Ikea: We have quite a bit of Billy bookcases (oak style).
With and without glass doors. They see a lot of use. Some are holding our
dinnerware in the dining room. I can really recommend them for a cost-
effective solutions.

We also have desks that were originally I think Effektiv, but I can't find
them anymore. Very heavy duty, pressboard but nicely beech veneered. With
a whole set of bookcases and drawer units.

We also have flimsy night table 3-drawer sets that I can't recommend,
certainly not in the bigger sizes, where everything seems to come apart.

As with everything, you get what you pay for, and buyer beware. Oh yeah,
we have a number of Ikea's torchiere-like standing lamps, from $6.95 to
$60. They are just fine for us, especially the cheapest "NOT" lamps,
really they are.

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

On Aug 30, 7:25*am, Han wrote:

In suppport of Ikea: *We have quite a bit of Billy bookcases (oak style). *
With and without glass doors. *They see a lot of use. *Some are holding our
dinnerware in the dining room. *I can really recommend them for a cost-
effective solutions.

Ditto. Only in the home office/library holding books, etc.

We have no IKEA here. But a few years ago on a trip to see my sister,
we stopped at IKEA at the insistence of my better half. I have never
been to another IKEA, but the one in Houston is huge, and it was
packed.

It seemed to be part McDonald's, and part Pier One. It was a strange
mix of nice looking stuff, and furniture and accessories that looked
like they belonged in a one of those rent to own stores.

But I did find something that was a huge bargain. They had unfinished
birch (just a guess here on that - it was some kind of white Euro
wood) that was laminated into table tops. The laminate pieces were
about 2" across, and about 1 1/4" thick, and overall the dimensions
were about 36" X 50".

While inside, we had seen a corner desk that had been deemed perfect
for one of the rooms as it tucked into the corner and it had a rounded
section on a short leaf that allowed it to fit into the corner, like
an "L", with the inside of the L being curved.

The table tops were on closeout for $60. I couldn't buy the wood for
that.I started looking at them and they were rough and gnarly looking,
with no straight grain anywhere, which it was explained to me why they
were on clearance. But they were laminated together well, and they
were pretty straight, too.

Perfect for a wood guy, right? I bought three tops, and undermount
keyboard holder, and some powder coated steel legs there.

I took the nastiest of the tops aside, and then matched up as closely
as possible the next nastiest one and cut a curve into the top so I
would have my L shape.

I sanded the tops for about 10 hours or so to get them where I wanted
them, then applied an oil based primer/sealer. It lit them up like
you wouldn't believe, with curling ribbons of fiery wood grain two
inches wide going all directions.

It has been a favorite piece of furniture because it is solid wood,
the top finished out so well, and because it works so well. Odd to me
that he design inspiration came from IKEA as well as the materials,
just not the way they intended.

The best thing about the whole thing to me was that I didn't have to
prep the strips and laminate them to make the tops. And at $60 for
the top, I couldn't buy the the material for that.

Robert

" wrote in news:8b8bc4c3-
:

We have no IKEA here.

Ours is almost within walking distance, at Rt4 and 17 in North Jersey.
Another one is near Newark Airport grin.

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

wrote

The best thing about the whole thing to me was that I didn't have to
prep the strips and laminate them to make the tops. And at $60 for
the top, I couldn't buy the the material for that.

Same, same. Reminds of the $120 teak porch rockers from Sam's. I have 3 of
them ... can't buy the wood for what I paid for them.

BTW .. great thread, a real treat when it happens that the participants
actually know how to use the language!

The OP, Mark, is quite a writer. His post was an enjoyable read, and vivid
enough in description to open your mind's eye and just 'see' his family at
Ikea licking away on that cone.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 8/18/08
KarlC@ (the obvious)

"Swingman" wrote in
:

wrote

The best thing about the whole thing to me was that I didn't have to
prep the strips and laminate them to make the tops. And at $60 for
the top, I couldn't buy the the material for that.

Same, same. Reminds of the $120 teak porch rockers from Sam's. I have
3 of them ... can't buy the wood for what I paid for them.

BTW .. great thread, a real treat when it happens that the
participants actually know how to use the language!

The OP, Mark, is quite a writer. His post was an enjoyable read, and
vivid enough in description to open your mind's eye and just 'see' his
family at Ikea licking away on that cone.

I am partial to the ginger cookies, whatever they are called. I can't get
them home, they're gone before I stop the car.


--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

"Han" wrote in message
...
"Swingman" wrote in
:

wrote

The best thing about the whole thing to me was that I didn't have to
prep the strips and laminate them to make the tops. And at $60 for
the top, I couldn't buy the the material for that.

Same, same. Reminds of the $120 teak porch rockers from Sam's. I have
3 of them ... can't buy the wood for what I paid for them.

BTW .. great thread, a real treat when it happens that the
participants actually know how to use the language!

The OP, Mark, is quite a writer. His post was an enjoyable read, and
vivid enough in description to open your mind's eye and just 'see' his
family at Ikea licking away on that cone.

I am partial to the ginger cookies, whatever they are called. I can't get
them home, they're gone before I stop the car.

I don't know about those, but the double chocolate crisp cookies are
dangerous! They come three in a package and remind me of an old Paula
Poundstone bit, which I'll have to quote partially from memory:
"Ever want to have a pop tart as a snack, and open up the pack only to find
that there are two in there? You can't not eat the second one, because it'll
go bad if you just leave it, so you eat it too. But by that point, it's not
a snack, it's more like a meal, so you might as well open up the second
silver pack in the box. So you eat those and by that time, there's just the
one lonely pack in the box, and you don't want it to be all alone, so you go
ahead and eat it just to tidy up.".

todd

"todd" wrote in
:

I am partial to the ginger cookies, whatever they are called. I
can't get them home, they're gone before I stop the car.

I don't know about those

I think (after consulting with authority) that the ones I mean are called
Anna's ginger thins:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fynes/2355457340/

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

Mark Johnson wrote:
My wife and I went to Ikea today. I agreed to let her buy a few things off
of my to do list; a dresser, shelving, curtains, etc. Things that have been
on my list for years, and are no closer to being started now than they were
when the list was made. Lately I've gotten to the point where my time is
more valuable than my self respect. What, with twin 4 year olds, a newborn,
a new job started earlier this year, and a part time teaching gig that just
started this week, I feel about as thin as the shavings from my favorite
Japanese hand plane. I miss my favorite Japanese hand plane...

I love Ikea. We walked through there like kids in a candy store. We are
both trained as architects (small "a", no licenses...), and love good design
almost as much as we love to ridicule bad design (really, that's not as
arrogant as it sounds...). Ikea is filled with both. Mostly, it's filled
with interesting solutions to the problem of Life. I look at unique,
pre-packaged furniture, and see a bright office filled with Designers,
pouring all of their creative energies into the Everyday. Spending endless
hours redrawing details in an attempt to maximize aesthetics, ergonimics,
and efficiency.

I'd bet that they have never even touched their own creations. If they did
I'm sure these Designers would be disgusted by the flimsy pressboard doors,
the sloppy fit of the prefab drawer sides. It's a stark contrast between
attention to detail and inattention to material.

I see the throngs of people pushing carts stacked full of prepackaged
uniqueness, patiently debating with their significant other over the merits
of an unfinished pinewood shelf, vs. a laminated paper shelf, vs. an exposed
edge plywood shelf. Most visitors seem to appreciate the design work and
the established prices, even as my wife and I discuss quality control or
cost-to-build for each item. Even the children are enthralled by the
experience, gleefully jumping on an endless row of mattresses or hiding in
the thin cloth of the curtain display.

We walked the meandering aisles of Ikea for nearly 4 hours, emerging from
the sensory deprivation of the Big Box shortly after dark, and well past
dinnertime. We quickly loaded our loot into the back of The Big Red
Minivan, grabbed some fast food, and headed for home. All told, we spent
$16.22 at Ikea today. We got a pair of plastic storage bins that just
happen to fit perfectly in the kids' toy storage shelving unit that I built
last year, and a few throw pillows that were on sale. That doesn't count 2
cups of coffee, 2 chocolate milk cartons, 1 piece of chocolate cake, and 1
ice cream cone shared by 4 of us. (The newborn opted out of all of the
treats, but did enjoy a few ounces from the ol' bottle.)

Having left for the store with the best intentions of making my life easier,
we have somehow added a few new ideas to my to do list. My wife has kindly
offered to review the list, to help me re-prioritize my assigned tasks. She
has even offered to minimize complaints if I were to actually spend some
time in the shop. Now that the twins are old enough to "help daddy" in the
shop (they know the difference between flat head and phillips, hammer and
mallet, dovetail and finger joint, and many other tools and terms that make
a father proud), all I would be missing is the pleasant conversation with my
wife and the excited but clumsy smile of our newborn.

Sometimes, I miss the sense of accomplishment that comes with a finished
project. Sometimes, I resent the sense of urgency that comes from an
oversized to do list. Sometimes, I feel too schizophrenic to know what to
do next. And sometimes, I try to look around as a simple observer, to
absorb what I can, and try not to worry about what else I'm supposed to be
doing. Like sleeping; right now I'm supposed to be sleeping.

-MJ
http://www.mjhkstudios.com/woodwork/Frameset.htm



I hit the IKEA store in Cinci yesterday. I had the same symptoms. I
think that I am grateful that my Father's Second Cousin's Uncle declined
his business partner's offer to be the Chief Financial Officer for IKEA
back when it was being formed in Sweden. He felt that the offerings were
junk. Go figure....

Dave N

On Sep 1, 8:11*pm, "David G. Nagel" wrote:
Mark Johnson wrote:
My wife and I went to Ikea today. *I agreed to let her buy a few things off
of my to do list; a dresser, shelving, curtains, etc. *Things that have been
on my list for years, and are no closer to being started now than they were
when the list was made. *Lately I've gotten to the point where my time is
more valuable than my self respect. *What, with twin 4 year olds, a newborn,
a new job started earlier this year, and a part time teaching gig that just
started this week, I feel about as thin as the shavings from my favorite
Japanese hand plane. *I miss my favorite Japanese hand plane...

I love Ikea. *We walked through there like kids in a candy store. *We are
both trained as architects (small "a", no licenses...), and love good design
almost as much as we love to ridicule bad design (really, that's not as
arrogant as it sounds...). *Ikea is filled with both. *Mostly, it's filled
with interesting solutions to the problem of Life. *I look at unique,
pre-packaged furniture, and see a bright office filled with Designers,
pouring all of their creative energies into the Everyday. *Spending endless
hours redrawing details in an attempt to maximize aesthetics, ergonimics,
and efficiency.

I'd bet that they have never even touched their own creations. *If they did
I'm sure these Designers would be disgusted by the flimsy pressboard doors,
the sloppy fit of the prefab drawer sides. *It's a stark contrast between
attention to detail and inattention to material.

I see the throngs of people pushing carts stacked full of prepackaged
uniqueness, patiently debating with their significant other over the merits
of an unfinished pinewood shelf, vs. a laminated paper shelf, vs. an exposed
edge plywood shelf. *Most visitors seem to appreciate the design work and
the established prices, even as my wife and I discuss quality control or
cost-to-build for each item. *Even the children are enthralled by the
experience, gleefully jumping on an endless row of mattresses or hiding in
the thin cloth of the curtain display.

We walked the meandering aisles of Ikea for nearly 4 hours, emerging from
the sensory deprivation of the Big Box shortly after dark, and well past
dinnertime. *We quickly loaded our loot into the back of The Big Red
Minivan, grabbed some fast food, and headed for home. *All told, we spent
$16.22 at Ikea today. *We got a pair of plastic storage bins that just
happen to fit perfectly in the kids' toy storage shelving unit that I built
last year, and a few throw pillows that were on sale. *That doesn't count 2
cups of coffee, 2 chocolate milk cartons, 1 piece of chocolate cake, and 1
ice cream cone shared by 4 of us. *(The newborn opted out of all of the
treats, but did enjoy a few ounces from the ol' bottle.)

Having left for the store with the best intentions of making my life easier,
we have somehow added a few new ideas to my to do list. *My wife has kindly
offered to review the list, to help me re-prioritize my assigned tasks. *She
has even offered to minimize complaints if I were to actually spend some
time in the shop. *Now that the twins are old enough to "help daddy" in the
shop (they know the difference between flat head and phillips, hammer and
mallet, dovetail and finger joint, and many other tools and terms that make
a father proud), all I would be missing is the pleasant conversation with my
wife and the excited but clumsy smile of our newborn.

Sometimes, I miss the sense of accomplishment that comes with a finished
project. *Sometimes, I resent the sense of urgency that comes from an
oversized to do list. *Sometimes, I feel too schizophrenic to know what to
do next. *And sometimes, I try to look around as a simple observer, to
absorb what I can, and try not to worry about what else I'm supposed to be
doing. *Like sleeping; right now I'm supposed to be sleeping.

-MJ
http://www.mjhkstudios.com/woodwork/Frameset.htm

I hit the IKEA store in Cinci yesterday. I had the same symptoms. I
think that I am grateful that my Father's Second Cousin's Uncle declined
his business partner's offer to be the Chief Financial Officer for IKEA
back when it was being formed in Sweden. He felt that the offerings were
junk. Go figure....

Dave N

We have several of the Billy bookcases in the maroon/mahogony finish.
We also got a huge desktop in the same finish - like 40 x 70.
I was bummed when they discontinued that finish in favor of a muddy
nut brown..

I love my 2 poang chairs with the fabric cushions. My wife made slip
covers when we saw what it would cost to replace the stained pads. I
fed my son his bottle twice nightly on that chair for quite a while -
it doesn't owe us anything.

We actually go the the Elizabeth IKEA to buy the bags of frozen
swedish meal balls and the packages of the gravy/sauce.

It's something to do on a rainy weekend when we have nothing else
going on.

Cheer

Jim