With the wall-mounted desk system installed, the office remodel is well underway. The next project is the addition of a distinctive baseball touch: an eye-catching chair-rail with baseball-bats affixed.
Baseball-Bat Chair Rail
Materials: Lumber: 1x6's; 1x2's
Crown molding
Baseball bats
Table saw
Miter saw
Air-powered nail gun
Stud sensor
Finish nails
Wood glue
Construction adhesive
Wood screws
Safety Alert: Always wear eye protection, and follow proper safety precautions, when working with power tools and pneumatic tools.
Steps:
- The chair-rail is made from 1x2's, 1x6's, crown molding and baseball-bats cut in half. Begin the construction by attaching the 1x2's to the 1x6's using carpenter's glue.
- Secure the pieces further using a nail-gun and finish nails (figure A).
- Secure the crown molding to the boards, once again using glue and finish nails (figure B). The crown provides a decorative finish for the chair-rail.
- Next, the regulation-sized baseball bats are cut in half using a table saw. A wood sawing-fixture is made from scrap lumber to hold the bats steady as they are sawn in half (figure C). Extra care should be taken when cutting the bats, as they are made from very hard ash wood.
- To attach the bat halves, apply carpenter's glue to the flat surface, position them on the 1x6 portion of the rail sections, and secure with finish nails (figure D). Place one nail at the handle end, two in the center section, near the embossed logo.
- Continue attaching the bat halves in using this technique. On longer sections of the railing, we spaced the bats about 2 inches apart.
- Once all of the molding is constructed, miter-cut the ends using a table saw or compound-miter-saw with the blade set at a 45-degree angle (figure E).
- Measure and mark your locations on the wall, and secure the chair rail to the wall using construction adhesive and wood screws. Use the wood screws to anchor the rail securely by sinking them into the wall studs (figure F).
- The finished chair-rail not only adds a decorative touch, but the relatively wide top (figure G) may be used as a ledge for displaying framed photos, plaques, etc.
In the segment that follows, some of Ken Griffey's most prized career mementos are incorporated into the office decor.
RESOURCES :
Grand Finishes for Carpentry: A Step-by-Step Guide Through Molding Installation Projects
ISBN: 0312263317
Author: Matthew Nikitas
Order this title from Amazon.
Griffin Trade Paperback
Roadside Baseball: A Guide to Baseball Shrines Across America
Model: 0892047143
Author: Chris Epting, Joe Buck
McGraw-Hill Companies
Website: www.mcgraw-hill.com
Triumph and Tragedy in Mudville: A Lifelong Passion for Baseball
Model: 0393057550
Author: Stephen Jay Gould
W. W. Norton & Company
Special thanks for DIY's Major League Remodel
Athlete's Advantage, LLC
Featured in Major League Remodel marathon.
www.athletesadvantage.com
Louisville Slugger factory and museum
800 West Main St.
Louisville, KY 40202
Featured in Major League Remodel marathon.
www.slugger.com
Wilson Sporting Goods
Featured in Major League Remodel marathon.
www.wilsonsports.com
Stan Mar Sports Nets
Batting cage featured in Major League Remodel workshop, episode 101.
www.stanmarnets.com
SpaceMakers Of East Tennessee
Featured in Major League Remodel special.
www.spacemakersofet.com
Memories Photo and Portraits
Knoxville, TN
Photo transfer featured in Major League Remodel marathon.
www.memoriesphotos.com
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