I have never wanted an island in my kitchen because I like the ability to set up my print table which is 4 X 8. It is so huge Judith and I can barely move around it. While working on the landscape series I set up one of my folding tables which is 30" X 66". I could move around in the kitchen, fold laundry on it, have it be a "stopping off spot" while preparing food and it wasn't in my way - much. I thought if I had an island 2' X 4 ' that would be perfect.
I started doing an internet search and found one a woman had made and the wood only cost her $31. I went to the lumber yard and got a quote. It was over $120. Now I was MAD.
I am preparing for the Maine Event and was working in the Art Greenhouse when I spotted this old bottom of an IKEA hutch from so long ago, I can't even remember what house I had it in. Portland??
Any way it was kind of small ( 19' X 36" ) but the top look great and it had drawers. THEN I remembered I had an old stand I used in so many places throughout my life and I still hadn't painted the bottom. I do have another just like it that I had painted and I am using it next to my sewing machine. Any how...
I brought in both pieces and primed and painted the small stand. Next I sanded the tops with a 40 year old Makita random orbital sander when suddenly chucks of the pad started flying off. The rubber pad that holds the sandpaper had rotted over the years. I just kept going (after taking it outside) and it looked OK. Then I used some Minwax stain. You see, this is where I made a wrong turn. You can't poly it with water based poly over an oil stain. Needless to say the tops are a MESS, the sander is pretty much dead and a new Makita sander is $69. and a new pad is $49. I switched my search to just plain random orbital sanders and found a Black & Decker for $24. with almost all 5 starts (670 owner feedback). Now I am waiting til Wednesday when that bad boy gets here. Expect an amazing "island" like creation 19" X 48".
