Tyler and Emily in PNG

The past two weeks my dear friends left me to go teach at Gandep Bible College in the bush of Papua New Guinea. Before they left, they plugged a project idea in my mind. They (Bethaney and Emily) wanted a shelf unit built for their house. They have overflows of kitchen items and gadgets which have no home. They wanted me, Mr. IT Man to make them a shelf. Well, I told them I would think about it.

After they left I started to ponder and draft ideas for this shelf. I thought it would be a good surprise to them if I did somehow make this shelf. Then I heard that there was an undisclosed bet under the table that I would not make the shelf. This is what really set off the desire to build and complete this project before the two got home from the bush.

I drafted my plans, I consulted with others, then I went to the hardware to buy the materials. An experience in itself to go buy 3/4” plywood 8×4 sheet. In the metric world, a true 8×4 sheet of plywood is not 8×4 but 120 cm x 240 cm. 3/4” is 17 mm. The conversion from the English system to Metric takes adjustment from buying 1.5” screws to a sheet of plywood. Nonetheless, all materials were purchases and ready for assembly.

Bob, our Technical Services handy man of sorts, helped me measure, align, and cut the wood to various dimensions with the table saw. We pre-drilled and counter sunk all holes then I wanted to paint before final assembly of product. I got very intimate with all sides and corners of these boards. I paint four times, twice on each side rotating and flipping them over a course of two days.

I had one modification to make as the two of the shelves were not pre-drilled on center so I had to re-drill and properly align in process. Nothing that a little wood putty would not hide afterwards. I got the shelf finally put together after working many evenings in their house during their absence.

Emily was very excited and surprised to see the finished product when she came in the house. I think Bethaney will be just as surprised also once she comes back to town. One thing I did learn during this two week undertaking was I am not skilled in this particular trade. I did enjoy making it however I would not enjoy it as my career.