This was my Christmas gift to Lauren this year! An Industrial Chic, Steampunk esque Chess set. I found the board on Etsy, and built the pieces out of nuts and bolts from the hardware store. I got one side rusted using Patina Blue solution, which I found from this sweet tutorial.

If you want to make your own, or you want a set, drop me a line!

Well, here is my next foray into the world of industrial chic design. As with my ladder shelf, this coffee table is made completely from reused items, right down to the screws. The top is made from hardwood flooring straight from a basketball court, which I found at Construction Junction. Also from CJ are the 2×4′s and legs, made from case iron pipe I cut down, and leveled off with adjustable pipe fittings as feet. The drawers are from an old filing cabinet I had in storage. It turned out to be a fun project, and it feels good to recycle old goods into some cool furniture.

Check out the pics below to see the steps I went through, and feel free to comment and let know what you think!

So I built some shelving out of a ladder last week, and figured I’d post some pictures, as well as a simplified tutorial. The process was pretty simple, and only took a few hours to build. It also cost me a whopping $2.50 for the whole thing, since I found two old ladders on Craigslist for 5 bucks.

The ladders were from Lousville Ladder Company, circa 1988. That officially makes this shelving only a few years younger than me

After cleaning the ladder, I took off the top rung, as well as the metal attachment on the side holding the ladder together. This was done by chiseling off the heads of the rivets. I just did this with a chisel and hammer, and made sure to wear thick gloves, because I like to miss and hit my hand from time to time.

Next, I measured the width of the shelves, and cut some old weather worn boards into the correct shelving length. I made sure to use some thicker boards, to the middles wouldn’t bow.

Then, I put my lader into my inset upside down, and laid in the boards, getting them all level. This took a good bit of shimmying on each end of the ladder, as the rungs on each side were not the same height to begin with. Once I got them level, I marked the spots on the wood, and gave each a dot of wood glue, just to keep them from sliding. Not too much though, as I would like to have the freedom to move this shelving later.

That’s just about it. I decorated the shelves up with some plants and the like, and ended up with some pretty cool shelving. Finally, as a bonus, I took the top rung that I had removed, and made it into a key hanger with some random hooks I had in my workroom. Now I just need to use the metal fasteners from the middle of the ladder for something, and I’ll have used every part of the ladder!

This, however, cannot be complete without a key ring. The chrome bar that comes attached really doesn’t do the job, and mine broke a while back. The folks at VWvortex forums were quick to provide a DIY fix, which I’ve done my best to chronicle.

First, I tried super glue. That worked for a total of .0000333… seconds. Second, I tried JB Weld, which is supposed to hold together two cheetas running full speed in opposite directions. This worked for about double that time. For the record, I do not chalk this up to the inferiority of these products, but the idiocy by which this VW key ring was designed.

After these failed attempts, I ripped the key in half (which can literally be done by just pulling the two halves apart, see below).

I then proceeded to VWvortex, and found exactly where the board inside was located, so I wouldn’t drill into it. What you want to do is drill in the corner where the panic button is, opposide side of the key. I used a 1/8 inch drill bit, which allowed a smaller key ring to fit through, albeit quite snugly.

Viola! My key, as well as my manhood, are now whole again. Reply below if you have questions.