And this is where I, Bear, pick up. So here is the base of the sewing machine. I should have taken a picture when the Sewing Machine was still attached. Also, here’s the random sink that Jenny found at a thrift store with hideous brass hardware.
After taking off all the hardware and removing the sewing machine, I place the sink on top to see what I'm working with, and what modifications I need to make to the top of the base (I also removed the very top of the base which was on hinges that covered the sewing machine when it was put away. The top which is not shown here will be the finished top of the sink). Because the sink is from a pedestal, it is not level from front to back, nor is it perfectly symmetrical. I will need to notch out the back (right) end of the wood top by the same amount as the gap seen here to make the sink level. I measure the depth needed to cut into the wood…
I set the skill saw to the depth measured, and marked the area that needed to be cut. I cut strips into the wood so that I could chisel them out. The wood then breaks off at the correct depth. And here is a close up of the wood once the chiseling is complete.
Now the sink fits and the top is now level. Since the new vanity sink will need to sit flush with the wall, the lip on the back end of the base was also cut to be flush with the back of the sink. To make a template of the sink to cut out of the top piece of wood, I used paper and tape to surround the sink for a rough stencil.
This is the stencil on the top piece of wood. The top piece was previously hinged to the piece seen earlier and acted as a cover for the sewing machine. As you can see, the pedestal sink is not exactly symmetrical. I outlined the stencil with a carpenter's pencil. I glued and screwed the top to the base of the sink.
Since I wanted the wood top to look like one solid piece, I used wood filler to fill the cracks. I had to make sure I used "stainable" wood filler since I was going to be refinishing the top. Since I wanted the wood top to look like one solid piece, I used wood filler to fill the cracks. I had to make sure I used "stainable" wood filler since I was going to be refinishing the top.
The sink was completely disassembled and cleaned using a wire brush. There was a lot of scum build up around the faucets and drain. Base painted an off white semi gloss. Top taped to protect the top for staining.
The drain was going to be more of a hassle to remove than necessary. So I taped around it so I could refinish the brass. I used a high quality spray paint to refinish the brass fixtures, and then sealed the paint with a sealing spray. I was amazed at how great a finish the product produced!
This is the finished product. The top was sanded, re-stained, and sealed with polyurethane. The sink was placed into the top, and white silicone caulking was used to seal the sink to the top. All the hardware and front door were reattached.
So, now we’re debating… Should we sell it? Or which of us gets to keep it? I suppose it sort of defeats the purpose of our little business venture, if every time we make something, we want to keep it, right? Oh, well. On to the next project. Thanks for stopping by!!
