Happy birthday to me! (and table saw stand build)

Yesterday was my birthday - Happy birthday to me!

My birthday theme this year was apparently tools...

Check out my super cute cake from The Boutique Bakeshop! (And it was so yummy too. If you are local, you need to visit this bakery!)

And here is my swanky new Ryobi nailer from Brad and the girls! So excited to try this out! :)

My super supportive in-laws got me a Ryobi tool set (drill, circular saw, reciprocating saw, flashlight, batteries, and charger), which I don't have a picture of, but am so happy about. The circular saw I had been using was very old, crazy heavy, made of steel (including the handle) and shorting out. So.... yeah. It was time. Fortunately that was an early birthday present and so I've been able to use them all for a couple of weeks - the reciprocating saw came in handy when I got mad and chopped 3 inches off the legs of my miter saw table!

I spent a couple of hours of my birthday in the garage building a stand for my table saw. Another step in trying to get the garage reno done. It was so nice to get a chance to build! After my happy accident with the height of the miter saw table, I designed this table to by the same height as the workbench as well. I figure it's especially important for this one since most of the pieces I will cut with the table saw will be long and supporting them will be necessary.

I measured the saw about 100 times and got started cutting 2x4s. I screwed them together with 3" screws for the cross braces on the sides of the table and used my Kreg jig to make pocket holes in the base pieces to connect the frames. I got going and didn't take many pictures, but I did have to admire this contraption. It's practically a work of art... I call it "Working alone with two hands when you could really use four."

Three paint cans just happened to be the perfect height to support the frame while I attached the pocket hole screws!

I used scrap plywood and 1x2s to make a table for the saw to sit on. This is where I got pretty frustrated because even though I measured and re-measured, I still didn't get it quite right. But with some shims and stubbornness, I made it work.

I guess I can give myself a break for small mistakes since I was trying to build this in the tiny space I made among all of the clutter! Look at that mess!

I need to put the finishing touches on it the next time I can get into the garage and I'll post a picture of the finished product then!

Here's hoping that will be soon! I love my garage time!