Cost = Free ~ Part I

There is a tip I'd like to share with you folks.

It's called Craigslist.

It's kinda funny how things work out sometimes.

Several months ago, I found an old "baker's cabinet" listed for free.

It had been in the garage, and he was clearing it out.

It was filthy but I liked the size and shape so inquired.

It was 2 hours away near my hometown 
which I thought might make a good reason to go visit.

(This is the ad photo I responded to.)

Upon inquiring, I couldn't go get it on a weekend.

It had to be Tuesday mornings or Thursday evenings 
or some silly thing like that.

(Linoleum covered work surface which probably saved it in many respects.)

(No paper? No problem! Just write it on the cabinet - really!?!)

(Need more hooks? Just use nails.)

*Sorry for the odd lack of quality on the last couple photos.  My camera settings somehow got switched, and I couldn't undo my work to get more 'before' pictures.

I told him I worked during the week but would see if I could get ahold of a friend to pick it up for me.

By the time I was able to get ahold of my friend and explain what I needed,

the post was gone so I figured I missed it.

Nearly 2 months later, it reappeared.

Evidently, the first time "it fell through," and he lost the phone numbers.

Needless to say, I was able to just text my friend and ask if it was still okay.

He made arrangements and went and picked it up, 

then I got to go down on the weekend and pick it up from them.

It worked out wonderfully.

I made thank you chocolates to take with me.

The cabinet is from the 40s/50s as the original paint was still on the doors.

(The original colors - inside of cabinet doors.)
It's a homemade job as the pencil lines for the shelves 
showed on the back as I was sanding.
The other neat part is it was probably made from "local lumber" as it was a lumber community.  I sure miss the smell of lumber mills running.

After day one~

 I had two different sanders I was using.
This little one got back into the corners better
but wasn't as powerful as the belt sander.

I'm not sure why, but I like leaving a little of the paint in the grain of the wood.
Maybe it's because it reflects its past a bit.  Who knows?

After day two~

Finished sanding and stained/sealed.
I wanted it "just wood colored" and tested a couple different choices 
on the bottom.  I didn't like any of them as was.
Clear was too bright, cherry too orange/yellow, others too dark, etc.
I ended up mixing 'cherry' and 'old American' to get the right tone. 

I don't have the doors done yet but was able to get it in the house 
and out of the shop.

The doors are smaller and much easier to set aside.
I will have to make bottom doors, 
but the hinges were still on the cabinet so I have them.
I love that I have a place to keep my huge bowls.
I will be putting my beeswax/candle making items on the bottom 
but want to wait until I get the doors made so it doesn't get dirty.
I will try to scrub the inside of the upper doors.
If they clean up okay, I think I will leave the inside original
just for a bit of whimsey and surprise.

The only cost was a visit to some friends and a bit of elbow grease.
It's pretty primitive for our home, but I love the functionality of it.

As the saying goes, "One man's trash..."