I've been working on a new workbook for beginning programmers. Please take a look and let me know what you think:
https://www.kidscodingworkbook.com
Friday, August 3, 2018
Saturday, December 31, 2016
Glad Tidings of Great Joy
Merry
Christmas, Brothers and Sisters.
Several
years ago, Elder Oaks gave a talk in General Conference where he spoke of a newspaper
cartoon that showed a clergyman in conversation with a couple of hippies astride
a motorcycle. “We are church goers,” one was saying to the clergyman. “We’ve
been going for years … we just haven’t gotten there yet.”
Now,
unlike these hippies, all of us have made it to church. After all, we are here today. But have we truly arrived as dedicated
disciples of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ?
On
that first Christmas day the shepherds were alarmed to see the arrival of
Angels from above. Luke recorded, “And,
lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round
about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold I bring you good
tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you this day is born in the city of
David a savior, which is Christ the Lord.”
What
an amazing event. The Angels brought the
GREATEST OF ALL NEWS to those shepherds.
Not just the birth of the savior, but of his life—of his gospel, and of his
atonement.
Do
we always see the good news in the same light the Angels declared it? Are we truly converted unto the Lord and His
gospel?
Elder
Ucktdorf spoke of our acceptance of this good news a few years ago when he
said, “Too often we nod our heads; we might even smile knowingly and
agree. We jot down some action points,
and we may say to ourselves, ‘That is something I will do.’ But somewhere
between the hearing, the writing of a reminder on our smartphones, and the
actual doing, our ‘do it’ switch gets rotated into the ‘later’ position.”
Being
a true supporter of our savior means more than just paying attention. It means that we are willing to “Stand as
witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places.”
The
good news of the gospel brings the opportunity to partake of the sacrament like
we’ve done today. If we act with the
right preparation and attitude, partaking of the sacrament provides the
cleansing effects of the atonement of Jesus Christ and qualifies us for the
promise that we will always have his Spirit to be with us.
This
is an important part of the good tidings of great joy declared by the
angel. It helps us to have greater
consecration--greater conversion and ultimately a mighty change in us, or in
our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good
continually.
King
Benjamin spoke to his people of an Angel similar to or maybe the same as the
Shepherds saw. This angel said, “Awake,
and hear the words which I shall tell thee; for behold, I am come to declare
unto you the glad tidings of great joy.”
King
Benjamin was told to teach his people of the gospel of Jesus Christ. “For behold, the time cometh, and is not far
distant, that with power, the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is
from all eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven among the
children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay, and shall go forth
amongst men, working mighty miracles, such as healing the sick, raising the
dead, causing the lame to walk, the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf
to hear, and curing all manner of diseases.”
While
these are amazing miracles, the greatest miracles the Angel would speak of are
to come when he said, “And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body,
hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto
death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish
for the wickedness and the abominations of his people.
And
lo, he cometh unto his own, that salvation might come unto the children of men
even through faith on his name; and even after all this they shall consider him
a man, and say that he hath a devil, and shall scourge him, and shall crucify
him.”
What
is the good news the angel speaks of? Elder
Oaks answers this question when he says, “He has given us His wonderful Atonement,
His gospel, and His Church, a sacred combination that gives us the assurance of
immortality and the opportunity for eternal life.” That is the good news.
Brothers
and Sisters, let us not be as the hippies spoken of by Elder Oaks who are meandering
on a path leading to nowhere, but rather, let us today set our ‘do it’ switches
into the ‘now’ position. Let us
consecrate our heart and our lives to the gospel of Jesus Christ. May we be dedicated disciples of His cause
that we may be heirs of all that our Heavenly Father has in store for us.
I
declare unto you the Glad Tidings of Great Joy spoken by the Angels. They are the life, character, and atoning
sacrifice of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. Of this I testify in the name of
Jesus Christ, Amen.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Under The Dairy Queen Lights
Under The Dairy Queen Lights, By Calvin Tuckett
We've got a kid who's found "the one."
He's in a daze. It's kinda fun.
He brought her home the other day.
She's very cute, and I must say.
She floats around and loves him so.
They're on the phone and spending dough.
He bought a ring, it's for her finger.
And now her friends, oh how they linger.
He bought it at the store you know.
The plan was later he would show.
Under the Dairy Queen foyer lights
That's just the place to say what's right.
She thought that she would see it now
No need to wait and make him bow.
He gave in, she got the ring.
The date is set for in the spring.
Sometimes the hours they get too late
We worry much about their fate.
Two little kids have found much more
It's like they found a candy store
Just down the street and easy walkin
To be together; now look whose talkin.
I remember the good old days.
I know just why in town he stays.
You remember being out 'till three or so;
And coming home on tippie toe.
I remember the fun I had;
I'd better go and get the lad.
So I gt up at one or so
To her apartments where I go.
Sure enough I find him there.
"We fell asleep" a thought they share.
Sleepy eyed he said again
"I'll be home in five or ten."
I winked at her to show my love.
To me she's like a turtle dove.
We've got a kid who's found "the one."
He's in a daze. It's kinda fun.
He brought her home the other day.
She's very cute, and I must say.
She floats around and loves him so.
They're on the phone and spending dough.
He bought a ring, it's for her finger.
And now her friends, oh how they linger.
He bought it at the store you know.
The plan was later he would show.
Under the Dairy Queen foyer lights
That's just the place to say what's right.
She thought that she would see it now
No need to wait and make him bow.
He gave in, she got the ring.
The date is set for in the spring.
Sometimes the hours they get too late
We worry much about their fate.
Two little kids have found much more
It's like they found a candy store
Just down the street and easy walkin
To be together; now look whose talkin.
I remember the good old days.
I know just why in town he stays.
You remember being out 'till three or so;
And coming home on tippie toe.
I remember the fun I had;
I'd better go and get the lad.
So I gt up at one or so
To her apartments where I go.
Sure enough I find him there.
"We fell asleep" a thought they share.
Sleepy eyed he said again
"I'll be home in five or ten."
I winked at her to show my love.
To me she's like a turtle dove.
It's Nearly Two
It's Nearly Two, By Calvin Tuckett
I said to them "what shall we do.
It's getting late, It's nearly two."
To stay out late just isn't good.
They shook their heads'; they understood.
Then like something from above
I said to her with fathers love
"I must watch for your folks to
I know they love and care for you
A disappointment it would be
If vows weren't made on bended knee."
I told the two of them you see
"I know it's hard but it must be."
"Harder still would be to say
We're sorry mom and dad today."
They tried they're best and life went on.
They kissed goodnight before the dawn.
The days like that now are gone.
The nights aware when we would yawn.
The wedding it is over now.
The kneeling down the solemn vow.
If I could have one wish in ten.
I'd wish to do it all again.
I said to them "what shall we do.
It's getting late, It's nearly two."
To stay out late just isn't good.
They shook their heads'; they understood.
Then like something from above
I said to her with fathers love
"I must watch for your folks to
I know they love and care for you
A disappointment it would be
If vows weren't made on bended knee."
I told the two of them you see
"I know it's hard but it must be."
"Harder still would be to say
We're sorry mom and dad today."
They tried they're best and life went on.
They kissed goodnight before the dawn.
The days like that now are gone.
The nights aware when we would yawn.
The wedding it is over now.
The kneeling down the solemn vow.
If I could have one wish in ten.
I'd wish to do it all again.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
My History As I Remember It.
I thought I had better put my own history on paper before I get too old and completely forgot it. So, here we go.
Early Years
I have a very faint memory of living in Pocatello when my parents were going to school down their. I remember playing in the road with a friend (a girl I believe). Not much else that I remember about Pocatello (the first time).
I remember quite a bit about living in Idaho Falls (Coltman). I remember taking a walk with Mom and Trent. We were walking along the back of the property where we lived. There was a tall grain elevator. In front of the grain elevator was a mother skunk and a couple of babies. My initial reaction was to run to those cute babies, but mom caught be just in time. We kept our distance and stayed safe.
Early Years
I have a very faint memory of living in Pocatello when my parents were going to school down their. I remember playing in the road with a friend (a girl I believe). Not much else that I remember about Pocatello (the first time).
I remember quite a bit about living in Idaho Falls (Coltman). I remember taking a walk with Mom and Trent. We were walking along the back of the property where we lived. There was a tall grain elevator. In front of the grain elevator was a mother skunk and a couple of babies. My initial reaction was to run to those cute babies, but mom caught be just in time. We kept our distance and stayed safe.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Political "Platform"
There is so much political frustration out there today. It seems that no matter who we elect to public office, they always seem to do the opposite of what we would like them to. Many folks vote based on the party that the candidate is affiliated with. This hasn't worked very well because within a party there are candidates that lean to the left or to the right. We often find that the Republican that we elect is more liberal than some of the Democrats out there and visa versa.
It is time that we clearly spell out what it is we believe in and then vote for the candidate that espouses these ideals, regardless of the party they work for. Too often the party takes priority over the needs and desires of the people of this great nation. Because of this, I am putting together this list of ideals I have. This is a working list, and as I think of things, I will add them to the list.
The federal government should be limited to power over ONLY those areas explicitly outlined in it's constitution. If it isn't in there, the federal government shouldn't be doing it.
It is time that we clearly spell out what it is we believe in and then vote for the candidate that espouses these ideals, regardless of the party they work for. Too often the party takes priority over the needs and desires of the people of this great nation. Because of this, I am putting together this list of ideals I have. This is a working list, and as I think of things, I will add them to the list.
Federal Government
Breadth of Power
The federal government should be limited to power over ONLY those areas explicitly outlined in it's constitution. If it isn't in there, the federal government shouldn't be doing it.
Fiscal Responsibility
- The federal government should not be able to pass a budget that is not completely balanced.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Building Canned Goods Shelves
Several weeks ago my wife dropped the bomb concerning what she wanted for Christmas. She wanted some shelves that would hold canned goods. She explained to me that the ones she was interested in were designed so that the cans were placed in one side and removed from the other. She explained that this design was used so that the shelf managed the cans first in – first out. She gave me an advertisement for one being sold at a local food storage business. Upon further investigation, I was surprised to see that most of these kinds of shelves were priced between $250 and $400 per shelf set and that was for one 4 foot by 6 foot piece. Sure they were made of steel, but based on the number of cans of food we had, I was estimating we would need about three of them.
Alternatives
I did some more research and found that there were several alternatives to the purchased shelves. The most intriguing alternative for me was a set of shelves posted to a blog that were built almost entirely using 2x4s and 1x8s (see this photo of the shelves: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg17UlmmUWEhf5GmASyqHrL3jk5JTQJbg31GnacyNB67n6mmWiPNWvD30EtJGDwDuXNyyYirNaVe5lnTcCMe8QiEYyn5TE4xJn-1_0ZEC_90zxp72dYpwKGqpxraziw5NuuuP92Bf9U6BP7/s320/shelves.JPG ). The design was straight forward and reasonably simple to build. I used the photograph to come up with a similar design that is a little more rugged with improved capacity and designed so it can be easily reproduced.
The Design
My canned goods shelving design also incorporates 2x4s like the internet version, but instead of 1x8s I used plywood (OSB actually). Instead of simply nailing the boards the cans roll on directly to the 2x4s, I incorporated cross timbers or bars that the plywood would rest on to increase the amount of weight each shelf could withstand and to allow for a design change that would make each rolling surface independent (more on this later). The result of my design is shown here in the final product.
Building steps
Now, you must know that I am not much of a carpenter. Somehow I convinced my wife early in our marriage that I was handy with a hammer and have spent the last eighteen years trying to reverse this misconception to no avail. I do have a high attention to detail and have been doing design for many years, but I’ve only found success sitting in front of a computer. My point in bringing up these odd facts is to set your mind at ease that I am not introducing the plans for a complex undertaking requiring a lot of tools and such. Here are the things you will need to do the job:
List of Tools
List of Materials
Step 1 – Building the Frame
You will begin by constructing a frame that will hold the shelves. You are going to need to get a bunch of big strong kids to help you with this. If your storage room (assume that is where you are putting it) is anything like mine, the effort isn’t in the building of the frame itself, but in removing the boxes and other junk that occupies the space where the frame and subsequent shelves will go. It took me a half a day to remove all of the boxes, and an hour to construct the frame. You will want to clear a spot against a wall that is about 9 feet long and four feet out from the wall ( I suggest clearing as much space as you can because it will make the whole process easier in the long run).
The frame is constructed out of 2x4s. I would try to get the straightest ones you can find. You only need 14 of them. Here is what you are building.
The length of the horizontal timbers is 92 5/8”. You don’t even need to cut them because you can buy this length at your local home store. I used 2 ½” gold grabber screws to tie it all together. Use two screws on each connection. The two horizontal timbers on the bottom are on the outside of the vertical timbers to leave more room for the shelves. The remaining horizontal timbers are on the inside. The vertical timbers are cut exactly the height of the room where you are building the shelf. The storage room where I was building mine was unfinished so I measured from the floor to the joists in the ceiling. I cut them about an 1/8th inch long to make sure they were snug. The easiest way to get started is with the vertical and horizontal boards that are closest to the corner and the wall. Use a level to make sure the vertical timber is standing plumb (a term used by construction folks to mean straight up and down). Once you are ready, put a screw or two into the bottom horizontal stud to stick it to the wall. Then sink two screws into the intersection of the horizontal and vertical studs. Put a couple of screws into each of the back section timbers to attach them to the back wall. Build the back section (6 timbers) first and then the front section without the cross timbers (those connecting the back and the front). The horizontal timber that is about 3/4ths of the way up each section should be set with its top 70” off the floor (this will be the timbers where the shelf board rests). Measure the 70” at each vertical timber to make sure the horizontal one is level. All but one of the six cross timbers are to be cut 22” long. The bottom-middle one is cut 19” long. This puts exactly 16” between the back and the front--the space for our shelves. The five cross timbers will go on the ends of each horizontal timber. The sixth cross timber on the bottom-middle will fit between the horizontal timbers. Push it up against the middle vertical timbers and screw it on.
Step 2 – Cross Bars for Shelves
At this point, the frame of the structure should be complete. The next step in the process is to calculate the location of each cross bar that will be attached to the vertical timbers to provide a base for the shelves to sit. For my shelves, I wanted to accommodate three sizes of cans. 10# cans--the really big ones that food storage food is often stored in, large cans that are often used to store fruit like peaches and pears, and regular size cans (this would include most other sizes). These three different sizes of cans have different heights and widths. For right now, it is the widths we are concerned with. Frankly, this was the most difficult part of the design for me. The width of a can, plus a gap measurement that accounts for the thickness of the plywood and other space between the can and the next shelf determine the positioning of the cross bars. Because of this, you will need to determine how many of each type of cans you would like in your shelf. I used a 3.5” gap measurement between each shelf, and the following measurements for the different types of cans:
To assist you in determining the placement of the cross bars, I have provided the scenario that I used which contains two shelves of #10 cans, 1 shelf of large fruit cans, and five shelves of regular cans.
The numbers in yellow are the marks that you will make with a pencil on each of the vertical timbers (both the front and back ones) to determine the placement of the top of the cross bars. The below diagram shows how this is done. My shelf set was built so that the shelves sloped from left to right. You can switch these around if it makes more sense for your shelf to slope the other way. If you wish to change the configuration of the types of cans in your shelves, you will need to adjust the measurements accordingly.
Once the marks are made on all six vertical timbers, you are ready to install the cross bars. Begin by cutting the cross bars. We will use 2x2s for the cross bars. Cut each 19” long. Each cross bar will need to have two pilot holes drilled in it. The pilot holes will ensure that the cross bar won’t split when attached to the vertical timbers with the screws. Pick a drill bit that is a little smaller than the screws you are using. You will want to drill the pilot holes ¾“ from each side as shown in this diagram.
With the cross bars cut and the pilot holes drilled, it is time to attach each to the timbers. Align the top of the cross bar to the marks on the vertical timbers and use a 2 ½” screw to secure them. I placed the level on each after I had attached one of the screws to make sure my measurements matched. Make sure that the cross bar is snug against the timbers without any gaps. I tackled this from the bottom up. This made it easier to work as I went along.
Step 3 – Building the shelves
With the cross bars installed, we are ready to install the shelves. As with the cross bars, we now need to consider the types of cans again in determining how to construct the shelves. #10 cans are taller than regular cans and because of this, we won’t be able to get as many rows of cans on a shelf. To make it easy, I used two basic shelf configurations. On a #10 shelf, I have accommodated two rows of cans. For both the large fruit cans and regular cans, I have designed the shelves to accommodate three rows of cans. While a simpler design would have been to cut all of the shelves the same, regardless of the can type, I wanted to include a strip between each row to keep the cans better organized. Because of this, the plywood for the rows is cut differently, depending on the type of can. In the diagram below, I show how this is done for the #10 cans and the regular cans.
It is now time to get intimate with your circular saw. You will be cutting 7 ½” strips of plywood for your #10 rows and 5” strips of plywood for your regular rows. Each of these end up using a little more than 15” of plywood per row, so the amount of plywood will be pretty much the same regardless of how many #10 and regular rows of cans you have. The first few of these I did I used the hard way (I didn’t know it was the hard way until I found the easy way). I was using the measuring tape to mark the width of each piece (5” or 7 ½”) on each end of the plywood, snapping a chalk line, and cutting out each piece. The easier way is to find yourself a straight edge that will span the length of the plywood and make all of the measurements and lines at once. If you use this approach, you need to take the width of the saw blade into account. Add an additional 1/8th inch to each measurement and you will be fine. Make sure you do the same thing on either end of the plywood. Have a friend (if you have one) help you to hold each end and run a pencil down the straight edge for a line. Then, when you cut each piece, always cut on the same side of the line and each piece will turn out the same width. To make it easy, I used all eight feet of the plywood. This makes the shelves hang out over the frame a little bit for easier retrieval of cans.
If you are following my configuration, you will need four 7 ½” pieces and twenty four 5” pieces of plywood. You will find that toward the end of each piece of plywood it is difficult to cut because the remaining plywood is getting pretty thin. I used some C-clamps to tighten down the plywood to my saw horses to make the process safer.
With the plywood strips cut, you are ready to move on to the other pieces that make up the rows. The next is to cut the side strips. I cut mine 2” wide. They are made out of 1/8” hardboard (the same stuff peg board is made out of without the holes). I recommend that you cut three side strips for each #10 shelf and four side strips for each regular shelf (I will explain the assembly in a minute). I would suggest using the same approach you did with the plywood. Because the hardboard is more flimsy than the plywood, you will probably want to have a sheet of plywood under the hardboard and have a friend hold on it as you cut. Because I don’t have any friends, I had to use clamps to get the same affect.
The final piece of the rows that you will need are short lengths of 1x4 that will act as a stopper board to hold the cans from rolling out the end of the rows. Cut each length of 1x4 the same length as each plywood strip. You will need one of these for each plywood strip you cut.
With all of these pieces cut, you are now ready to assemble the rows. I would start by attaching the stopper board to the end of each plywood strip. Attach it using two 1” finishing nails (one of either end of the stopper board about 1 inch from the end). The board should be at the end of the plywood strip and should be flush with the end of the plywood and each side like this:
With the stopper board attached, it is time to attach the side strips. There will be one side strip on the front side of the shelf, one on the back side of the shelf, and one between each plywood rows. I used 1” finishing nails to attach the side strips to the plywood. You will probably find that this task will build your patience with every nail you sink. Yes, it is possible to hammer the nails such that they go straight into the plywood without coming out either side. I put the first nail into the strip at one end of the plywood and then the next nail I hammered in was about mid-way down the board. This made it easier to control the floppy strip. You might find meditation and a sedative necessary through the first new strips, but believe me when I say that it does get easier with time. On the first plywood row, I attached a side strip to both sides. Then, on each other piece of plywood, I attached a side strip on the far side of each. Below is am example of this for a regular shelf. When the rows are pushed together tight in the frame, it will be like there is a strip on each side of the rows.
You will probably find that cutting and assembling these darn shelves takes by far the most time.
The final step in the process is to attach the rows to the cross bars. Again, I would start at the bottom of your frame. Add the first row of plywood strips with their attached stopper boards and side strips. Push the set (both pieces for #10 cans or all three pieces for regular cans) together tight and attach the plywood to the cross bars using 1 ½” grabber screws. Make sure the rows are tight together and line up correctly at the end. I did this by measuring up 1 inch from the bottom of the plywood strip closest to the front of the shelf and making a mark. This helped me to make sure each shelf protruded out the same amount.
Step 4 – Finish it off with the shelf
There. That wasn’t too bad, right? The final task to perform is to cut and add the shelf board to frame. If you haven’t made any mistakes, you should still have a piece of plywood that is close to 16” in width. Cut the board at 16” exactly and lay it on the horizontal timbers 70” from the floor. The board should fit exactly by width, but be a couple of inches long on either side. You can cut it to length if you wish, or just center it. Use some of those 1 ½” screws to secure it to the horizontal timbers.
The fun part now is loading the shelves with cans.
Alternatives
I did some more research and found that there were several alternatives to the purchased shelves. The most intriguing alternative for me was a set of shelves posted to a blog that were built almost entirely using 2x4s and 1x8s (see this photo of the shelves: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg17UlmmUWEhf5GmASyqHrL3jk5JTQJbg31GnacyNB67n6mmWiPNWvD30EtJGDwDuXNyyYirNaVe5lnTcCMe8QiEYyn5TE4xJn-1_0ZEC_90zxp72dYpwKGqpxraziw5NuuuP92Bf9U6BP7/s320/shelves.JPG ). The design was straight forward and reasonably simple to build. I used the photograph to come up with a similar design that is a little more rugged with improved capacity and designed so it can be easily reproduced.
The Design
My canned goods shelving design also incorporates 2x4s like the internet version, but instead of 1x8s I used plywood (OSB actually). Instead of simply nailing the boards the cans roll on directly to the 2x4s, I incorporated cross timbers or bars that the plywood would rest on to increase the amount of weight each shelf could withstand and to allow for a design change that would make each rolling surface independent (more on this later). The result of my design is shown here in the final product.
Building steps
Now, you must know that I am not much of a carpenter. Somehow I convinced my wife early in our marriage that I was handy with a hammer and have spent the last eighteen years trying to reverse this misconception to no avail. I do have a high attention to detail and have been doing design for many years, but I’ve only found success sitting in front of a computer. My point in bringing up these odd facts is to set your mind at ease that I am not introducing the plans for a complex undertaking requiring a lot of tools and such. Here are the things you will need to do the job:
List of Tools
- Circular Saw (Skil Saw) and some saw horses or a table where the plywood and hardboard can be ripped (long cut).
- A drill with a bit slightly smaller than the size of the screws
- A screw driver (I use a Phillips screw end in my drill)
- Tape measure
- Square (that thing that looks like an L and a ruler combined)
- Level
List of Materials
- Box of 2 1/2 inch grabber screws
- Box of 1 1/2 inch grabber screws
- Box of 1 inch finishing nails
- 14 - 2x4s (the ones that are 92 5/8” are fine for horizontal timbers, but you will want the vertical ones to be able to reach the ceiling in the room where you are building.)
- 5 - 2x2s that are 8 ft long
- 3 - 1x4s that are 8 ft long
- 3 sheets of 3/8” OSB plywood that is 4’x8’ in size
- 2 sheets of 1/8” hardboard that is 4’x8’ (this is the same board that peg board is made out of, but without the holes)
Step 1 – Building the Frame
You will begin by constructing a frame that will hold the shelves. You are going to need to get a bunch of big strong kids to help you with this. If your storage room (assume that is where you are putting it) is anything like mine, the effort isn’t in the building of the frame itself, but in removing the boxes and other junk that occupies the space where the frame and subsequent shelves will go. It took me a half a day to remove all of the boxes, and an hour to construct the frame. You will want to clear a spot against a wall that is about 9 feet long and four feet out from the wall ( I suggest clearing as much space as you can because it will make the whole process easier in the long run).
The frame is constructed out of 2x4s. I would try to get the straightest ones you can find. You only need 14 of them. Here is what you are building.
The length of the horizontal timbers is 92 5/8”. You don’t even need to cut them because you can buy this length at your local home store. I used 2 ½” gold grabber screws to tie it all together. Use two screws on each connection. The two horizontal timbers on the bottom are on the outside of the vertical timbers to leave more room for the shelves. The remaining horizontal timbers are on the inside. The vertical timbers are cut exactly the height of the room where you are building the shelf. The storage room where I was building mine was unfinished so I measured from the floor to the joists in the ceiling. I cut them about an 1/8th inch long to make sure they were snug. The easiest way to get started is with the vertical and horizontal boards that are closest to the corner and the wall. Use a level to make sure the vertical timber is standing plumb (a term used by construction folks to mean straight up and down). Once you are ready, put a screw or two into the bottom horizontal stud to stick it to the wall. Then sink two screws into the intersection of the horizontal and vertical studs. Put a couple of screws into each of the back section timbers to attach them to the back wall. Build the back section (6 timbers) first and then the front section without the cross timbers (those connecting the back and the front). The horizontal timber that is about 3/4ths of the way up each section should be set with its top 70” off the floor (this will be the timbers where the shelf board rests). Measure the 70” at each vertical timber to make sure the horizontal one is level. All but one of the six cross timbers are to be cut 22” long. The bottom-middle one is cut 19” long. This puts exactly 16” between the back and the front--the space for our shelves. The five cross timbers will go on the ends of each horizontal timber. The sixth cross timber on the bottom-middle will fit between the horizontal timbers. Push it up against the middle vertical timbers and screw it on.
Step 2 – Cross Bars for Shelves
At this point, the frame of the structure should be complete. The next step in the process is to calculate the location of each cross bar that will be attached to the vertical timbers to provide a base for the shelves to sit. For my shelves, I wanted to accommodate three sizes of cans. 10# cans--the really big ones that food storage food is often stored in, large cans that are often used to store fruit like peaches and pears, and regular size cans (this would include most other sizes). These three different sizes of cans have different heights and widths. For right now, it is the widths we are concerned with. Frankly, this was the most difficult part of the design for me. The width of a can, plus a gap measurement that accounts for the thickness of the plywood and other space between the can and the next shelf determine the positioning of the cross bars. Because of this, you will need to determine how many of each type of cans you would like in your shelf. I used a 3.5” gap measurement between each shelf, and the following measurements for the different types of cans:
| Type of can |
Width in Inches |
| #10 Cans |
6 |
| Large Fruit Cans |
4 |
| Regular Cans |
3 |
To assist you in determining the placement of the cross bars, I have provided the scenario that I used which contains two shelves of #10 cans, 1 shelf of large fruit cans, and five shelves of regular cans.
| Left Vertical | Middle Vertical | Right Vertical | ||
| Top of cross bar | Gap | 61.5 | 58.5 | 54 |
| Regular | 58 | 55 | 50.5 | |
| Top of cross bar | Gap | 55 | 52 | 47.5 |
| Regular | 51.5 | 48.5 | 44 | |
| Top of cross bar | Gap | 48.5 | 45.5 | 41 |
| Regular | 45 | 42 | 37.5 | |
| Top of cross bar | Gap | 42 | 39 | 34.5 |
| Regular | 38.5 | 35.5 | 31 | |
| Top of cross bar | Gap | 35.5 | 32.5 | 28 |
| Large | 32 | 29 | 24.5 | |
| Top of cross bar | Gap | 28 | 25 | 20.5 |
| #10 | 24.5 | 21.5 | 17 | |
| Top of cross bar | Gap | 18.5 | 15.5 | 11 |
| #10 | 15 | 12 | 7.5 | |
| Top of first cross bar | Rise | 9 | 6 | 1.5 |
The numbers in yellow are the marks that you will make with a pencil on each of the vertical timbers (both the front and back ones) to determine the placement of the top of the cross bars. The below diagram shows how this is done. My shelf set was built so that the shelves sloped from left to right. You can switch these around if it makes more sense for your shelf to slope the other way. If you wish to change the configuration of the types of cans in your shelves, you will need to adjust the measurements accordingly.
Once the marks are made on all six vertical timbers, you are ready to install the cross bars. Begin by cutting the cross bars. We will use 2x2s for the cross bars. Cut each 19” long. Each cross bar will need to have two pilot holes drilled in it. The pilot holes will ensure that the cross bar won’t split when attached to the vertical timbers with the screws. Pick a drill bit that is a little smaller than the screws you are using. You will want to drill the pilot holes ¾“ from each side as shown in this diagram.
With the cross bars cut and the pilot holes drilled, it is time to attach each to the timbers. Align the top of the cross bar to the marks on the vertical timbers and use a 2 ½” screw to secure them. I placed the level on each after I had attached one of the screws to make sure my measurements matched. Make sure that the cross bar is snug against the timbers without any gaps. I tackled this from the bottom up. This made it easier to work as I went along.
Step 3 – Building the shelves
With the cross bars installed, we are ready to install the shelves. As with the cross bars, we now need to consider the types of cans again in determining how to construct the shelves. #10 cans are taller than regular cans and because of this, we won’t be able to get as many rows of cans on a shelf. To make it easy, I used two basic shelf configurations. On a #10 shelf, I have accommodated two rows of cans. For both the large fruit cans and regular cans, I have designed the shelves to accommodate three rows of cans. While a simpler design would have been to cut all of the shelves the same, regardless of the can type, I wanted to include a strip between each row to keep the cans better organized. Because of this, the plywood for the rows is cut differently, depending on the type of can. In the diagram below, I show how this is done for the #10 cans and the regular cans.
It is now time to get intimate with your circular saw. You will be cutting 7 ½” strips of plywood for your #10 rows and 5” strips of plywood for your regular rows. Each of these end up using a little more than 15” of plywood per row, so the amount of plywood will be pretty much the same regardless of how many #10 and regular rows of cans you have. The first few of these I did I used the hard way (I didn’t know it was the hard way until I found the easy way). I was using the measuring tape to mark the width of each piece (5” or 7 ½”) on each end of the plywood, snapping a chalk line, and cutting out each piece. The easier way is to find yourself a straight edge that will span the length of the plywood and make all of the measurements and lines at once. If you use this approach, you need to take the width of the saw blade into account. Add an additional 1/8th inch to each measurement and you will be fine. Make sure you do the same thing on either end of the plywood. Have a friend (if you have one) help you to hold each end and run a pencil down the straight edge for a line. Then, when you cut each piece, always cut on the same side of the line and each piece will turn out the same width. To make it easy, I used all eight feet of the plywood. This makes the shelves hang out over the frame a little bit for easier retrieval of cans.
If you are following my configuration, you will need four 7 ½” pieces and twenty four 5” pieces of plywood. You will find that toward the end of each piece of plywood it is difficult to cut because the remaining plywood is getting pretty thin. I used some C-clamps to tighten down the plywood to my saw horses to make the process safer.
With the plywood strips cut, you are ready to move on to the other pieces that make up the rows. The next is to cut the side strips. I cut mine 2” wide. They are made out of 1/8” hardboard (the same stuff peg board is made out of without the holes). I recommend that you cut three side strips for each #10 shelf and four side strips for each regular shelf (I will explain the assembly in a minute). I would suggest using the same approach you did with the plywood. Because the hardboard is more flimsy than the plywood, you will probably want to have a sheet of plywood under the hardboard and have a friend hold on it as you cut. Because I don’t have any friends, I had to use clamps to get the same affect.
The final piece of the rows that you will need are short lengths of 1x4 that will act as a stopper board to hold the cans from rolling out the end of the rows. Cut each length of 1x4 the same length as each plywood strip. You will need one of these for each plywood strip you cut.
With all of these pieces cut, you are now ready to assemble the rows. I would start by attaching the stopper board to the end of each plywood strip. Attach it using two 1” finishing nails (one of either end of the stopper board about 1 inch from the end). The board should be at the end of the plywood strip and should be flush with the end of the plywood and each side like this:
With the stopper board attached, it is time to attach the side strips. There will be one side strip on the front side of the shelf, one on the back side of the shelf, and one between each plywood rows. I used 1” finishing nails to attach the side strips to the plywood. You will probably find that this task will build your patience with every nail you sink. Yes, it is possible to hammer the nails such that they go straight into the plywood without coming out either side. I put the first nail into the strip at one end of the plywood and then the next nail I hammered in was about mid-way down the board. This made it easier to control the floppy strip. You might find meditation and a sedative necessary through the first new strips, but believe me when I say that it does get easier with time. On the first plywood row, I attached a side strip to both sides. Then, on each other piece of plywood, I attached a side strip on the far side of each. Below is am example of this for a regular shelf. When the rows are pushed together tight in the frame, it will be like there is a strip on each side of the rows.
You will probably find that cutting and assembling these darn shelves takes by far the most time.
The final step in the process is to attach the rows to the cross bars. Again, I would start at the bottom of your frame. Add the first row of plywood strips with their attached stopper boards and side strips. Push the set (both pieces for #10 cans or all three pieces for regular cans) together tight and attach the plywood to the cross bars using 1 ½” grabber screws. Make sure the rows are tight together and line up correctly at the end. I did this by measuring up 1 inch from the bottom of the plywood strip closest to the front of the shelf and making a mark. This helped me to make sure each shelf protruded out the same amount.
Step 4 – Finish it off with the shelf
There. That wasn’t too bad, right? The final task to perform is to cut and add the shelf board to frame. If you haven’t made any mistakes, you should still have a piece of plywood that is close to 16” in width. Cut the board at 16” exactly and lay it on the horizontal timbers 70” from the floor. The board should fit exactly by width, but be a couple of inches long on either side. You can cut it to length if you wish, or just center it. Use some of those 1 ½” screws to secure it to the horizontal timbers.
The fun part now is loading the shelves with cans.
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