Smoking is truly an art form and even the best in barbecue are constantly refining their techniques and recipes. The first few dishes I tried with my pit-smoker last year turned out less than perfect. They cooked too fast, too hot, or with too much smoke. After doing some research and talking to some pit smoking veterans, I learned that the problem was less to do with my technique and more to do with the pit smoker itself. Most pit smokers stock from the manufacturer fail to function due to a few design flaws. These are all easily fixable, so read on for the smoker modifications that I’ve found make for the perfect smoking experience:

#1 RADIANT HEAT

The Problem: Most pit smokers are built without a baffle between the fuel and smoking chambers, allowing radiant heat to penetrate the meat. Direct heat spells trouble for anything slow cooked and is especially undesirable in the smoking environment. Without having a way to shield the heat, the pit smoker ends up as a glorified charcoal grill.

The Modification: I’ve found that installing a flexible piece of sheet metal in between the fuel and smoke chambers fixes this problem outright. It needs to angle downward and extend into the smoke chamber by about 6″-8″. This not only shields the radiant heat, but also forces the smoke to vent under the meat, creating a more consistent cooking environment as the smoke rises upward.

#2 HEAT RISES

The Problem: The smoke vent pipe starts at the very top of the smoker, allowing the newly created smoke from the fuel chamber to vent immediately out the top. This results in the top half of your pit smoker being hot and the bottom half cold, creating an inconsistent cooking environment.

The Modification: I found that lowering the exit point of the vent to the bottom of the smoker allows the entire chamber to fill with smoke before venting out. This creates an even cooking environment, allowing smoke to penetrate all sides of the meat. This can be done easily with a piece of flexible heater ventilation cut to size, rolled up, and stuffed into the existing vent tube from the inside.

#3 HEAT RISES!!!

The Problem: I wonder if the people who designed most of these pit smokers actually tried their products before selling them. With most stock pit smoker models, the thermometer is placed at the top of the smoke, where there is a 20-30 degree difference in temperature. The meat in actuality sits well below this temperature zone, making the reading on the thermometer ineffectual.

The Modification: Get out your drill and lower your thermometer to the location where your meat sits and plug the old hole. Don’t have a thermometer? You can buy one at the hardware store for <$10.

These three pit smoker modifications make all the difference. Ever since instituting these change, my smoker cooks at an even 200-220 for hours and hours. Enjoy!

In our small home, any opportunity to expand storage and functionality goes a long way. For this project, I have capitalized on an alcove in our hallway outside the kitchen by adding a custom shelf for cookbooks. This simple shelf design provides some quality storage while adding some nice character to the area. If you’ve got a similar setup or want a shelf at the end of a hallway, you can achieve this simple design as follows…

INTRODUCTION
This shelf requires only basic building materials and tools. Specific measurements have not been provided as each situation will vary depending on the space it’s designed for.

The design of this shelf is such that two braces will mount to either side of the hallway. A top board will lay down across the braces while a filler board falls in underneath to create a flush fit. Finally, an end cap will be added and all joints filled for a clean look.

Depending on what aesthetic you are trying to achieve, the final product can either be painted or stained. If painting, be sure to fill all holes and cracks with wood fill, then sand until all surfaces are smooth and flush. If staining, fill screw holes with wood fill and make sure glue does not spill from the cracks.

Tools and Materials

• Thick board (makes the braces and fillboard)
• Thin plyboard (makes top board and end cap)
• Wood Glue -or- Gorilla glue
• Wood fill (recommended for finishing)
• Sander / Heavy sandpaper (recommended for finishing)
• 2-3 Bar / Bench clamps (will hold board together while gluing
• Power drill or manual screwdriver w/ self drilling screws
• Small box wood screws
• Stud finder (recommended for mounting)
• Level (recommended for mounting)
• Measuring Tape
• Mallet

THE PROCESS

Survey & Plan
Measure for length and depth of the shelf in desired area. Record your working dimensions. Make sure your shelf shelf depth reflects the size of the items that will occupy it. This is the time to find and mark studs. If none are located in the mounting area, use heavy duty dry wall anchors for the mounting braces.

Get Building Supplies & Cut to size
The braces and filler board will be made from the same piece of wood board. Be sure to get this slightly larger than the desired finished size as the saw will take off a small amount (typically 1/8″) of the board length, producing a gap if not compensated for.

One large piece of plywood will suffice for the top board and front end cap. Cut all pieces accordingly, making sure that the braces are at least 1″ wide (to accommodate the screws from the top board). If you do not have saws for the shelf board and plywood, most building supply stores can make the cuts for you.

Attach braces to wall
Measure from the ceiling down, ensuring both braces are set at equal distances. You can temporarily tack the braces into the wall with thin finishing nails. This will allow you to place your top board over them and check to see if they are hung level. Once the braces are hung level and at the desired distance, mount them to the wall (either direct to studs with heavy wood screws or in wallboard with drywall anchors).

Attach top board
With mounting braces in place, put a small amount of glue on the top surface. Place the top board on the braces. Tap in place with mallet if fit is tight. At this time, you can add wood screws to further secure the top board to the braces.

Attach filler board
Apply glue generously to the top of the filler board. Place in the pocket created by the braces and top board, again using the mallet if fit is tight. Once the board is situated, use clamps to hold in place. Add screws from the top board down into the filler board to secure in place.

Attach End Cap
After glue has set on previous pieces, remove clamps. Apply glue to end cap and tap into place, concealing the exposed ends of the previous boards. Clamp in place and allow to dry.

FINISH
Fill screw holes and any gaps with wood fill. After wood fill sets, sand the entire piece, removing all imperfections and gaps. Once complete, shelf can either be stained or painted depending on desired finish.

This began as a quest to find the perfect floating shelves for our living room. I wanted something thin and authentic, not the typical chunky veneer fat bodies that are sold everywhere these days. After cruising the usual shops and online retailers, I realized there weren’t a wide variety of thin floating shelves available via retail.

It was time to break out the tool box and build some from scratch. I figured the internet would bring up a variety of plans, considering you can find 10 different ways to harvest your own kidneys for a quick ebay transaction. To my surprise however, the only instructions I could find were again for the chunky shelves (made commonly from a hollow core door). Thus began my quest to design the perfect thin floating shelf – Because the world needs these like Kiefer Sutherland needs a drink.

Regardless of your skill level as a builder, you should be able to pull these off with relative success with the plans I’ve put together here (disclaimer: I take no responsibility for power tool injuries, fumigation, property destruction, failure or death).

INTRODUCTION

After reviewing the plans online, I realized thin floating shelves aren’t available en-masse due to difficulties in mounting them. With the thicker variety, a base support is screwed to the wall followed by a hollow shelf then fits around this support. This is why most floating shelves appear thick as they are built around this inner support. With a thinner shelf, we lose the opportunity to take advantage of this hollow box model, so another solution would have to be found. After sketching a few different (bad) ideas, I landed on a design where the mounting support is a thin strip set below the shelf. This gives the shelf a runner to drill the screws through. With the right thickness of mounting hardware, this is enough to keep the shelf sturdy and rigid.

For my living room shelves, I wanted two small accent shelves that would sit above a long runner in our living room. To compliment the warm dark wood that exists throughout my home, I finished the shelves as such with a dark stain and danish oil treatment. The wood finishing method outlined at the end of the article is simple and produces great results, regardless of what tone you are trying to achieve. Finally, as with the finish, the process photos and material quantites reflect my specific project, but the basic methodology remains the same.

Tools & Materials at a glance:

• Hardwood Lumber (finished shelf board)
• Water based wood stain
• Danish oil
• Power drill (&bits)
• 12″ Drill bit extender
• Sander / Heavy sandpaper (power sander recommended)
• Stud finder
• 2-3 Bar / Bench clamps
• Level
• Pencil
• Rag
• Small box 3 1/2″ #12 zinc screws
• Small box 1 1/4″ #8 zinc finishing screw
• Masking tape
• Gorilla glue (or carpenters glue)
• Woodfill (optional)

THE PROCESS

Survey & Plan

Observe the area you put up floating shelves. Measure for length and depth in the desired area, marking roughly on wall – Once you find dimensions that work, record these for future use. Make sure your shelf depth reflects the size of the items that will occupy it. (note: I would not advise anything over 10″ deep for this particular design for heavy support)

Find & Mark Studs

Mark the location of each stud in the area the shelves will occupy, taking care to indicate start and end points of each. Marking both ends of the stud ensures that you are able to drive your screws through the approximate center, without risking a split or discrepancy. After you’ve marked your studs, lay a piece of masking tape down each for easy identification. Finally, check your shelf dimensions against the studs to ensure there will be adequate support. For shelves under 42″, they should lay across at least two. For shelves larger than this, it should lay across at least 3.

Buy Lumber (and everything else)

Each board should produce both the shelf and it’s mounting strip. This means you will need to pick out boards that are 1″ deeper (wider) than the desired finished product. For my shelves, I wanted a finished depth of 10″ so I grabbed board that was 11″ wide as we’ll need the extra inch for the mounting strip.

A quick note on a stupid system:

If you don’t have much experience with buying lumber, size can be deceiving. When you see the size of a board in-store, this represents raw board dimensions, NOT the actual size. A 2×4 isn’t a true 2″ x 4″ after it’s been dried, finished and treated (it’s actually 1 1/2″ x 3 1/2″). Reader’s digest has a helpful chart here: http://www.rd.com/19740/article19740.html (or you can just bring a tape measure to the store). To make this plan easier, I will be using actual sizes moving forward…

Cut Boards

Most hardware and lumber stores will cut your boards for no extra cost, which saves time and is especially helpful if you don’t have access to saws. If you’d prefer to make the cuts yourself, you’ll need a table saw or circular saw.

First, cut your boards to their desired length. Then, make a rip cut 1″ from the long edge down the entirety of each shelf. This 1″ strip will act as the mounting piece for your floating shelves.

The finished lumber for my 3 shelves looks like:

Attach Mounting Strip

Lay down a thin line of glue 1/2″ from the back edge of the shelf. Carefully lay the mounting strip over it, so that it fit flush with the back and side of the shelf. Clamp the two together on both ends and in the center if your shelf is especially long. Allow the glue to dry for time recommended by manufacturer.

After glue has dried, drive 1 1/4″ finishing screws thorough every 12″ of the mounting strip to reinforcing the bond. Drive screws just slightly below the top surface of the board.

Fill Holes

Use wood fill to cover screw holes and any dents or cracks in lumber. You can use a putty knife or credit card to work the wood fill into the holes. Allow product to dry completely.

Remove Imperfections

Sand area where the two boards meet removing any excess glue and making a flush edge. Sand any wood fill clumps, ensuring a smooth board surface. Finally, remove any rough edges or imperfections from the shelves with the sander.

Finish Shelves

I’ve found great success in finishing wood with water based stain followed by danish oil. Water based stain penetrates the wood deeply (unlike oil based stains or stain/urethane combinations which sit atop the surface after the first coat). The danish oil will add a protective coating, additional color vibrancy and a professional looking finish.

For my shelves, I applied 3 coats of dark stain followed by 3 coats of cherry danish oil. This produced a rich, dark base with subtle warm tones throughout. I apply both stain and danish oil using a soft rag, rubbing with the grain. This allows for stain to be thoroughly worked into the wood and won’t leave brush strokes. Make sure to use protective gloves and work in a well ventilated area. I ended up coming out of my basement with a Tijuana brown bag high and red hands for a week :(

Measure for Mounting

It is important to do this next step accurately (Double check this part!).

Bring your shelf to the location where it is to be mounted. Place it on the floor approximately where it would be mounted on the wall. With your shelf in it’s location, mark the wall where the shelf’s left and right ends fall. Measure the distance from these end points to the each stud and record this distances.

After you have found the distance from your shelf edges to the studs, mark the stud locations accordingly on your shelf’s mounting strip. Next, you will drill holes from the back to the front of the strip, ensuring a clean, 90′ drilling. Use a bit slightly smaller than the mounting screws, as they will need some grab to hold the shelf tightly in place.

Measure for Mounting

All that remains is to drill the studs so the mounting screws get through without stripping. I measured up from my floor to desired shelf height in order to get a level mount. Keeping exact distances in tact from the shelf edge to stud measurement, mark the spot to drill with your vertical line in place. It is important that the distance apart is exactly the same as what has been drilled in the shelf support strip already (otherwise your screws will misalign). Drill through the studs, again being careful to maintain a perfectly straight angle.

Attach the 12″ drill bit extender so that you can effectively drive your support screws through the front of the support strip and into the studs. Have someone hold the shelf flush with wall, insert your first screw and drive it through. Repeat this for the remaining holes and Voila! Thin floating shelves, the few and proud of their kind!

This was my first how-to, so please leave some comments on how I did! If anything is unclear or problems arise, feel free to shoot me an email or ask here. Cheers!