(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best raw building materials

I used pre-drilled melamine panels. Easy to install the horizontal shelves in the best spot, super easy to get an excellent paint job on it (if you do not like the bright white color that it comes in), and the edges can be finished with iron-on edgebanding:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Melamine-White-Drilled-Panel-Common-3-4-in-x-15-3-4-in-x-8-ft-Actual-0-75-in-x-15-75-in-x-97-in-371693/202089062

https://www.amazon.com/38565-Melamine-Iron-Edgebanding-White/dp/B0071BR60I

thanks for the help. 12mm seems to be on the larger side of what I can find. do you think a 3.2 mm rubber or 6 mm cork would work? any feel for what you'd prefer out of those, or if there is something that is better than those two options?

I do not know where you live, but exterior rated caulk is often used for something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Electric-GE5020-Concrete-Silicone-10-1-Ounce/dp/B000BPDB6O

I do not know if that is available to you, but a local home improvement store may have something similar.

Stand up and turn 90 degrees clockwise.

Your welcome.

But honestly, I'd see if you have any shops local that you can get them from. Even if you have to pay, odds are you'll spend much less than you would online. Something like this might could help.

There are plenty of websites where you can download a printable outlines to scale. Simply trace out the pattern or glue the stencil down. Use your jig saw with a fine tooth wood blade and take your time cutting it out. Drill holes in the corners where you need to sharp turns.

Go slow. There should be an adjustment on your saw for less aggressive cutting. The blade will stroke straight up and down.

Lastly I would finish the piece with some iron on edge banding. https://www.amazon.com/Birch-Wood-Veneer-Edgebanding-Preglued/dp/B01AYD52Q4/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1537207528&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=edge+banding&psc=1

Good luck

>can I just add new caulk on top of the old cracked painted stuff while the tub is filled with water and call it a day?

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No you can't. If you try to add caulk on top of that, it'll look like absolute shit.

Use this to remove the old caulk: https://www.amazon.com/ALLWAY-TOOL-CT31-Caulk-Tool/dp/B004BGAER8/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_60_bs_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=0KXKZVQRM0Q7PMYDZSTD

If it's really hard to remove, you can use some of this to losen it up and make it easier:

https://www.amazon.com/3M-Caulk-Remover-8-oz/dp/B000H5VNG8

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When you recaulk, make SURE that you use caulk rated for bathrooms (it'll say on the tube). It needs to be silicone caulk. Not latex. If it's not specifically rated for bathrooms, it WILL get mold on it.

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>I am worried this won't be enough though. I have never seen a tub with just drywall above it like this. So my next question is what are my options if caulking is not enough?

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It should be enough if you're not showering in the tub, or bathing kids in there. A grown up isn't going to splash the water up that high.

If you want to waterproof it more, and then tile, without making a height difference, use this:

https://www.amazon.com/CUSTOM-PRODUCTS-LQWAF1-2-Redgard-Waterproofing/dp/B000NZ73SE/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1535824995&sr=1-1&keywords=redguard&dpID=51Zf43NjFPL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

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It's a paintable waterproof membrane. Just paint it on (two coats) and it'll form a layer of 'plastic' protrecting the drywall. Then you can tile right on top of it. Use actual tile set and NOT mastic glue for the tiles. Mastic will grow mold.

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I bought and used some asphalt rope crack filler off amazon for cracks. Pretty easy. Only thing to look out for is alligator cracking. That's not really repairable.
https://www.amazon.com/Dalton-Enterprises-35099-PLI-STIX-Concrete/dp/B000DZGHPO/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=asphalt+rope&qid=1570842007&sr=8-3

Cherry. I purchased a pre-cut 3x3x12 block from Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003GETIT6
This seemed like a good option since I'm new to wood carving. I'm hoping to make a cooking spoon with some of the remaining wood.

You definitely need a sealant I recommend Meecos refractory cement on Amazon. It’s about £11 for a 5kg tub

You could buy some sheet aluminum, or use a few layers of the can. Places like Home Depot or your local hardware store will also have sheet aluminum. Look for flashing. Also, if anyone is getting a new roof near you, they will have a lot of small scraps they would probably be glad to give you.

Do you mean something like this?
Fab Glass and Mirror 1/4" Thick Flat Edge Tempered Eased Corners Rectangle Glass Table Top, 24" X 36" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G3PSS2S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_yJsbzbFGGSBSF

Pretty sure the bottom boards are red cedar.

Also if you want reaaaal thin wood you may even buy wood veneer sheets (online is easy, hard to find in most stores, Home Depot didn't sell) , this is thin stuff you could cut with a razor and could probably attach to a substructure like chipboard (the back of a legal paper pad) for sturdiness.

https://www.amazon.com/Sauers-Walnut-Veneer-7-Piece/dp/B01B7BTWI6/ref=sr_1_29?crid=2EEUV2F42Y1QN&keywords=wood+veneer+sheet&qid=1573370847&sprefix=wood+ve%2Caps%2C206&sr=8-29

I went to lowes (building supply) and got some concrete tube forms for my cat. cheap, paintable (carpetable also), unobtrusive, and my cat loved the heck out of them. This is the brand that I bought: Quikrete 10" tube form

Staining isn't necessary, but you'll want to put a couple of coats of polyurethane on it to protect it.

Also, since it's plywood you can get some edge banding to make the edges look much better. Just iron it on, trim it close to the board with an xacto knife, then use a sanding block to sand it flush.

Very nice. If you want to cover up those plywood edges you could apply something like this.

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Some like the aesthetic of unfinished plywood edges, but I prefer a more finished look.

I was also curious, so I found this searching around on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Wall-Control-30-HP-1632-Horizontal-Pegboard/dp/B00AMM2CPC

Looks similar. I want to try to find one that is just a small square for my wall though.

Those bricks are for a fireplace not a forge and soak up heat instead of refracting it back to the forge. They can be used as the base for a charcoal forge. You want insulation or refractory fire brick. Kaowool works too, though most people coat it with ITC 100 not the stuff you link below which is also for fireplaces not made for the heat of a forge. Next your torch is only going to have enough output for a single knife forge. If that’s what you are going for great if you want to go any bigger or want to work a piece while the other heats then you’ll need a bigger torch. I’ve included a link to an instructable for a torch like mine. The main difference is I did not drill the hole for the propane pipe nipple in the reducer I bought a 2” nipple and drilled through the threads. Screw that in to tighten.

If you get the insulation fire brick keep it in compression or it will fall apart after a few uses.



http://www.instructables.com/id/how-to-build-a-gas-forge-burner/

https://www.amazon.com/GREENTHERM-30-LI-Insulating-Firebrick/dp/B0725Q98QP/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1523762897&sr=8-7&keywords=Refractory+fire+brick

I purchased this and they even gave me an extra 2sqft free

Yeah, baltic birch (BB) is what you want.

Also available on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Single-Piece-Baltic-Birch-Plywood/dp/B0057EAEV4

What about this:
https://smile.amazon.com/38565-White-Band-Melamine-Edgebanding/dp/B0071BR60I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487103978&sr=8-1&keywords=white+veneer

Expected, had mine sealed in summer, some of the cracks that were sealed are open again, planning on trying this stuff out and see how it goes. It's likely the cracks were too large for the stuff they use to completely fill the void, which is why you need something that can get really down there, which the stuff I linked to supposedly does. You stuff it in the cracks, then heat it with a torch to melt it into every crevice to completely seal up the crack.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000BPDB6O/ref=cm_cr_arp_mb_bdcrb_top?ie=UTF8


Right here is what I use

http://www.amazon.com/Birch-Wood-Edge-Banding-Tape/dp/B0007SVE96

I was just going to throw in that you can buy this edging stuff in various widths. Even if it looks slightly off up close, nobody would ever notice.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0071BR60I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_UIyrDb67GWB0H

Make sure you tape where your cut is because that thermofoil (if that is ehat it is) can really kind of rip when you cut it.