This weekend I started preparing the metal shelf frames. I have a box of Scotch Brite pads and I’ve been spraying the frame with WD40 and then scrubbing off the black oxide coating. The black oxide protects from corrosion but I’m looking for more of a bare steel look. Once I’ve removed as much of the coating as is reasonable by hand scrubbing I wipe it down to remove as much of the debris as I can and then apply a coat of Johnson’s Paste Wax. Let that dry and then rub it down and it’s sealed and ready to go. The problem is that this process takes about 2.5hrs and is physically exhausting. I did one on Saturday and one on Sunday and I’ll do the last one probably next weekend. I might be tempted to do it during the week but I’m cat-sitting again while the girlfriend is in Houston for a conference and I don’t want to risk the cat getting into the chemicals, powder or getting hurt if the thing falls off the saw horses.
The next step is to rough cut the plywood and then cut each piece to fit a shelf space. After that I’ll have to start the finishing work which will be it’s own challenge. I’ve figured out what I’m doing about drying space. I had some wall-hanging metal shelves in the garage in the old house. I think they were Rubbermaid but I’m not 100% sure. It has a track you screw to the top of the wall and hang standards from and the shelf supports slot into the standards. I think if I get more of that I can put the boards on those to dry and then use them as garage shelves for all my stuff when I’m done.
My buyer came back to me with some requested repairs which, technically, we were agreed not to do and it’s for a pittance, and he said he’s planning to renovate the whole place so it seems kind of petty but it’s also not much and I’d like for this to get done so I’m agreeing to it. A small amount clawed back and sending my HVAC guy out to service the A/C isn’t too bad. Option period is up tomorrow and then we’re on to the next set of tasks.