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Bosch projects you can build yourself
Imaginative miniature throne
Turn your child's bedroom into a magical kingdom with our imaginative miniature throne. This is one idea that lets children have the reins! You can build the throne using either the frog king design or the tiger design (see templates in the instructions), or of course you can adapt the design to your own taste.
The chair essentially comprises four boards that are fastened together with screws. The screw holes are filled in with putty and concealed under a layer of paint. If you prefer, you can omit the decorative design.
The following assembly instructions apply to 19-mm-thick medium-density fibreboard (MDF). You must adapt the list of materials accordingly if you opt for other materials or thicknesses.
Ask your DIY store or carpenter to cut the required boards to size.
Instructions
Cut out the boards
First use a compass to draw the semicircular edge of the rear panel. Cut this shape out with the jigsaw. All of the lower panels are trimmed to the same shape. In this case, the shapes are also semicircular, but they are extended by a straight section of roughly 50 mm. Draw the shape on a sheet of paper and use this and carbon paper to copy the cutout onto the boards.
Now use the jigsaw to cut the edges of the cutout along the pencil lines. The more precisely you guide the saw blade, the less work you will have to do later with the file and sanding paper to achieve exact edges.
If you want to attach the decorative hand rests (globes) to the arms, remember to cut out quarter circles with the correct radius (half the globe diameter).
Join the seat base with the front leg panel to form an angle
The side of the seat base measuring 262 mm is mounted on top of the same size edge of the front leg panel. Predrill the seat base as required and countersink the holes so that the screws will be concealed. Now use the cordless screwdriver and screws (4 x 40 mm) to fasten the boards together.
Tip for screwing together two pieces of wood
In the piece where you want to insert the screws first, always predrill a hole that is 0.5 to 1 mm larger than the screw diameter; the hole should be countersunk for the screw head. In the piece that you are going to drill second, predrill a hole that is always 1 mm smaller than the screw diameter.
Attach the angle piece with the side leg panels
Lay one of the leg panels on its outer side. Align the angle piece on top of this panel and trace its outline on the panel. Now remove the angle piece. In the centre of the marked outline, predrill two holes for fastening screws and countersink the outside of the holes. Follow the same procedure for the other leg panel.
Now place one leg panel on trestles with the outer side facing downwards. Align the angle piece on top of the panel and fix it in place with clamp clips. Make sure you use pieces of scrap wood as buffer blocks to avoid leaving unsightly pressure marks. Now you can comfortably turn everything upside down and mount the pieces using the cordless screwdriver and screws (4 x 40 mm). Refer to our tip about screwing together two pieces of wood. Follow the same procedure for the other side.
Fit the rear panel
Lay the rear panel on trestles with the rear part facing downwards. Arrange the preassembled seat on top so it is flush with the edges and bottom of the rear panel; then use a pencil to trace the outline of the seat onto the rear panel.
In the centre of this outline, predrill two holes for each side to fasten screws and countersink the holes behind the rear panel.
Replace the rear panel on the trestles with the rear part facing downwards and align the preassembled seat on top so that the seat is flush with the bottom and side edges of the rear panel. Secure all of the pieces with clamp clips and screw them together with the cordless screwdriver and screws (4 x 40 mm).
Cut out and fit the crown
First use a pencil to draw the outline of the crown on the board measuring 100 x 100 mm. Cut out the shape with the jigsaw, using a curved saw blade.
Now lay the seat on its back and arrange the crown in the position required. Using a pencil, mark the lower outline of the crown on the rear panel. In the centre of this outline, drill two holes to fasten the crown to the rear panel. Countersink these holes at the back of the panel. You can now mount the crown using the cordless screwdriver and screws (4 x 35 mm).
Fit the decorative globes
Insert the globes in the bench vice and use the 8-mm wood drill bit to make a 15-mm-deep hole in each; make the same size holes in the quarter circle cutouts in the arms. Dab wood glue into the holes and insert a wood dowel into one of them. You can now fit the decorative hand rests onto the arms. Wipe away any excess glue immediately with a damp cloth.
Prepare surfaces
Take time to prepare the surfaces so they are in the best working condition possible before starting assembly.
First, fill in the screw holes in the MDF surfaces on display using putty or wood putty. Once the putty is dry (check the manufacturer's instructions), sand the area smooth using sanding paper with a grit of 120.
First chamfer all MDF edges with sanding paper with a grit of 120 at a 45° angle to create a small bevel. Use a sander and sanding paper (grit of 120 – 180) to work the MDF surfaces.
Surface treatment
First read the manufacturer's safety and handling instructions thoroughly. Make sure the room you are working in is well ventilated and not used for smoking, eating or drinking.
Apply the priming filler with the roller or with a spray gun, if necessary. Allow it to dry completely.
MDF tips
MDF surfaces are highly absorbent. For this reason, you may need to pay particular attention to the edges (i.e. apply several layers). You can skip the time-consuming task of sealing the absorbent surfaces by using MDF with a primer film. This MDF guarantees a perfect finish without fillers, at least on the surfaces.
Finely sand the primed surfaces and edges; increase the grit of the sanding paper from 180 to 220 to 240.
Paint the visible surfaces
A wide range of paints is available, of various types and price categories. The main criteria in choosing a paint should be its workability, the technical equipment you have at home, and the surface quality and durability you require. Ask for advice at a specialist retail outlet. If you are not an experienced painter, we recommend that you practice beforehand on a sample piece.
The simplest solution is to use a spray can of paint.
A higher-quality alternative is, for example, polyurethane paint, which consists of two components and is applied with a spray gun. To make this paint, mix base paint and hardener according to the manufacturer's instructions and fill the spray gun with the mixture. Adjust the gun and thus the quantity of paint on a test board. Adjust the atomising cone to a wider setting for surfaces and a narrower setting for edges. Ideally, you should first paint the inner edges, then the outer edges and then finally the surfaces; working on these with even, parallel strokes.
The availability of the Bosch tools shown here may vary from country to country.