We built a beautiful OAK CUPBOARD FOR $35-40.00 that would have cost us $400.00 in materials or $600-700.00 retail.
Pallets (which we use for heating) are free. They are usually made of hard wood and are used by fork lifts to transport stuff from one location to another. Though often oak, sometime they are made of maple, mahogany or other more exotic woods. Generally they have a series of 3/4 inch thick boards nailed to 2 x 4s. (More information on pallets is in the chapter on heating).
We selected boards from about 30 pallets and carefully removed them. After sanding them clean and ripping them to size we set about learning how to make furniture by trial and error. We had access to a shop. We already had some carpentry skills acquired from working over the years in various scene shops, from other household projects, and in Rachel's case from having a father who spent his life as a shop teacher.
We looked at corner cupboards, we looked at the wood we had, then we dove right into the project. Why not? We calculated the entire project would cost no more than $35. We decided to do the best job we could and settle for a rustic look. The pallet wood has nail holes every 1 1/2 feet and being exposed to the elements the iron reacted with the tannin in the oak making black stains. We used a belt sander with a 60-grit belt to take off the rough saw marks and dirt and weathered wood. We learned the necessity of pre-drilling every screw hole when working with oak. We learned that in carpentry errors in cutting can mount up. Even the width of the saw blade can multiply and become a problem. We learned how to use a biscuit joiner. We learned why trim boards tie a piece together. We learned the difference between red and white oak. We learned how to work with distress marks and knot holes. Our next project will be easier and more professional.
If you do not have a wood-working shop or the tools you need to build furniture, most likely you will not need to purchase them right away, though success in a project builds enthusiasm and you may find owning your own tools will eventually become desirable. In the meantime you have several options. The easiest is to use a friend's equipment. If you are willing to buy a new saw blade to replace the one the gritty oak will dull, a box of belts to replace the few you will use, you will stay on good terms and your enthusiasm will infect the owner.
If your network does not offer this resource, however, another option exists: a continuing education program at the local public school or community college. Here on the Cape we know of two courses in woodworking that allow one to bring a project and have access not only to a shop full of tools but also to an instructor who will guide one through the learning process and help out with the design and execution.