Reimagining the easel as a wedding seating plan!

You need: Hand-held circular saws, Multi-sander, Sanding sheets for multi-sander (180 grit), g-clamps, pencil, pocket rule, protractor, safety glasses, protective gloves, three-ply wood panel

The 640 x 2,000 mm base panel is the most important part. You can ask an employee at the DIY store to cut it to size or do this yourself at home. If you were able to get a 640 x 2,000 mm panel at a DIY store, skip to step 2. If not, we’ll show you how to cut your base panel to the required size.

Begin by marking the required dimensions on your panel (image 1). Now you have to measure the distance from the saw line to the outer edge of your hand-held circular saw (image 2). This is 37 mm in our case. Use this value to mark a reference line on the wood board (image 3) and attach a wooden guide. Use two G-clamps to secure the wooden guide firmly in place. This will allow you to easily saw in a straight line (image 4).

Then sand down the cut edges (image 5). Thanks to the universal 18-volt Bosch system, you can use the rechargeable battery from the circular saw in your multi-sander, too.

You need: Hand-held circular saws, Jigsaw Blade, Multi-sander, Sanding sheets for multi-sander (180 grit), g-clamps, pencil, pocket rule, protractor, safety glasses, protective gloves, three-ply wood panel

Now begin preparing the notch for the bottom of the wooden panel. Start at one of the short sides of the three-ply panel. Use a pocket rule to measure 37 mm from the bottom edge and draw a line parallel to the reference line, if you didn’t already do so in step 1. Then mark a point 80 mm from each side on the right and left on the bottom edge (image 1).

Now place the set square one by one over the two points and draw a line at a 45° angle to the reference line which is 37 mm from the edge (image 2).

You’ve now drawn the outline of the trapezoidal notch which is ready to be sawn out. To create a more elegant transition within the notch, we recommend using a coin for the curved sections (images 3 and 4).

Next, saw out the notch using a jigsaw (image 5) and sand it down (image 6).

You need: pencil, pocket rule, wooden slat, panneau de bois trois plis

Now mark the points on the panel. These will later be used to indicate the tables and guests at the wedding. In our example, there will be six tables and 40 guests. If you are planning a smaller or larger reception, you can adapt the intervals accordingly.

For the marking for the guests, measure 250 mm from the top (the top is the short side without the notch) and 150 mm from the long side. Mark the first point there. It is fully up to you which side you choose to use.

Then take a slat and draw a line parallel to the side edge at a distance of 150 mm. Next, mark a further point every 30 mm starting from the first point until you have 40 markings on the line (image 1). You can adjust the number of intervals based on how many singles or couples you’re expecting at the wedding.

Now make the markings for the tables on the long side of the panel opposite this. To do this, measure out the first point 350 mm from the top and 100 from the side. Now mark the spot with a pencil (image 2).

Then use a slat to draw a line parallel to the side edge 100 mm below it. Next, use the pencil to mark five further points at an interval of 200 mm starting from the first point.

You need: Cordless combi drill, Brad point drill bit, Holzbit, safety glasses, g-clamps, hammer, three-ply wood panel, 8 mm wooden dowels

Now drill holes at the markings you previously made in step 3. Use a drill bit that is the same size as the dowels you are using. In our case, we’ll be using an 8 mm bit.  You can take the rechargeable battery from one of the 18 V tools you were previously using and connect it to the cordless combi drill.

Here’s a tip for when you’re drilling: Do not drill all the way through the panel. To prevent this from happening, place a strip of masking tape around the drill bit at a height that is roughly two-thirds the thickness of the panel (image 1).

Now use the hammer to insert the wooden dowels into the holes (image 2).

You need: Cordless combi drill, Brad point drill bit, Jigsaws, NanoBlade saw, Multi-sander, 80 to 120-grain sanding sheet, Holzbit, protective gloves, pocket rule, pencil, Set square, g-clamps, wooden slat (28 x 28 mm)

We’ll now get started building the frame for our clever little seating plan. First off, we’ll need two squared timbers, one 600 mm long and one 560 mm long. Mark out the two values on your square timber (image 1) and then saw off the two pieces by making a cut at the lines you drew on the board (image 2). It would be a good idea to sand down the edges when you’re done.

Then, make a mark at the centre of the sanded edges. This is easy to do. Simply use the pencil to draw a line starting at the corners (image 3).

Now use two G-clamps to clamp the squared timbers securely to your workbench and pre-drill the points you just marked using a 3 mm drill bit (image 4).

Then measure 60 mm from the short sides of the two boards and mark this out in the middle (14 mm from both edges) with a pencil (Figure 5). Use the 5 mm drill bit to make the four holes in the wood (image 6). Before you do so, place a piece of scrap wood under the board so you don’t damage your workbench.

You need: Cordless combi drill, Brad point drill bit, Jigsaws, Jigsaw Blade, Multi-sander, 80 to 120-grain sanding sheet, Holzbit, protective gloves, pocket rule, pencil, g-clamps, wooden slat (25 x 20 mm)

You’ll now need five more squared timbers, two of them 1,200 mm in length and three of them 600 mm in length. This time, however, the base should not be square. It should instead measure 25 x 20 mm.

Begin with the two long pieces of wood by drawing the markings indicating where you will be sawing on your squared timber. The wider side of the two pieces of wood is facing up on your workbench. For your information, the longer pieces of wood will be rounded at one end. To do so, measure 12.5 mm from the edges marked for sawing to the centre, mark a point and trace a curve using a compass, for example.

When you are sawing the boards, you can make a straight cut (image 3) and then round off the sharp edges (image 4). Then, sand down the edges (image 5). At the centre of the curve, now drill a hole with a 5 mm drill bit at each of the rounded ends of the 1,200 mm timbers (image 6). Then make a hole at the centre of each of the non-rounded ends at a distance of 10 mm and a distance of 50 mm (image 7). The two long boards are now finished.

Next, take two of the 600 mm boards and round off both ends of them as described above. One of the 600 mm boards will not be rounded off.

You need: Cordless combi drill, g-clamps, 4.0 x 45 mm screws

You can now put the support together. To do this we’ll assemble a frame and a smaller ‘U’. To make the frame screw together the two 1,200 mm timbers from step 6 (A), the unrounded 600 mm timber from step 6 (B) and the 600 mm timber from step 5 (C) (image 1).

To create the ‘U’, fasten the 560 mm timber from step 5 (D) to the two rounded 600 mm timbers from step 6 using screws (E) (image 3). Make sure that the two rounded ends are not covered.

Firmly clamp the boards to the table using G-clamps. When joining the boards, make sure that the screws are not fastened too tightly so that you can still move them slightly.

You need: Cordless combi drill, Holzbit, 4.0 x 45 mm screws, two M5 x 50 mm screws and wing nuts

Now place the wooden panel from step 4 back on your workbench, with the back side of the panel facing up. Keep in mind that the side with the notch will be the bottom end of your seating plan (see the right side of the split screen). Then place the large frame, which has now been screwed together, flush with the edge of the bottom notch on the wooden panel. Next, place the ‘U’ from step 9 at a distance of 115 mm from the bottom end of the panel (image 1). Make sure that the drill holes on the square timber of the ‘U’ are facing up.

Fasten the screws through the two pre-drilled holes at the top of the wooden panel to connect the square timber of the large frame to the wood panel (image 2). Then screw the ‘U’ to the bottom side of the wooden panel through the pre-drilled holes (image 3).

Now use M5 x 50 screws and wing nuts to connect the two loose frame parts of the large frame and the ‘U’. This way, the frame can still be moved (image 4).

Now it’s time to apply the final touches. Use multi-colour strings to connect the dowels, take wooden discs to make the tables and write the names of the guests next to the dowels. Tap into your creative side – the sky’s the limit!