Okay, here’s my blog post about working with batten basketball pine timber, written in a casual, personal style:

So, I’ve been wanting to build this… thing… in my backyard for a while. I’m not even sure what to call it, honestly. It’s kind of like a backboard, but not really for playing basketball. More for decoration, I guess? Anyway, I finally decided to get started, and the main material I’m using is batten basketball pine timber.

Getting Started

First things first, I headed to the local hardware store. I spent like an hour just wandering around, looking at all the different types of wood. I knew I wanted pine, mostly because it’s pretty affordable and easy to work with. I eventually found the batten stuff – it’s basically just long, thin strips of pine. Perfect for what I had in mind.

I grabbed a bunch of the batten, some screws, and a few other bits and pieces. I also picked up a new saw, since mine was getting pretty dull. Gotta have the right tools, right?

The Build

Back home, I laid out all the timber on my workbench. My “plan” was pretty rough – mostly just a sketch on a scrap of paper. I started by cutting the batten to the lengths I needed. The new saw was awesome! Made nice, clean cuts. Super satisfying.

Next, I started assembling the frame. This was a bit tricky, since I was basically making it up as I went along. I used a lot of screws, and probably went a bit overboard, but I wanted to make sure it was sturdy.

• Cut the timber – This took a while, but was pretty straightforward.
• Assemble the frame – Lots of screws!
• Add the… uh… “decorative” bits – This is where I got a little creative. I just started attaching pieces of batten in a kind of random pattern.

Finishing Touches

Once I was happy with the overall shape, I gave the whole thing a good sanding. I didn’t want any splinters! Then, I applied a coat of wood stain. I went with a dark walnut color, which I think looks pretty cool.

And… that’s pretty much it! It’s not perfect, by any means, but I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. It was a fun little project, and I learned a lot about working with batten timber. I’m already thinking about what I can build next!