This was too make sure I was capable of making something out of wood that did NOT go weeks or months longer than anticipated.  I thought it should take a weekend, and it did.  And then I put a few coats of finish on it and that had to cure for a few days, but the shelf was definitely done with blistering speed and is still holding plants up to this day, since March,  of this year.   White Oak finished in a few coats of Waterlox.