How to Make Wood Pencils
Make your own exotic wood pencils for no reason other than the fun of it!
This is one of those projects I’ve been thinking about for a long time and really glad I followed through on. I couldn’t be happier with how they came out. These were made by routing a very small groove into two pieces of wood to hold the graphite and glued together. I tried to have continuous grain to hide the seam and it worked pretty well. I sanded a hexagon shape into each pencil but it’s not really noticeable because as I was doing some final sanding they rounded out. The shape is still there and the pencils don’t roll off the table but the shape is not as noticeable as I was expecting. I did want them to be super smooth and have a “fine woodworking” feel so I thought the final sanding was necessary. Adding polyurethane and dipping the end in paint was the icing on the cake.
All of these pencils were made in a day. After doing one batch I feel like I could make them even quicker the next time around. These would make a great craft show seller since a handful could be made all at once keeping the final price down and I think I could make them even more eye catching by choosing different color paints for the ends.
If you make any yourself be sure to Tweet some photos to me so I can share them with my audience. Be safe! Be Passionate and Make Something!
Tools and Supplies
How to Make Bent Laminated Spoon
Using bent lamination to create this wooden spoon for the kitchen.
Way back in 1992 when I was just a junior in high school, I made a bent laminated wooden spoon in shop class for a Mother’s Day gift. Now 24 years later I’m recreating the spoon for an updated gift to give to Mom this Mother’s Day. Bent lamination involves resawing the wood into thin bendable strips that can be placed in a mold and glued in place. Once the glue dries the spoon shaped can be cut out on the bandsaw with some final shaping done with the spindle and orbital sander. This is a quick and fun woodworking project that can be done in just a few hours. If you plan on using the spoon for cooking then you’ll need a food safe finish such as the butcher block conditioner I used in the video. As always, be passionate and Make Something!
Tools and Supplies Used
Upcycling a Clock from an Antique Store into Something New
Turn an old clock into something new and stylish in the upcycle project.
This was a fun project that involved one of my favorite hobbies and that’s going shopping at the antique store. I’m lucky enough to live close to a large antique mall in Maumee, Ohio and that’s where I found this old vintage clock I could upcycle into something new. What I liked about the clock is the face and the typography of the numbers so I decided to keep that and scrap the rest. I made a new case out of mahogany wood and guitar amp grill cloth. I liked the idea of having the clock offset with a lot of negative space and decided to fill that space with a piggy bank and removable money bag recycled from a Crown Royal sack.
I ended up donating the clock to my local Goodwill donation center in hopes that some stranger will find joy in this find. Inside the clock I left a note stating when it was made and to spread kindness.
I hope you found this build fun as I plan on doing more upcycle projects such as this in the future. As always, be passionate and make something!
Tools and Supplies Used
How to Turn a Slimline Pen
How to turn a slimline pen on the lathe. A quick and simple project that a great seller at craft shows.
Turning pens on a lathe is one of those addicting hobbies you come across in woodworking. They can be made from start to finish in about 30 minutes and can be very profitable at craft shows and also make great gifts that family and friends will love. There are a ton of gadgets available for pen turning which may be confusing. In the video above I simplify the process and break down what pen turning accessories you need and the ones you may not need for the slimline kits. The following steps are the basics in getting started in slimline pen turning. Once you have these down you can start to get into the more complicated pen kits and work with segmented pieces as well as acrylics and non traditional materials. I am by no means an expert turner so if you have any suggestions and pen turning tips, leave them in the comments below. As always, be safe, stay passionate and make something!
Pen Turning Supplies and Tools
How to Make Wood Rings / Bentwood Rings
Making these wood rings is pretty simple and can be done without many tools.
Making these wood rings is pretty simple and can be done without many tools. Basically we’re going to take some veneer and boil it in water to make it more pliable. We’ll then coil the veneer onto itself and bonding it with CA glue. You’ll find these rings are much stronger than just drilling a hole into wood and cutting the outside shape. That’s because we won’t have any weak points with endgrain. There will be many layers with straight grain laminated with glue which will make them very strong and durable. I’ll also show you how I added these accent lines with a contrasting veneer between 3 coils. Let’s get started.
Items and Supplies Used
Cheap and Easy to Make Planter Boxes
A quick an easy DIY project making window planters.
Earlier this year we had a new front deck installed and we thought it was time to replace all the old planter boxes in the front of the house to go along with the new porch. To make these planters I’m using $6 common board pine from Home Depot. One $6 board is enough for one planter box. This is a real quick and easy project that anybody with a few basic woodworking tools can do.
Products Used
How to Make a 3D Layered Photograph with ArtResin Epoxy
How to make a 3D layered photo using epoxy.
I to show you how to make this 3D layered photograph of my dog. It involves taking 1 image, cutting out the background and making a print from that and another print from the foreground image. In this example I’m making the frame from scratch but you could easily take an existing frame and do this as long as the depth is over 1/2”. That will allow a reservoir for all the epoxy we’re about to use.
I’m using a new product call Art Resin and I’m loving it. Unlike most 2-part epoxies, Art Resin is free of VOCs has no fumes and safe. It’s super clear and easy to use. This is now my go-to for all my kitchen based woodworking projects.
Products Used
Pallet Wood Project: Key and Coat Rack
A simple coat rack make from free pallet wood!
Pallet Wood Project
The goal of this video is to inspire you to make something. Pallet wood is free and readily available to use and makes for some great woodworking projects. If you leave it rough you’ll get a nice rustic look. This is my first time using pallet wood as well as chalk paint. In this video I’m making a key rack/coat rack/sunglass holder that will be used in the entrance of my house. This is a very basic and simple woodworking project that anybody can do with a few tools. The chalk paint takes that rustic look over-the-top. I’ll add a base coat of gray let that dry and then add some color over top of that. Which we will then distress using sandpaper and a scraper.
- Micro Jig GRR-Ripper
- Folkart Plaid 34168 Home Decor Chalk Paint, 8-Ounce, Castle
- Folkart Plaid 34994 Home Decor Chalk Paint, 8-Ounce, Tuscan Red
- Folkart Plaid 34155 Home Decor Chalk Paint, 8-Ounce, Vintage Mustard
- Folkart Plaid 34169 Home Decor Chalk Paint, 8-Ounce, Rich Black
- Folkart Plaid Sanding Foam Block
- Folkart Plaid Scraper
Antique Flip Clock Up-Cycle Project
Taking an old antique flip-clock and upcycling it into a modern design.
Antique flip clock up-cycle woodworking project. I found this old antique flip clock at an antique store for $15. I gutted the clock and rebuilt the outer shell out of walnut using a joinery technique called birdsmouth joinery. Birdsmouth joinery takes a special router bit designed for 8 sided pieces (you can also purchase a router bit for 6 sided pieces). Using some glass I had lying around and a glass cutting tool, cut the octagonal shape. Wedged in behind the glass is metallic card stock cut on a Silhouette Cameo die-cutting machine. The glass and the metallic card stock sits in a groove cut into the inside of the walnut. There is also a rabbet cut in the back to hold the rear piece that is held in by hot glue. The gutted clock fits into the shell snuggly by hot gluing pieces of scrap wood on the inside to hold the mechanical unit. The complete clock was finished with a mixture of boiled linseed oil and polyurethane.
Here’s What You’ll Need
How to Make a Beer Mug on the Lathe
A fun weekend woodworking project on how to make a beer mug/beer tankard on the lathe.
Making a Beer Tankard
A fun weekend woodworking project on how to make a beer mug/beer tankard on the lathe. We’ll start by cutting up all the pieces on the tablesaw. Next we’ll glue and clamp them all up and once dry, mount it up on the lathe and start turning. The inside is hollowed out using a forstner bit which makes it a quick and clean cut. And finally we’ll coat the inside with epoxy making it water proof and ready for a nice cold beer.
This is one of those projects where you’ll want to make a few at a time because once your family and friends see it they’re going to want one as well!
Is Epoxy Food Safe?
That’s not an easy question to answer and there are very few epoxies that are labeled food safe. Acquiring that label is a long costly process that many companies just don’t bother with. I’ve found a few woodworking articles saying all finishes are food safe once fully cured. It is to my understanding that epoxy is fully cured and inert after 30 days and is not much different than using a plastic cup. There are a few people who say that the mix of the two-part epoxy must be the exact ratio for this to be true and if it is mixed correctly and fully cured must only be used to serve cold drinks and not be exposed to high temperatures like coffee or a dishwasher. From what I gathered I feel safe drinking beer out of these mugs using the epoxy I got from the Home Center. It is up to you to use your best judgement and research what will work for you.
Here’s What You’ll Need
How to Make a Beer and Whiskey Flight
Impress your guest with these beer and whiskey flight trays. They also make great craft show items when paired up with glasses.
Making a Beer Flight
Here’s a quick and simple woodworking project that can be made in a day without a lot of fancy tools. This display could be used as a candle holder, beer flight or whiskey flight. Whichever one suits you best! In the example in the video I’m using hickory wood but I’ve also made them in red oak and walnut and look just as great. This is also one of those woodworking projects that can be easily modified to your own style.
As always I encourage you to come up with your own design or you can use the link below to purchase the plans and use my design. Please feel free to use, make and sell these online or at craft shows. If you do sell them please let me know how well they sell. I’m always looking for good feedback. I myself have sold a few of these at recent handmade shows for $40 which includes your choice of candle votives, mini pilsner glasses or whiskey glasses Enjoy, be safe and make something!
Products Used
Making a Whiskey and Shot Glass Display
A real simple woodworking project that involves turning the shot glasses on the lathe and displaying your favorite bottle of whiskey.
Whiskey Display Details
This was a very special project for me as it was used in my wedding ceremony this past October. A real simple woodworking project that involves turning the shot glasses on the lathe. The top pieces are suspended using dowels and cut out using a printed pattern and spray adhesive. The four holes that hold the wooden shot glasses were drilled on the lathe using a forstner bit. I chose spray lacquer as my finish as I needed something that dries quickly and protects the wood. A very simple woodworking project the focuses on design. The tutorial video above takes you through the entire process from beginning to end.
Products Used
How to Make Lincoln Logs from 2x Lumber
In this woodworking tutorial I show how to make homemade Lincoln Logs from inexpensive 2×6’s
In this woodworking tutorial I show how to make homemade Lincoln Logs from inexpensive 2×6’s from Home Depot. I used to love Lincoln Logs as a kid and thought I’d recreate those memories by making my own. If you go to the store to buy this classic toy you may be shocked by the prices these days. This is a quick and simple woodworking project that can be done in a weekend or even a day if you plan it right. You will need a few basic woodworking tools to complete this project. I’m using a tablesaw, bandsaw and a router mounted in a router table but like any woodworking project there are many ways to accomplish a task. You could use a dado stack in your tablesaw instead of a router and many of the bandsaw cuts could be made on the table saw.
In this example I decided to make my Lincoln Log house permanent by gluing the pieces together and pin nailing on the roof and base. I plan on using mine as a birdhouse after the stain and paint has had a few months to off-gas.
Products Used
How to Make a Magnetic Bangle Bracelet
Making a Bangle Bracelet with Walnut, Maple and Rare Earth Magnets
Making a Bangle Bracelet with Walnut, Maple and Rare Earth Magnets
It’s a pretty simple process that starts by gluing up some contrasting wood and ripping 2” pieces on the tablesaw. I will then cut a groove on one piece and a tongue on the mating piece. After that I’ll drill a quarter inch hole with a forstner bit on each end a then glue in a rare earth magnet. Next I’ll take my printed template and attach it using spray adhesive and cut out the bracelets on the bandsaw and do some final shaping with the disc and spindle sanders. This is a quick project that can be done in a couple of hours.
Products Used:
How to Make a Serving Tray with Breadboard Ends
Step by step process on how to make a serving tray with through stub tenon breadboard ends out of padauk and maple.
Step by step process on how to make a serving tray with through stub tenon breadboard ends out of padauk and maple.
How to Make a Pencil & Business Card Holder
Quick and easy project for the office to hold your pens and business cards.
How to Make Succulent Planters. Easy Project!
A quick and easy project video on how to make succulent planters.
A quick and easy project video on how to make succulent planters.
Tools and Supplies Used in This Woodworking Project
Thrift Store Lamp Upcycle. Trash to Treasure Woodworking Project
Upcycling a thrift store lamp and giving it a new life!
I find myself going to thrift stores and antique malls quite often these days to find gems for upcycling. Today was a good day! I found an old “New Home Sewing Machine” and table for only $10! On the same trip I found this desk lamp that I thought would be perfect for a new upcycle project. We’ll save the sewing machine for another article.
I only want the guts and the lamp head so I tear apart this lamp and discard the base and gooseneck cover. I’m using mahogany wood for the base and I cut it in a way that’ll hold Post-it notes and a pen. This was a fun project that only took a few hours to complete. You can bet I’ll be doing some more mantiquing in the future. As always, be safe, be passionate and Make Something!
Tools and Supplies Used for the Woodworking Project
- Microjig GRR-Ripper
- Leatherman Titanium Charge
- Blue Painters Tape
- Rust-Oleum White Primer
- Rust-Oleum Flat White Paint
- Jet Drum Sander
- Box Fan
- Furnace Filter
- Table Saw
- Woodriver Hand Plane
- Aluminum Bar Clamps
- V-Groove Router Bit
- Router Table
- Titebond Wood Glue
- Jet Drill Press
- Shape Products Acrylic (similar)
- Festool Drill
- Disc Sander
- Festool Random Orbit Sander
- Boiled Linseed Oil
- Spray Lacquer
Woodworking Books
Make Your Own Cutting Boards
15 cutting board projects to make as gifts or sell! Get your signed copy!
The New Bandsaw Box Book
8 bandsaw box projects you can make and sell at craft shows. Signed copies now available!