hole size for crayons/general project help

[Dave Tesch]

this may not be the right forum, maybe the design forum is better. sorry if i chose wrong.

i'm working on some crayon holders for my neices and nephew for christmas presents. this project has gotten way more complex than it should have because instead of just doing it, i let SWMBO get involved.:o a 2x6 cut with a scroll saw was the original idea and a nice simple shape was all i planned on, but i need to make one holder in the shape of an inchworm so i decided against the 2x6 as i think it will crack along the grain. its just too complex a shape for 2x6 and a 2 year old.

i took some clear pine 1" stock and glued three peices together with titebond II to make a 2.25" wide "plywood". the center peice is crossgrain. this is too big to cut with a scroll saw - oops. i do have a bosch hand held sabre saw i dropped a couple hundred on and i hope i can get a decent cutou with that - any advice?

it appears the average crayon diameter is 5/16" and i am wondering if a 3/8" hole is a good size? any advice on how deep to make the holes? in my mind i kinda think 3/4" deep or so but i have no real idea.

i havent drawn any shapes yet, my "plywood" is drying in the shop. the boards i made are 5x10x2.25

any and all advice is welcome, i am kinda out of my element on this project.

will my glued up boards be ok? they dont have nails or anything; just glue.

thanks.

[Dave Tesch]

http://inlinethumb45.webshots.com/18860/2648882720026985969S500x500Q85.jpg (http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2648882720026985969UFPnKg)

http://inlinethumb53.webshots.com/17012/2416479440026985969S500x500Q85.jpg (http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2416479440026985969rMCLuI)

[Jim Rimmer]

This is out of my element, too, but it sounds like you've got the sizes figured out. If the crayons are 1/4" I think 3/8" hole would work - then the kids are not jamming it in. And 3/4" deep would keep them from falling out, I think.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Couple observations:

1. You could get a crayon, a piece of scrap, and try different dia + depths.

2. The glue will hold just fine without nails/screws/etc.

3. How big will the full-size critter be? 64 crayons minimum, right? :p

[Erik France]

this is too big to cut with a scroll saw - oops. i do have a bosch hand held sabre saw i dropped a couple hundred on and i hope i can get a decent cutou with that - any advice?Sounds like a good opportunity to put in a request for a bandsaw and a narrow blade. ;)

[Dave Tesch]

Sounds like a good opportunity to put in a request for a bandsaw and a narrow blade. ;)

i like ^^^.

i redrilled the holes to 3/8". in the pic they are 5/16" with the very top of the holes 3/8" (i used a step bit for the top). as you can see the crayons only go in 1/8" in the pic and then stop.

i used a 5/16" brad point bit first because i have found that a 1/2" dowel will slip in a 1/2" hole made from a brad point bit, and the crayons measured 5/16". they didnt fit.

they do fit in the 3/8" hole.

now i need to sand; a lot.