Small objects from offcuts and left-overs (photos)

[David Keast]

I cannot bring myself to burn offcuts of fine lumber - so I try to make small objects to put them to good use in between major projects. I would be interested to see other people's ideas on this subject - what can you make with small pieces ?

A couple of examples :

The end grain lid of this box (appx 10" wide, primary wood cherry) has cherry, ash, chestnut, oak, walnut, hornbeam and alder sections.

http://forge-du-gravier.eu/otherpics/endgrainlid.jpg

This knife box in oak from our own land was a present for my son. It contains six hand forged Lagiole knives.

http://forge-du-gravier.eu/otherpics/knife-box.jpg


http://forge-du-gravier.eu/otherpics/knife-box2.jpg

I'll dig out some photos of other objects later.

[David Nelson1]

Very nice. I especially like the Steak knife box. I tried my hand @ intricate box building last winter for the same purpose, steak knives. Didn't go so well LOL.

[Peter Quinn]

Very creative use of left overs! I particularly like the box for the Laguiole's!

[David Keast]

Here is another example, some nut crackers, loosely copied from something I saw on FWW site.

Pivot is a piece of 10mm pipe with wood plugs in the outside of the holes to hide it.

http://forge-du-gravier.eu/otherpics/nutcracker.jpg

http://forge-du-gravier.eu/otherpics/nutcracker2.jpg

[Dale Cruea]

David, you are too good. You must a great imagination. Great looking projects. I save my scraps until they start getting in my way then give then to someone with a wood burning stove.

[Paul Symchych]

David: How thick is the end grain panel of the first box and does it have some sort of [plywood?] support underneath? How is it mounted to the lid's frame?

[David Keast]

David: How thick is the end grain panel of the first box and does it have some sort of [plywood?] support underneath? How is it mounted to the lid's frame?

Around 10mm thick, no ply or other support (good glue !). It is fitted by cutting a slot around the edge of the panel, then cutting a mating slot in the inside top of the lid sides. By making the slots exactly a saw kerf from the edge, they then interlock. Difficult to explain, I'll post a diagram later.

[Ole Anderson]

Toasting marshmallows seems to be all I come come up with that is memorable. Ok, I also remember a small battery holder and lots of shop jigs. But mostly a nice fire in the fireplace while it is snowing outside and a good movie on the TV. Fire started of course by all of those offcut pieces of kindling...

[David Keast]

David: How thick is the end grain panel of the first box and does it have some sort of [plywood?] support underneath? How is it mounted to the lid's frame?

Like this :

http://forge-du-gravier.eu/otherpics/lid joint.gif

Making it a mm or so smaller than the framing part of the lid allows for seasonal movment, no glue.

[Paul Symchych]

Thanks David.
My concern was the panel fracturing either in the center or at the panel's edges, given the grain direction of the wood. Obviously unfounded because of the small size and that nobody will put weight on it.
I have used scraps for butcher block cutting boards and for jewelry boxes. The idea of combining the two appeals to me.

[David Keast]

Absolutely Paul - I had the same concern, but it has lasted well despite being man handled quite a bit. It would have been nice to make the top a wee bit thinner, but i fear that would be too risky.