Snackpin Scrap Wood Project

[Ted Calver]

I shared this on another forum and had a good response, so I thought some Creekers might like it. Here's an easy project that you can put to good use in the kitchen, or add to your craft show arsenal. It's my take on a clothes pin style snack keeper. I made several of these years ago and ran across some partially completed blanks while cleaning up recently. I couldn't remember how I made them, so here is how I reconstructed the crime. Apologies for the cell phone pics.
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It starts with a blank about 8" long by 1-1/4" square. On the band saw, cut a 3/16" wide kerf about 4-1/2" long into one end of the blank to create the two pin legs. Be sure to orient the grain so the pin won't easily split. Cut a set of duck lips on the legs, then insert a 1-1/2" long piece of scrap the same width as the kerf into the end and tack in place with a drop of CA glue, as shown. You will be removing this later, so don't get carried away.
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Mount the blank and turn the end that will be the the head of the pin round to fit in the small jaws of whatever chuck you have. I use a Steb center and the cone from my Oneway live center to do this. The cone centers the block. I don't want to put a lot of pressure on the waste wood at this point.
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Mount the blank in your chuck and use the waste block to stabilize the blank with your tail stock. Rough the pin round. I'm using a cup point in the tail stock here because the oneway point was a bit large.
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Lay out your design. I turn the body of the pin down to about 3/4".
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And turn, turn, turn, sand, sand , sand. If you are good with a skew you won't have to do much.
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I add a coat of Mahoney's Utility finish at this point while the lathe is spinning. Then cut the blank off and touch up the end with sand paper.
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[Ted Calver]

A twist of a small skew pops out the waste wood and a little touch up on the lips and inside the kerf with a fine file and some sand paper, a little more finish...
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and she's ready for snacks
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Certainly other methods of work can achieve the same results. Do whatever works for you.

Happy snacking!

[charlie knighton]

cool Ted, i need some of those

[Timothy Mann]

I think this is a great idea, I will be giving this a try.

[Lloyd Keniston]

Thanks Ted, I'll just add these to the list. Gotta have a reason to get up in the morning. :)

[Allan Ferguson]

Like that!

[Brian Libby]

Great idea, thanks for sharing.:)

[Jason Ritchie]

Brilliant! I'm always losing or breaking the cheesy plastic ones you buy at the store. I'll have to make up a bunch of these. Thanks for sharing!

[Michelle Rich]

thanks for sharing the project.

[Greg Just]

Great idea Ted. You could go crazy with all different kinds of design options and wood variations. Also a good use of those scraps laying around the shop.

[Curt Fuller]

Those are pretty cool Ted. Thanks for showing how you made them. I'm going to have to make a few myself.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Thanks Ted. My wife saw those and said I want some. Oh well just another on the list. lol Those are cool Ted. I must admit.

[Ted Calver]

Thanks for the kind words folks. Hope you will post your version when you are done. Apologies for adding to your lists....misery loves company:):):)

[Kathy Marshall]

Cool little project Ted! Thanks for the "how to".

[James Roberts]

Neat idea Ted, useful, economical and fun to boot! Gaahhhh, another project to add to the ever growing list.

[Mike Cruz]

Ted, in a world of things that we make that may or may not get used, those little buggers are down right useful. I like 'em.

Though, I do have to ask... Is that a golf glove? ;)

[Ted Calver]

.. Is that a golf glove? ;)
Mike, pay no attention to that man behind the glove...yup, it is...I ran out of racquetball gloves;)

[mark ravensdale]

Damn good idea Ted!!!
now that's what I love abt these forums, I will make one for my dad he never seems to finish a bag of crisps/chips in one go

Cheers pal!!!

[Rick McQuay]

Nice project for using up scraps.

[Jon McElwain]

Cool looking project! I can see those being VERY popular at a craft show. Quick to make by the looks of it, so potential for some good profits. I know a guy who uses a Fein Multimaster to sand the inside of a kerf like the one you use on this project. Might be an easy way to get a really good finish on the inside without a lot of work.

[Ted Calver]

....I know a guy who uses a Fein Multimaster to sand the inside of a kerf like the one you use on this project. Might be an easy way to get a really good finish on the inside without a lot of work.
Good idea Jon. I have the HF version, but have never used the sanding part. It should do the job. Thanks

[Tom Wilson66]

Great idea, will have to make a few of those for myself.

[Donny Lawson]

Thanks for the quick little project tutorial. It will come in handy for chips.