Paul Sellers' Chrismas Gift Idea

[Simon MacGowen]

This morning, my inbox received this video link from a buddy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpomDqYlo0Y

This is a far better Christmas gift idea than any others floating around about buying (more) woodworking tools or accessories.

Simon

[Jim Koepke]

Some of my Christmas decorations many years ago were made of small blocks of scrap wood that were wrapped like tiny presents to hang on the tree. One year when my gift to the wife and daughters was jewelry, they were wrapped in small boxes without names and hung on the tree. The girls always gave me the hairy eyeball because their gifts would all be wrapped differently with no name tags.

We still have some of the small "hanging gift" decorations and use them after about 30 years.

jtk

[Frederick Skelly]

That's neat Simon! I'll make some this weekend. Probably paint them green, though!

[steven c newman]

Hmmm....
373664
Just 6 pieces of scrap pine....
373665

[Simon MacGowen]

That's neat Simon! I'll make some this weekend. Probably paint them green, though!

I was thinking of writing some personalized season's greetings (and my signature on the back) and put them in some of the gifts that have yet to be wrapped. Shouldn't take anything more than half an hour in the shop for a mini-production run. Don't forget to throw in some shavings, too.

Simon

[Archie England]

Thanks for the post!

[Frederick Skelly]

You know, you could actually use them as GIFT TAGS on the outside, that they could then hang on the tree!

[Simon MacGowen]

You know, you could actually use them as GIFT TAGS on the outside, that they could then hang on the tree!

That sure makes sense.

Correction: Half an hour was over-optimistic... It took me about an hour to make 8. The second batch (next year IE) should be quicker.

A quarter way through, I realized I was using the wrong saw -- a cross cut instead of a rip.

Simon

[Simon MacGowen]

Hmmm....
373664
Just 6 pieces of scrap pine....
373665


Too cute to give away as a marker for each gift.

Simon

[Don Orr]

Can anyone tell what kind of wood he s using ? Looks like softwood like pine to me. I tried some this weekend and had a tough time. My sawing skills are terrible to say the least. And chiseling the "branches" did not work well-many of them broke off. Would this work better in a hardwood like Maple?
Thanks for any tips.

[Simon MacGowen]

Can anyone tell what kind of wood he s using ? Looks like softwood like pine to me. I tried some this weekend and had a tough time. My sawing skills are terrible to say the least. And chiseling the "branches" did not work well-many of them broke off. Would this work better in a hardwood like Maple?
Thanks for any tips.

I went with spruce. Pine or fir would just be fine.

If you struggle with sawing straight, clamp a square block to guide it. Make sure your chisel is sharp and you are going with the grain. Try different angles of attack on a scrap first to get the feel or shape, not on your sawn pieces!

If you really have problems with the handsawing, bandsaw them and then chisel the branches as suggested above.

Simon

[Edwin Santos]

Thank you for posting this Simon. It is a nice little project and a very pleasant video to watch.

[Don Orr]

Thanks for the help Simon!