Christmas Project Suggestions

[Jim Eller]

Looking for suggestions on Christmas projects.

Let me clarify:

- Something fairly small, like cutting boards(that was last year), stools, etc.

- Something that can be accented by using more that one species of wood for contrast, like maple and purpleheart.

- Need to make 12-15 so time and money could be a concern.

- As far as tools, I have the basic large tools, jointer, planer, tablesaw, bandsaw, drumsander, etc. No scroll saw.

- Pictures would really be nice.

Thanks for any suggestions you can make(about what to build).

Jim

[Ed Sallee]

This little box is fun to make and doesn't take too much wood. I've made several over the past couple of years......All sorts of combinations. This one is Curly Maple, Birds Eye Maple, Ebony & Jacaranda - all were scraps from other projects...
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/evsallee/DSC05582.jpg

[scott spencer]

Clocks, jewelry boxes, shadow boxes, and lamps are all nice projects for gifts.

[Jason Whelehon]

Whatever you build, stick with one design and use different woods and finishes to differentiate. That way you can make jigs and work in batches. That saves a lot of time and ultimately $.

Mark from The Wood Whisperer did pencil holders (http://thewoodwhisperer.com/episode-31-pencil-holders/) that I thought were a bit corny yet also very cool.

[mark page]

Jim,
You can make boxes, etc. I have made quilt racks, coat/hat/school backpack racks, pictures/frames, etc. My daughter wanted a coat/backpack rack when she was in high school for her room. She gave me some specifics and I made one for her. No big deal, so I thought. After I made one, I seemed to have orders from every kid in high school, and if not them, the parents of the kids. I must have made close to 80 of these in different flavors. Never got so tired of making one style of thing in my life. Good thing is that they are pretty fast to make and you can assembly line them. PM me if you need more info. I'll try to post a few pics and don't shoot the photographer for the amateur images.
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It's definately what I would not call "fine woodworking" but it kept a lot of kids and parents happy. Kid's loved them for what they were, and parents loved them for keeping coats and backpacks off the floor throughout the house.

[Jim Eller]

Thanks guys, good ideas.

Are there more?????????????

[Tom Esh]

Hard to beat cutting boards for efficiency if you have to crank out a dozen or so. :)
This year I'm considering simple band saw boxes. I picked up a copy of Donna Menke's Ultimate Band Saw Box Book based on Creeker recommendations and did a few test pieces in some poplar I had. Fun and much easier than it looks (at least the simple ones). These actually came out halfway decent for a first attempt.
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[Lee Koepke]

I am gonna do a few cutting boards ( time permitting ) and a First Aid box for my dad. He also does some woodworking and I thought it would be something nice ( and useful )

[Joe Scharle]

Besides cutting boards, which you've already done, I gave these one year:

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/195/thumbs/XmasDeer.jpg (http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/195/XmasDeer.jpg)

Another year these:

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/195/thumbs/JeweleryBoxes001_339659.jpg (http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/195/JeweleryBoxes001_339659.jpg)

I had request for additional copies of these:

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/195/thumbs/Serving_Trays.jpg (http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/195/Serving_Trays.jpg)

And one year these:

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/195/thumbs/Tool_Carrier_002.jpg (http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/195/Tool_Carrier_002.jpg)

Anyway, you get the idea. Decide what it'll be and mass produce your parts.
Good luck, Santa!

[Rick de Roque]

I made these a few years ago for Christmas. Everyone seemed to like them.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/rd4212/woodworking%20stuff/923ec51e.jpg?t=1218605389


Rick

[Brian Kent]

Boxes 2 years ago (in photo)

Picture frames last year

Bandsaw boxes this year

[Paul Muhlstadt]

Scroll saw baskets
Truck
Scroll saw bowls
skidsteer
combine

[Joe Scharle]

Paul...luv those trucks! Is there a plan for those?
Joe

[Paul Muhlstadt]

Truck plan is from "Toys and Joys". Don't have the address with me but I think you can find him on the net. Great guy to work with!

I forgot to insert the picture for the combine. Copied it from a toy

[Brian Tax]

I made a few of these last year, our of Maple and Walnut they looked pretty good. Be sure you have a zero clearance insert for the angle cut on the TS.

[Harold Beck]

I made a bunch of those over several Xmas's - Probably 50 or more. Still make a couple each year. With a band saw and drum sander they are pretty easy to make a bunch. I don't have any pictures, but you can look here.

www.shakerovalbox.com (http://www.shakerovalbox.com)

HB

[jim mckee]

Aug O7?
The Sawmill shelf
Wormy white pine
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a verticle version.

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a simple bench.
94691
Candle holders made from tree centers

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The half circle shelf
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jim

[Jim Eller]

Thanks for the great ideas and some beautiful projects.

This should last me until 12-25-2015.

If there's more, I'll still be lookin'.

Thanks again,
Jim

[Jack Clay]

I do not want to high jack this thread but the square boxes that was shone are great. Do any of you have plans that you could share?

[Bill Arnold]

I do not want to high jack this thread but the square boxes that was shone are great. Do any of you have plans that you could share?
If you're talking about the box Ed showed, it's a Wood Magazine plan. I built a couple of them several years ago.

[Dewey Torres]

Great post guys... good ideas!

[John Headley]

I made some small clipboards for family and coworkers. They were made out of small scraps, about the size of a half sheet of paper. Good way to play a little with inlays and different wood combinations. The clips are fairly cheap.

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/PC130313.JPG

[Michael Faurot]

Last year I made several coffee grinders like this:

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The wood is cherry and the mechanism was purchased from Lee Valley (http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=32867&cat=1,250,43298).