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So I need help with an idea
We are strapped for money and my time is tight. My wife wants me to make her brother a wedding gift. I am working 60 hours a week right now and money is tight. So that was my time/cash budget in the title.
With moderate skills and the said cash and time what would you make?
Thanks for your help
Dave
How about a clock of some sort. I made my brother and his wife a really simple clock (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...ighlight=clock) a couple years ago in about 2 hours, including finishing. Materials probably cost < $10 for this one. You probably have 10x the time and materials budget.
Dave,Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Dionne
Follow Grant's lead and make them a cutting board! Using a combination of woods like maple and purpleheart, maple and walnut, maple and cherry or use your imagination and use three woods. Use a variety of widths or cut all pieces the same width and mix the colors.
You could also do a small cheese board to accompany the cutting board. Use the same combination of woods and pattern and make a circular (or other shape) cheese board.
It's amazing how seemingly simple projects like this are so well received.
:)
How about a nice dovetail box to hold pictures. You could make the lid double as a frame for 2 or 3 photos depending on the size. And a small box would certainly fall under budget to the point that you might be able to use a piece of exotic wood to make it special.
cheers
Pat
I'll second the clock. 8 days with your schedule is pushing it though...you might consider giving them a card with a pic of the design along with a little "IOU" explanation. Then you can relax and build it right....handmade gifts tend to get more leniency. :)
Here's one I made for my bro's wedding 2 years ago:
A custom made cutting board.
Mine sits on the counter, and visitors to my home always comment on how nice it looks, and can I make them one.
Short money, minimal time, dependant on your design.
As an idea. Mine is two sided, one side with a drip groove, the other standard flat for cutting veggies and stuff.
Good luck in your decision
Thanks All
Maybe a clock, I already suggested a cutting board but my wife shot that one down by saying neither one cooks( I said it was about time they learn he is going on 40) I have made segmented boards like the one here in the woodworking articles and I have made end grain boards similar to what they had in Wood magazine.
Maybe a shaker clock
Thanks again Dave
You guys are all much nicer and much harder workers than I am. If I was working 60 hours a week I'd send my wife with the $100 somewhere to go buy her brother something and hope that she came home with enough change for beer and pizza. :D
Honestly, I'd skip the cutting board idea - that can really turn into a lot of sanding, i.e. hours and work. Glue-up, planing/sanding, routing the drip groove, routing the edges.... its not that bad, but not the best alternative IMO. I like Matt's clock idea a lot better and it seems like a very efficient project, both time and money.
How about a nicely framed mirror. You could pick up a beveled edge mirror at the local borg and then pick out some really nice moldings (somewhere else). It would be like making a mitered picture frame, but with a mirror instead.
Or a free-standing 5 or 6 foot tall mirror. If you kept the design simple and didn't go overboard on the variety of wood, I think that you might be able to come in under $100. I have a friend who made one of these for each of his sister-in-laws and it was a big hit - they still have them 25 years later.
RC
Maybe something like this, but with a simpler leg design-
http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html...sin=B000F8S8SI
I don't have a photo with me at the moment, but a long time ago I made a serving tray by buying a set of 6 painted ceramic tiles at Lowe's and then building the tray around it. The tiles have a fruit basket type scene. The tray is maybe 2-1/2 inches deep or so, with handle-holes cut in the ends. I dovetailed the corners, but there's lots of ways it could be done.
The tiles are glued to a plywood bottom, butted tight together, and not grouted (okay, maybe I didn't follow through so well on the functional part -- but it sure looks nice!).
Plus it skips the cooking part and goes right to serving!
A set of three cutting boards of various sizes from Carving board to small cheese serving board.
Or, it they are into Sushi, a set of 4 sushi serving tables.
This is an easy one. Make them a $100 check and put into an nice envelope with a nice card. When I got married about 20 years ago my favorite gifts were checks because that's what we really needed. My wife's side of the family all gave us money. My side of the family all gave us stuff. Most of the stuff was more or less unwanted things like a fondue pot. The only handmade gift I remember getting was some sort of embroidered wall hanging thingy. It stayed in the closet until they came over and then back into the closet it went. I know you can say, "It's the thought that counts" and that my side of the family all put more time and thought into the gift. Well, Her side of the family all thought that we would rather have the money to buy what we liked/needed, and they were right. I understand the sentiment of giving something handmade but it sounds like you're too busy to do this with a happy mood and that's supposed to be the way you build something. Another thing is, what part of this handmade gift will your wife contribute? The wrapping? Cash says it's from both of you. That's how I would do it anyway.
Bruce
"... more or less unwanted things like a fondue pot..."
Ha! Ain't that the truth! My wife and I got an electric egg poacher and we were living in a cabin with no electricity! I took it to a pawn shop unopened and I couldn't even get the guy to give me a buck for it!
A number of years back my brother in law made a bunch of trivets for Christmas gifts. He glued nice 12" square decorative ceramic tiles to pieces of plywood, wrapped them with a simple wood band and put some rubber feet on the bottom. Simple, very nice and very useful. Every time someone in our rather large extended family visits another, there's one of those trivets on the table. There's nothing like a gift that someone you know and love made for you. Of course, I never heard anyone complain about getting some dough.....
A simple cutting board is fast, easy, and cheap to build assuming you have a way to trim and surface the glue-up.
Scott
I recently made a Padauk bench for under $100.
Features:
Simple, straightforward design
Simple elements--seat, shelf, and 4 legs
Simple materials--Constructed from a single 8/4 x 12" x 8' board
Simple joinery--8 mortices and tenons
Intentionally uneven surface--less prep required
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruce Benjamin
I'm with Bruce or Todd on this one. If you're working those long hours you need time for yourself, including projects you want to do, and your immediate family.Quote:
Originally Posted by Todd Jensen
I found out the hard way that once I started dropping all my projects to make things for other people, they started expecting you to do it all the time. That's one of the reasons I stopped woodworking in the past. Now that I'm back at it some of those same people are hounding me to make them something. This time I've decided to do my projects first and something for them if I have the time later. Those same people that want me to do something for them today don't have any of the things that I made for them in the past.
Sure I'm a giving person. I truly enjoy doing things for others and giving presents. But, taking care of my own family and their needs as much as I can is more important. They come first.
I made this for my wife. The wood construction only took about 5 to 6 hours. All of the wood, including the flourishes, was purchased at Lowe's. We upholstered it in less than two hours. Total cost was only about $50 as I recall.
If interested, PM me and I will send you the template to cut the parts and a brief description of the construction.
Just because they don't cut, does not rule out a cutting board. you don't just cut meat and chop onions on them!Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Dionne
1- a small cheese cutting/serving board.
2- a long/skinny cutting board for cutting bread
Either of those ideas would be smaller than a big meat chopper.
However, I do agree with Bruce. Money is a very very good suggestion.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruce Benjamin
My wife and I also greatly appreciated money gifts. We pooled some of that money and bought a chest freezer. Very useful, very needed, but not at all the sort of thing to arrive, giftwrapped, at a wedding!! ;)
I third the clock idea. Clocks are fun to make!
Here's one that I made out of Koa for my sister a few years ago. It was less the $30 to make.
No offense, but I've gotta throw another reality check on the pile: Victorian foot thingy/Cutting board/birdhouse/bench/clock/etc etc....
Or
CASH??? and not running yourself ragged building a space shuttle...
(we call projects 'space shuttles' that cost too much, take too long, and still have a high percentage of self-destructing)
And the cash thing doesn't need to be large to be thoughtful; a nice card and your presence at the wedding is very generous of you in the first place. and EVERYONE loves CASH. especially as has been said, Newlyweds.
Anyways, I can appreciate your a thoughtful hardworking guy; I'm not recommending being less thoughtful or less hardworking, rather just recommending ways to be both those things and still have your sanity and energy.:cool:
Do you have a bandsaw? A nice bandsawn box is a great project. All you need is a thick piece of interesting wood, or you can glue up something to get some thickness. There are several books on bandsawn boxes, my favorite is Making Wood Boxes With A Band Saw by Tom Crabb.
Raymond
very nice project.
I like it. Do you have additional information ?
Regards
Alfredo
Well, not sure if anyone cares anymore, but I took a quick picture of the serving tray I mentioned in my earlier post...
Tim
That tray is beautiful
I mentioned the idea to my wife and we may go along that line of thought, both my wife and 9yr daughter paint ceramic tiles at a local shop so they may paint some for me to make a tray for. The 9 yr old is the flower girl so she is all for the idea.
Thanks for the idea and again nice work.
Dave
Thanks for the kind words Dave. I hope it works out well for you.
:)
Each christmas, I made mirrors for my kids teachers, I use left over stock from doors that I have made lying around. I rabbet the back - put the finish on - drop it off at the glass place - they install the mirror and put on a paper backing (like for a picture) I install the hanging hook - and it's done. It is just a few hours and less than $40.00 total. If you make it lets say - 15 by 24 - the proportion is nice and makes for a nice accent anywhere. Buy yourself an extra week and hand deliver it when they get back from their honeymoon.
Good luck,
What I would make is a promise to build something at a time when you are in a better position (both financially and time-wise) to do so.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Larry Fox
An IOU? :eek: "Uh, sorry but I didn't have the time and I'm too broke to buy or build you anything. I'll get back to you as soon as I can though." Yeah, that wouldn't be awkward at all. ;) :D I think a hundred bucks in cash or a check placed inside of a beautifully worded hand written card is a fine gift to any newly weds. Unless they are well off financially they can use the money for something special and even if they don't really need it it certainly won't get shoved into a closet or returned to a store for a refund like so many wedding gifts. A handmade gift is great but unless you're truly inspired and don't make them wait, give them the cash.
Bruce
I'm w/ Bruce on this. Give 'em some cash now. If you want to make something for them later, when you've identified a real need, then fine.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruce Benjamin
Well, it didn't seem from the way the op worded it that it was an option. He said that his wife wanted him to build something. Guy said that he is working 60 hours per week and has 8-days. Maybe a nicely worded card that promisses a table, clock, cabinet, etc. for their new house when they get there (assuming they are going tht route). Not like it is a total stranger or a co-worker - it is his brother-in-law.Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil Thien
I don't know, maybe I am being crass but that doesn't seem beyond the pale to me.
Just to add to it, the only excuse for giving them a handmade gift late would be, "The paint/finish is still wet, sorry!". Other than that they would feel guilty that you spent money you couldn't afford and/or spent time you didn't have. If they're not the nicest people they might also think that you're just a lazy cheapskate! :eek: :D ;) Just kidding! But I do remember at my wedding 4 or 5 of my relatives all signed the card that went with a cheap gas grill. They weren't poor people either. What that meant to me was that they each spent about $20 and one person made the effort to go to the store to buy it. I was really glad they were there but my relatives are soooo darn cheap! At least they could've got us separate cards. The food per plate at the reception alone cost more than they each spent on the gift they chipped in on. But I love them anyway and was glad they were there even if they were lazy cheapskates.;) At least none of them got too drunk and threw up on the dance floor! :D
Bruce
Quote:
Originally Posted by Larry Fox
I don't know the circumstances of the time constraint but unless the bride and groom in question very suddenly decided to get married giving only 8 days to prepare, putting the gift building off until the last minute and running out of time says, "I didn't think about this until it was too late". If they really did only give 8 days notice before the wedding they shouldn't expect much of anything in the way of a handmade gift. That being said, of course a handmade gift from the heart is really nice as long as it's on time and it doesn't end up in the closet or garage. Then it is just a waste of time and money for the gift givers and a source of guilt and stress for the recipients.
Bruce
Dave,
do you and them a favor and give them the money...... newlyweds can Always use the money.
Fine. I'd make a real nice box with internal dimensions of 6.25" long, 2.75" wide, and 1.5 to 2" high. I'd use box joints and contrasting woods, and spend an hour or two on it (it would be pretty nice). Now I'd stick a $100 bill in it (6.14 x 2.61"), wrap it up, and give that to them.Quote:
Originally Posted by Larry Fox
How is that? They can keep the other cash/checks from the wedding in it (hopefully they get plenty).
How does that sound?
I LIKE it! Very clever idea, Phil. Only, I'd make it deeper...Just in case there are more people who give them what they need, $$$, instead of people who give them what they think they need.
At my wedding 20 years ago my wife's family, (certainly not mine) gave us enough money to take our honeymoon in Hawaii. I have memories and pictures that will last a lifetime versus a rusted out BBQ grill and some sheets and towels. We got to spend a week returning and exchanging all of the toasters, irons, weird colored towels, etc. that my side of the family gave us so we could get what we needed. It's not that I'm greedy or demanding but I know when I give a gift for an important occasion like a wedding, I'd like them to value it. Unless I know the recipients really, really well I figure I'm better off letting them decide what they will need. Nobody knew we needed that money for our honeymoon. But it kept us from running our credit cards up to the limit and we still had a little left to buy a waffle iron. ;)
Bruce
HA - now THAT is a good idea!!! :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil Thien
Well Thanks everybody for the help and suggestions
Between working 60 hours a week, commuting another 10 plus orders I am still trying to fill for my WW business had to make a chioce and run with it. I was cleaning out my shop/garage and tucked into the corner of the third bay was the punched tin pie safe that I never finished. It just needs the shelves and the back put on and the tin inserts placed into the door so can you guess what they are getting?
My wife is happy, I don't have to take allot of time from paying customers, or put much extra money into it (wife is laid off)
So everybody wins
Thanks again Dave
Pictures to follow when complete
Dave
Here's a tray I made with tiles.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim Lynch
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~us71na/brentray.jpg
You should have time to make some thing like this. Price will be well under the $100, unless you need to buy a couple of router bits to make the tray. :D