I Need Christmas Project Ideas

[pearle]

I am looking for ideas for Christmas present projects for this season. I need to make maybe a dozen of them so I need something that can be made in a couple of hours, at least when a part of a small batch of items. Last year I made boxes that John Leake (http://www.leakesantiques.com/) had made and which he generously shared the "secrets" that made it possible to make these in 4-5 hours each in lots of 8-10. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/24804363@N00/4090880829/in/set-72157622772227696/)

Previously I have made Old Salem footstools (http://www.flickr.com/photos/24804363@N00/4014629787/in/set-72157616784558367/) and veneered demilune tables (http://www.flickr.com/photos/24804363@N00/4014106943/in/set-72157616784558367/) using the facilities of the RCC woodworking program I attended at the time.

I'm looking for something that doesn't require a router in its construction. (That's a joke to snobbishly separate these from normal Christmas gift woodworking projects.)

Preston Earle
www.SawdustForBrains.blogspot.com

[dkeller_nc]

Preston - Sounds like we're in the same boat - a desire to provide gifts from the woodshop, and less than 5 weeks to do it in.  Anyway, I thought I might mention the Ruobo-type squares that Chris Schwarz has written about regularly on his blog.

I made two sets of them last christmas - one set of 3 (graduated from 6" high to 18" high) out of cherry and curly maple, and one set out of curly maple and cocobolo.  They're relatively easy to make, show off spectacular pieces of small scraps well, and (believe it or not), are well received by non-woodworkers.  For the non-woodworking folks, they typically see them as a really cool wall decoration and hang them over the fireplace.

[pearle]

Can you point to me more info? I found Chris's blog (http://blog.woodworking-magazine.com/blog/) but can't find the post you have in mind.

Preston Earle
www.SawdustForBrains.blogspot.com

[Woodmolds]

The blog entry would be Wooden Layout Square or Here and the SketchUp Drawing Here

If you would like the PDF article on the Roubo Square. Drop me a line at - woodmold at gmail dot com -and I'll email it to you.

[pearle]

I've decided to make Newport Pipe Boxes http://rlmillard.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/03/making-a-newport-pipe-box.html for my Christmas presents this year. (Wish me luck!) After reading Rob Millard's write-up, I have a couple of questions:

1. About assembly, Rob writes: "This is a somewhat difficult piece to glue together. You can't have a lot of glue seeping out on the inside where it would interfere with finishing, the pieces are thin, and there is noting to register them to one another. I used hot hide glue to rub the back to the left side and the front to the right side. These were allowed cure and the two haves were joined with hide glue with urea additive to extend the gel time. I used plenty of clamps but only light clamping pressure. Neither the sub bottom nor the interior bottom is installed at this time. Hide glue is ideal because it is nearly transparent to finishing and at that magic moment where it is no longer liquid but not hardened it is easily cleaned off." I haven't had any experience with hot hide glue so I'm planning to use liquid hide glue on these boxes. It seemed to work well on the MDF prototype I made to check the box size and proportions. I'm thinking of sort of "rubbing" the side/front-back joints without clamping and then clamping the two sub-halves as Rob describes. Might this be a problem with liquid hide glue? How big a problem will glue squeeze-out be in filling/staining be (See Question 2)?

2. My boxes will be of mahogany, walnut, or cherry. I'm thinking of filling the mahogany and walnut boxes (with colored filler) and leaving the cherry natural. It will be easier to stain//fill the pieces before glue-up. I haven't tried this before, but I can foresee having to touch-up the exterior stain/filling after cleaning up the glue after the glue-up. Should there be a problem with gluing stained/filled surfaces?

3. For anyone else who has made boxes like this, do you have any suggestions or can you point out any potential problems that Rob misses in his write-up? I am undecided about the white strips on the fronts. I plan to try them on the first box, but if it is too much trouble, I'll omit them on the others. I'm not sure just what use these boxes can be, other than the solution to the What to Make for Christmas This Year problem. I'm going to suggest their use as a counter-top kitchen-utensil holder (I'm making mine about 80% of the size of Rob's). Any other thoughts on proposed uses?
 

[Woodmolds]

Here is a similar plan which I've used(using).
http://www.finewoodworking.com/ToolGuide/ToolGuidePDF.aspx?id=24089

I used 1/4" material, but used a rabbet in the front for the sides and in the sides for the back. I can do a picture if interested.
If you're doing several, stack the sides and back when you saw the top scallops. It goes much faster.

[Antiquity]

If you want to log onto this FFW link you have to be a member (pay a yearly dues).

Dennis Bork

[awleonard]

I built the Lonnie Bird version for a gift for my folks last year.  No real issues that I recall other than using too much clamping pressure and bowing the thin wood a bit.  My joints weren't as nice as I would have liked, but...  I used some leftover tiger maple from my tea table project.  I used toothpicks to pin the drawer front to the sides.  Also, I found some clay pipes at a theatrical supply house on-line for a reasonable price.  Thought it would add to the box to have a replica clay pipe in it. 


Tony

[Mark Maleski]

Preston, I used all liquid hide glue on mine, otherwise following Rob's procedure, and experienced no problems.  I neither filled nor stained, so no comment there.

I think the logical contemporary use for these boxes is for candle storage, with matches stored in the drawer (below is a photo of the one I kept for myself that's being used for that purpose).

[John Cashman]

To answer your question about rub joints with liquid hide glue, I find they are not as strong as when using hot hide glue. For some things you can get away with just a rub joint when using hot hide glue, but you almost always need clamps when using the liquid hide glue. This is my experience anyway, I'm not sure what others have found.

[jim vojcek]

I use mine for 10 " candle storage.  The length was adjusted,clay pipes I found were much longer.  I used white glue with no problems.

Jim Vojcek

[albreed]

Preston- If you run out of time, turning plates on your lathe faceplate is a good way to get rid of scraps and make useful and good looking gifts FAST. I actually have some myself, which I've finished with beeswax melted on with a heat gun and burnished-Al

[Tom M]

I made one based on Bird's article, but cut shallow rabbets in the sides with my #78 to keep the sides from slipping when gluing (hot hide).  I made mine a little shorted so it would expose the ends of 10" candles.  This is a great little project!

Tom