Christmas gift project ideas?


Nick2cd

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I don't know where you live, but where i live it's starting to cool down a bit and the leaves are dying to change color. This time of year gets me thinking about Autumn and Winter. Winter, of course, makes me think of Christmas. I need some good gift ideas. I know, this is pretty far in advance, but i need all the time i can get. I hate rushing at the last minute to complete my gifts. Last year i did cutting boards. any fresh ideas for this year? what are you making?

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ok i sat down and started on my project list for the holidays going to make a nail puzzle you have to ballance all the nails on the center nail. coasters, cuting boards, some wind chimes, cuting board that is raised up so you can slide you cutings into a bowl, and a wall hanging coat rack that is going to have flowers and butterflies cut out of it for a couple little girls. still working on the rest of the list need 15-16 iteams before i am done.

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plus im teaching for 8 hours at school so im going to be doing this in 2-3 hour spurts everyday after work and weekends till christmass. sigh i wish we had aprentiships then i can have my aprentice do the sanding for me.........hmmmmmm i know slaves are a bad thing butttttttttt how about its ok for a few months before christmass. oh well ill just have to pick stuff that easy to make like the nail puzzle.

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  • 3 weeks later...

ok, it hit me like a ton of bricks......not all of my friends and family are coffee drinkers. so that means, i can't give everyone a coffee grinder. well, i guess i could but i made get some odd looks. anyways, i need more ideas..........what are you guys making as gifts for THE HOLIDAYS!?!?!?!

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This year I am making a few candle boxes (and probably some simple candleholders to go inside). Possibly a Ron Hock block plane from kit (I never do kits, but...) which will have to have its own box of some sort. My wife likes exposed joinery, so probably dovetailed.

Laminated picture frames are a nice way to use long narrow strips. I seem to get lots of them from ripping offcuts. The other offcuts I hate to waste are thicker end of planks. A few years ago Marc did video of a box with "secret" key to open. Made several of these. Pic are before finishing. With finish and a bit of air exposure they look very rich. Think I batched four of these. Using two side variations (straight and curved).

No it is not too early for holiday gift making, especially if you have a job and family.

Happy holidays.

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My list includes a few candle holders, both rustic and finished. The finished one should be easy: it's a segment of a plank with a hole drilled cross-wise through it, and the plank itself cut into L shaped pieces. Insert a dowel in one end, and the whole thing fans out. I can't take credit for the design, but I don't remember which book I got the design from.

For an advanced version of this (next year), I'm going to try to do two of these fan designs out of the same block. So I'll probably have to get a chunk of some 8/4 or 10/4 wood from somewhere...

Beyond that, it's off to the lathe for the rest of the gifts this year... it's the only tool I can run an extension cord to.

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I am thinking about doing these wine holder things I found in Woodsmith magazine.

I like that too. Good idea! I also have to replace a tea light holder that I made a couple years ago for my wife. She loved it! But at the last minute she realized we needed a gift for someone coming to the house and Voila! it got wrapped up and given away!

Jack

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It seems like a simple project with a good design that would make an impact as a gift. It looks like it's made of cherry and wenge. If you guys want I can email you the plans.

i'd love to have the plans, dcustoms. Thank you! my email address is [drfeola at gmail dot com] i wrote it all out so spammer bots don't send me junk

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