Nick2cd Posted September 18, 2011 Report Share Posted September 18, 2011 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? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckkisser Posted September 18, 2011 Report Share Posted September 18, 2011 im making picture frames for the family. going to get a family photo to place in the frame. marc contemporary clocks would make a nice gift as well made one and it looks nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andreas Posted September 18, 2011 Report Share Posted September 18, 2011 I like doing small projects for gifts like wine balances, keepsake boxes and end grain cutting boards. They are always well received. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keggers Posted September 18, 2011 Report Share Posted September 18, 2011 Nick, Last year I built coffee grinders. I bought the metal grinder mechanisms from Rockler and built the simple boxes using quarter sawn cherry, quarter sawn walnut, and quarter sawn whiite oak. They were fun and simple to build and my friends and family loved them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick2cd Posted September 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2011 some cool suggestions so far. Just like Andreas, i also favor smaller projects that don't take an entire forest to build and can be completed in a few days. Keggers, this is a really interesting idea. im gonna go check it out on rockler's website right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keggers Posted September 19, 2011 Report Share Posted September 19, 2011 I think your family and friends will like them, Nick. They actually do grind cofee too. My brother uses his to grind pepper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckkisser Posted September 19, 2011 Report Share Posted September 19, 2011 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick2cd Posted September 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2011 sounds like u have ur hands full this season, duck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckkisser Posted September 20, 2011 Report Share Posted September 20, 2011 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick2cd Posted October 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2011 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!?!?!?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morton Posted October 7, 2011 Report Share Posted October 7, 2011 I'm going to try some end-grain coasters backed with solid wood. We'll see how that goes, but could be pretty neat. Two-sided with end-grain cutting-board style on one side and solid wood on the other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan S Posted October 7, 2011 Report Share Posted October 7, 2011 I'm going to make tea light candle holders. The ladies love them, and they are simple to make, all you need is imagination, 4/4 or thicker stock, and a 1-9/16" Forstner bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billboard Posted October 7, 2011 Report Share Posted October 7, 2011 I plan to make a few of those stands that hold a picture frame, plate or plaque on a table. I will probably turn a few more pens and also turn a few bracelets. All simple and go over well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckkisser Posted October 7, 2011 Report Share Posted October 7, 2011 i like the picture frame might make that a project for the class room a frame and a stand. just got to make it so that there is no hinges since they cost to much rather buy quality wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tombuhl Posted October 8, 2011 Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 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. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tombuhl Posted October 8, 2011 Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 p.s. Marc also has a laminated frame video in the archives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnie52 Posted October 8, 2011 Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 I've got candle holders, jewelry boxes, lazy susans, ring toss game and the special rocking horse project in the line up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jHop Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southwood Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 I am going to try the routed bowls. Looks like a neat project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcustoms Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 I am thinking about doing these wine holder things I found in Woodsmith magazine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick2cd Posted October 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2011 I am thinking about doing these wine holder things I found in Woodsmith magazine. tell me more about this......that's pretty neat looking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capnjack2 Posted October 11, 2011 Report Share Posted October 11, 2011 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcustoms Posted October 11, 2011 Report Share Posted October 11, 2011 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckkisser Posted October 11, 2011 Report Share Posted October 11, 2011 i want i want i want i want i like free stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick2cd Posted October 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2011 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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