Make a wooden book keepsake box

Valentines Day projectI started this project with the idea of making a wooden "book". It would open to reveal a heart-shaped picture frame on each side and could be displayed open on a table.

The logistics of pulling that off were a bit more than I had time to deal with, so about halfway through the build, I decided to just make a simple frame insert and call it a keepsake box.
Most of my time on this project was spent in the design: specifically how to make the box look like a book, yet let it to swing open. Since real books generally dont have visible hinges, I didnt want any to show on this one either.
Thankfully, I have a terrific bunch of helpers on my Facebook page who came up will lots (and I mean lots) of ideas. The one I decided to go with was using a dowel as a hinge. It works out great and doesnt require any glue.

This is a pretty easy project to make. Mostly, you will spend your time on the hinge mechanism and shaping the cover and spine so that it swings properly. Take your time to test it along the way and youll be fine. Most importantly, resist the urge to force the cover to swing if it sticks: the dowel holes are so close to the edge, it will likely cause a split. And by the way, use a hardwood. Pine will almost certainly split.
Download plans:

• PDF plans
• SketchUp file
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Paper towel holder and book recommendation

Posted by chun | 0 comments | 11:46 AM

Looking for a simple project for this weekend? Check out these paper towel holders Jim Jarvis built. I think the rod just wedges into the base hole.

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I picked up a cool book at the library yesterday I wanted to tell you about: American Woodworkers The Great Book of Woodworking Tips. It is packed with all sorts of handy tips to try out in your shop. Every article is super short. Hey, great bathroom reader!
Mere Minutes

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Ma and Pa Rocking Chairs Book recommendations

Posted by chun | 0 comments | 1:02 PM

I wanted to show off some beautiful work that Bryan from Maryville, Tennessee shared with me. He and his uncle run a sawmill and kiln drying business.
He built this pair of walnut rocking chairs for his parents, steam bending the legs on the larger one, and joined everything using mortise and tenons. He even upholstered them after watching a few You Tube videos.

And Bryan made this gorgeous quartersawn white oak couch. 

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Mere Minutes

I have a couple of book recommendations this week.

Creative Wooden Boxes from the Scroll Saw, by Carole Rothman
Making Simple Musical Instruments, by Bart Hopkin

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Contemporary book stand storage unit

Posted by chun | 0 comments | 7:39 PM

Knock-down knock-offA lot of woodworkers scoff at the furniture sold at big box retailers such as Ikea. Its a snooty, elitist attitude. The knock-down furniture sold at these stores enables people who arent wealthy to furnish their homes and apartments with some pretty stylish pieces. Contrary to what some woodworkers seem think, not every twenty-something can afford to hire a woodworker to design and build custom Greene and Greene furniture. Nor would they necessarily want to.
This week I am embracing much-maligned knock-down furniture and inviting it into the realm of woodworking. Our craft should be expanded and its barriers to entry reduced. This style of furniture is easy and fun to replicate and can be built with limited tools and space. Looking down our noses at the practicality of affordable, factory furniture does nothing to expand the dwindling numbers of woodworkers. I believe woodworking is for everyone.
Some woodworkers seem to define "real woodworking" by the cost of the materials used and the color of their tools. I built this storage rack using melamine for the shelves and painted store-bought dowels for the legs. If you would like to turn this into a "fine" woodworking project just use bubinga or cocobolo wood and boast about how much you paid per board-foot.
Building options
You can easily make this stand with a hand saw, jigsaw or a circular saw. Instead of making the holes for shelf pins, use some of those metal hose clamps. Slide them in place along the dowels wherever you want to position the shelves.
Plywood would be a great choice for the shelves. To make this even less expensive, you could experiment using free pallet wood. Id love to see what you come up with!
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