Build a rustic wine cabinet using free pallet wood Great upcycling project

In case I ever become a grape farmer and bottle my own wine, my son Wyatt designed this hipster bottle label that will work out perfectly. ("Its so exclusive, youve probably never heard of it.")

Over the years I have had a number of people ask me to build a wine rack or cabinet. Oddly enough, I live near the heart of Californias Wine Country, but am not a wine drinker myself which probably accounts for why it has taken me this long to make one. 

I decided to make a display cabinet for those of us who like to keep a few bottles on hand for special occasions or guests. I designed it to resemble a wooden crate, possibly one that has been taken apart and hobbled together for a new purpose. I also wanted the bottle labels to show, making the entire unit a decorative piece: I like the juxtaposition of the rustic assembly with fine wine. The shelves tilt to the side to keep the corks from drying out.

Monetize your woodworking

Rustic projects using recycled wood are very trendy at the  moment. This project would sell well at craft fairs. (Probably starting at around $80 - $100.) It is simple to make and if you use free pallet wood the profit margin is huge. Buyers like to feel they are part of an effort to reduce waste, and expensive wine displayed in a unique cabinet is a great conversation starter. 

Free plans:

• WWMM Rustic wine cabinet (pdf)
• SketchUp file
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Sapo game bird feeders and upcycling galore

After I posted a couple of large game projects on Monday, Peter Davie  sent over this Sapo game that he built. This game is popular in South America and involves tossing metal coins into the holes in the top of the game, with the highest score going to a coin that passes through the mouth of the Sapo (Frog). He built it based on photographs. If you would like to see he design and make your own, Peter has kindly supplied this  SketchUp plan.

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Bird feeders! 

Bill Wilson has been quite busy making artistic variations on my porch swing bird feeder. (If you havent made one, check out the plans. Super easy project.) Love these designs.

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This one from Jim Jarvis:

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And Chris McDowell got in on the action with this one:

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Upcycling

I just love this idea from Shannon Bickel for pallet wood deck seating:

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Duane in Savannah checks in with another garden potting bench, complete with dry sink. This has proven to be one of my most popular projects this year. You can put one together with any kind of wood you might happen to have. The rustic-ier the better! 

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No wood is ever scrap! Raymond Levesque used old wood from an old deck to build this BBQ shed. Great idea, looks cool.

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And Daniel Quiroz used pallet boards and spray paint to create this flag for the wall.

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Heres a clever picture frame idea from Heath Fitts, made with pallet wood. 

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And just in case you were thinking all pallet wood projects were rustic, check out this beautiful stein Michael Borg made out of oak pallet wood with purpleheart accents. 

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Finally, vindication for anyone who thought my purple bench was odd. Jack in Moab discovered this one in the wild, near his home. Obviously someone with impeccable color sensibilities!

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