Category Archives: All

Tea Light Candle Holders

December 3, 2011All, Miscadmin

(click photo to view larger on Flickr)

This is a pair of small tea light candle holders, based almost entirely on a design by Steve Ramsey of “Woodworking for Mere Mortals”. You can see the original if you click here.

The only thing I changed was that I cut a bit of an angle from the ends of the maple pieces, rather than leave them just square and straight. The other thing I changed, somewhat reluctantly, is that I made the shallow holes for the candles a bit wider, because the “right-sized” holes seemed a bit unsafely undersized for these candles. The wood species used are maple and purpleheart.

Lacewood and Purpleheart Jewelry Box

October 10, 2011All, Boxesadmin

Just finished this new jewelry box (finally) made of lacewood and purpleheart. Lacewood is also known as Australian Silky Oak.

(As always, click any photo to view larger on Flickr)

Overall view of the box with the lid closed.

Detail of the top of the box… The plugs were cut using a plug cutter, from the same lacewood that forms the rest of the box.

Open view of the box. The tray slides back and forth, providing access to the lower compartments on the side, or may be lifted out to access the central compartments.

Showing the tray removed, for full access. The blue stuff is called “flocking” – it’s like tiny blue fibres blown onto some colour-matched adhesive applied to the box. It’s not a hundred percent cured yet, so some final “grooming” will be needed in a couple of days.

This shows the Brusso hinges, or one of them, and the purpleheart mitre splines that strengthen the corners as well as providing accents matching the lid.

Walnut Jewelry Box

August 27, 2011All, Boxesadmin

I finally completed this walnut jewelry box. The top is made of pine, and some hard maple was also used for the handle and dividers. The box is finished with Deft Danish Oil Finish, with a few flakes of beeswax melted into the mixture using the microwave. I’m not yet sure what will become of this box — I have another in progress, and I will offer Lynda her choice when they are both done.

As always, click any photo to view larger on Flickr.

Top view: The five dots are just small segments of dowel tapped into shallow holes. A nice easy way to give the otherwise plain top a bit of style. I give credit to my wife for this variation on that theme. I had something else in mind, but this is better.

Inside view: The sliding tray is sized to allow access to the six small compartments on each end of the lower section. The tray may be lifted out to access the larger central compartments underneath it.

Inside view, tray removed: The central compartments in the lower section are sized for larger items. The blue flocking gives it a posh look, kind of. The Brusso hinges are certainly posh.

Corner view: The mitre keys inset into the corners are both decorative and practical, serving to reinforce the glue joints.

Cherry iPad Stand

July 29, 2011All, Miscadmin

This is a stand for the iPad2, made from Cherry. That is, the stand is made from cherry. Not the iPad.

I had previously made, and deployed, a very similar stand for the original iPad, but the iPad 2 has buttons on the side that made the old stand problematic. This new one addresses that by having a shorter support piece. The switch just hangs over empty space now.

The joinery is stop-routed mortises and offset tenons. Offset because I routed the mortises in the wrong place. But you’d never know that, so I’m not sure why I mention it.

The iPad belongs to my wife. Actually so does the stand, as soon as she pays me for the wood.

We Stand For Plants

July 9, 2011All, Outdooradmin

These are some outdoor plant stands, just made out of contruction lumber and pine shelf boards from Home Depot. They still need to be painted – my wife will take over from here. She doesn’t hate painting.

A single coat of Benjamin Moore’s highest quality outdoor paint, should stand up to weather and watering for a couple of years at least…

Fountain Pen

May 23, 2011All, Pensadmin

Fountain Pen, originally uploaded by rgdaniel.

I just made five of these beauties. One has gone to my wife, who is sophisticated enough to actually use it properly, I expect. Two are going off in the mail to my sister, who has a buyer for one already. Leaving two to have for sale here. I won’t be using one myself, I’m not optimistic I would manage it without making a big mess.

I”ve just learned that you can install either the cartridge, for the self-contained thing, or else this little pumpy thing, which draws up ink from an inkwell, for that traditional writing experience.

The wood is Bethlehem Holy Land olive wood (certificate of authenticity included), the pen style is "Sedona" (same as the Rollerball pens I’m so fond of) and it’s gold plating.

(view Large size on Flickr)

Daisy Box

May 1, 2011All, Boxesadmin

Daisy Box, originally uploaded by rgdaniel.

A tiny little box with a daisy on the lid. The box is made from Lacewood, also known as Australian Silky-oak. The lid is Padauk. For the painted daisy, I used a stencil based on a printed design and cut with an X-acto knife,

Heart-Shaped Cutting Boards

April 12, 2011Alladmin

Heart-Shaped Cutting Boards, originally uploaded by rgdaniel.

Heart-Shaped cutting boards, now featuring cheesy radial blur FX… B-)

The boards are about 10” across and about 7/8” thick. They are made of hard maple with purpleheart racing stripes for extra speed. (zoom zoom)… I made these by request for a favourite client. One has the stripes at a slight angle for a hint of jauntiness, without quite being sassy. Nobody likes sassy.

Just in time for Valenti…. er, Easter, I guess…

Recent Projects: Pens Pens Pens

March 13, 2011All, Pensadmin

I’m either in a rut, or on a roll, but either way I’m making nothing much but pens lately… here are some recent samples…

As always, if anything catches your fancy, just get in touch. The Etsy store doesn’t have much loaded up at the moment so best thing is just talk to me… hit that contact button or email me… or catch me on the Facebook or the Twitter.

Afzelia Burl Rollerball Pen

March 9, 2011All, Pensadmin

A pen I turned, moments ago, from Afzelia burl wood. The plating is “bright copper” and the pen style is called “Sedona”, which is similar to the “Baron” rollerball, but has a Celtic knot-style centre band. I think this is my favourite style pen now. It has 17 parts. I’ve been known to struggle with assembly, but this one went perfectly.

[YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EOS3efblbE]