A Couple Small Projects

Well the expanding table is sill in the works, though progress comes in very small spurts which are spaced far apart.  After some rearranging in the shop I have been able to work on a couple small projects to satisfy my creative outlet.  

Quite some time ago my dad showed me a new knife block he had; I loved how it didn't have designated slots and was instead a box filled with a bunch of polypropylene rods.  Look here to see what I mean.  With how cool the knife block is I also knew it could be so much cooler if made out some nicer wood so I got to work.  

I decided to make the box with rabbett joints and a plywood bottom 9" down from the top.  The box was built of African Paduak which irridesces with a rich red color and I added in some African Blackwood along the edges.  I don't know how I didn't think of this before but to glue up the box I "clamped" it using plastic wrap.  It worked amazingly well, providing consistent pressure along the joints and allowing for very easy alignment adjustments. 

Saran Clamp

Finished Up and Ready to Go

The Knife Block in Use

Another small project I did recently was a tea light candle holder.  The carved tree I inserted into the back of a chair of a deskset earlier this year has become a personal favorite.  With the inspiration from a friend's recent floor lamp project I decided to combine the two.  

The project started with taping a few pieces together and a pattern on front,  With some pilot holes drilled a fret saw makes takes care of removing the waste. 

Multiple Panels Cut at Once with a Fret Saw

I went to a craft store and purchased some rice paper and rice glue, a thin coat of glue was all that was needed to apply the paper.  Note that the right edge of the two panels in the photo below are free of paper.  This needs to stay clear so that the butt joints will have wood to adhere to and there won't be a layer of paper visible on the outside.  A simple block of wood with a few rabbetts provides the base for the candle fixture. 

Applying the Rice Paper

Finished Components

Finished Candle Lantern