Woodshop Projects

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

My Mom has gotten a bad diagnosis recently. We have been trying to help create as many good memories as possible, for her and for our family. We built some wooden tulips before Easter and had a painting party and cooked a big breakfast with close family, it was a really good time.

This time it's going to be crazy birdhouses. Man are they crazy! My wife painted the first one as an example. We are building 9 more. 3 are roosters like the painted one, 3 are blue jays, and 3 cardinals. There is a TON of labor in these things and we have only completed one and parts for 9 more.

 

[monkeyduster]

That’s a great idea to lift the spirits. You guys are very talented also. Praying for your Mom…God bless!

 

[EddieWalker]

Very creative!!!! I want to do things like this, but there isn't any time to do fun projects right now. Hopefully it will happen in the future. Post more pics, I enjoy seeing what you come up with.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

We had our painting party last weekend. Everyone had fun. But it sure took a long time to get everything painted.

 

[EddieWalker]

Those are great. Do you have patterns or pictures for everyone to use when designing what they are going to paint?

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

Those are great. Do you have patterns or pictures for everyone to use when designing what they are going to paint?

Thanks!

This time we printed out pictures from the website where we got the plans to have for reference. My wife is very creative and great at anything artsy, so she drew face outlines for anyone that wanted them.

 

[EddieWalker]

That makes sense. I was wondering how you could have so many people that were all that good at painting!!!

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

This project was for our house. My wife likes to decorate and is very creative. Her and I spent a few evenings in the shop making some big Jack-O-Lanterns. She plans on putting lights in them when it gets closer to Halloween.

I had to do a little math first. My teachers would not be happy, I didn't show my work...

Cut, glue, and screw according to the plan.

We built 3 and I didn't get pictures of the process on all of them, so a keen eye will notice this is not from the same frame... Added cedar fence pickets and a stem.

Cut out a face.

And friends

Then my wife decided it was time to decorate for fall.

 

[EddieWalker]

They turned out great!!!! If you keep this up, you are going to need a barn just for storing all your decorations.

 

[BackRoad]

Spectacular!

(And further justifies why my wife is not allowed on the forum!!!)

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

Now we start the Christmas projects. This is my first reindeer in red oak. I'll document the process if any of you are interested. No CNC work involved. My wife supplied the drawing and I turned it into wood. I've made a few prototypes in pine, I was surprised just how much more time consuming it is working with oak. I still have to do lots of sanding and finishing, but I think the shape turned out nice. Based on the wife's gifting demands I think I'm going to be building these until the 4th of July... She want's something like 30-40 of them in different sizes and shapes, I'm not sure I have that in me or not..

 

[EddieWalker]

What are you using to carve the wood with? Back when I had more time to have fun woodworking, I really loved the results I got from a rasp attachment on my Dremel. Now when I do something like that, I tend to use a flapper disk on my grinder.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

Most areas are pretty small and hard to get to. I don't think I will be able to use a grinder to sand with. I have a couple of different table top sanders, but I think most of the sanding will be using a Dremel with a sanding drum and rasp. Everything you see in the pic above was done with a bandsaw. When I do finish it, the goal is not lifelike, would whimsical be the right word? Like, you know for sure what it is supposed to be but it's purposefully not lifelike proportions or anatomically accurate. I think it's still going to be angular like it is but I haven't decided for sure yet. I may do some angular and some with the corners blunted and more flowy.

 

[BackRoad]

I thought he was 4 feet tall from that first photo! I was feeling really bad for you...since I had made some of the simple plywood deer that size.

But 6 inches tall from oak - piece of cake!

You might try a compromise with your wife. If total is under 10 = Oak.

If more than 10 = Pine!

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

Turns out this is slower than I expected. Between work, my side hustle, and just life in general, I haven't had but a few days to spend much time on these little guys. I still have a bunch to make. Part of what's so slow is that I'm having to mill and glue up wood to get it thick enough.

 

[EddieWalker]

The results are worth the effort!!!

 

[BackRoad]

That one in front with the raised paw must have been cut while still in 2 pieces. Great, great results! They look spectacular for being freehand on a band saw.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

That one in front with the raised paw must have been cut while still in 2 pieces. Great, great results! They look spectacular for being freehand on a band saw.

It was just 1 piece. I cut it with 6 legs and took off the 2 extra with a Dremel.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

We had a side quest. My wife and I built this little candy dish a couple weeks ago. She finished the painting this weekend.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

Here is my process for cutting the reindeer.

Prepare the blanks and apply the stencil. I have traced the stencil with carbon paper also, but this way is faster.

Cut the first side. Make sure to keep the long sides together, you will need them for the next step.

After cutting the first side.