# What are some 10 nice things you can make out of wood?



## woodcutter1

what are some things you can make out of wood? (for beginners) Well, I'm not saying I can't do anything. I'm just saying I ain't pro.


----------



## knotscott

A clock can be fairly simple. There are many styles to choose from and many of the components are reasonably priced. clockparts.com

Cutting boards can also be fairly simple. 

Simple end tables are a good project too.

Shop projects are always good practice. A workbench is a great project that'll pay dividends for all your other projects. Same goes for a router table.


----------



## ACP

Toychests, picture frames, boxes, jigs and fixtures.


----------



## frankp

You know, I asked a long time ago about "apprentice projects"... that is projects a master craftsman would assign to an apprentice as skill building exercises. I had in mind things like boxes with different types of joinery or tools that would then be used to build other projects etc. What I got in response were answers on the order of "do what you enjoy and you'll learn skills along the way". 

For my purposes, boxes are one of the best things you can practice on. Boxes, be they small jewelry boxes or large toy/blanket chests, or even cabinets, build a whole lot of skills in a beginner in a very short period of time. Boxes teach you about joinery, they teach you about proportion and keeping things straight and square. If you do polygonal boxes they teach you about miter angles and how to determine the correct angles and then how to make those angles work... so many things you can learn from a "simple" box.

So the answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind... build lots of boxes. They can be as simple or as complicated as you want them to be and your skills allow. They don't generally require any fancy tools and make great gifts as well as being practical around the house and shop.

Now, if you fancy a more specific type of skill-set, I'm sure people can give more directed advice, but for general purpose wood-working skills, it's hard to go wrong with boxes.


----------



## dbhost

Depending on your tools, skills, and desire my list of quick and easy projects (and the ones I have done) is...

#1. Step Stool. (My bride is short...)
#2. Clock. I have a nice mantle clock out of pine that is soaking up BLO as I type.
#3. Cutting boards.
#4. Workbench.
#5. Deck Box (outdoor storage for yard toys for the back yard).
#6. BBQ Prep Cart. 
#7. Jewelery Chest.
#8. Hall Shelf / Coat Hook Tree.
#9. Picture Frame.
#10. Blanket Chest.
And yeah I know you asked for 10, but I am going to keep going...
#11. Toy vehicles, cars, trucks, trains, boats etc...
#12. Planter Boxes.
#13. Cabinet pull out assemblies for kitchen / bath upgrades.
#14. Band Saw Boxes.
#15. Bowls
#16. Platters.
#17. Pens
#18. Ice Cream Scoops.
(Yeah I have a lathe...)
#19. Mail Box covers.
#20. Holiday Lawn Ornaments (Plywood, jig saw, sander, glue etc... REAL easy projects...)

I could keep going, but I figure this should give you some ideas.

Cruise the magazines for ideas, as well as the forums. 

Honestly, a LOT of my shop projects are skill builders. I mean really, do I REALLY need a dovetailed oak box to hold miscellaneous drill bits in? No but I DID need practice cutting dovetails... 

A current project in the design phase is a clamshell tool / small parts cabinet that will integrate slots, dadoes, box joints, rabbets, hinge mortising, and profile routing for a decorative profile. Do I NEED to do this to make my shop pretty? Come on it's a shop. I need to do this to get the practice before I move forward with more important projects.


----------



## BHOFM

Need I say more?


----------



## woodgirl

*Here's One! You Can Make a Box: Simple, But Fun*

Well, as my name states, I am a girl, I'm 13 and I can do these things with my dads tools, so I assume other people should be able to do them also. I went to Home Depot and get a plank thats 1/2' wide, 1/4" thick, and 6' long. I didn't need that much, I needed maybe 4' of it, but I'm using the rest for other projects. So first I measured 6' and 1/4" until i had 6 boxes (6 sides on a 3 dimentional cube). I used his jig saw to cut it because i didn't want to do a lot of sanding because of personal preferences. Then i glued them together with some wood glue.DO NOT put the top (lid) on yet... thats where it gets fancy... The wood had a curve in it so I decided to use a medium voltage (preference again) Dwalt drill to put some screws in. To make sure it didn't crack, I used a bit to create a sink hole. The bit was just bigger than the head of the screw. I made a (not deep) hole where i wanted the screws to go in. Then i took a bit just smaller than the main part of the screw and put it in just about as deep as the screws would go (I didn't use very long screws btw). Then i was ready to screw them in. When all the screws were in i took the lid (not attached yet) and did the same things but no glue and i used a hinge. So the lid would swing open and close. I also put on a padlock and a padlock hatch so I could have like a secretive box. Then i sanded it a bunch and evened out the sides, becuase I don't cut perfectly with a saw that isn't guided. I got some natural looking wood stain and painted it on as directed on the small can. (I got that along with the padlock and hatch at True Value.) Have fun! Also I used oak wood if anyone wanted to know. It turned out pretty well and I'm prowd of the work. It suprised me and my family because it tured out so fabulous eventhough I did it in only a few hours (maybe 5). Thanks! :lol:


----------



## jschaben

Very nice job young lady:thumbsup:
You have every right to be proud of it!


----------



## jharris

Very nice Woodgirl. Woodworking is great fun isn't it? Keep up the good work. 

If your hair is long please put it up before you go into the shop. Safety first and always!!!!!!!!

Mr. Jeff


----------



## slicksqueegie

I call shenanigans on wood girl!:laughing:


----------



## woodmeistro

I am glad to see some of our younger generations getting involved. My daughter is 10 and always help with my projects weather it is helping with glue ups or sanding or finishing it is good time together. Keep up the good work, nice project:yes:


----------



## Manuka Jock

Thats a great safe :thumbsup:

cheers


----------



## scottw

That is a job well done there young lady. I am the same way my grils are always out helping me in the shop but they only thing they really get to help with right now is gluing stuff up and they have sat on my lap with me when i am turning on the lathe i went out and bought they both there one face shield so if anything gets by the shield on my lathe they wont get hurt. One of there favirot things to do is to go to my cabint of screws and get my screws for but it get tought sometimes trying to rember the color code for them so they get the right one.


----------



## MrWoodworking

My friends dad, way back in the dinosaur days, had a box like Woodgirls little box (only a fair bit wider) that he kept a number of "off-limits" sort of things in. How long do you think it took a couple teenage boys with a screwdriver to find out what was in the box? Some mighty interesting things in that box, there were...


----------



## haugerm

I totally agree with boxes and cutting boards. Both can start out simple, but can easily get as complex as you want them to get. I Just completed my first end grain cutting board, and was surprised at the amount of work and attention to detail that it took. 

Also, totally agree with building your own workbench and/or router table. Great learning projects that you can appreciate every time you use them.

And Woodgirl, wonderful job on the safe. You should be proud. Next safe you build, you could work on plugging up or covering those screws. It'll make it even more secure.

--Matt


----------



## Hammer1

Students in my woodworking classes often find something of interest that isn't too complicated in the Yield House catalog.

http://www.americancountryhomestore.com/pine-furniture_c_364.cfm


----------



## Daniel23

I guess the list is limitless. But my preference will be a clock, a picture frame or a chest. You just chose on of those an you will be fine.


----------



## mattybob

very nice job!!!


----------



## mattybob

what is a mailbox cover


----------



## Sorrowful Jones

Well, here is something that is simple and extremely useful


----------



## Dominick

Sorrowful Jones said:


> Well, here is something that is simple and extremely useful


That's pretty funny. Nice touch and great idea. Lol


----------



## Outlander

My Dad built the house I now live in with my family. When my Mom went to a retirement home, I had an original basement window frame that I refinished with a mirror instead of glass. Small easy project (scraping, sanding, finishing) that hangs in my Mom's room for her to see every day. My guess is there are a ton of these little projects at our finger tips....we just need to see the opportunities in front of us.


----------



## pengembara_2006

very nice woodgirl.. :thumbsup:


----------



## pengembara_2006

Wooden desks for laptop :yes:


----------



## RetiredLE

*WhirlyGigs*

How about whirlygigs? This is my first attempt; a P-51 Mustang made out of scrap wood.


----------



## RetiredLE

Sorrowful Jones said:


> Well, here is something that is simple and extremely useful


That's a great idea. I am going to have to stea..... er.. borrow your design.


----------



## Steve Walsh

I had some cherry in stock and decided to honor my wife's heritage. She's Greek. Once I saw a pictuce of "Hadrian's Arch", I decided that a mantle clock would be the way to go.


----------



## oldmacnut

Well, I'll make my list easy, 

Using pecan I can make,

Smoked salmon
Brisket
My tequila smoked chicken
Smoked stuffed jalapanos
Smoked ribeyes
Turkey
Smoked ham




Sent from my Xoom using Woodworking Talk


----------



## jharris

***x


----------



## NathanielB

woodgirl said:


> View attachment 26208


Wow! That looks great, are you sure your only 13? I don't think I have seen such good wood work from someone so young before 

I would like to build something similar to this, but a toy box, so would be basically the same I guess but without the lock (or maybe with a lock for when the kids are bad lol).

Anyway, I was wondering what would be best to cut the wood? I've never really been that great at know what tools to use with wood because I don't tend to build a lot of stuff (easier just to buy something from the shop lol), but I want something home made for the kids.

I have a jig was, but I believe the blades I have are for cutting metal, so would something like these be right for the job http://www.fix8.co.uk/products/Powe...ch+Jigsaw+Blades/Bosch+Jigsaw+Blades+For+Wood?

If so which would be best because most of them say for softwood? Or would you recommend using a hand saw? If so what brand would you guys and girls recommend because I don't know hand saw brands?

P.S. I'm in the UK, so UK shops/brands would be good thanks


----------



## asevereid

These are all really great ideas, and some very nice projects here too. I typically make some fine kindling....or stops for the mitre saw.


----------

