How to make an autumn Holiday Barrel

How to make an Autumn Holiday Barrel

Today I'm going to show you how you can make a holiday barrel using proxxon tools.   As the weather cools I start thinking about the holidays, how bout you?   Christmas is coming quick, but first let's enjoy our fall holidays.   I'm thinking, Halloween and Thanksgiving... 

In my workshop, there is a old, small barrel that I have been tripping over for years.  Finally it's time to turn that into something festive.

Supplies and Equipment needed:

1 barrel, size optional

thin piece of wood to make top.  (my barrel was topless)

Proxxon scroll saw

Proxxon delta sander with sanding head

Proxxon delta sander with cutting head

Proxxon rotary tool with cutting and grinding tips

Basic light fixture and lightbulb

electrical tape
Drill and drill bits

Plaid paints,

I started this by drawing some designs on my barrel.   I figured some pumpkins and give thanks would be good for Thanksgiving and a haunted house and bats for Halloween. 

 Ok, time to get out the paints and do a little painting.  I used plaid paints because they have such vivid colors.  For this project I watered them down a bit as I wanted them more like a wash.

Oak is a really tough wood and gets tougher with age.   I used multiple tools to cut and drill my holes.

A cool tool is the cutting head on the proxxon delta sander.

Cutting windows with the proxxon delta sander with cutting head attachment

I used that and  the proxxon rotary tool with various bits to cut and grind out some of the window holes.  I used a regular drill bit to outline the house and pumpkins with small holes.















  Now, lets cut out the top.  I traced around the perimeter of the barrel top then drew a circle 1/2" inside of that line. Using the proxxon scroll saw I easily cut the circle.  There is a groove in the barrel where the lid will sit.   I also drilled a 5/8" hole in the center where the light cord suspending the light  will go through.   (the size of this hole will be dependent on the light fixture being used.

proxxon scroll saw

the groove inside the barrel where the lid will sit.

I cut the light cord so that I can thread it through the top of the lid.  Then I spliced it back together  taking care to keep the polarization correct.

Pop the lid on with the light hanging inside, plug her in and light up the night!

This has been fun.   It really looks good on the porch on a dark night.
Happy holidays ya'all.