How to Make Your Own Peg Puzzle

If you love puzzles, this peg puzzle is just the project for you!! It's sure to provide hours of fun and amusement. And they make quick and easy gifts for your puzzle-loving friends and family.

The game board is a triangle with 15 evenly spaced holes. Start the game with pegs in all the holes except one—any one. The goal is to jump pegs one at a time, removing the jumped peg until only one peg remains.

Supplies and Equipment for the Peg Puzzle

• Scrap of wood—6½" square and at least ¾" thick for the largest pattern (I used birch plywood)
• 14 rivets or nails for the pegs
• Peg puzzle pattern (includes 3", 4", and 5" sizes)
• Proxxon Micro Bandsaw MBS/E
• Proxxon Disc Sander TSG 250/E
• Proxxon Professional Rotary Tool and Drill Stand

Instructions for the Peg Puzzle

1. Print the pattern and mount on wood blank. To mount the pattern on the blank cover one side of the blank with painter's tape. Mist the back side of the pattern with spray adhesive, and mount on the taped blank. The painter's tape made removal of the pattern easy without leaving any sticky residue.
   
2. Cut the triangle shape using the bandsaw or scroll saw.
   
3. Fit the professional rotary tool with a brad point drill bit in a size suitable for your choice of pegs. Use the adjustable fence on the drill stand to perfectly align the rows of holes. Drill the holes.
   
4. Sand the surfaces using the disc sander.
   
5. The finished puzzle board can be painted or treated with wood oil or paste wax.
   

Carole

How to make colorful garden stakes

Boing...Boing...Boing...  Spring is sprung and I am so Happy.    I have an easy and fun project today that won't take too long to make and will really spruce up your vegetable garden.   We are going to make garden stakes so we, (I mean I, and if you are forgetful, then you too), won't forget what we planted where. 

Let's gather our equipment and supplies:

Proxxon mini scroll saw

Proxxon OZI/E delta sander

Proxxon mini drill press

wire cutter

pliers

pencil, paper, and carbon paper

1/4" plywood scraps

old wire coat hangers or stiff wire

      Plaid paints

• Pumpkin Orange 20588E
• Green Forrest 443
• Burgandy 957
• Palm Leaf 21477E
• White 200503E
• Succulent 2637

The first thing I did was to draw out some simple patterns that I thought I could use as garden stakes.   Then using some carbon paper I traced them onto my wood pieces.

Using the Proxxon mini scroll saw, I cut them out.  

Using Proxxon's mini drill press I drilled a hole into each of my vegetables.

Next I sanded them well using the Proxxon OZI/E delta sander.

On to the hangers

Using the wire cutters cut off the hook part of the clothes hanger.  Then bend the wire into the shape of a shepherds hook ↓

Paint your veggies!  I always use Plaid paints

Now they are ready for the garden!

So that's it.   I need a few more for my garden.   Thank you so much for visiting.  

Have a lovely spring!        catch ya next time    Carol

Thanks to Proxxon and Plaid

How To Make A Candle Sconce

   Hi everyone! Continuing on with working on a few things for my powder room. Today I'll be making a candle sconce.  Let me show you how I did it.

Supplies:
  Proxxon Micro Band Saw
  Proxxon Drill Press
  Proxxon Delta Sander
  3/4" scrap pine
  Wooden candle cup
  Plaid paint black
  Plaid Inspirations clear wax

1. I drew out a pattern on paper

2.  Transferred my pattern to the scrap 3/4" pine board.                                                                       

                                                                                                           
3. Using the Proxxon Micro Bandsaw I cut out both pieces.                                              

 

4. I sanded the pieces using the Proxxon Delta Sander                                                                            

5.  I then attached  the wooden candle cup to the base using a wood screw .                             .           

                               

6.  I drilled a hole for hanging using the Proxxon Drill Press.                                                              

                                                 

 7.  I then glued and nailed the base to the back.

8.  Paint with black Plaid paint and wax with clear Plaid Inspirations Wax.                                           

Thanks for following along with me.... Colleen           

Enjoy the Little Things

Hi everyone.  During this Corona Virus and quarantine situation, I hope that you are taking time to enjoy the little things.  That is the theme of my current project.  When I came across this stencil I knew it would be a great focal point for a project.

I began by drawing a light bulb on a piece of foam.  You could also take a stencil or large die cut to draw the design on the foam.

Then I simply cut out my design using the Hot Wire Cutter.  It's so easy to cut any project from foam using the Hot Wire Cutter and the results are amazing each time.  Plus, it's quick and easy.  Simply follow the design turning the foam to cut out all the elements.

Look at the great result I was able to achieve.  And I always save my left over pieces of foam as I never know when they will come in handy for another project.

Once it was cut out, I began decorating.  I started by painting the bulb with Martha Stewart's Home Décor Paint in Eggshell and then the electric portion with Folk Art Coastal Texture Paint in Seal Grey.  Once dry, I placed a stencil on top, and used modeling paste and spray inks to achieve the look I wanted.

Next, I proceeded to finish adding paints and inks to my project.

I finished by adding some chipboard elements I found in my stash.  Each was painted with Plaid Paints then adhered around the light bulb.

Again, don't forget to enjoy the little things during this trying time.

Thanks for stopping by.

Leather Work with Proxxon Tools

My son has recently taken a deep dive into leather working, and my Proxxon tools are being used in his studio. One of the big advantages of the Proxxon tools is their precision. Another is that they are scaled for detail work.

The leather goods he makes are totally hand crafted—from the cutting the leather to stitching to burnishing—and the Proxxon tools are additional devices in his arsenal. Here are some of the ways he is using the Proxxon tools.

• Precision Vice—holding and supporting the leather
  

• Profession Rotary Tool—sanding and buffer leather edges
  
• Lathe—burnishing edges with a wooden burnishing/finishing tool mounted in the lathe 

Love sharing my Proxxon tools!!

Carole

How to make a little Easter bunny from yard scraps

Easter's coming ya'all.   Time to start with the Easter crafts.   I got a cute little one that is easy to make and costs $0.   Yay!   It starts with garden scraps, small limbs that you probably cut when you pruned your trees.   If you don't have scraps come see me, I got plenty!  Worst case scenario, I think Hobby Lobby sells a bag of "wood rounds" in their wood craft section.

SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
Wood scraps
Wood glue
Proxxon mini band saw
Proxxon OZI/E delta sander plus cutting heads
Small wood clamps or clothes pins
Cotton ball (for tail)
Plaid paints   I used white, black, and fushia












My first step was to pick out some small limbs -  I had lots of stock to choose from but I just chose three pieces.  One is approx 2" in diameter, one is  1" in diameter, and the third is approx 3/8" in diameter   I will cut off all the little side limbs then bring it into the shop for the next step. 









Using the Proxxon mini band saw I cut about a 1 1/2" piece" piece off of the larger piece.   This will be the bunny's body.

I used the Proxxon OZI/E delta sander with the cutting head to make a slot in the top of the "bunny's body" part.

    

Next I cut 3 pieces from the  1" stock.   two will serve as bottom feet and one I will cut in half and these pieces will be used for his front paws.

I wanted the bunny ears to be long, not round so I adjusted the miter gauge on the Proxxon mini band saw to 45 degrees and cut 2 ears  see picture 

I glued the head into the slot and let it dry.  Then I glued the ears on and held them with a small clamp until they dried well.  Feet are glued on.  My half rounds will be glued next as front paws (not seen in this picture)

Here is the bunny put together.   I have painted him with Plaid paints and added a cotton ball for a tail.   I am going to make some more and set them around the house at Easter time.   

That's all there is to it.   I think the kids would love to paint these bunnies.   But no kids near the band saw!!!   Let's all be safe. 

Thanks for visiting.   Thank You Proxxon, and Thank you Plaid paints.

Till next time.   Have fun, play safe!    Carol