How to Make a Funky Houses Key Holder

 Unleash your creative personal style with this funky houses key holder. 

Supplies:

• Paint stir sticks
• Dowel rod 1/8" x 6"
• Acrylic paints
• Adhesive
• Funky Houses patterns
• Sawtooth picture hanger

Equipment:

Proxxon Bandsaw MBS/E OR Proxxon Scroll Saw DS 460

Proxxon Delta Sander OZI/E

Bench Drill Press TBM 115

Instructions for making the Funky Houses Key Holder:

1. Mount the patterns for the house shapes on a paint stir stick. 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 paint stir stick.  The painter's tape makes removal of the pattern easy without leaving any sticky residue.
   
   
   
2. Cut the shapes using either the bandsaw or the scroll saw.
   
   
   
3. Cut a 3/8" x ~8" strip from one of the paint stirs. Cut this strip into appropriate lengths for the roofs of the houses.
4. Cut a 7" strip from a paint stir or other scrap lumber for mounting the houses.
5. Cut the dowel rod into six 1" lengths for the key pegs.
6. Sand the edges using the Delta sander.  I have my sander mounted in the Precision Vice FMZ, so that both hands are free.
   
   
   
7. Paint the houses, mounting strip, and roofs using your favorite acrylic paints. I used FolkArt Antique Wax for the houses and mounting strip and a black acrylic for the roofs. I left the key pegs natural.
   
   
   
8. While these are drying, fashion the doors and windows for the houses. I 3D printed mine, but other options include cutting them from vinyl or cardstock, or drawing them on the houses with permanent marker or paint. Window and door patterns are included in the downloadable PDF.
9. Use the bench drill press to drill holes ~3/8" from the bottom of the houses for the key pegs. Use a strip of waste wood under the house shapes to help prevent tearout.
   
   
   
10. Now, to assemble the key holder. First, glue the doors and windows in place. Then, glue on the roofs. Next, glue in the key pegs.
11. Attach the sawtooth picture hanger to the back of the mounting strip.
    
    
    
12. Arrange the houses on the mounting strip and glue in place.

As an option, you could eliminate the key pegs, and have a neat funky houses décor piece.

Carole

Building An Arbor

Hi everyone!  We've had a lot going on here at the Colaizzi homestead.  We had a new deck put on our new pool.  There was a lot of scraps leftover of the treated lumber and I asked the builder to leave everything in hopes I could make something from them.  I thought I'd try building an arbor that will eventually be put in front of the gate to my garden.  Follow along with me and see how I built it with the help of my Proxxon tools.

Supplies:

 Proxxon Table Saw

 Proxxon Micro Band Saw

 Proxxon Scroll Saw

 Treated lumber... 2x4s, 2x6s, 1x2s

 Lag Bolts  8 (3.5" long)

 Screws...1.25",  3"

 Brad Nailer and Brads

I had treated 2x4s that I cut with my miter saw but these could easily have been cut to size at the store you purchase the wood at.  I started with 2 pieces 7' long and 2 pieces 24" long.  I measured down 4" from the top and 8" from the bottom on the 2x4s.  These marks are where I put the 24" pieces and screwed them together. Using the Proxxon Table Saw, I then cut a piece of 1x2 lumber 63" long. I inserted it inside and nailed it in with the brad nailer.  This piece formed a ledge for all the lattice to lay on and get nailed in with the brad nailer.

I used the brad nailer for all the vertical and horizontal pieces but later I used small wood screws at the intersections.  Repeat this and make two sides.

Using the scroll saw I cut two 2x6s  60'long.  These will be the headers that will connect the two side panels. I drew a design on each end of the headers and cut out with the Proxxon Micro Band Saw.

 

I laid the two sides on end on the ground and laid the headers across measuring in 9" on each end.  These got attached with lag bolts.  Once one side was complete, I flipped it over and attached the back side.  Now the arbor was able to be stood up.

Next the corner brackets were cut out of 2x6s using the Proxxon Band Saw and attached with 3" screws to the upper corners.

At this point I ran out of 2x6 wood so I do have to add the back braces when I get more wood...I did attach the front corner braces with 3 1/2" screws.

Lastly I cut 8 pies of the 1x2" slats for the top using the Proxxon Table Saw.  These were spaced out across the top and attached with small screws.

For now It's finished until I can find the wood for the back corner braces. I am eventually going to stain or paint it, but treated lumber needs to dry before putting any finish on.  Thanks for following along with me as I made this fun project :-) 

Colleen

 

How to make a little storage box to hang on the wall

 Hi folks, it's been awhile since I posted anything.  I have been in Italy on the fabulous trip.  Now that I am back and rested its time to get busy in that workshop of mine.  Today Im going to show you how to make some simple little box drawers that you can attach to your wall to hold miscellaneous items.  You will see in the picture below that I am using mine to hold oversize paint bottles.  This project is fairly easy and we will use our Proxxon mini table saw to do a couple new things beyond just cutting wood.    Lets get it going now.

Supplies and equipment

1/2" plywood board

Proxxon mini table saw

Proxxon professional rotary tool

wood glue, 

screwdriver and  5/8" screws

proxxon.com

1/8" plexiglass

Here we go.   First thing to do is cut all the pieces se are going to need to make a big box.  Don't worry it won't be so big when we get finished.  And it won't be a box either.  

• That pink line is a dado 
• (small groove) that is easy to make using the Proxxon mini table saw.

Simply remove the blade guard from the Proxxon mini table saw.  Then raise or lower the blade until it is approx 1/4" high.  See above picture.   Next set up your fence so that the blade will cut 1/4" from the outside edge.  Run all your pieces that need this groove along the fence and over the blade.   Check the fit with the Plexiglas.  It should be a good fit, not so wide as to be wobbly.  You may need to adjust the fence just a hair to widen the groove.  If you do, make sure to run all the boards through again.   Easy- peasy.  

Now we put it all together.   I did 3 sides to begin with.  ( bottom, back and side), I used glue and clamps to start.

When the glue was dry and the structure was semi sturdy at this point I used the Proxxon professional rotary tool to make some pilot holes then added screws for strength.  

Now finish by gluing the top, other side and plexiglass.  Clamp it and let it dry good.  Now we have a box with a clear side.  

-

Next step is a little tricky, (not much),   We are going to cut this box in half on the Proxxon mini table saw.  Sounds daunting but is really easy.   I started on the side of the Plexiglas so that I knew I was cutting it right.  Set your fence so that it is 4 1/4 inches away from the blade. Raise your blade to about 1 1/2" high.    Lay the box on its Plexiglas face with the bottom along the fence and run it over the blade.  Then turn it 1/4 turn and do it again, Then rotate 1/4 turn and cut again.  And one last time rotate and cut.   Now you have 2 drawers.  Dont forget to sand everything.  Sanding with the Proxxon OZI/E delta sander makes this a breeze.

To put them on the wall.   Grab yourself a piece of 2 x 4 approx. 8" long.  Raise the blade on the Proxxon mini table saw as far as it will go.  Then change the angle to 45 degrees.

line your 2 x 4 up lengthwise along the fence so that the pieces will be even when you cut them.  Then run your board over the blade.   It will not cut through the piece so turn the piece over and run it over the blade again to complete the cut.

Should be 2 identical pieces.   cut one board in half.   These 2  will be mounted on the back of the little drawers.   The small side goes up against the back of the drawer with the other side pointing down.   Secure this with screws from the inside of the box into the 2 x 4.

To the wall mount the other piece (which can remain as one long piece)  Small side to the wall.  Pointy side up.   There you go.  It will hold the drawers while still making them easy to take down.  

Hope you learned something.  I think its fun to learn new things you can do with the tools you have,

 

Thanks for visiting.    Thanks Proxxon.     Carol