How to Make the Perfect Wooden Advent Calendar Using Scrap Lumber

 Why wait until the rush of the Christmas season to craft holiday decorations? Make those decor pieces all year long so you can really relax and enjoy them during the season. This advent calendar is a great project for using scrap lumber. I'll share the measurements that I used, but you can adjust them depending on the lumber you are going to use.

Supplies and equipment:

• 14" x 2½" x ¾" board for base
• 6" x 2½" x ¾" board for tree and star shapes
• 4" length 1/8" dowel rod
• Acrylic paints
• Liquid wood glue
• Proxxon Bandsaw MBS/EP
• Proxxon Drill Press TMB 115
• Proxxon Scroll Saw
• Proxxon Delta Sander
• Proxxon Pensander PS 13

Instructions for making the advent calendar:

1. Download and print the Advent Template.
2. Mount the patterns on the 6" wood blank. Cover one side of the blank with painter's tape. Mist the back side of the patterns with spray adhesive, and mount on the taped blank. The painter's tape made removal of the patterns easy without leaving any sticky residue.
   
   
   
3. Cut the shapes on the bandsaw or scroll saw.
   
   
   
4. Measure and mark the bottom center of the tree and star. Mark the star between two of the star points.
   
   
   
5. Set the depth gauge on the drill press.
   
   
   
6. Secure the shape in the machine vise, and mount on the drill press. Set the parallel fence at the drilling point. Use a bit appropriate for the size of the dowel rod, and drill the hole to the preset depth.
   
   
   
7. Leave the depth gauge and parallel fence settings in place for drilling the base.
8. Sand the surfaces of the shapes with the Delta sander. I mount my sander in the Precision Vice FMZ so I can have both hands free to manipulate the piece I'm working on. 
   
   
   
9. Sand the angles on the tree with the pen sander.
   
   
   
10. Measure and mark the holes on the edge on the 14" board. Start by marking the center, the ½" on each side. You now have two holes marked. Do not drill the center mark. Next, working from the marked holes, measure and mark at 1" intervals, ending with six holes on each side of the center mark. this leaves a 1½" border on each side.
    
    
    
11. Sand the surfaces of the base with the Delta sander.
12. Paint and decorate the tree and star with acrylic paints.
    
    
    
13. Glue a 1¾" length of dowel rod in the hole on the bottom of the shapes.
14. Add numbers on the base for the advent countdown. Numbers 1 to 12 on one side, 13 to 24 on the other.

Here are some options to consider:

• Board thicknesses from ½" to 1" will work. The board needs to stand securely on the narrow edge. 
• Using a board 25" in length allows space for all the advent numbers to show on one side of the board.
• Use the wood finish of your choice, e.g., stain, leave in natural, antique wax, paints, etc.
• Vary the height of the tree or star above the base by increasing the length of the dowel rod. 
• Numbers can be added to the base by free hand lettering, stenciling, rub-ons, vinyl adhesive, etc.
  

Carole

How to Make the Perfect Perpetual Calendar Using Wood Scraps

 A new year—a new calendar. But, this perpetual calendar will never be out of date. Create it using Proxxon MICROMOT tools and scraps of wood.

Supplies and Tools That You'll Need:

• Seventeen 1½ x 3½" x 1/16" blanks
• One 4" x 6¾" x ¼" blank
• One 6¾" x 3" x ¾" blank
• Four 1/8" or 3/16" x 1" dowel rod pegs
• Liquid wood glue
• Acrylic paint or finishing product of  you choice
• Proxxon Table Saw FET
• Proxxon Bandsaw MBS/E
• Proxxon Disc Sander TSG 250/E
• Bench Drill Press TBM 115

Here's how to make the perpetual calendar:

1. Cut boards to size using the table saw. Refer to Perpetual Calendar Templates for sizing.
   
   
   
2. Sand the pieces using the disc sander.
   
   
   
3. Cut the slot in the base piece using the table saw. Adjust the blade height to ~¼". Adjust the angle of the table saw blade to 15°.
   
   
    
4. Remove the blade guard. Yes, I know that is it there for protection, but you won't get a full length cut with it in place. Now is the time to be sure you have no distractions. You need to be even more careful than normal. Snug the right side of the board to the longitudinal stop, and position the stop so that the first cut is centered on the base board. Make the first cut. Using the scale for the longitudinal stop, move the stop 1/8" to the left. Make the second cut. Continue alternately moving the stop and making a cut until the slot is just a pinch wider than ¼". The "pinch" allows the upright support piece to slide easily into the base. This is a side view of the resulting slot.

   

   
   
5. Using the same adjustments on the table saw, cut the corresponding angle at the bottom of  upright support.
6. Use the bandsaw to cut the dowel rod into 1" pegs.
7. Following the placement on the Perpetual Calendar Templates, drill the holes on the upright support for the hanging pegs using the bench drill press. Set the adjustable fence to assure the holes are aligned evenly along the top of the support.

   

   
   
8. Drill the holes on the hang tags. The strip of painter's tape help to align the horizontal center, and the adjustable fence aligns the vertical point.

   

   
   
9. Glue the pegs into the upright support. Set the upright into the base to accurately align the angles to be sure the pegs extend on the front side of the upright. Optionally, glue the upright into the base slot. I chose not to glue it, so the calendar can be disassembled for storage, if desired.
10. Paint or finish the pieces. I used FolkArt Milk paints for the hanging tags, upright support, and base, and vinyl for the lettering.

    

Carole