How to make a silly eyeglass holder

Hello Readers, DIY'ers, and crafty people.




Now I can generally find me a pair of glasses when needed, and I know where to put them when I don't need them.  And there you go.   It is a short little afternoon project.

Today I have a little project you might call silly or fun, but honestly it helps me in my quest to finally get my act together and be organized.  Ha Ha. that will be the day.  But I still love the idea of everything having it's place in this world.  And I have made a little place for my many pairs of dollar store reading glasses.  It is really easy.  I think the kids will love it.

Equipment and supplies:

Proxxon mini scroll saw,

Proxxon OZI/E delta sander  or

Cordless mini belt sander

wood glue, 

1/2: dowel

1/2"drill bit

1" x 4" x 12: piece of scrap wood.

1/4" thick scrap wood for details.  

Plaid paints

Proxxon mini bandsaw

First thing is to draw the outline of your pattern onto your 12" piece of wood.   You can draw the details as well which will come in handy when you start to paint.

Next using the Proxxon mini bandsaw or the Proxxon mini scroll saw cut out the perimeter of your pattern.  

Next sand it well.  In the picture below I am using the Proxxon cordless mini belt sander.

On the bottom where the little statue will rest on the table I made a cut on the proxxon mini bandsaw with the table tilted slightly so that he will lean back. 

I made a small support I will glue onto the back so he will stand. Just cut out a triangle with approx. 2-3" sides.  (Something for him to lean on)  

Cut your dowel "noses" about 1 1/2" long.  I had 4 faces so I needed 4 of these.

Drill 1/2" holes approximately 1/2 way through the faces where the noses will fit.  I aimed the drill at a slight upward angle, so his nose was tipped a little.

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I used plaid paints to paint my critters.

Pop in the noses.  Use a little glue if necessary to secure them.

For added interest I cut out a few pieces using the Proxxonj mini scroll saw that will add a little dimension to my guys.  (ears for the cat, eyes for the scarecrow, mustache for the man etc)

Then glue them on.  

Put on the glasses and see how cute it is.  

 

Thanks for visiting.    Till next time.  Make something just for fun.     Carol

Thanks Proxxon.  

How to Cut an Oak Leaf and Acorns on the Proxxon Bandsaw

 Fall is in the air and the leaves are swirling in the wind. And that means raking, raking, raking. But this oak leaf and acorns won't ever need raked.

Supplies you'll need to make the oak leaf and acorns:

• Scraps of 1/4" or 3/8" hard woods
• Fishing line, twine, or narrow ribbon for hanging

Equipment used to make the oak leaf and acorns:

• Proxxon Bandsaw MBS/E
• Bench Drill Press TBM 115
• Proxxon Delta Sander OZI/E
• Proxxon Professional Rotary Tool IBS/E with Flexishaft 110/BF
• Proxxon Angle Polisher WP/E

Instructions:

1. Print the leaf and acorn patterns resizing as desired.
   
   
   
2. 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 makes removal of the pattern easy without leaving any sticky residue. 
   
   
   
3. Cut the shapes on the bandsaw with the extra narrow scroll saw band installed.
   
   
   
4. Sand the edges of the oak leaf using conical sanding drums and the flexishaft attached to the professional rotary tool.
   
   
   
5. Sand the flat surfaces using the Delta sander. I have my sander mounted in the Precision Vice FMZ, so that both hands are free.
   
   
   
6. Drill holes for hanging the oak leaf and acorns using the bench drill press.
   
   
   
7. Use wood finishing oil on the lambswool pad of the angle polisher for the final buffing.
   
   
   
8. Enjoy your oak leaf and acorns.

   

Carole

How to make a toy wood airplane.

Hi again.  It's time for a little project.  If you have kids, they will like this one and you can get them involved and using their creative skills.  We are going to make a wooden toy airplane.

To start we need some wood.   I used 1/4" birch plywood,

I had some 1/4" flat silver wire, I want to use for landing gear,

2 small 3-4" wire pieces

1 small wood wheel, 2 slightly larger wood wheels. (or buttons)

Proxxon mini scroll saw 

 Proxxon OZI/E delta sander

Proxxon's cordless long neck grinder

Proxxon mini rotary tool with some small drill bits

Plaid paints for decorating.

Paintbrushes, pliers, pencils, etc.

super glue, and accelerator if you got some

First, we need a pattern.   You can use mine if you want or draw your own.

Then transfer that pattern to your wood piece.  I chose the thin wood just to make it easier for me.  But I also cut a big fat body of a plane for a later time when I plan to shape it into a more dimensional plane.  I was very impressed with Proxxon's cordless long neck grinder.  You can take a chunk of wood and "carve" it down in a jiffy using that tool.  

I cut out all the pieces using the Proxxon mini scroll saw

This plywood gets a little rough around the edges when cut so then it is time to sand, sand, sand.  Proxxon's OZI/E delta sander does the trick with little effort.  

The slot for the wing and the tail in the back was cut with the scroll saw as well.  Try to keep the slots thin enough to hold the wings tightly when it is pushed through, but not so tight you break it trying to put it through.  You know, do it just right 🤣

Next, we deal with the landing gear.  I used a 2 1/2" length of the flat wire.  Then I snipped a piece out of the middle so I could easily bend it into a L shape.  I made 2 identical pieces,

Using the Proxxon cordless rotary tool I drilled a small hole 1/4" from the end on the long side.  (on both pieces)

I glued the unpierced sides to the back of the plane as landing gear.   Then threaded the small piece of wire through one side then through the hole in the wheel then through the other wire piece.  I twisted a small loop into the ends of the wire to keep it from "unthreading".

Let the kids paint!   We use plaid paints because of the rich colors.

Now lastly is the tricky part.  The propeller.   I first cut out a small cube and scored a line across it using Proxxon long neck grinder.  I use this slot to fit on the nose of the plane.   

Next I fashioned some propellor pieces and glued them to the square.  These were also made using the scroll saw, then the grinder, and sander.  

I used super glue to glue the propellors to the cube.   Then I slipped the cube which I had rounded a bit over the nose of the plane and glued it on.  It should stay.  

I added a front wheel.  and let's call it done.  I think the kids really enjoyed participating and are pleased with their artsy plane.   This was a fun project.   I basically "winged" it.   LOL.   I know whoever you are out there can have some fun with this.  It's creatively wide open.

Thanks for visiting.   

Thank you Proxxon, I always have fun with your tools.

till next time.... play safe  Carol

How to make a little shelf

 Hi out there.   Still being practical, I have a easy peasy project today.   Little organization projects can help you keep your wrrkshop neat.   Today let's make a little shelf because I need somewhere to put my glue so I can find it.  I wull be using Proxxon tools.

This can all be made out of one piece of 1 x 6" board.  I mainly am going to use my Proxxon mini table saw and my OZI/E delta sander and new cordless Proxxon mini belt sander.

First i want to cut my (U chose a 16" piece of fence board) on the Proxxon mini table saw.  Using the fence, I measure 4 inches from the fence to the saw blade and lock the fence.

This wood is too thin to simply glue them together, so I am going to make a groove to fit the2 pieces together.   This is easy to do again on the Proxxon mini table saw  I make my first cut 1/2" from the edge of the larger piece.  Remember to set the blade height at 2/3 the height of the board, so in this case at 1/4"

After the first cut I nudge the fence just a tiny bit outward and make another cut.  Look the groove has begun.  I do these 3 or 4 more times until I have the width of the groove the same size as the edge of the other piece of wood.  Now this wood can slip into the groove and this will hold it better than a "butt joint"

Convienetly, the Proxxon cordless mini belt sander is 1/2" and I can use it to smooth and sand my new groove.

next add glue to the groove and place the other piece of wood into the groove.  Make sure it sits at 90 degrees while the glue sets.

I used the Proxxon cordless rotary tool to make pilot holed from the back into the wood after the glue dried to reinforce the bond.  

A couple more pilot holes where i will screw it into the wall.    Now to find a place.

  

Here is a good place, on the back of the door.   Now I will always find my glue.  

Thanks Proxxon tool company.   and thank you all for visiting.        Carol

The Proxxon MICROFLAM Burner Is the Perfect Tool for Torching Creme Brulee

Creme brulee is one of my favorite desserts, and the torching couldn't be easier with the MICROFLAM burner—and so much more energy efficient than firing up the oven broiler.

The MICROFLAM burner is light weight and easy to control. It's powered by butane lighter fluid, and the tank is refillable.

Here's my recipe for the Creme Brulee:

2 cups heavy cream (or 1 cup heavy cream + 1 cup half-n-half)

4 egg yolks

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Granulated sugar for topping 

1. Heat cream over medium heat until hot but not boiling.
2. Whisk egg yolks, 1/3 cup sugar, and vanilla.
3. Slowly add hot cream to the egg yolk mixture and a little at a time.
4. Pour into ramekins.
5. Place filled ramekins in a baking dish, and add hot water to the baking dish so that it comes about ¾ of the way up the sides of the ramekins. Take care not to splash water onto the custards.
6. Bake at 325° F for 30-45 minutes until the top is set and slightly colored. The centers will still jiggle.
7. Remove custards from the baking dish and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours until chilled. (They can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.) 
8. For serving, sprinkle each custard with ~1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Torch with the Proxxon MICROFLAM Burner until caramelized. Serve immediately, or return to the refrigerator and serve within an hour.

Here you can watch how easy the MICROFLAM burner makes the torching process.

Carole

How to make a spice drawer organizer

 Hi everyone.  I have another organizational project for you today.   And I will tell you why I chose this one.   I am very tired of rooting through the spice jars that are up in the cabinet all crammed in together.  I am tired of them all falling out when I reach for one in the back, and..... well, you get my drift.   Let's fix this.   Today I am going to show you how easy it is to turn a kitchen drawer into a well-organized spice rack of sorts.  Check it out.  👀 This drawer holds 40 spice jars, and I can see the labels too.

Equipment and supplies

Proxxon mini table saw

Proxxonr OZI/E delta sander

Ruler or tape measure

pencil

wood glue  (fast setting is best here)

1/4" plywood

wood clamps

Ok, to get started, I first needed to know the dimensions of my drawer, using tape measure or ruler measure your drawer.  Height, inside width, and length.    Remember this drawer will need to open and shut.

I needed 4 dividers for my size drawer considering the sizes of the different spices.  I figured 9-10 spices per level, so this thing is going to hold up to quit a few spice jars.  

I cut my pieces to size using the Proxxon mini table saw.  I need   (4)  19' x 3" pieces for the "backrests", and (4)  19" x  2' for the risers.  This will work well for a drawer that is at least 4" deep.

Next, they need to be sanded so that there is no rough or splintery edges.   The Proxxon OZI/E delta sander makes this a breeze.  

Next, I used 10-minute glue to glue up the pieces.  I simply glued one of the bigger pieces to the edge of one of the smaller pieces then clamped it while it set.  The angle was approx. 90 degrees.

I checked he fit in the drawer, Looks good    Iwas going to glue them together but really no need. 

Let's see how the spices fit.  

That's a wrap.   I think it will certainly help with the spices even though the larger bottles and cans still need to be stored somewhere.  Amazing how they multiply.    

Thanks for visiting.  Hope you can give it a try.  It was super simple   I have some more ideas for the kitchen and elsewhere.  Someday... I just might be able to find whatever it is I am looking for.  😝

Thanks Proxxon,  love your tools.

How to Make Halloween Tin Punch Decorations

 Halloween tin punch decorations are easy and fun to make with Proxxon MICROMOT tools.

Here are the supplies and equipment that you'll need:

• Aluminum flashing
• ½" Baltic birch plywood
• Halloween Tin Punch Patterns
• Proxxon Table Saw FET
• Proxxon Disc Sander TSG 250/E
• Proxxon Bench Circular Saw KS 115
• Proxxon MICRO Press MP 120
• FolkArt Home Décor Antique Wax 

How to make a Halloween tin punch decoration:

1. Print and cut out the Halloween Tin Punch Patterns.
2. Using the bench circular saw and a tungsten carbide saw blade, cut the aluminum flashing into 2½" x 2½" pieces.
   
   
   
3. Use painter's tape to mount the pattern onto the aluminum square allowing a margin at the bottom edge.
   
   
   
4. With the appropriate size punch in the MICRO press position the pattern for punching.
   
   
   
5. To make the stand, cut 2½" x 2" x ½" pieces from the plywood using the table saw.
6. Adjust the table saw blade height to make a partial cut ~¼" deep in the plywood stand piece.
   
   
   
7. Remove the guard assembly on the table saw to allow the partial cut. It is not possible to make a partial cut with the splitting wedge in place. Set the adjustable fence ~¼" from the saw blade. Make the partial cut. Replace the guard assembly.
   
   
   
8. Sand any rough edges on the stand using the disc sanders.
   
   
    
9. Finish the stand with FolkArt Home Décor Antique Wax.
   
   
   
10. Place a battery operated candle on the stand behind the tin punch for a spooky Halloween decoration.
    

Carole