Scrap Wood Sawdust Art - Scrap Bin Challenge 2014

I made this Scrap Wood Sawdust Art project to participate in the 2014 Scrap Bin Challenge.  Watch the video below to see how I made this project.  What can YOU make out of your scrap wood?

You may have seen sand art before where an artist layers different colors of sand in a bottle or vase.  Well, this is the same concept except I used sawdust instead of sand.

I selected 12 different colors of scrap wood from my scrap bin and cut them with my table saw to turn them into sawdust.  A pizza box top worked great as a temporary dust collector.

I poured each color of sawdust into a vase I bought at the dollar store.  I cleaned the saw and pizza box top before switching to a different color wood to avoid cross contamination.

Here are some simple tips if you would like to try this project:

• Alternate between light and dark wood for good contrast between stripes.
• After pouring the sawdust into the vase, you may need to brush it toward the sides with a stick or spoon to get the desired wavy effect.
• Lightly compact the sawdust as you go to keep settling to a minimum later on.
• Look for a container that has a lid or glue a lid onto the top to keep the sawdust in.
• Fill the container to the top so the sawdust cannot shake and mix up.

This was a fun project that can be started and finished in about an hour.  It's a great activity for kids, as long as an adult makes the sawdust.  Best of all, you can use up that scrap wood that takes up valuable workshop space!

Below is a list of other woodworkers who are participating in the 2014 Scrap Bin Challenge.  Check out their scrap projects for more ideas.  Don't forget to subscribe to their YouTube channels for more great woodworking videos!  It's PRICELESS!

Click here to watch all of the videos in one convenient playlist!
(Don't forget to send me the link to YOUR video so I can add it too!)

• April Wilkerson 
• Peter Brown
• John Heisz
• Fr. Thomas Bailey
• Dominic Bender
• Manhattan Wood Project
• Andrea Arzensek
• Steve French
• Jason Rausch
• Adventures In DIY
• Fabian's Tiny Workshop
• Nick Ferry
• Richard Morley
• Patrick's Work Shop
• Darbin Orvar
• Rock-n H Woodshop
• Carl Jacobson
• The Nomadic Polywright Show
• McGinn's WoodShop
• Jack Houweling
• Mike Fulton
• Ted Alexander
• Average Joes
• RJBWoodTurner
• Tyler G
• Chris Pine
• Scrap Wood City
• Sterling Davis
• Karol Kolanowski
• Jack O'wheelie
• Chris The Wheeler
• Mark Christopher
• Alistair Darroch
• Badlands Wood-N-Stuff
• Shannon Fargo
• Pleasant Ranch
• Par Anderson
• WW_CAT
• John Garcia
• ShadeTreeCNC
• Andres Salas
• Backyard Woodworks

Find Woodworking Inspiration in the Scrap Bin

I snapped this picture of my father's scrap bins the last time I visited his unfinished cabin.  This explains a lot when I look at my own growing scrap collection.  Indeed, the apple does not fall far from the tree.   Most people would see trash cans waiting to be dumped in this picture, but I see bins full of inspiration.

When I look through dad's scrap, I always find pieces to bring home.  Sometimes I recognize pieces, such as the two curvy cutoffs from his fireplace mantle supports.  Sometimes I find historical artifacts with his sketches, measurements, and calculations written on them.

Scrap bins are packed full of future projects just waiting to be built.  The possibilities are endless, and many times, the shape or wood grain will make it obvious to me what a piece is supposed to become.  Sometimes I see a piece and know it's destined to be a bandsaw box, a plaque, a bookend or some sort of knick-knack.

So the next time you can't think of anything to build, raid your scrap bin (or better yet, a friend's scrap bin) with an open mind.  You might discover a piece of history or find a future project.