Would you like a slice of Palletroni Pizza? Following the appetizing success of my 2x4 Wooden Sub Sandwich, I decided to have some more fun and make a wooden pepperoni pizza. Watch me make this delicious Italian delight below.
This project is for the Pallet Up-Cycle Challenge hosted by Sterling Davis, where you can make anything you want out of a pallet and enter to win prizes in a random drawing. The deadline is December 24th, 2014 so hurry if you want to enter.
I used poplar slats that I salvaged from a pallet about a year ago. I prefer to just cut the good parts off of a pallet and trash the rest. It's quicker and easier, plus I avoid wrestling with nails and possibly splitting the wood I'm trying to save.
Pallets can be used for all sorts of practical and artistic projects, so get creative! The next time you see a stack of pallets, maybe you'll think of a stack of Palletroni Pizzas instead!
Congratulations to the winners of my MicroJig Giveaway! Russell Roefer won the GRR-Rippers and John Ferguson won the GRR-Rip Blocks! Thanks to all who entered and thank you to MicroJig for the awesome prizes. Here is my latest Sidebar Conversation about the giveaway and follow-ups on my recent projects.
Russell and John were selected randomly via random.org from 1,963 entries and their names are displayed automatically in the widget below. They have been contacted and confirmed, and their prizes will be shipped soon. Thanks for making my first giveaway a lot of fun!
This project began as a practice exercise for learning how to use different woodturning tools on my lathe. Since the holidays are here, I decided to design a Snow Scene that would make a nice decoration if all went well. Watch my video of this project below.
The practice exercise went really well, except for one small catch on the left end of the work piece. A small chunk of wood broke off, but I was still able to complete the project. If you would like to try this practice exercise yourself, or you would just like to make this holiday decoration, click here to download my free PDF template. Here are the basic instructions:
You will need a 1.5"x1.5"x11" turning blank. A little extra length would give you a little more breathing room. You will also need a piece of wood about 7" long for the base.
Mount the blank on the lathe between centers and turn it round.
Use the Story Stick on the template to mark the transition points and draw the lines around the work piece.
Tape the story stick to your tool rest or keep it nearby to use as a guide.
Use your different woodturning tools to finish turning the tree, snowman, and lamp post. I started with the thicker portions and worked my way down to the thinner areas for stability.
Sand the pieces and cut them apart. Clue the pieces onto the base and paint as desired.
This was a fun practice exercise and it appears that I may actually be getting pretty good at this woodturning thing after all! With each project, I am gaining more confidence in my lathe skills and I'm learning which tool to use for different types of cuts. I think I will design some more of these practice exercises real soon.
Every year I find myself making some bandsaw boxes for Christmas gifts. People really like receiving them, especially with a special surprise hidden in one of the drawers. Below is a bandsaw box that I made recently while live on the air on The Summers Woodworking Show.
If you like this design, click here to download my free PDF template. Below is the video recording of the show where I made the box and explained the process I go through while making these great gifts.
If you would like to see my other bandsaw box designs, visit my Project Plans page for pictures and more free templates. There are other great gift projects there too. Don't forget to put a little surprise in one of the drawers!
