It’s that time of year! My annual holiday gift making video. Here are 5 new ideas for holiday gifts you can make from wood.
For the step-by-step process for making these 5 woodworking gifts you can make from wood, watch the YouTube video below.
5 Woodworking Gifts You Can Make
Woodworking Gift Idea #1: Kitchen Tongs
To make these kitchen tongs, you’ll need 2 thin strips and a block of hardwood of your choice. I used maple. The starting dimensions of the two strips are 9 x 1-1/8 x 1/8, while the block is 2 x 1-1/8 x 3/4.
The key is the small connector block. Using an angle of 87.5 degrees, trace a tapered shape that is narrow at the top and wider at the bottom. The bottom should measure roughly 5/8 wide. Cut or sand the block up to the lines the create the tapered shape.
Before assembly, you can round one end of both strips. Then apply glue to the tapered block and glue up the tongs. For both strength and visual detail, I added 3 walnut splines and rounded the end of the handle. Finish by sanding and adding a food-safe finish.
Woodworking Gift Idea #2: Soma Cube
To make the Soma cube, you’ll need 27 identical blocks, each shaped in a perfect cube. I used cherry wood that was just a hair under 1x1x1, but you can use any size you want. They just have to be perfect cubes!
Glue them up into the 7 shapes shown below. I used regular wood glue and some painter’s tape to hold them together while they dried.
Apply a finish and, if you’re so inclined, build a small box to store them. The idea is to figure out how to fit the shapes together to form a perfect cube. Need a hint to figure it out? You’ll find the solution to the Soma Cube Puzzle here in the video.
Woodworking Gift Idea #3: Phone Dock / Amplifier
To make this phone dock, start with 4 thin panels (about 1/4 inch thick) measuring 9 inches by 3 inches.
Miter the edges of the panels and assemble them into a cube. Next, shape the cube by cutting off each end on an angle and cutting a slot for the phone. The angle of all the cuts is 33 degrees.
The final dimensions of this phone dock / amplifier are 2-1/2 x 2/-1/2 x 8. The slot for the phone was cut approximately 2 inches from the front edge and made just wide enough to fit my phone with its case. I used maple and walnut.
Woodworking Gift Idea #4: Bear Claw Salad Servers
To make these bear claw salad servers, start with 2 blocks of wood (I used Cherry) measuring roughly 8 x 4-1/2 x 1.
Print the templates and secure them using some light-duty spray adhesive. Starting with the profile template first, cut out the shape using a bandsaw. Then sand to smooth the face before securing the second template. Cut the claw shape out at the bandsaw. Then sand everything smooth and apply a food-safe finish.
Woodworking Gift Idea #5: House Shaped Coin Bank
A piggy bank is a great gift to make for you kids. Instead of being shaped like a pig, my coin bank is designed to look like a little house.
You’ll need 4 pieces of 3/4-inch plywood cut to 8-1/2 x 11 (same as a sheet of paper). Start by gluing together 2 of the pieces, then use some light-duty spray adhesive to stick down the inner template which will allow you to cut away the inside of the coin bank where the money will go. When making the cut on the bandsaw, make sure to enter and exit from the top of the chimney as this will become the coin slot.
Next, sandwich the 2 first pieces in between the 2 other pieces of plywood and glue them all together. Secure the outer template and cut the shape on the bandsaw to create the house.
Sand the house and paint on some decorative finish if you’d like. Don’t forgot to drill a hole into the bottom using a Forstner bit and add a tapered cork plug (large enough to fit the biggest coin in your local currency) so kids can get the money out when the time comes!
Download the free templates here:
- Bear claw salad server template
- House shaped coin bank templates | Inside | Outside
Want even more woodworking gift ideas? Check out my previous gift making editions:
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