Top 5 Summer Woodworking Projects On A Tight Budget

The journey of learning how to work with woods is not at all easy. It requires proper training, keen observation power, lots of patience and of course enough skill to make perfect wooden products with eminent creativity. It is an obvious fact that every woodworker has started as a novice DIY woodcrafter and gradually gained dexterity by practicing over and over. Additionally, not every woodworker has the capacity to start their woodworking profession with a large and lavish project as woodworking needs a lot of different types of hand and power tools and some of them are really expensive. Along with that the woodworkers also need to gain the knowledge of handling different woodworking tools properly before taking part in any bigger project as well as starting a new woodworking business.

So, this article is especially for the beginner woodworkers who want to become efficient in woodworking, they should utilize their summer holidays to improve their skills in the same. Therefore, in this article we have profiled up a few ideas of small budget woodworking projects for the fresher woodworkers.

But before that it is important to know for the novice woodworkers that working with woods is really a tricky and time consuming process. This is the reason why many people tend to fail in woodworking as they get into this occupation with a thought that it is a mere method of earning money like any other job. But as a form of human creative power, it demands a lot that is beyond our common concept of woodworking. If any woodworker can do it with utter perfection, he or she can make it a successful profession and he or she can share his or her creations to others. You can also check theedgecutter for more such projects.

So, let’s dive into the inexpensive woodworking ideas especially for the beginners. The woodworking projects we are going to cue up in this article, would not exceed the maximum limit of $30!

Multi-purpose chopping board and serving tray

The very first woodworking project we are going to talk about a kitchen gear that is a multi-purpose cutting board plus serving tray. There is obviously a cutting board and a serving tray at everyone’s kitchen and everyone wants a kitchen gear that needs to be easy to use and clean as well. So, it can be your summer woodworking plan though it would not take more than 24 hours if you work uninterruptedly on it. Here provided the essentials and instructions below:

Required tools for the project

You would need to arrange necessary tools in order to ease your project work and time.

• Jigsaw
• Miter saw
• Cordless drill
• Forstner drill bits
• Orbital sander
• Safety glasses
• Gloves
• Measuring tape

Materials

Before starting working on such a project you should get the essential materials for the project. Such as, buy a maple board as it contains the most beautiful wooden texture to sustain the vintage wooden look and walnut strips for making the tray handles. Dowels according to your project’s size.

Process

First start with drilling the walnut strips for making the holes to fit dowels as handle holders. Then clamp the maple boards together to make arcs at the both sides’ end. After that remove the boards from the clamp and saw and sand them all over along with the arcs’ ends. Attach the boards together with glue for making the board as well as the serving tray’s main body then glue the handle parts by adding two sturdy dowels as handle and coat stains or vanish on it as your wish. And your project is ready!

Wooden sofa sleeve with cup holder 

Though quite ridiculous to hear about but sometimes it is really tiring to lean forward to the tea table to keep and grab the coffee cup again and again! I think most of the people think the same as I do! A sofa handle sleeve with a cup holder is really essential for lazy people like me. So, making this kind of wooden sofa sleeve can be a good weekend woodworking project. Let’s look forward to the process:

Required tools for the project

• Clamps
• Hole saw according to the specific diameter you want or as per your cup’s size
• Drill press
• Measuring tape
• Pencil
• Power drills in case you don’t have a large hole saw or if you are using pocket screws to attach the sleeve’s joints.

Materials

You will need equal sized and lengthened wooden boards or you can pick up thin plywood boards too if you don’t want to spend much. These are easily available in the wooden raw material stores. You also require wood adhesives, wood stains, sandpapers, polyurethane coatings etc.

Process

Start your project by measuring your sofa arms from both height and width sides to determine the size of wooden boards you would need. Generally, you would need 3×4 inches thick wooden boards that are considered to be the standard thickness of any wooden boards. Then hold the top piece with a clamp to make the cup hole with the help of a hole saw and drill press. Sand the wooden boards all over. Attach the three wooden board pieces together with wood adhesives or in case you want more sturdy construction you can fasten them with pocket screws by using power drills. Then apply wood stain on it and leave it for at least 12 hours so that stain sir properly and then cover the hollow cup holder part with a square shaped plywood piece by applying glue. At the end use two coats of polyurethane on the sleeve in order to protect it from the cup’s moisture contents.

Bottle Vase Stand

Flower means a glimpse of natural light within its vibrant colours of petals. And decorating the interiors of your house will be more appealing and classy if they are presented in aesthetic manners. It is not always important to buy expensive flower holders or vases for floral decorations. You can turn simple wood pieces to exotic and vintage style vases along with some add  one. Let’s check how:

Required tools for the project

• Screw clamp
• Triangle
• Compass
• Handsaw
• Drill with saw attachments
• Drill press

Materials

You would need a regular pallet of woods, epoxy adhesives, few glass bottles, sandpapers, polyurethane coatings for the project.

Process

Take a large wood pallet and cut four boards from it using your miter saw. Cut the top and bottom pieces of the same measurements and so as the side parts. Remember the attached frame should be a rectangular shape. If you are using different sizes of bottles then make sure that the height of holes on the top piece must be shorter than the height of the shortest bottle. For making holes you would need a forstner drill bit by clamping the top board on a scrap board. Make sure that the holes are made in the same line. Then assemble the wood pieces all together. You can either glue them or fasten them with screws. After the frame is structured, stain it if you want or can leave it after sanding only but you must coat the frame with polyurethane to protect it from moisture. Set the bottles inside the frame with your favourite flowers in them and enjoy the essence of beauty!

Easy pallet bookshelf

Everyone of us has used pallets in our houses. We find them of no use and tend to dispose or sell them. But such pallets can be transformed into vintage style bookshelves for the living room and bedrooms. Trust me it won’t take the time of even half of a day if you have proper equipment and knowledge of the making process of the same.

Required tools for the project

• Measuring tape
• Pencil
• Fasteners and different sizes of nails
• Hand saw
• Circular saw
• Sanders
• Stains

Materials

Just pick the leftover pallet from your store room or garage and start working for making the bookshelf project.

Process

Make a proper plan or better draw a design as you want your bookshelf be and then disassemble the existing pallets first. Measure the pallets and cut them as per your made up design. Sand the pallet pieces finely so that there won’t be any sharp edges left. Attach the wood pieces together with wood glues and fasten the shelves underneath by giving them the support of horizontal lined up one or two wooden boards. You can add the number of shelves you want and then fix it to the structured vertical stand frame. Stain it according to your design. Let it dry and place it to your desired corner of your home.

Small farmhouse bench

Though, it has given a name of farmhouse bench, not necessary it must be used in the farmhouses only. You can also place such benches by the side of your fireplace or garden area or at the entrance of your home. This is no doubt an inexpensive but useful woodworking project for any woodworker.

Required tools for the project

• Miter saw
• Greg jig
• Sander and sandpapers
• Drill
• Countersink drill bit
• Measuring tape
• Pencil
• Safety guards for eyes, ears, hands etc
• Hole screws
• Grabber screws

Materials

Arrange raw materials from the woodworking raw material stores. You will also require wood filler, wood adhesives, stains, polyurethane coatings etc.

Process

Your very first duty is to make a blueprint for the project and work according to the specific plans. You can make a DIY wooden bench only using three large sized wooden boards. Keep a large one uncut for the sitting part and cut the rest two for making the stands and underneath supports. Sand the wooden pieces after cutting as per measurements. Then attach the legs of the bench with the sitting part from opposite. Tack the legs with a large board to the large piece of board before securing them with the screws as angled leg parts are difficult to hold with clamps. Try to make cross angled legs of the bench because those would give the bench a sturdy construction. At the end stain and use polyurethane coating on the bench after stains dried up. Your bench would be ready to use.