Okay, aside from getting organized, what are you doing after the holidays? It's a great time to get out in the shop and putter. Not sure what to do? Take a look at these great projects you can make with your ultra precision saw arbor and blade. Get off the couch and stop being a slug! Make this the best year yet in the shop.
Make Puzzles
Puzzles with less than 500 pieces are still fun. Make a large puzzle with 20 to 25 pieces and sit it out on a coffee table. People will start talking for sure. Here's what you do. Just start with your sketch laid out on grid paper. Take a look at this one from
Stuff Done Right
Convert it to a 1:1 scale 2D DXF file for simplicity. Use work stock about 1/8" thick. Start cutting with an ultra precision arbor and blade. Use an arbor that gets the blade close to the work area. Take your time to make the intricate cuts. This is how it turns out.
With enough practice, you'll be making these as gifts by the end of the year.
Wine Glass Charms
Wine glass charms help guests keep their glasses straight. For design inspiration, head over to
Etsy where people sell these things for a pretty penny. Make a simple star or a complex as a snowflake. Because your ultra precision arbor absorbs vibration, you don't worry about chatter and can cut complex designs. Heck, you might even start making these to sell yourself!
Add beads or gems to the charm for a real artistic touch.
Cut Some Chargers
Chargers are metal plates larger than a dinner plate. They are used to make a table look just a bit fancier. Most women swoon over chargers but they don't want to buy them. So, start practicing now and come birthdays or Mother's Day you will be ready to make a set of charger plates. Basically, all you need is a large round piece of metal. Check out this one from
Home Depot of all places!
You could cheat by buying the charger and just cutting the design. For a fancy touch, spray it with paint and bake the finish on in the oven. With a delicate design like this, use ultra precision. So, be sure to use an ultra precision arbor.
Ultra Precision Arbor Made in the USA
As an American machine hobbyist, don't you want to support the hard working people in the US who machine for a living? Sure you do. So resolve to buy American in 2020. Buy your
ultra precision arbor from
The Tool Company.
Get your cutter up close with no chatter or vibration. Now that's precision. So, get in the shop. Create great things in 2020. Who knows, you might even sell them for a few bucks and turn your hobby into a side hustle.
Image Courtesy of Stuff Done Right