Even though this looks like a medieval torture device for squirrels it is in fact a spool and bobbin holder for a family friend. If you have a sewer (sewist, seamstress) in your midst a project like this might be welcome.
I reused a 19 inch square of 1/2 plywood as the back. This plywood had very thin veneer and so sanding it wore through the veneer is spots. I used dark rub on stain to create the random finish and laid out the 81 holes.
The holes are drilled on a 10 degree angle. I decided on 10 degrees because it would hold the spools and still be easy to drill with the jig I made.
After I drilled the holes I had to cut 1/4 dowel into 81 pieces 3 1/2 inches long. Again I set up a simple jig.
A jig can be something as simple as a mitre box with a stop block clamped in place. What ever makes the task easier and more automatic can be called a jig.
This sort of project is not difficult but it is time consuming. It took a hour to cut the dowel, taper both ends of the 1/4 dowel with a pencil sharpener, add glue and hammer each piece into place. After I drove the dowels into their holes I had to wipe the plywood down with a damp cloth to clean up the squeezed out glue. All of those things take time when done 81 times.
The whole project took about two hours and cost about $10.00 for materials. If you know some one that sews and would like to get organised this would be a good gift.
cheers, ianw
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