Today I wanted to show you a fun little tic-tac-toe game that I made out of scrap wood and marbles.

This is a great project for all skill levels, and it’s a perfect way to add a personal touch to your next game night.

To make your own game, you’ll need a block of scrap wood, a saw, a drill press with a round nosed bit, and some marbles.

First, mark and drill nine holes into the wood to create the tic-tac-toe grid.

Next to store the marbles you’re going to want to drill 2 holes deep enough to fit your marbles. In my case I used a bit that was a bit larger than 1/2″.

To hide the marble holes I added an accent of maple to the edge using one side as a sort of lid.

By using 2 magnets recessed into the side it conceals the holes and blends in while in use.

Done, you’re ready to play!

This is a great game for kids and adults alike, and it’s a wonderful way to spend some quality time together. So next time you’re looking for a fun and easy DIY project, why not give this tic-tac-toe game a try?

Thanks for watching!

Have you ever felt the itch to create something with your own two hands? To transform a rough piece of lumber into a beautiful and functional object? If so, you’re not alone. The desire to make, to build, and to express yourself through craftsmanship is a powerful urge that has fueled humanity for centuries.

Lee Valley, a company synonymous with exceptional woodworking tools, understands this desire deeply. That’s why they’ve launched the inspiring “Inspired to Make” series, featuring a cast of talented woodworkers who embody the spirit of craftsmanship.

One of the standout personalities in the series is Nick Offerman, the man behind the iconic character of Ron Swanson from Parks and Recreation. Offerman is a passionate woodworker in real life, and his “Offerman Woodshop” episode is a testament to the therapeutic and fulfilling nature of woodworking.

Watching Offerman expertly navigate his workshop, using an array of Lee Valley tools to create beautiful pieces, is not only a masterclass in craftsmanship but also a source of inspiration. It shows that with the right tools, dedication, and a touch of creativity, anyone can embark on their own woodworking journey.

But Lee Valley’s Inspired to Make isn’t just about Ron Swanson (although, let’s be honest, that’s pretty darn cool). The series features a diverse range of woodworkers, each with their own unique style and approach. Whether you’re drawn to the delicate artistry of woodcarving, the intricate joinery of furniture making, or the creation of functional wooden objects, there’s an episode (or ten) that will spark your imagination.

The takeaway from Inspired to Make is clear: creating something with your own hands is an empowering and rewarding experience. Lee Valley, with their commitment to quality woodworking tools and craftsmanship, puts the power to make in your hands. So, what are you waiting for? Let Lee Valley inspire you to unleash your inner woodworker and start creating today!

Ready to dive in? Here are some resources to get you started:

• Browse Lee Valley’s extensive collection of woodworking tools: https://www.leevalley.com/
• Explore the Inspired to Make series and discover woodworkers who inspire you: Inspired to Make – Would Works 

Remember, the only limit is your imagination. So, grab your tools, find your inspiration, and start making!

Ever find a hidden treasure that sparked inspiration? In this video, I take you on a journey as I transform a piece of salvaged leather, found on a riverbank, into a beautiful and functional pen sheath. This is my first ever leatherworking project, and I’m excited to share the process with you, from cleaning and prepping the leather to cutting, stitching, and finishing the final product.

This video is perfect for anyone who loves DIY projects, upcycling, or simply enjoys the beauty of handcrafted leather goods, and wants to see if leatherworking is for them.

What you’ll learn:

How to identify and assess salvaged leather for beginners Basic leatherworking techniques (cutting, stitching, finishing) Creating a simple and functional pen sheath

A few years ago I made a clock from some really cheap clock movements and it was OK

I thought it might be nice to make one that had actual time indications, and so I did.

I started off by gluing some scrap of walnut into a bigger slab.

I then cleaned up the edges on the table saw leaving some room for final dimensions later.

My clock arms were about 80mm long, giving me a diameter of 160mm. I added enough space around that diameter until I thought it looked good.

I marked my center line and found where I would place the hole, It should be noted that I am working on the backside of the clock for now.

Once I had the center point marked I took my template which was large enough to fit the clock movement inside of, in my case that was around 60mm. I cut a square in some think plywood and marked the center points around the edges so that I could align that on my clock.

I then took the Walnut block over to the Drill Press and set the depth stop so that I would have about 7mm of wood left before drilling all the way through.

This hole needs to be large enough to fit a router bit for the next step, I think I used a 1” Forstner bit.

After applying some double-sided tape to the back of the clock I aligned by the template and began to route the material away.

I used a ½” flush-trim bit with the bearing on the top.

I took slow shallow passes working in a clockwise direction, but pay attention to the wood grain direction and the rotation of your router bit. Make sure that the chips are not getting clogging up in the hole. If you need, stop and take the time to clean the cavity out.

After the hole was completed I used the center point from the Forstner bit and drilled a 5/16ths hole for the movement to fit through.

At this point, I was ready to add some “style” so I cut the left, right, and top edges at 15 degrees and the bottom at 5 degrees. I thought the clock looked neat sitting back a little bit.

The angles on the side make the clock appear a bit less chunky.

It’s now time to drill the holes that will indicate time.

If you were going to hang this on the wall then I would cut all sides at 15 Degrees then drill a hole near the top of the clock so that you could hang it.

I sanded the clock all the way up to 400 grid and then applied a couple of coats of Tung oil.

Inserted the clock movement and attached the arms.

I hope you enjoyed this one, and please if you haven’t already, please like and subscribe 😁

I was at a local bookstore and saw some wooden puzzles on my way out and the Tangram Hexiamond puzzle caught my eye.

Each piece can be made of up 6 equilateral triangles, and consists of 12 pieces all unique with their own names.

The bar, crook, crown, sphinx, snake, yacht, chevron, signpost, lobster, hook, hexagon, and butterfly.

After drawing the shapes I looked for repetitive shapes that would simplify the process.

In making this I came across a few challenges like how to accurately and safely cut so many small pieces. 

Using a crosscut sled, I had a scrap piece of wood cut at 30 degrees that would allow me to cut the angles needed.

Using the cut off rotated 90 degrees allows me a positive stop with a 123 block letting me set my length and make those repetitive cuts and prevent any bidding as these little pieces would surely catch the blade and if not get damaged fly into your face.

If there is some demand I may create a digital drawing.

https://mathworld.wolfram.com/Hexiamond.html

When I was a kid, I saw spinning some contraption above his head that sounded like an aeroplane taking off.

The bullroarer, rhombus, or turndun, is an ancient ritual musical instrument and a device historically used for communicating over great distances. It consists of a piece of wood attached to a string, which when swung in a large circle produces a roaring vibrato sound.

Wikipedia

These are incredibly simple to build and an excellent beginner project.

At a minimum you will need some string and a flat piece of wood.

For mine, I chose some some scrap Wenge about a foot long and 1/4″ thick. I cut the ends to a pleasing angle and then tapered the sides with a chamfer bit.

Drilling a hole in the end and chamfering the edges to prevent the string from breaking. In the video I used twisted nylon twine which promptly unraveled. You will want to use a braided line. I used about 15 feet of 150lb braided fishing line which you can see in the photo.

Next, fined an open space and start spinning!

As you spin, the bullroarer will begin to tumble through the air and will eventually ROAR!

Variations in the paddles length and width will change the sound created so experiment!

First on the list is Jimmy Diresta, who has a wealth of experience in all things DIY and is always coming up with creative and innovative projects. Crafted Workshop is another channel worth checking out, as the hosts share their love of all things crafty and demonstrate how to make a wide range of projects. ISHITANI FURNITURE is a must-see for woodworking enthusiasts, as the maker shares his expert techniques and beautiful creations.

jimmydiresta

Crafted Workshop

ISHITANI FURNITURE

Spencley Design Co. is another great channel for those interested in woodworking and furniture making, while Wittworks offers a mix of woodworking and other DIY projects. Scott Walsh is a multi-talented maker who shares his skills in woodworking, electronics, and more, while Phil Vandelay is a skilled craftsman with a focus on furniture making and design.

Spencley Design Co.

Wittworks

Scott Walsh

Phil Vandelay

Zac Builds is a great channel for those interested in metalworking and fabrication, as is Paul Brodie, who is an expert in custom bike building and restoration. Andrew Szeto is a furniture maker and designer with a unique style using mainly recycled skate boards, and Foureyes Furniture is a channel focused on high end furniture and modern design.

Zac Builds

paul brodie

Andrew Szeto

Foureyes Furniture

Make Something is a channel that covers a wide range of DIY and maker projects, from woodworking and metalworking to electronics and robotics. Jonathan Katz-Moses is another multi-talented maker who shares his skills in woodworking, products, and more. GET HANDS DIRTY is a great channel for those interested in all things DIY with a focus on colourful and practical design.

Make Something

Jonathan Katz-Moses

GET HANDS DIRTY

Michael Alm is a skilled craftsman with a focus on furniture making leveraging amazing plywood patterns, while 3x3Custom – Tamar‘s channel is a great resource for DIY projects and Jigs that make working easy. Simone Giertz is a maker and inventor who is known for her quirky and creative projects, and Pask Makes is a great channel for those interested in woodworking and furniture making, a lot of his tools are hand made and worth a look.

Michael Alm

3x3Custom – Tamar

Simone Giertz

Pask Makes

Make Things is a channel that covers a wide range of DIY projects, including woodworking, metalworking, and more. Lucia’s Workshop is a great resource for those interested in metalworking and fabrication, while Tyler Bell is a skilled maker set on testing modern day myths.

Make Things

Lucia’s Workshop

Tyler Bell

Jackman Works is a channel dedicated to woodworking and DIY projects, while Laura Kampf is a maker and DIY enthusiast who shares her skills in woodworking, metalworking, and more. Woby Design is a YouTube channel that features a variety of DIY projects, including woodworking and metalworking. Make With Miles is a great resource for those interested in woodworking, furniture making, and other crafty projects. His use of patterns will leave you wanting more. While Third Coast Craftsman is a channel focused on fine woodworking and furniture making.

Jackman Works

Laura Kampf

Woby Design

Make With Miles

Third Coast Craftsman

The Wood Whisperer is a must-see for woodworking enthusiasts, as the host shares his expert techniques and beautiful creations. I Like To Make Stuff is a channel that covers a wide range of DIY and maker projects, from woodworking and metalworking to electronics and robotics. TheCrafsMan SteadyCraftin is a channel dedicated to all things DIY, crafts, painting, figureines, and more. Finally, Jurre Mattheeuwse is a skilled craftsman with a focus on woodworking and furniture making.

The Wood Whisperer

I Like To Make Stuff

TheCrafsMan SteadyCraftin

Jurre Mattheeuwse

If you enjoyed this article, consider giving my own channel a view!

In conclusion, these YouTubers are an inspiration to all of us and are truly making a positive impact on the world through their creativity, passion, and dedication to their craft. Whether you’re interested in DIY projects, woodworking, metalworking, or any other type of maker activity, there’s something for everyone to learn and enjoy from these talented individuals. As we look forward to 2023, it’s exciting to think about all the new projects and creations that these YouTubers will share with their audiences. We can’t wait to see what they have in store for us in the coming year and beyond!

I wanted to make something that would feature a nice pen or pencil on a desk, I settled on a tray with a nice concave dish to it.

After processing some scrap walnut to 48mm x 28mm  or 1 7/8″ x 1 1/8″ keeping in mind that the router bit needs to fit within the width plus a little extra. So adjust as needed.

I used the edge of my bench and some box tubing as a guide spaced exactly as wide as my router, I then found the center and attached the work piece to the middle of the a scrap base. 

Attache the base to the work surface so that it’s not going to move when we start routing.

NOTE: Make sure that when you are attaching the work piece to the base that your screws are no where near when the router bit will be!

My router was loaded up with a 1-3/4-Inch bowl bit that I bought off of Amazon. 

Mark the length of the pencil or pen + a little extra. I wanted about an inch past the length of my pencil  to where the radius of the bit would begin. For me that was or 21cm or 8 1/4″.

I then began to make some light passes stopping at my lines and making sure to take my time. I went about as the full cutting depth of my bit.

After removing the work piece from the base I cut it to length matching the edge thickness as best as I could to the ends.

Now you could stop here but I felt like I was on a roll with the roundness of this thing. So I headed over to the old rusty and dusty belt sander to match the radius on the ends.

And now it’s time to sand! I worked my way up from 100 to 400 grit hand sanding the inside.

For a finish I used my trusty Tung Oil.

I hope you enjoyed this project, I know it was fun to make. I think this would look amazing if you had some very figured woods.

This was to ensure routine and help build muscle memory. In a bike shop it’s about being efficient with your time and getting through the work as quickly as possible. Part of that efficiency besides being technically adept is to be organized.

After I put in a bit of time I asked why the full time benches of the more senior mechanics were not all set up the same. Each mechanic had leaned the skills needed and was now able to optimize their workflows. Someone who’s left handed probably doesn’t want their bench vise on the same side as someone who’s right handed.

In the beginning, finding tools was a challenge, and knowing what tools were missing was also a challenge.

Things got lost or broken, and even stollen all the time. Some benches had multiples because they were natural collecting point for the tools people grabbed while in transit and then deposit it on the next closet bench.

Painting tools allows for a few obvious benefits, it’s easy to colour match the tools to a bench. Green to Green, Blue to Blue. It’s incredibly easy to tell when a tool has walked off and is now residing on another bench.

When your tools are placed back where they belong you can at a glance see what’s missing. This helps you to communicate to theres that something is missing or if something was broken and needs to be replaced.

If you enjoyed this article, consider giving my own channel a view!

A couple of years ago I kept seeing little block robots and wanted to make some for my kids, nieces, and nephews.

They are simple builds really only needing a drill and a saw, some CA glue, and paracord.

Use your creativity to determine the size of the hands, feet, head, and body.

I chose to give the robot a mouth using the table saw and countersunk some eyes.

I drilled a hole all the way through the center of the head, and across for the arms.

The legs go in about 1cm and I drilled about halfway through the hands and feet.

Using CA glue you and activator if you like you can glue the feet and one hand.

Give the leg holes on the body a bit of CA glue and insert the paracord legs. the activator will set the glue immediately.

When doing the arms I would recommend sliding the paracord all the way through and then glue the other hand, you don’t need to glue the arms into the body but if you do, slide the arm out a bit and then add some CA glue and pull the arm back in.

Keep the head/neck paracord longer than you need, once you glue the head on you can finish the cord off however you like.

Optionally if you don’t want a knot on the top of the head then don’t drill all the way through.

Using a lighter or a torch to clean up the ends of the paracord isn’t needed but makes life easy!