Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Paint pot holder tutorial

     A little while ago I made this paint pot holder that you can see at Anna's right.  This, being a prototype is a little rough, and the stain didn't work out very well.  I made a couple more for the twins, and they were so easy to make, that I thought I would share how I made them, if anyone didn't feel like spending $18+ dollars on one. 











Here's the materials and tools you need.

Materials:
  One 1"x4" (the length will depend on how many you want to make, but you will need at least 2 feet to make one holder)
  Sand paper, in various coarseness.
Wood Glue.
  4 oz. canning jars.  I have only seen these sold in twelve packs, but they are useful for so many things.

Tools:
  A saw. A hand saw would work, but a chop saw gets it done fast.
  An electric drill.
  A 2 1/2" hole drill attachment like the one seen in the picture.
  Clamps.
Nice, but not necessary, is a palm sander, or any kind of electric sander.
     So here's what to do after you've got all your supplies. Cut two 11 1/2 " lengths.  On one of them, mark three spots to drill your holes.  Make a mark in the exact center, and then measure out from there.  On mine I measured 3 1/2 " away from the center on both sides.  Remember a 1"x 4" is not 4 inches wide.  They are usually 3 1/2", but measure yours to be sure. 
     Put a scrap piece of wood under your board, then clamp it down.  Drill your holes.
A hole drill makes a rough cut, so you'll need to sand, and sand, your holes smooth.  You will not be able to do much sanding on them after you glue your boards together, so get them as smooth as you can now, but only round the edge on one side.
Now, glue the two boards together, matching them up carefully and clamping.





After the glue is dry, sand it well and put a oil polish on it.  If you sand the edges and corners well, it almost looks like one piece. 









     Put your jars in, and that's it! 

2 comments:

  1. This is such a great idea...will definitely be making it!

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  2. Thanks! I would love to know how it turns out for you.

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