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EVOO bottle into a shot glass
Not only is it healthy to implement extra virgin olive oil into your diet but that step also gives you free bottles, which usually are great for glass upcycling projects. I’ve made many interesting and useful containers out of oil bottles, among them there are flower vases, storage totes, drinking glasses and now shot glasses. This project was about upcycling an empty oil bottle and giving it a second life as a shot glass. Perfect for personal use and as a gift, also quite easy to make. The ideal size for serving vodkas and liqueurs. I started by removing the…
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Large and thick Krupnik liqueur glass
Krupnik Old Liqueur ranks among my favourite liqueurs. Previously, I had repurposed an older version of the bottle it came in. Although they’ve updated its appearance, the flavour and recipe remained unchanged. The new bottle looked like an ideal project and I simply needed a new glass, especially something like that – slightly tapered towards the top, heavy and with thick walls. I couldn’t resist making one. Before scoring the line on the glass, I needed to change the cutting wheel. The jig I made was equipped with a head, simply snapped off from a glass cutter. Periodically, I rotate…
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3 finger joint trays and 2 jigs
I wanted those trays to be made of wood, at least their frames. Solid wood looks better and is easier to sand. The material I had in stock required some work before use, it had to be ripped to thinner pieces and planed. But that wasn’t something I was afraid of – making the jigs and cutting the finger joints was the most interesting part of the process. That was due to the fact that for the first time, those joints were cut with a dado blade. Not only did I have to make a dedicated throat plate for my…
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Chopping board remake
To remake or to rework – that is the question. Had it been my original project, I might call it a rework, but since the board was purchased as is, “remake” seems more fitting for the entire endeavour. The board was always a bit too big, too square and too plain. It functioned well for years but eventually began to crack at both ends. It also never was easy to manoeuvre. The time had come and I had a chance to resolve all these issues. Although the job was straightforward, it took time because the workflow in my workshop had…
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Removable shelf top with a secret compartment
It was supposed to be a quick and simple project. The main goal was to build a larger shelf top for my cascade shelf only using scraps from past projects. The idea of incorporating a secret compartment wasn’t part of the initial plan, it emerged as inspiration struck during the process. Except for corner braces, all the materials and finishes were sourced from my existing supplies. While this saved time by eliminating the need to visit a local shop, it also presented a challenge – I could only use what was already in stock, ensuring that the final product would…
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Wooden fence with a gate
I am not a big fan of wooden fences with posts set directly in the ground, whether in a concrete base or wrapped in a plastic membrane. That makes them difficult to replace or repair. Easy maintenance was the primary factor influencing this build, but other considerations included improving existing ideas. It turned out that the old stakes were set too shallow in the ground (less than 1 foot!), hammered straight in with no rubble or concrete! I needed something more professional. What I had in mind was a properly anchored fence made from pressure-treated timber, with a few galvanised…
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Leap Day tools, edition 2024
This year’s February is one day longer than usual, it’s a leap year. That extra day, the 29th, brings a bunch of useful tools that deliver excellent results quickly and easily. There are jobs that no other tools would do and even though I was very sceptical about adding them to my tool collection, I’m happy I eventually did. It’s like an investment that pays off, sooner or later. You just have to wait for the right moment, take on a relevant job, build up your skills and enjoy the results. With the right tools, some knowledge and patience everything…
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Under shelf storage
It’s made from 100% upcycled materials, like PVC downpipe off-cuts, metal roofing sheet leftovers and pallet wood. There was an empty space underneath the shelf and initially, it was filled up with tools hanging from below on hooks. I soon realised that this setup was limited to items equipped with hanging holes and many items couldn’t be stored there due to their shapes and properties. I didn’t want to leave it as it was, and I couldn’t resist upcycling these old downpipes and other stuff. It would have been such a waste. I also needed more storage space, which is…
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Smirnoff glass, a long story short
It was a typical upcycling project, almost like deja vu. Every step was a repetition or an exact copy of something that had already happened in the process of cutting glass containers. I sometimes find myself saying “Nothing changes, only the size and colour of the bottles”. That’s why I’m trying to tell the story short, in just a few paragraphs fortified with a couple of pictures. Upcycling glass always starts with scoring, followed by splitting and sanding. But maybe that means the process is perfectly mastered and that’s why it works every time. It’s rather predictable and repetitive than…
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Dado stack throat plate
This insert is completely metal-free and is not adjustable. It fits perfectly and sits flush with the table saw top. It’s always ready to use and requires only a second for installation. This plate is essential when using a dado blade (I guess they’re called “grooving blades” here on the British Isles), ensuring safety when cutting rebates or box joints with the saw. As with everything in woodworking, this project too, could have been built in many other ways, but I tried to keep it as simple as possible. I also aimed to reduce the cost of materials to an…
