Quickie Paper Towel Holder Gift

[Vaughn McMillan]

Here's a little something I put together over the past few nights. It was a something to try the new bandsaw out on, and since LOML and I are going to a party tonight and supposed to take "white elephant" gifts, I figure I'll bring this as a gift and see if people fight over it.

The top and bottom are oak, and the back is oak and jatoba, with 1/8" maple accent stripes. The towel rod is a dowel from the local hardware store. This paper towel holder a prototype of an idea I've been cooking up for a while. The top is held on with rare earth magnets and stacks of steel washers inset into the wood.

I did the initial "wave" cuts on matching pieces of oak and jatoba, ganged up and glued together, then resawed the resulting pieces, so I had the materials for two (opposite-patterned) towel holders. (Double-sided tape would have been easier and faster.) I also made a plywood template of the wave cuts with the plan of using a flush trim bit in the router table to make the oak and jatoba pieces fit perfectly. Since the pieces were also somewhat small, I made jigs to hold the workpieces and the templates together so I could keep my fingers out of harm's way on the router table. Unfortunately, the first piece of jatoba I tried to trim this way exploded (thank goodness for the jig), so I decided to do the final shaping of the wave cuts with a sanding drum on the drill press. Slower, but far less nerve-wracking.

Here are a few shots...first the holder with all parts attached:

Wave1a 800.jpg

And with the top detached. Note the magnets in the back of the holder, and the stack of washers in the end grain of the top piece. There's also a magnet in the top piece that mates with a stack of washers in the end of the dowel rod:

Wave1b 800.jpg

And a view of the back...if I make any more holders like this, I think I'll carry the wave theme through the top (and maybe the base), too:

Wave1d 800.jpg

And lasting evidence that this was a "quick and dirty" assembly...pocket holes holding the back onto the base. No great joinery here. I did attach non-slip rubber pads on the bottom after this picture was taken, so it stays put real nicely on the countertop or table.

Wave1e 800.jpg

Fine woodworking it ain't, but it'll be a bit nicer than the average "white elephant" gift at this party tonight. Maybe it'll give some other Creekers ideas for a last-minute gift.

- Vaughn

[Christopher Pine]

I love using rare earth magnets for projects... great applicationa nd very handsome piece!
Chris

[Dan Forman]

It's a fine looking piece, someone will be happy for sure. I think carrying the wave through top and bottom would look great.

Dan

[Bernie Weishapl]

Great looking piece Vaughn. I like the wave on the back side. Someone is going to be happy.

[Jim Becker]

You're really cranking them out, Vaughn! Nice stuff. And, yes, great gift ideas.

[Frank Chaffee]

Vaughn,

Your so called “quick and dirty” work is at a level that I will be aspiring to for some time to come.

Good to see that you are noting relative efficiencies of processes with a mind to production, and above all, safety.

Keep up the nice work.

Frank