Kenner Patton made two of the Fleur-de-lis Planters featured in this article when he was a budding, 15-year-old woodworker. He looks at them now—years later—with a critical perfectionist's eye.
The boards aren't quite tight enough, he fusses. The level of craftsmanship just isn't there, and he nearly cringes that his mother keeps them.
Patton has offered—nearly pleaded, in fact—to make two new ones to stand outside the door to his mother's Mississippi farmhouse. But his mom will have none of it. She already has the most beautiful planters in the world.
It is in that spirit that we suggest you consider making one of these five projects this holiday season. From an adorable rocking horse for little ones at Christmas to a comfortable, Adirondack-style lawn chair that beckons spring, we like to think we've covered the seasons.
While the five projects vary in difficulty, anyone can accomplish them with a few tools and some time.
You probably already have the major tools you'll need. Patton refers to these as the woodworking big five:
Circular saw
Jigsaw
Drill
Router
Sander
Obviously, other things such as a ruler, pencils, a square and a good work table also are necessary.
When you order plans for these projects, they will come with a materials list. But in an effort to make the projects more unique, Patton encourages you to adapt whatever you may have on hand (lumber, hardware) to do the job.
The Country Rocking Horse was a big hit with the kids who tried out the model Patton constructed. He used hemp rope for the mane and tail, and he made the eyes from drawer pulls. "I like the gift aspect of the rocking horse," he says. "Plus you can start and finish it in a day."
Making the horse's curves is the trickiest part of the project because it requires a lot of work with the jigsaw. You also need to be careful to make the rockers identical. "If they aren't, the horse can wobble and creep across the room," Patton says. He cut the rockers out with the two pieces screwed together so they would be cut and sanded the same.
Though you're seeing a new, unfinished wood version of the rocking horse here, the sky's the limit as to whether you finish or paint the toy. "My personal preference would be to paint it red," says Patton. We'll leave that decision up to you.
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Fleur-de-lis Planter
"This is not a trendy design," says Patton. "It is timeless." He should know—his mother still cherishes the one he built her 25 years ago.
Patton recommends using "marine-grade" plywood for the sides and bottom of the planter and pressure-treated pine for the rest of the construction. The planter has to stand up to years of contact with soil, plants and water.
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Lawn Chair
Relax in this Adirondack-style lawn chair. The tapered and rounded wooden back pieces make this chair as good-looking as it is comfortable. And the arms are wide enough to hold a drink or even a small plate, making this chair perfect for cooking out with family and friends.
"The cool thing about the lawn chair is that it would be easy to cut the pieces for several chairs at one time," says Patton. That's a good thing because most people tend to use these chairs in groups of two or more.
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Storage Cubbies
Some of you may recognize the storage-cubby project. These storage units were used in the shop at the Progressive Farmer Idea House and Farmstead featured in last month's magazine.
While we used them to store tools and materials, you could just as well use these cubbies to keep children's toys off the floor in their rooms. Or you could use them to hold supplies in the laundry room, tack room or even the kitchen.
This project may be the most challenging of the five. "The shelf supports have to be cut pretty accurately," says Patton. "They aren't 90-degree cuts, but angle cuts."
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Country Rocking Horse
This charming little rocker will make a nice decorative element to any home long after its time on the trail for small ones has passed. With a nice finish or paint job and a rope for reins, you'll be compelled to pet it, too—after cooling the little filly or colt down, of course.
You might even be tempted to take this horse to a whole other level by fashioning a saddle from leather or other material or by using real horse hair for the mane and tail. And you could certainly paint your own expressive eyes.
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Bench with Shelf
Perhaps the easiest of these projects, this bench may be the most versatile. Where couldn't you use another place to sit while taking off your boots? As an added bonus there is a shelf underneath the seat, doubling its potential for storage uses.
Like most projects, you'll want to sand it to a nearly silky smoothness before finishing or painting. "If you're going to buy only one sander," Patton urges, "get a random orbital sander. It can do most any job and can finish off the sanding process without leaving curly-cue marks in the wood."