# Trays for Christmas



## jd99 (Dec 17, 2010)

Here is a sample of some of the 18 candy or chip trays I made (well still working on the last 3) for Christmas presents this year.

Next year I hope to be good enough with the pens, i'll give pens, and boxes. But I think I'm going to start in July. :wink:


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## maxwell_smart007 (Dec 17, 2010)

I wish I knew how you made those - they're amazing!


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## jimm1 (Dec 17, 2010)

Very nice.


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## bobjackson (Dec 17, 2010)

Those are great. Super.


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## Jim15 (Dec 17, 2010)

Those are awesome.


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## ToddMR (Dec 17, 2010)

Very nicely done indeed!  I like them all and you did good quality work on them all.


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## jd99 (Dec 17, 2010)

maxwell_smart007 said:


> I wish I knew how you made those - they're amazing!


Thanks:

I glue up the blanks with what ever wood they are going to be made of, and use router templates to cut the inside first I hog most of the material out with a forstner bit, then use my router with a bowl bit and finish the inside, then scribe the outside shape, band saw the outside, and sand with spindle sander.  Then route the radius on the top and botom edges with the router table then finish sand. I use walnut oil, and wax for the finish.


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## ed4copies (Dec 17, 2010)

Well Andrew!!  Danny has given you all the info you need!!! (Thanks Danny--nice work and kind of you to tell us how it's done!!)

So we'll look forward to seeing more soon!!!!

Great presents!!!


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## beck3906 (Dec 17, 2010)

Will Exotic Blanks be offering a new product line?:biggrin:I can see a new supplier of router supplies.   That's all I need...more ways to spend money.

The trays are really nice.  I've collected a few templates myself but haven't had time to use them.  You've given me the inspiration to start.


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## darcisowers (Dec 17, 2010)

those are AWESOME!!


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## alphageek (Dec 17, 2010)

darcisowers said:


> those are AWESOME!!



I second that... thats exactly what I was about to post!!


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## jd99 (Dec 17, 2010)

*Another project*

This is the project that got me started in woodworking about four years ago. My wife raises and breeds Finches, and she wanted a cage that looked like it belonged in the house, so this is what I made her.

I had never done raised panel doors before, or anything big out of wood, this took a couple of years to finish, as I did it all in my spare time while working a full time job, I did all the metal work myself, (retired tool & die maker) made the frames for the wire mesh from scratch, etc. The unit has three seperate cages; wire mesh on the sides top and bottom, and acrylic on front and back doors.


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## PaulDoug (Dec 17, 2010)

Those are some great looking trays.  Super work.


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## WoodWorkinthe530 (Dec 17, 2010)

The trays look great, I've been wanting to try some of those.

The cage looks great too, I don't think I have ever seen a bird cage as furnature/built-in.

Chris


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## Jeremy (Dec 18, 2010)

Nice. Did you make the templates yourself or is there somewhere with an assortment of them?


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## moke (Dec 18, 2010)

JD99-
Can you tell me where you got the patterns for the Xmas pieces?
Thanks


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## CHICAGOHAND (Dec 19, 2010)

Nice work. I have used the same system. The only dislike is the sanding on the inside. 
Anyone have any tips????????


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## Jeremy (Dec 19, 2010)

Well, I found a place for the snowmen, but not the others.

http://www.ptreeusa.com/router_jigs_templates.htm


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## beck3906 (Dec 19, 2010)

These are what I'm ordering.

http://www.eagleamerica.com/prod_detail_list/router_access_-_router_templates


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## jd99 (Dec 19, 2010)

moke said:


> JD99-
> Can you tell me where you got the patterns for the Xmas pieces?
> Thanks


I ordered them from Eagle, I now have them all except the santa hat, I also have the regular round set (chip tray), and the heart set for Val. Day.

I started with the set from CMT, but I like the ones from Eagle because they are acrylic, and I can use double sided tape, when I used the double sided tape on the mdf ones from CMT, it started tearing the mdf up with every use. The acrylic doesn't have that issue.


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## ctubbs (Dec 19, 2010)

That is some very good work.  I know I have been looking at those for a bit, but the $$ scared me off.  Thanks for showing your beautiful work.  They will make someone very happy this Christmas.
Charles


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## CHICAGOHAND (Dec 19, 2010)

How are you dealing with sanding the inside???


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## Timbo (Dec 20, 2010)

They all look great!  I like the round dish with the accented top edge the best.  It can be used anytime of year.  Good job.


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## jd99 (Dec 20, 2010)

CHICAGOHAND said:


> How are you dealing with sanding the inside???


It's a Pain in the A... the bottoms I sand with the 2" daisy edge sanding disc, and a 1" disc, the sides Inside & Out I sand by hand, and the bottom is normal sanding.

The trick is to use a good sharp bowl bit and keep it moving so you don't burn the wood; then there is less sanding, I'm on my second set of bits.
I use both the 3/4" and the 1 1/4" the only thing with the 3/4" is you can't use the bit extension because it's biger then the bit (I just kept sticking the bit out further and be careful). 

If you do the tree you will need to use the 3/4" bit the 1 1/4" is a bit too much for the tight radiuses; it will work but it's white knuckle routing.


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## glycerine (Dec 20, 2010)

I see the templates are made of 3/8" acrylic.  Is this something that some of our resident scroll saw guys could make... and sell to us (hint, hint)?


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## moke (Dec 20, 2010)

*Thanks*



jd99 said:


> moke said:
> 
> 
> > JD99-
> ...


 

JD99--
Thanks for the advice, the very night I asked you this, I got the mail and there was a new Eagle flyer. It is good to know that I should get these instead of the CMT. Thanks again..


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## Phunky_2003 (Dec 20, 2010)

glycerine said:


> I see the templates are made of 3/8" acrylic. Is this something that some of our resident scroll saw guys could make... and sell to us (hint, hint)?


 
I've made a few templates a couple years ago.  So yes they could be done by those who have scrollsaws.


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## CHICAGOHAND (Dec 20, 2010)

Thanks for the reply. I thought someone had an easier way to sand these than I did.


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## hebertjo (Dec 21, 2010)

Anyone have an idea how much these x-mas trays could be sold for? It sounds like a lot of time spent sanding to get a good finish. I hate sanding!


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## Rangertrek (Dec 23, 2010)

Those are very nice!  Did a few of those when I first got my router a few years back.  You may have inspired me to get out the templates.


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