Better Homes and Gardens (Australia)
Quick ‘n’ clever Three projects you can knock up in a few hours
Have a crack at these three fab projects you can knock off in just a few hours!
CLEVER PLATTER
Despite its name, a circular saw is designed to cut a straight line, but by thinking outside the square you can use yours to cut a perfect circle and create a super-sized serving platter.
Gather your supplies
• 1210 x 600 x 19mm laminated pine panel
You’ll also need
Circular saw; pencil; scrap 15mm plywood; drill; 20mm screws; pine wood filler; 120- and 180grit sandpaper; rag; Feast Watson Kitchen Timber Oil
For you to note
When using power tools, wear all safety gear required and refer to your product instructions.
Here’s how
STEP 1 Cut pine panel in half to create 2 pieces roughly 600mm square. On one half, draw diagonals to find centre of board.
STEP 2 Place scrap plywood on your board so the edge is flush with 1 edge of the board. Screw through the plywood into the centre of the board. Do not overtighten so the plywood can still swivel.
STEP 3 Set your circular saw to cut 19mm deep and place on plywood so blade is against edges of plywood and board. Screw through base of saw into plywood to hold it in place.
STEP 4 Start saw and turn plywood so blade cuts in a circle. Once you have completed 1 revolution, drop the saw depth another 4mm or so and continue cutting. Repeat this process until you have completely cut a circle out of the board.
STEP 5 Unscrew saw from plywood and sit it against the adjacent edge of the ply so front edge of blade is near the edge of the pine. Screw saw to ply again.
STEP 6 Start saw and plunge it down so it cuts a few millimetres into the edge of the pine. Lock it at this depth, then rotate the saw around the platter to cut a decorative ‘cove’. After one revolution, set the saw slightly deeper and continue cutting. Repeat this process until you are happy with the look of the decorative cove. STEP 7 Unscrew saw and plywood from platter. Fill screw hole with pine wood filler and let dry. Using 120-grit sandpaper, sand edge and cove of platter to remove cutting marks. Switch to 180-grit for a smoother finish on edges and to sand top of platter. STEP 8 Use a rag to apply 2 coats of kitchen timber oil to platter. Allow to dry for 24 hours between coats.
CLEVER HANGER
The humble poster has always played second fiddle to the framed print, but now there’s a way you can make yours look a lot more fancy and give them their time to shine. Cleverly hidden magnets in a few lengths of timber moulding are all you need to give your posters a formal look without spending a fortune on framing.
Gather your supplies
• 30 x 12mm half round moulding
• 8mm rare-earth magnets (12) • Brass-plated frame hanger
You’ll also need
Handsaw; tape measure; pencil; masking tape; drill and 8mm drill bit; sandpaper; Sikabond F100 superglue; clear varnish spray; 65mm wood screw
Here’s how
STEP 1 Use handsaw to cut 4 pieces of moulding to length. Make them 60mm longer than the width of the poster you’re hanging.
STEP 2 Along the centre of the flat sides of mouldings, mark out for holes to hold the magnets. Mark a hole 60mm from each end and in the centre.
STEP 3 Using 1 magnet as a guide, put masking tape on your drill bit at the depth you will need to drill the holes.
STEP 4 Drill holes at each marked point, stopping when masking tape reaches the timber. Sand edges of hole to make smooth.
STEP 5 Put a dab of superglue in a hole and sit 1 magnet in it. Put another dab of glue in the corresponding hole on a second length of moulding. Take another magnet and stick it to the first to check the polarity
is correct, then put this magnet in the second hole. Repeat for all holes along all lengths of moulding.
STEP 6 Apply 2 coats of clear finish to all mouldings.
STEP 7 Attach frame hanger to the centre of the rounded side of 1 length of moulding using supplied brass tacks.
STEP 8 Place the moulding with the frame hanger at the top of the poster along with its corresponding moulding. Attach remaining moulding to the bottom of the poster.
STEP 9 Decide on the position of your poster and place the screw in the wall for the frame hanger to rest on. Hang the poster.
RUSTIC COAT RACK
Rummage through your shed and you’re bound to find old spanners that you haven’t used for years. Turn the heat on these old tools and combine them with a recycled fence paling to create a cool coat rack.
Gather your supplies
• Hook plates and
cleats old hardwood fence palings
• Hooks 4 old spanners
You’ll also need
Circular saw; 80- and 120-grit sandpaper; sanding block; PVA glue; drill; countersinking drill bit; 30mm screws; French polish; paintbrush; carnauba wax; 5mm drill bit; steel clamp; blowtorch; screwdriver; multi-grips; 20mm button-head screws; 65mm wood screws
Here’s how
STEP 1 Use circular saw to cut two 700mm-long lengths out of the fence palings to create hook plates. Also cut the cleats, which are 2 short lengths to match the combined width of the hook plates.
STEP 2 Stack hook plates together so ends are flush. Cut 20mm off each corner on a 45° angle. Repeat to cut corners off cleats.
STEP 3 Sand 1 face and all edges of the hook plates. Start with 80-grit sandpaper then switch to 120-grit paper for a smoother finish.
STEP 4 Lay hook plates together with sanded faces down. Spread PVA glue on 1 face of each cleat and place over the hook plates. Predrill with a countersinking drill bit, then screw through cleats into plates using 30mm screws.
STEP 5 Apply 2 coats of
French polish to the coat rack, allowing it to dry after each coat. Follow this with a wax coating for a rich lustre.
STEP 6 Drill a 5mm hole through the spanner towards 1 end.
STEP 7 Clamp the spanner to your bench with a steel clamp. Use a blowtorch to heat the spanner near its centre, then bend it to create the hook. A screwdriver works well for ring spanners or use multi-grips for open ended spanners. Cool in a bucket of water. Repeat for all spanners.
STEP 8 Screw spanners to hook plate through the holes drilled in them using 20mm button-head screws.
STEP 9 Attach coat rack to wall by screwing through the hook plates and into the wall using 65mm screws. Place screws behind the outermost spanners so they are not visible.