What are you building for Christmas?

[Shotgun]

I'm looking for ideas or even plans to make toys or gifts for Christmas.

In the past, I've turned a top. Use a ball turner or just the compound to get the nice fat bottom profile and a narrow handle, then drill a shallow hole for a press fit bearing. The bearing needs to be left poking out. Fold a foot of thread in half, and wrap around the handle starting from the fold. Hold the two ends of the thread, index and thumb. Middle fingers holding the top upright. A smart snap will leave a top made from a 2" round of steel spinning for a good five minutes.

Inheritance Machining channel demonstrated the construction of a pen and a wallet, but those are for adults.

What ideas do you guys have for spreading Christmas cheer with a cup of cutting oil?

 

[davidpbest]

I am making some (hopefully) heirloom bread-slicing boxes for my kids. Cocobolo edge-matched box sides, Lignum vitaec utting matrix top. Drawing attached.

 

[mmcmdl]

Retirement accounts . After that , I'll have time to build what I want . Crafts most likely .

 

[CJ5Dave]

Here are some wooden puzzles.

http://www2.denizyuret.com/ref/coffin/pc92.pdf

 

[Shotgun]

Here are some wooden puzzles.

http://www2.denizyuret.com/ref/coffin/pc92.pdf

Those are wooden, but doing a few in aluminum would make for some "creative opportunities" to use a rotary table, angle blocks, etc.

 

[CaZMaN]

I'm going to try to make some pens (& hopefully finish in time) - just AL body / lathe work. Also trying for a small "garden art" bull made of reclaimed scrap (tig/mig/plasma project, less machining).

 

[ChazzC]

Fortunately (?) waiting for parts for a couple of ideas I had last week: since my shop shares space with storage in the basement, most horizontal surfaces are filled with other than Christmas decoration boxes so we can wrap, decorate & un-decorate. Should be able to get back into action by the time I bring home purchases from Cabin Fever.

 

[pontiac428]

I'm rebuilding my AR9 platform competitive pistol caliber carbine... for the 3rd time. New stupid-light 6" effective length barrel in a 16" package required reprofiling my bolt nose to fit the feed ramp, notching the carrier to clear the upper(!) feed ramp, cutting bolt profile for short stroke bolt hold open, fitting new furniture to the upper, a trigger swap (Hiperfire), new buttstock. I'm almost done. I built the recoil system from the scrap bin, and this thing runs quicker than my reworked CZ Scorpion PCC. Hopeully I can bring it to the steel match this weekend!

 

[mattthemuppet2]

not much help for your kids/ grandkids, but I'll be making my wife a small yard windmill for Christmas. I was going to make her some armadillos to go with Captain Charlie the Chicken, but just don't have the time. Might do those for her birthday instead.

Last years Christmas present


previous year

 

[higgite]

I'm building a large debt. Thanks for asking.

Tom