DIY Tiki Torch

30 Days of DIY Projects 2 Make Us Thankful

Project 21

This is the twenty first post of our series of projects to make us thankful for DIY.  Be sure to check back everyday during the month of November for new simple and easy DIY projects. It's our way of saying Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Simply Easy DIY!

Here in Florida we need bug repellent because we've got a lot of bugs.  Especially Mosquitoes and no-see-um's. But wait...there's more. We've also got various biting flies, ants, and spiders that all love our property since we back up to a canal with standing water.

Sometimes it just seems you can't go outside without being eaten alive.

But, these tiki torches go a long way in helping curb the bite attacks. This is really important to us because we have a family member who is prone to allergic reactions.

We've bought bamboo tiki torches from a certain big box store. They stand about 5 feet tall and the idea is that you stake them into the ground and light a canister that is on the top.

Overall this is a good idea but unfortunately, if you've got sandy soil like we've got, they often fall over pretty easily.  Young children also have to be kept away to prevent injury.

So, when my wife saw Mitch build his own customized torches with deep metal stakes she added the project to my honeydew list.  A refillable mason jar was an added bonus because we've got a lot of them around from canning.

I'm sure we've got an old canning jar that can be re purposed.

Oh, did I also mention that he did his own Shou Sugi Ban wood burn technique on this?  I recently built a project using this same technique as well.

For more information on the Shou Sugi Ban wood burning technique, check out my post on the DIY Wine Rack where I tried my hand at this technique. It turned out great!

DIY Tiki Torch

Tools & Materials Wood Burning Torch Spar Urethane (indoor/outdoor) Wood Glue  Miter Saw Pallet Wood and 2x4 Epoxy Circular Saw Random Orbit Sander Various grit Sandpaper Router  Tiki Torch Fuel Hose to Pipe thread Metal Spike (to hold the torch in the ground) Quart Mason Jar   Table Saw Band Saw Drill Tiki Torch Wicks Paracord (optional)

Final Thoughts

Common sense tip of the day:

When using wood burning equipment you should exercise extreme caution because you'll be working with fire and fuel and injury may result. Additionally, when using a tiki torch, whether your own DIY version or one purchased from the store, be sure to always practice safe precautions to prevent injury. Always follow manufacturer's safety instructions and all that blah, blah, blah.

I hope you enjoyed today's featured project and don't forget to stop by "Mitch Deitrich" YouTube channel to check out even more great woodworking videos from him. Don't forget to subscribe.

We hope you will return to Simply Easy DIY everyday through the month of November for more projects that make us thankful 4 DIY.

Until then!

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DIY Small Garden Picnic Side Table from 2x4's

30 Days of DIY Projects 2 Make Us Thankful

Project 20

This is the twentieth post of our series of projects to make us thankful for DIY.  Be sure to check back everyday during the month of November for new simple and easy DIY projects. It's our way of saying Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Simply Easy DIY!

If you're like us, we only have so much space available in our outdoor shed. The shed has to hold a lot of things, including gardening tools and the lawnmower.



You tend to keep reshuffling everything in order to make them fit. And, sometimes you get frustrated and start pitching stuff.

So when the wife told me that we needed additional outdoor party tables I had no idea where we were going to store them, unless we just stacked them up somewhere, like on our covered patio.

That's not good news for the patio. Turning it into a storage unit, I mean.

She said she had found some great picnic style outdoor tables that were collapsible.

I guess I can add this to my "honey doo-list".

Just between you and me I think she was dreaming of going camping again...shhh!

Whether camping or partying at home, these fold-able side tables from Houtje can be stuck into the ground and moved around as needed.

Collapsible Side Table made from 2x4's:

Tools & Materials Choice of Stain Wood Glue  Miter Saw 2x4's Circular Saw Random Orbit Sander Various grit Sandpaper Bandsaw Drill  Various Clamps Belt Sander  Jig Saw

Final Thoughts

To ensure that your food and drink don't fall off, add a strong magnet or pin to lock the table firmly in place when it's in use.

I hope you enjoyed today's featured project and don't forget to stop by "Houtje Boom - Be Creative" YouTube channel to check out even more great crafting and woodworking videos from her. Don't forget to subscribe.

We hope you will return to Simply Easy DIY everyday through the month of November for more projects that make us thankful 4 DIY.

Until then!

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DIY Rustic Toybox

30 Days of DIY Projects 2 Make Us Thankful

Project 19

This is the ninteenth post of our series of projects to make us thankful for DIY.  Be sure to check back everyday during the month of November for new simple and easy DIY projects. It's our way of saying Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Simply Easy DIY!

When we had our first child, we spent a fair amount of money on a toybox from an online store. It wasn't cheap but it had the design that my wife wanted.

It's served us well over all these years and even has been passed down from one child to the next.

It's got friction supports and a cut out area where little fingers can't get pinched.

No one has yet ever been hurt by our toybox:

This makes us really happy considering it has served us as more than a toybox. So what else does it do you ask?

Well, it's been a "desk", it's been a "doll table", and it's been the base of a slide.

Note - The latter usage was not sanctioned by parents. Our kids sure do have imagination.

Throughout all of these activities, it's still going strong. I think part of it's strength is that it is made of wood and as such is much more durable than something with plastic components.

Having an all wooden toybox is something I'd definitely recommend. But, I wouldn't recommend the added designs since it limits their interest once they hit a certain age. So try a toy box that is less "animated" if you will.

An all wooden one such the this one that Jeff built will serve as a storage unit through teenage years and beyond.

DIY Rustic toybox:

Tools & Materials Choice of Stain Polyurethane Wood Glue  Table Saw Pallet Wood or other scrap Circular Saw Random Orbit Sander Various grit Sandpaper Pocket hole jig Drill Various clamps Jig Saw Piano Hinge  Friction supports

Final Thoughts

This toybox was made from an actual crate. Jeff shares that he watched it fall off a truck, the man got out , pushed it out of the road, then drove away. It was destined to be Jeff's.

I hope you enjoyed today's featured project and don't forget to stop by "Home Built Workshop" YouTube channel to check out even more great woodworking videos from Jeff. Don't forget to subscribe.

We hope you will return to Simply Easy DIY everyday through the month of November for more projects that make us thankful 4 DIY.

Until then!

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DIY Rustic Farmhouse Coat Rack with Shelf

30 Days of DIY Projects 2 Make Us Thankful

Project 18

This is the eighteenth post of our series of projects to make us thankful for DIY.  Be sure to check back everyday during the month of November for new simple and easy DIY projects. It's our way of saying Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Simply Easy DIY!

Some families have a need to store things in the main entrance way into their home or kitchen. The same goes for our family.

We needed a place to hang coats and handbags. Mainly handbags in order to keep little hands from going through them.

Our system that we use is this shaker peg rack:

I built these a few years back and they have worked out well.

You won't see coats on these since we don't use those in our climate. We do however, find we can hang umbrellas and bags in place of coats.

They are functional and attractive. 

However, they'd be even more functional if we expanded them to utilize more upward space. For example, this storage unit built by Stephan over at "Bear Woodwork" offers additional cubby space with a shelf.

Before this he had another much simpler system set up in this space but it wasn't working for his family.

So he went larger...

Palletwood coat rack:

Tools & Materials Choice of Stain (he used Satin Walnut) Polyurethane Wood Glue  Table Saw Pallet Wood or other scrap Various size clamps including frame clamp Random Orbit Sander Various grit Sandpaper Hand Planer (optional) MDF Choice of coat hooks Chalkboard paint Drill Router table

Final Thoughts

 Stephen did such a good job it's hard to tell it came from pallet wood:

The blackboard is high enough that mom and dad can write on it, but little hands can't erase.


Interestingly enough, he didn't have a table saw to use for this build so you'll see him using his band saw.

Either one would work.

Plus he used a hand plane to clean up the pallet wood.  Personally I happen to have a thickness planer at my disposal and if you have one, that may be the easiest way to go.




The back board was attached with dowels to add stability.

I hope you enjoyed today's featured project and don't forget to stop by "BearWoodWork" YouTube channel to check out even more great woodworking videos from him. Don't forget to subscribe.

We hope you will return to Simply Easy DIY everyday through the month of November for more projects that make us thankful 4 DIY.

Until then!


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DIY Barn Door Headboard and Window Covers

30 Days of DIY Projects 2 Make Us Thankful

Project 17

This is the seventeenth post of our series of projects to make us thankful for DIY.  Be sure to check back everyday during the month of November for new simple and easy DIY projects. It's our way of saying Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Simply Easy DIY!

In tight spots where space is at a premium, sliding doors called pocket doors get installed by builders. They run on a track and often slide inside a wall, disappearing out of sight.

They allow access into tight spots where traditional swing out doors would have taken up too much room.

A sliding barn door is another modern update in the pocket door family. In this case, the track is often exposed and the hardware is made to look aged. The hardware being exposed is part of the charm.

The door itself is made of pine (or other available wood) and has cross beams which are modeled to look like a door on a barn or stall.


Check out I'd Rather Make it Myself YouTube channel's ingenious set up:

Barn Door Headboard and Window Covers:

Tools & Materials Choice of Stain Polyurethane Wood Glue  Miter Saw or Circular Saw Pine - or your choice of wood Various grit Sandpaper Table Saw Jaw Clamps Sliding Hardware of your choice

Final Thoughts

I hope you enjoyed today's featured project and don't forget to stop by "I'd Rather Make It Myself" YouTube channel to check out even more great DIY and woodworking videos from them. Don't forget to subscribe.

We hope you will return to Simply Easy DIY everyday through the month of November for more projects that make us thankful 4 DIY.

Until then!

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DIY Concrete Candle Holder

30 Days of DIY Projects 2 Make Us Thankful

Project 16

This is the sixteenth post of our series of projects to make us thankful for DIY.  Be sure to check back everyday during the month of November for new simple and easy DIY projects. It's our way of saying Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Simply Easy DIY!

We have several candle holders that are almost all what you would call "formal"  Plus they are third generation heirlooms that aren't going anywhere.

It seems a shame to keep them hidden in a hutch as they are now.  Being a historical buff that I am, I've been thinking about ways to display some of the wonderful history we have right here in our own house.

I'm sharing a photo here of one of ours. It's called a chamber style candle holder.

Despite my desire to display and even use these candle holders, we have a problem...

actually we have 4 problems.  They are called children.



It just screams, " Pick me up!" to any toddler. Even the older kids like playing old time games with it. One of the games I recently observed was their rendition of "A Christmas Carol".

Ebeneezer Scrooge much?

Plus even though I like these style candle holders my wife would like something a little more contemporary.

We also have these tea light candles that seem to be very common and they're very cheaply priced.

So I need an idea for a sleek contemporary yet classic looking candle holder that is both safe and sturdy with little ones running around.

Hhmmm...

DIY Concrete Candle Holder:

 

Tools & Materials Choice of Stain Wood Glue  Pin Nailer scrap wood to make a mold 1x2 pine  Table saw Band saw Quickrete Concrete mix Wet Look Concrete Lacquer (Rust-oleum - found in home improvement stores) Various grit Sandpaper Hot glue gun Tea Light Candles Cabinet Bumpers Epoxy

Final Thoughts

This project would be great for someone who likes contemporary styled projects. While I think it works best in a bath setting, you could bring it into a living room but I'd still watch out for the kids.

Part concrete and part wood projects are really in style right now. If you look in stores, you'll find similar looking style candle holders can run some cash.  Why do that when we have DIY to be thankful for.

I hope you enjoyed today's featured project and don't forget to stop by "DIY Creators" YouTube channel to check out even more great woodworking videos from Glen. Don't forget to subscribe.

We hope you will return to Simply Easy DIY everyday through the month of November for more projects that make us thankful 4 DIY.

Until then!

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