Who knew I would love
power tools? For years my dad worked as
a carpenter. I never thought to ask him
how to build things since I figured he would always be there if I ever needed a
cabinet or shelves. So, after relocating
to San Diego I found myself in trouble: my dad was in Cape Town, my husband
hated home improvement and we had a house that needed a lot of upgrades. I needed to find someone handy with a saw. The solution (after much deliberation) was
for me to take a carpentry
class. When I enrolled last spring I could
have never guessed how much I would love it.
Now, my husband and I have dreamed up so many projects that I’ll need
years to finish them all!
These plywood hexagons
were originally cut for a project at the hubster’s office (more on that
later). They had been lying in a corner
for a few weeks—like many of my projects seem to do—while I contemplated the
next step. With a friend having recently
purchased a house, I knew I’d have to come up with a good house-warming gift. I hit on the idea of using some of the
hexagons to make trivets. I think they
are hip, pretty and fun, just like their soon-to-be owner.
NOTE: These instructions
are for making plywood hexagons. If you
have never used a saw (and you don’t want to lose any fingers!), try making the
trivets out of cork. All you’ll need is
a utility knife.
What you’ll need:
¼” or ½” Plywood (at
least 10” x 10” for each trivet)
Pencil
Compass
Ruler
Table saw
Miter saw
Sealant (linseed oil or
beeswax)
Optional:
Acrylic paint
Painter’s tape
Paintbrushes
Plastic containers
Step 1:
Draw a hexagon on the
plywood.
The easiest way I found
to do this was to use a compass. Set the
compass to a radius of 5” (or larger for a bigger trivet) and draw a
circle. Don’t change the angle of the
compass. Mark a beginning point (A)
along the circle. Place the point of the compass on A and mark a second point
(B) 5 inches away from A along the circle.
Make sure that a line drawn between point A and point B is parallel to
the edge of the plywood. Continue moving
the compass point to the new mark along the circle in order to mark all 6
points of the hexagon. Once you have all
the points marked, connect the dots to create the hexagon.
Step 2:
Use the table saw to rip
(cut with the grain) the wood along the top and bottom of the hexagon.
Step3:
Crosscut the plywood with
the miter saw along the outer edge of the hexagon.
Step 4:
Set the miter saw to 30
degrees and cut the remaining sides of the hexagon.
TIP: Use the first hexagon as a template to draw
the rest. That way they will all be the
same size.
Step 5:
If you like the natural
look, seal the trivet with linseed oil/beeswax to prevent staining.
To add some colour and
designs to the trivet, use acrylic paint and tape before sealing.
Happy crafting! Nicole
