Free Pizza Peel

When my old pizza peel broke I went on to amazon to buy a new one. I was shocked to see page after page of plywood versions and not that cheap. So being the tight fisted gentleman that I am, I decided that I would make my own.

So this is a super simple project that can literally be done with a saw and some sand paper. If you have some fancier tools then great, you'll be able to do the project quicker. Also I know of a great supply of free wood that is available in most cities, so we can make it for free.

This is just my kinda project.

Supplies

Tools

Saw

Sand paper (40 grit)

If you want to do it quicker - jigsaw cutter/coping saw, belt sander

Material

Wood (12” x 17”)

Step 1: Free Wood

I know of a secret supply of wood that is designed for tinker’ers like us and it is from Ikea. In most Ikeas I've been to, they have a little hidden place that is full of scrap wood, I assume it from damaged or broken products, and it can be taken for projects at home. I assume other furniture shops might do the same thing.

Mine is right at the exit, so let's go and grab ourselves some wood:

1. Next time you are at Ikea, find your free wood hiding place.
2. Pick up some free wood.
3. Eat some Swedish meatballs (with gravy).
4. Drive home with a satisfied smile on your face.

Step 2: Mark Pizza Peel

So our first job is to mark out the pizza peel, if you have an old one great, just draw around this. if you don't then mark out a 12” x 12” square with a handle on.

1. Mark a 12” x 12” square (or bigger if you want)
2. Use a cup to round of the edges
3. Mark a 1.5” x 5” rectangle at one end (this will be the handles)
4. Add some shape to the handle and top of the peel.

Step 3: Cut Out the Peel

A jigsaw cutter or coping saw would be great to cut this out, just go around the outside and hey presto. If not you need to do a series of cuts to remove the most material posible and achieve the final shape.

1. Cut a 12” x 17” square out to include the pizza peel.
2. Cut the external corners in a series of cuts.
3. For the internal curves cut a series of horizontal and vertical lines (some of these can be done at an angle) to remove the most amount of material.

Step 4: Sand the Peel - Shape

Now sand the peel to its final shape. A belt sander would be the best tool for this but it is possible to do it with sand paper but it will take quite a bit of effort.

1. Steadily work around the peel sanding with some coarse sandpaper, to the final shape.
2. Round of the edges of the peel, especially on the hand to make it ergonomic.

Step 5: Sand the Peel - Bevel

We need to bevel the underside of the peel so it is easier to get the pizza in and out of the oven. Again a belt sander is ideal for this but it can be done by hand.

1. Mark a 2” horizontal line on the underside of the peel on the edge that goes in the oven (opposite the handle).
2. Mark a second line on the edge that goes in the oven approximately 1/16” (~2mm).
3. Sand a bevel, using the lines as a guide, steadily work down to the lines.

Step 6: Enjoy

Perfect, all done. What a superb project, super simple, free and works great. While it is possible to do it with hand, some tools will make it much easier