Make a bunch of kitchen utensils from a block of wood by FoodGeek
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Somehow every project I start ends up being more complicated than it needs to be.  We needed a pair of salad tongs and I had a nice block of wood so this should be quick and easy...  As it turns out, the piece of wood I wanted to use was nicer than I thought so rather than put yet another weird shaped scrap of wood back on a shelf, I made as many things as I could from this single block of wood.

I ended up making a pair of salad tongs, two wooden spatulas, a rice paddle, a pair of chopsticks with a chopstick rest, two wooden spoons, a butter knife, and a jam spoon (spoon on the front, knife on the back... scoop and spread).  Not wanting to fill my house with sawdust, I made it at TechShop.

For this project you'll need:

a 3"x3"x12" piece of wood (I used what I think is quilted maple)
a band saw
a belt/disc sander
a dremel with a carving burr
some sandpaper
and a food-safe finish (I used Good Stuff, though walnut oil or salad bowl finish or something would be fine)

Let's get started!
 
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Step 1: Slice up the wood

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Draw the profile for the spatula/salad fork - straightish line for the handle, a curve at the end. Use a band saw to cut along the line. When you cut the first slice you end up with a stumpy wedge that turns out to be the perfect size for a rice paddle.  Cut four slices with a similar curve.  I freehanded it but would have probably gotten better results if I had drawn lines to follow.

Take the remaining chunk of wood, draw a straight line down the side, then slice it in half following the line.  Take the flat piece and draw the profile of a pair of spoons (I cheated and traced a wooden spoon I like).  Cut the shapes out on the band saw.

I used the remaining weirdly shaped piece of wood to make a pair of chopsticks, a butter knife (who needs a wooden butter knife?), and a jam spoon (the bastard child of a tiny wooden spoon and an offset spatula).
Holunderhaus says: Apr 5, 2013. 12:41 PM
nice, looks great.
timwikander says: Mar 8, 2013. 12:33 PM
Super nice! Lots of character in this little set.
vincent7520 says: Feb 21, 2013. 7:45 AM
Nice.
I particularly like the forks' shape !…
thanks for sharing.
sunshiine says: Feb 20, 2013. 11:25 AM
I love these! thanks for sharing!
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