Summer Fruit Trays

Intro: Summer Fruit Trays

Make these colorful summer trays for your next outdoor meal using basic wood table rounds found at any hardware store. Use thin metal spoons for the handles.

STEP 1: Watch How to Make Them Here!

STEP 2: You'll Need

Two 1" x 18" table rounds

Thin metal spoons *make sure you can bend them

Rit Liquid Dye in Sunshine Orange and Scarlet

Americana Multi Surface Paints

Drill

1" screws

Paintbrushes

Pencil

STEP 3: Stain and Paint

Stain one table round with the RIT liquid dye in Sunshine Orange to create the orange tray

Draw a line 1 1/2" from the edge of the tray

Fill in the line with Cotton Ball Multi Surface Paint to create the rhine

With a ruler, draw your orange sections

STEP 4: Add Details

Paint over the lines

Fill in the center and paint on the seeds Paint the edge with Orange Sherbert

Let dry for an hour

STEP 5: Paint the Watermelon

Paint the second table round with Scarlet to create the watermelon tray

Draw a line 1" from the edge and fill in with Cotton Ball Paint the edges with Turf Green

Add some Cotton Ball to the Turf Green for a lighter shade to create the stripes on the edge

STEP 6: Finish Up!

Coat both trays with Minwax Polycrylic

Mark each end of the spoon

Drill holes in each end of the spoons

Bend into a handle shape and screw into the sides of the trays

Comments

[Laylabean]

these are just fantastic.

[MicioGatta]

You're an artist. These are wonderful.

[BackyardWW]

Supre cute idea - not sure I'll have actual tables but I have plenty of plywood to maybe use this to make a set of serving trays. thanks for sharing this neat idea - you really did an good job!

[shazni]

How lovely! I just love it :-) Wish they sold such round tables at our hardware stores!!

[Mark Montano]

Have you checked at Home Depot or Lowe's? I know they sell them there. You could also get them on line.

[Mark Montano]

That's a great idea. I'll have to start checking the dollar stores for them now! Thanks!

[jwhite78]

Ikea has similar tables for dirt cheap.

[jack8559]

Sometimes you can find round cutting boards at dollar stores too, nice and cheap. Just be sure to coat them with a good polyurethane sealant, I like a sealer for exterior doors but that's just me. Also, look at yard sales for round top tables, cut the legs and strip them down, another cheap place to get your round wooden shapes.

[swilbur]

I have been a huge fan of instructables for a long time, and this is the project that finally made me say...I gotta make that!! I got all my supplies at Lowes and Hobby Lobby and am excited for a fun project with my daughter this weekend!!

[Mark Montano]

I'm so happy to hear you say that! Just so you know, the RIT dye will bleed through the white paint when you paint the edges, but that adds to the realistic quality of the fruit. However, if you want to keep the rhine of the orange and watermelon pure white, coat the tray after you've dyed it. Make sure to share your project with me, I'd love to see it!

[spark master]

Really nice, make sure to seal both sides of the tray though, with acrylic. If you get the wrong spoons (I did on a cub scout project, I made up 6 catapult kits), and try to drill through them, you will find it very hard to do. They were crap spoons (I thought) as they were very thin, but I burned out 2 drill bits, (they were actually good stainless steel, just super thin), eventually I used chisel tipped tech screws, I burned off 2 screw heads per hole. I kid you not they were cherry red and cam right off. I had to find them and quench them. (basement work room...lotsa dust/wood chips/sawdust, I was quick).

But we got'm done then the kids assembled a very nice catapult, could shoot a tootsie roll25+feet....

This would be a great cub scout project, Let each kid make 4 of them, and make stencils for the seeds/lines. Also use exterior grade sealant for longer life, and stainless steel tech screws to avoid rust.

this is a very cool idea, kids gotta love them, old farts too.

[Mark Montano]

Great suggestions Spark! Much appreciated. Never thought about the stainless steel tech screws.....I need to change them out!

[rbdoer]

Great project idea. I love the colors, and they're so realistic looking! Good job!

[AmberDakota]

really cute idea! they really pop with color!

[HollyMann]

I love these - they are so cute - very creative!

[Mark Montano]

Thank you Holly!

[bgm411]

Nice

[carlos66ba]

Very pretty.

[Mark Montano]

Thanks Carlos

[CrazyClever]

Very whimsical! These would be perfect for any summer get together, great idea!