There's a bin that I keep on a high shelf in my kitchen with an assortment of stuff related to my woodworking. It's a dumping ground for unresolved ideas and half-done pieces. It isn't the only place I keep unfinished work, but it's the most visible to me in my daily life. Every so often, I take it down and look over the items to decide what to do with them. They not only reside in this bin in my kitchen, but they itch at the back of my mind as projects seeking completion.
Sticking out of the top, there's the end of a spoon handle that I started last Spring that nags at me to finish it up. It also reminds me that maybe I should build that jig that I learned about to easily make more cooking spoons.
This bin gives me space from a project to honestly ask myself, “Should I finish this?” Once I start on a new idea, I have a hard time giving up on it. In some ways, the challenge of an imperfect piece gives me an opportunity to come up with creative solutions. Other times, once a design decision takes a bad turn, I have to just let it go and start fresh or abandon it altogether. I need time and space to let a bad piece go.
During the pandemic, I came up with challenges for my local woodworking club. One challenge was to make an animal, and I made a housefly. It now hangs over my fruit bowl for a touch of whimsy. After the success of the housefly, I tried to make a bee, but I never perfected the design or fabrication process. Maybe someday I’ll try again.
Another challenge from the pandemic days was to make a food item. I’m happy with the concept of the cupcake, but I didn’t know how to make the ridges of the wrapper on the bottom, and the lid doesn’t fit well. After being passed over at markets, it’s now back in the bin as a concept piece to remind me to try it again.
I made three serving utensils from an ash log and painted them with milk paint to hide the unappealing color of the natural wood. The smaller ones sold but this shovel-type utensil did not seem to have a practical use. At one point I tried to rework it, but I don’t think it’s worth my time anymore.
The ash bowl above had a big crack down the side when I made it. My hope was that a paint treatment would hide the flaw, but it didn’t work out. I’ll either cut down the sides and make it a small plate, or just toss it altogether.
There’s also this screwdriver with a plastic handle that I planned on replacing with a custom-made wooden one similar to another that I made a few years ago. There’s some taper candles to remind me that I wanted to make candlesticks someday. It’s been a few years and I have still never done so. I kept the ball bearings in case I needed to add weight or a rattle to a project.
The two items that I want to get back to sooner rather than later are also the most recent additions, a small cherry bowl and a small serving tray.
While I like how this cherry bowl turned out, it hasn’t sold after being displayed at my past few markets. To improve its appeal, I plan on burning in the leaf design that I lightly penciled in.
Inspired by a photo I saw of single-sized charcuterie trays, I wanted to try making my own. Unfortunately, I cut my finger pretty bad while making this one and was forced to set aside all carving pursuits until I was healed. Now that I’m better, I want to get back to this because I still believe it’s a good concept.
This look through my bin of unfinished work is just a snapshot of its current state. On days when I don’t know what to make, going through this bin reminds me of good ideas that I had in the past. It’s also an opportunity to see how far my skills have improved in just a few years - not just technical skills, but aesthetics as well. I do get back to the projects that live here - it’s not a black hole with no escape. Some items will go in the trash, and some will be reworked, and some may stay for another few years until their time comes.
If anything appeals to you, reach out and I’ll get back to work on it and finish it up.
Thanks for reading, I’ll write more next month.
Cool topic!