| Project by Karson | posted 771 days ago | 1304 views | 23 times favorited | 40 comments | ![]() |
![]() |
Have you ever burnt your fingers, used a knife, a fork or turned upside down a toaster in order to get out 1) a piece of toast, 2) a Toaster Strudel, 3) an English Muffin or 4) something flaming out of your toaster.
A solution.
My wife is going to visit her mother this week and she asked me if I had anything to send. She has also been after me to make her a Toaster Tong. She keeps losing hers.
So I went out to the workshop and picked up a couple of pieces of wood. I don’t call them scrap because they are the same size they were when I bought them. a piece of Purpleheart and a piece of Chechen
My mistake the wood is not Chechen but Bocote it wasn’t until I started to cut some more that I realized my mistake. I’m making some more and I’ll show the Chechen ones then.
I also got a couple of piece of wood that I had set aside for making a few pens. A piece of Tiger Maple and a piece of White Oak Crotch wood On top is the original that I started my research with.

The wood is about 8” long (not critical). I resawed 4 sets of Chechen and 5 sets of Purpleheart. They are about 1/8” thick (not critical). That blade was actually running at 3000 ft per minute, and the camera stopped it. Thats neat.

I then cut the Tiger Maple into 1/2” thick strip. The other dimension is 3/4”.

I then cut them about 1 1/4” long so I ended up with a few blocks and some strips of wood.

I sanded the blocks in a taper from 1/2” thick to 3/8” thick.

It was then a matter of gluing the three pieces together. Making sure that the long end of the stick was at the 1/2” end of the block. And clamp. I’m using butcher paper under the glue. The plastic coating on the paper keeps the glue from sticking.

Then glue up them all.

After about 30 minutes I took it back to the sander to true up the glue block end and to round it, I also tapered the end that will go into the toaster, to about 1/16” about 1 – 1/2” back (not critical).

I then took it into the house and put a little Canola Oil on it.

That was cool so I went and got a Bocote one and sanded it and gave it the oil treatment. I rounded the Bocote one a little deeper into the side. I think I like it better.

Now to get the rest done so my wife can take 5 sets to Kansas City for her family and mine.
Could make great Christmas nick-nack gifts.
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †































40 comments so far
David
home | projects | blog
1982 posts in 1034 days
posted 771 days ago
Karson -
Very nice! I always like the detail yo put in your posts. Thanks!
David
-- http://foldingrule.blogspot.com
DAN
home | projects | blog
6442 posts in 878 days
posted 771 days ago
Great posting and gift idea Karson ! you set the hook !!
Will run down stairs and make one right away. This will be a great x-mas gift idea. Every year we make about 12 fun boxes and put little gifts in them. Silly food, sardines, pickles, knick-knacks etc. In addition to my corn cobs pokes, this year everyone will get toaster tongs.
-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever
Karson
home | projects | blog
25801 posts in 1296 days
posted 771 days ago
Dan post your picture here also. It would be great to see everyones variation.
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
mot
home | projects | blog
4903 posts in 932 days
posted 771 days ago
That’s a great idea, Karson. Thanks for the detailed post. I love posted projects that have this sort of description. I usually just hit the eject button and try and catch the toast on the upswing, but your idea looks more practical, more consistent and would prevent the odd smoldering toast burn. Nice!
-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)
DAN
home | projects | blog
6442 posts in 878 days
posted 771 days ago
First one is two strips of qtr-sawn white oak and a maple insert. Clamped and gluing … just in time for Hero’s ~
Used Rhino glue … my new favorite !! Should be dry when the shows over ….
-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever
Lee A. Jesberger
home | projects | blog
3710 posts in 875 days
posted 771 days ago
Hi Karson;
You’ve got some nice toys in your shop!
I meant tools, sorry.
Nice project!
Lee
-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com
Karson
home | projects | blog
25801 posts in 1296 days
posted 771 days ago
OK I finished sanding all of the nine sets of toaster tongs.
These are the PurpleHeart, some with oak crotch glue block and some with tiger maple.
And here are the Chechen also with a combination of glue blocks.
And total
Note to self. Purpleheart burns when you sand it. Run each piece over a jointer prior to resawing that strip off. The extra wasted wood is saved in sanding aggravation.
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
rebekram
home | projects | blog
11 posts in 845 days
posted 771 days ago
They look very nice Dad. I do hope I am seeing a Christmas present early. I will pretend to be surprised!
Love ya!
Karson
home | projects | blog
25801 posts in 1296 days
posted 771 days ago
Now you’ve blown the surprise. So that’s one less I need to make. LOL You better get your request in for wood.
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
Thos. Angle
home | projects | blog
4013 posts in 858 days
posted 771 days ago
Well, Karson, I think I know what some folks are getting for Christmas this year. I’ve been looking for something that takes about this long. Thanks a heap.
Tom
-- Thos. Angle
Karson
home | projects | blog
25801 posts in 1296 days
posted 771 days ago
All nine done in about 1 1/2 hr.
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
Dadoo
home | projects | blog
1723 posts in 886 days
posted 771 days ago
The last time I saw something flaming, it was coming out of my garage!
Pretty slick project Karson! You’ve appeased your mother-in-law and can once again live in peace. For awhile.
-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!
DAN
home | projects | blog
6442 posts in 878 days
posted 771 days ago
One done, oilled and photoblog’d
-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever
Karson
home | projects | blog
25801 posts in 1296 days
posted 771 days ago
Great Dan. Is the open end big enough to get around a piece of TEXAS Toast?
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
DAN
home | projects | blog
6442 posts in 878 days
posted 771 days ago
I made it EGGO sized. That is what my wife Peggy feeds me every-morning-for-breakfast !!
-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever
scottb
home | projects | blog
3402 posts in 1222 days
posted 771 days ago
aha! – thanks for the idea… something else to keep my salad tongs and spurtles company…
actually, these toaster tongs may stay out next to the toaster for quick access when needed – we use the toasters WAY more than the microwave (glorified clock/timer)
Great idea… after these, I may have to start making my own wooden spoons too! one step closer to my artisan house!
-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/
lance
home | projects | blog
168 posts in 883 days
posted 771 days ago
Hi Karson,
Not only quite useful, but darn good looking.
Have a great day,
-- Bob Lance, DE
MsDebbieP
home | projects | blog
14159 posts in 1056 days
posted 771 days ago
Nice.
I, too, do the “eject and grab” method. This looks MUCH better.
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
richardmylove
home | projects | blog
15 posts in 813 days
posted 771 days ago
these are great!
-- wood is good
PanamaJack
home | projects | blog
4447 posts in 973 days
posted 771 days ago
Great idea for Christmas for someone Karson!
-- Carpe Lignum - Seize The Wood,
Zipsss
home | projects | blog
112 posts in 1009 days
posted 771 days ago
Great simple project. I am cleaning my scrap short pile.
-- Zipsss
coloradoclimber
home | projects | blog
448 posts in 963 days
posted 771 days ago
Excellent post Karson.
It’s definitely that time of year, I’m out looking for ideas for nice, simple christmas gifts. This one fits the bill perfectly.
Everyone do post what you’ve made. Mostly because I want to see how they look. Seeing Karson’s I know I’m going to put together some out of Tiger Maple, those look cool.
What are the thoughts on wood to food compatibility? Any particular woods to avoid?
What type of glue would work best? I think you’d want something that you could get a little wet, seeing how it’s going to be in the kitchen and around food. What about glue strength? The joint is going to be stressed every time it is used. I’m thinking epoxy here? Would PVA be good enough? Urethane?
Bob #2
home | projects | blog
3041 posts in 917 days
posted 771 days ago
A unique and thoughtful gift Karson.
You might want to put one of thoee blind knife handle rivets in the joint.
They are brass and may add to decorative interest ans well a strength to the tongs.
Bob
-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner
DAN
home | projects | blog
6442 posts in 878 days
posted 771 days ago
Made a few more tongs last night before I went to bed. I had save some left-over strips of wenge and chunks of yellowheart. Glued em and they are waiting for sanding and finishing touches. Will post photo’s here a bit later. Great project Karson!
-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever
Karson
home | projects | blog
25801 posts in 1296 days
posted 770 days ago
The original that my wife found had a staple in it and (no or about no) glue. I used Titebond II, maybe Titebond III would be a good choice. Titebond was easy to because about 10 seconds and it was stuck enough to put a clamp on it. Dan had a problem with the Poly glue, it was very slippery. He ended up clamping the open end also.
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
DAN
home | projects | blog
6442 posts in 878 days
posted 770 days ago
Used the same basic recipe as Karsons tongs.
Blocks are about the same dimensions,... 1/2 and taper to 3/8 but the strips are about 1/2 wide.
-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever
Karson
home | projects | blog
25801 posts in 1296 days
posted 770 days ago
What did you use as a finish Dan? and yes 3/4” width would not be a requirement. Whatever was handy.
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
DAN
home | projects | blog
6442 posts in 878 days
posted 770 days ago
Mineral oil is I used.
Same stuff I used on my corn cob pokes and cutting board projects. Bought it at Walmart.
Read somewhere that mineral oil is made from soy beans. I grew up on a small farm in Iowa, so next to corn, soybeans are special >grin<.... Like pigs too, ... and the state flower and bird too… ( I’m too funny … yuk yuk yuk …. sic ….)
-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever
Don
home | projects | blog
2590 posts in 1072 days
posted 770 days ago
Thanks, Karson – I’ll definitely make these.
-- CanuckDon "I just love small wooden boxes!" http://www.hilsbiblechurch.org/
Jon3
home | projects | blog
439 posts in 1001 days
posted 756 days ago
Here are mine!
Nils
home | projects | blog
138 posts in 760 days
posted 756 days ago
Karson – I love the chechen ones! – that’s a wood I want to investigate. This is definitely a great project for the fast approaching Christmas rush.
-- Nils Davis, Menlo Park, CA
Karson
home | projects | blog
25801 posts in 1296 days
posted 755 days ago
Nils I made a mistake. the wood that I identified as Chechen was really Bocote. It wasn’t until I started to cut up some more that I realized my mistake.
I have cut some chechen but haven’t put them together yet..
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
Gary
home | projects | blog
446 posts in 1220 days
posted 755 days ago
Y’all are having too much fun; I’ll have to make a few of those too.
Thanks for the inspiration Karson. ;-)
Gary
-- Gary, Florida
Douglas Bordner
home | projects | blog
3424 posts in 959 days
posted 750 days ago
With little adaptation the toaster tong can become an Art Ploonker
which is indispensable for the creation of “Jar Fairies”.
Don’t worry folks, I made the ploonker (used to place dainty flowers and lace into a glue bed at the bottom of a frillied-up glass jar). My wife Pam (staunchthrowback@flickr.com) made the fairy. I am happy about the division of labor.
-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.
Karson
home | projects | blog
25801 posts in 1296 days
posted 749 days ago
Another great utilization of the great tongs.
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
Dusty56
home | projects | blog
3466 posts in 583 days
posted 469 days ago
Another wonderful project to add to my list …great way to use up a bunch of scraps : ) thank you Karson !!!
-- You know you're getting old when you know the difference between you're (you are) and your (belonging to you) AND how to use them in a sentence .
PurpLev
home | projects | blog
2759 posts in 544 days
posted 247 days ago
nice one done!
Whooha! that is one beefy (carbide?) bandsaw blade…. what’s the size on that ? 3/4? what are you running it on?
-- When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.
Karson
home | projects | blog
25801 posts in 1296 days
posted 246 days ago
The blade is a 1 1/4” Laguna Resaw King blade. About $1.75 per inch.
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
Peter O
home | projects | blog
1022 posts in 770 days
posted 246 days ago
Cool! I’m putting them on my “fun gifts projects” list.
-- http://www.north40custom.com -- http://north40studios.etsy.com --
Dustmite97
home | projects | blog
181 posts in 116 days
posted 56 days ago
Look great Karson. I made a couple of these and they really come in handy.
-- Remember, measure twice, cut once