Toaster Tongs

Karson -

Very nice! I always like the detail yo put in your posts. Thanks!

David

-- http://foldingrule.blogspot.com

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.

-- ..... art for lifes sake ... danwalters@lumberjocks.com

Dan post your picture here also. It would be great to see everyones variation.

-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com

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)

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 ….

-- ..... art for lifes sake ... danwalters@lumberjocks.com

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

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.

-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com

They look very nice Dad. I do hope I am seeing a Christmas present early. I will pretend to be surprised!
Love ya!

Now you’ve blown the surprise. So that’s one less I need to make. LOL You better get your request in for wood.

-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com

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, Owyhee Design, Oregon

All nine done in about 1 1/2 hr.

-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com

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!

One done, oilled and photoblog’d

-- ..... art for lifes sake ... danwalters@lumberjocks.com

Great Dan. Is the open end big enough to get around a piece of TEXAS Toast?

-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com

I made it EGGO sized. That is what my wife Peggy feeds me every-morning-for-breakfast !!

-- ..... art for lifes sake ... danwalters@lumberjocks.com

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://snbcreative.wordpress.com/

Hi Karson,

Not only quite useful, but darn good looking.

Have a great day,

-- Bob Lance, DE

Nice.
I, too, do the “eject and grab” method. This looks MUCH better.

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

these are great!

-- wood is good

Great idea for Christmas for someone Karson!

-- Carpe Lignum - Seize The Wood,

Great simple project. I am cleaning my scrap short pile.

-- Zipsss

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?

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

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!

-- ..... art for lifes sake ... danwalters@lumberjocks.com

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.

-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com

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.

-- ..... art for lifes sake ... danwalters@lumberjocks.com

What did you use as a finish Dan? and yes 3/4” width would not be a requirement. Whatever was handy.

-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com

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 ….)

-- ..... art for lifes sake ... danwalters@lumberjocks.com

Thanks, Karson – I’ll definitely make these.

-- CanuckDon "I just love small wooden boxes!" http://www.canterburybaptist.org/

Here are mine!

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

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..

-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com

Y’all are having too much fun; I’ll have to make a few of those too.
Thanks for the inspiration Karson. ;-)
Gary

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.

Another great utilization of the great tongs.

-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com

Another wonderful project to add to my list …great way to use up a bunch of scraps : ) thank you Karson !!!

-- Dusty56@comcast.net