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The holidays are quickly approaching, and this year I’m making an Advent Calendar. If you aren’t familiar with Advent, check out this article. Now I’m not a religious man but I do celebrate Christmas, and I have the fondest memories counting down the days in December as a child. Who am I kidding? I STILL count down the days until Christmas!!
This Advent calendar is relatively basic in design, but has 25 little cubbies with enough room for a special treat or a secret message. In the first part of the two-part series, I start working on the grid structure and the hanging of the doors. The grid structure is creating using a shop-made jig that is very similar to a box-joint jig.
And if you’ve been following the Shop Journal on the blog, you’ll know how much of a pain the door hanging has been (see links below). But I finally came up with a good solution that I think you are going to like. It involves the use of Blind Nails from FastCap.
Want to build along with me? Download the plans and start making some sawdust:
Advent Calendar SketchUp Plan
Advent Calendar PDF Plan
Associated Shop Journal Posts:
Jig For the Advent Calendar
Tiny Door Hinges
http://thewoodwhisperer.com/more-tiny-door-hinges/
-- For free video tutorials and other cool woodworking stuff, check out http://www.TheWoodWhisperer.com
7 comments so far
SplashMaster
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153 posts in 1058 days
#1 posted 951 days ago
Just a suggestion about there at the end when you talked about cutting the nails for the doors down you could just have the lower door hinged on the left and the top on the right or vise versa so you don’t have any chance of one nail pushing on the other, however, that will change the appearance of the project a bit, but make it some what simpler. never the less it is looking great man!
thewoodwhisperer
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585 posts in 2381 days
#2 posted 951 days ago
Thanks. Excellent suggestion. Maybe its just the way my brains works, but having 23 doors hinged one way, and 2 doors hinged the other way, would drive me insane, lol. Then again, I won’t buy clamps if they don’t match the ones I already have. :)
-- For free video tutorials and other cool woodworking stuff, check out http://www.TheWoodWhisperer.com
Bill Akins
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411 posts in 1895 days
#3 posted 951 days ago
Looking good Marc. Man that is one tedious project. What will your 25 little surprises be? 25 new router bits perhaps?
-- Bill from Lithia Springs, GA I love the smell of sawdust in the morning.
thewoodwhisperer
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585 posts in 2381 days
#4 posted 951 days ago
haha! I wish. Maybe if Eagle America was filling it up. Since I built it, its Nicole’s job to fill it up. And after hearing that I had slightly elevated glucose levels at my last physical, I don’t think we’ll be filling it with candy! lol
-- For free video tutorials and other cool woodworking stuff, check out http://www.TheWoodWhisperer.com
thewoodwhisperer
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585 posts in 2381 days
#5 posted 951 days ago
haha, I realized after the fact that I used them interchangeably and I know better. Fortunately most of the parts of the project need to be both precise AND accurate, so I think I’m covered. :)
-- For free video tutorials and other cool woodworking stuff, check out http://www.TheWoodWhisperer.com
Dennis Fletcher
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455 posts in 1251 days
#6 posted 951 days ago
Sweet, maybe in a couple of years.
-- http://www.ahomespecialist.net, Making design and application one. †
Handi75
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368 posts in 1671 days
#7 posted 931 days ago
Marc,
Next time a little tip maybe… Your Forstner Bit. You ought to turn a Small Wooden Handle, Drill a Hole the Size of the Shaft, then Put in a Threaded Insert on the side bout 1/4 to 1/2” From the bottom, then put in a Little Hex Screw.
That way when you insert your Bit, tighten it down a little, then use it as a Handled Drillbit, more leverage, easier to hold and can turn with ease like a Screwdriver.
You could even use this for small Files also if need be since this project is basically on a one time thing but the handle could be usef for other things!
I like the Project also, Pretty Nifty! Great work.
Handi
-- Jimmy "Handi" Warner, http://www.facebook.com/HandisWorkshop, http://www.facebook.com/HandisCreations, Twitter: @Handisworkshop, @HandisCreations
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