Hand-Carved and Turned Custom Chess Set

My customer for this job has very expensive tastes - two highly prized and rare woods. The top is Brazilian Tulipwood, a commercially available rosewood that has creamy yellow wood with pink, purple, or orange grain, a heavy wood that smells very floral when cut. The bottom is Madagascar Rosewood, or Boise de Rose - dark violet, and very rare commercially - Madagascar currently has an embargo on exports due to out-of-control illegal harvesting practices in their national park - stockpiles of legally for sale wood are dwindling. I don't know how he found it.

Anyway, there's no need to go for the expensive stuff - walnut and maple together look stunning, and you'll save a pretty penny. Also, the design of your pieces can save you a lot. Most of these are pretty straight forward, but the intricate carving of the mane and head on the knights really drove up the price. For a set this exact style, you're looking at $$1,120 plus wood. Go for something simpler on the knights, and the price can go down to as little as $640.00. Email me with your ideas - wood, design, etc. and we'll negotiate. Please plan on some lead time - I can't make a set like this in a week, or even a month.

Cocobolo Jumbo Chess Bishop

Jumbo chess pieces have so many uses - give your wife a queen, give your bishop a bishop, put your coworkers in their place by giving them pawns ;)...
Cocobolo is such a gorgeous wood. I love its deep colors and bright sheen.

Size: 2"x6". Order one today for $30.00

By clicking on "Order Now," buyer agrees to these terms.

Handmade Chessboard - Inlaid

This hardwood chess board is made from Maple and Walnut, and measures 20" square. The technique involves resawing solid wood to 1/8" thickness before making the board, so that wood movement doesn't break the board apart over time - beware of "solid" chessboards that aren't made this way - your corners won't hold up.

Other woods are available, and price varies. Suggested combinations include bloodwood and birdseye maple, purpleheart and yellowheart (pao amarello), kingwood and tulipwood, ebony and holly, or pick your own woods. Size can also be adjusted to fit the chess set you want to use, or order a chess set made from the same woods to match.

Price with walnut and maple as shown: $150.00

Wood Choice

Maple and Walnut $150.00 Bloodwood and Birdseye Maple $175.00 Purpleheart and Yellowheart $175.00 Kingwood and Tulipwood $250.00 Ebony and Holly $250.00 Other (email me to negotiate) $225.00

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Wood Candy Dispenser - Mason Jar and Pine

Mason-Jar gumball machines come in many shapes and sizes. This one is made from solid pine, and hand-turned to set it apart from other designs. A hidden catch keeps the mechanism from coming out - just push it in and pull it out for another piece of candy - no coin required (your kids will like that part. In fact, this little project is one my kids don't want me to sell - they want it for themselves. Don't worry, though, I will make more...)

Choose your finish, or choose maple or walnut or other hardwoods if you want to make it fancy. A perfect gift for Mom's rustic decor, or dad's desk at work.

Wood Choice

Pine & Stain $25.00 Maple and Polish $45.00 Walnut and Polish $45.00 Other Hardwood (email me for availability) $55.00

Price does not include jar - special shipping for glass makes it cheaper for you to buy a box of 12 at your nearest grocery store. I can add it if you want, just let me know. By clicking on "Order Now," buyer agrees to these terms.

Oak Penny Hockey Board

One of my best selling toys is the Penny Hockey Board, or Penny Soccer Board, which is the same thing but painted differently. This is an old-school toy that many of us made as youths, perhaps in middle school woodshop, and the toy I sell is the same thing - simple construction, hardboard and pine, made for fun and play. I had a customer who wanted something more high quality, and asked if I could make one from Oak. Well, why make one when you can make TWO... The picture above shows the result.

The corners are mitered, and keyed with purpleheart in this case, though any contrasting wood would do. The project is stained (natural oil in this case) and finished with shellac for a high-gloss finish that can be easily touched up. It's sturdy, strong, and heirloom quality. SO of course it costs a little more than the less expensive boards. Size 12"x16", price $100 finished, $70 unfinished.

Wood Choice

Oak, Stained and Finished $100.00 Oak, unfinished $70.00

By clicking on "Order Now," buyer agrees to these terms.

Wood Shield

A Knight wihthout a shield?!?! Never! A sword alone won't block the enemy's darts or the dragon's fire. These toy shields are approximately 12"x16", and are curved like the real thing. Created from sturdy woods, designed to take a beating from toy swords and come off none-the-worse for wear. Plus, if you're so inclined, you can decorate the shield with the coat of arms of your choice.

A simple, classic toy - kids have loved wood shields and swords ever since there were kids. These wood shields are gently curved in profile, to look like the real thing. Solid construction with screws and glue, they're meant to take the abuse of being hit with toy swords and come off none the worse for wear.

Order unfinished as pictured, or stained and sealed. For a special touch, email me a coat of arms and I'll burn it into the face - all by hand of course - for a one-of-a-kind toy - price for woodburning to be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Finish

Unfinished $15.00 Stained $20.00 Stain and Shellac $25.00

By clicking on "Order Now," buyer agrees to these terms.

Wood Photo Jigsaw Puzzle

These puzzles are one of my favorite things I've made - not because of the craftsmanship involved, but more becasue they're so much fun for my boys to play with. Send me a digital photo or choose some artwork (not copyrighted, please) and I'll construct an hierloom-quality toy that young kids love and everyone appreciates.

Either puzzle shown is sized 8"x10", and if you provide the image, will cost you $20.00.

Eagle artwork by Danny Staten.
Want professional photos on the puzzle? I often work with Endless Images and they do great work.
By clicking on "Buy Now," buyer agrees to these terms.

Chess Queen - Bloodwood, 5-1/2"

This Chess Queen was made for a customer as gift to a lady who taught him to play chess. I think that's cool. It's made from bloodwood, a tropical hardwood that comes in deep reds, from light like this to dark crimson. It's very hard and dense, my personal favorite for pens. Bloodwood is actually a name for several types of reddish wood. It is hard and tough, with no smell at all, unless it's smoking hot, in which case it smells like coconut and sweet incense. Shavings are a striking bright red color, and it finishes nicely. Hard and strong, it's supposed to age to a deep brown color, but the finish will slow that down.

These jumbo chess pieces make striking gifts. The base is black felt, and the finish is glossy shellac friction polish. Because of the detailed carving work for the crown, the price as shown is $30. This was made as part of a set with a pen from the same wood.

Chess Bishop - Ash Wood, 6"

This chess bishop was made to order for a newly called LDS Bishop. The finish is Mylands Friction Polish, a shellac-based finish that dries and hardens while the lathe is spinning. The wood is ash. Ash is a hard wood, with a high strength-to-weight ratio, making it a popular choice for baseball bats. It's also used for all sorts of fine woodwork, for tool handles, and for guitar bodies, known for a light, sustained tone. It also has been used for bowls since it has no odor or taste. The grain is similar to oak, with open grain along the rings, but without the radial chatter lines that make oak so distinctive in cross section. Culturally, ash was used to repel snakes, using the leaves, or by drawing a circle around yourself on the ground with a stick. Call me crazy, but I don't think it will work.

These jumbo chess pieces are fun - they make a striking gift. Thanks for the order, George! Price as shown: $20.00.

Penny Soccer Field

If you've never played penny soccer, (schilling football for you Brits out there) you're missing out. The rules are easy enough for a three-year old to play, and gameplay is exciting enough for adults to become enthralled. When I made my first one, my boys dropped the video game controllers and jumped in and were good for hours.

Here are my official rules: Must flick with fingernail (no pushing). Start off from center peg. If it goes out of bounds, knock in off the sideboards. If the other person cheats, start by flicking from the nearest peg to the location of the cheat. Take alternating turns, and wait for the penny to come to a complete stop before you take your turn.

This penny soccer board is made out of fir and hardboard, measuring 16" by 12". I have smaller boards, penny hockey boards, or unpainted retro boards too. Order yours today - a perfect gift for boys or girls ages 3 and up. My two year old likes to play too, but he likes to CHEAT. Oh and he likes to eat pennies.

Sport Finish:

Penny Hockey $25.00 Penny Soccer $25.00 Unfinished $20.00

Please note before placing your order - these are hand-striped, bordered by unfinished pine. I can make a super-nice one with mitered corners and hardwood frame, but that costs extra.By clicking on "Order Now," buyer agrees to these terms.

Penny Soccer Field - Small

If you've never played penny soccer, (schilling football for you Brits out there) you're missing out. The rules are easy enough for a three-year old to play, and gameplay is exciting enough for adults to become enthralled. When I made my first one, my boys dropped the video game controllers and jumped in and were good for hours.

Here are my official rules: Must flick with fingernail (no pushing). Start off from center peg. If it goes out of bounds, knock in off the sideboards. If the other person cheats, start by flicking from the nearest peg to the location of the cheat. Take alternating turns, and wait for the penny to come to a complete stop before you take your turn.

This penny soccer board is made out of fir and hardboard, measuring 8" by 12". I have larger boards, penny hockey boards, or unpainted retro boards too. Order yours today - a perfect gift for boys or girls ages 3 and up. My two year old likes to play too, but he likes to CHEAT. Oh and he likes to eat pennies.

Sport Finish:

Penny Hockey $20.00 Penny Soccer $20.00 Unfinished $15.00

Please note before placing your order - these are hand-striped, bordered by unfinished pine. I can make a super-nice one with mitered corners and hardwood frame, but that costs extra.By clicking on "Order Now," buyer agrees to these terms.

Penny Hockey Rink

If you've never played penny hockey, you're missing out. The rules are easy enough for a three-year old to play, and gameplay is exciting enough for adults to become enthralled. When I made my first one, my boys dropped the video game controllers and jumped in and were good for hours.

Here are my official rules: Must flick with fingernail (no pushing). Start off from center peg. If it goes out of bounds, knock in off the sideboards. If the other person cheats, start by flicking from the nearest peg to the location of the cheat. Take alternating turns, and wait for the penny to come to a complete stop before you take your turn.

My coworkers were skeptical till they tried it and they were instantly into the game.

This penny hockey board is made out of fir and hardboard, 12"x16". I've got smaller hockey rinks, as well as penny soccer fields, or for a retro toy, go unpainted for five bucks less. Recommended for ages 3 and up - younger kids like it but they're likely to CHEAT or swallow the penny.

Sport Finish:

Penny Hockey $25.00 Penny Soccer $25.00 Unfinished $20.00

Please note before placing your order - these are hand-striped, bordered by unfinished pine. I can make a super-nice one with mitered corners and hardwood frame, but that costs extra. By clicking on "Order Now," buyer agrees to these terms.

Penny Hockey Rink - Small

If you've never played penny hockey, you're missing out. The rules are easy enough for a three-year old to play, and gameplay is exciting enough for adults to become enthralled. When I made my first one, my boys dropped the video game controllers and jumped in and were good for hours.

Here are my official rules: Must flick with fingernail (no pushing). Start off from center peg. If it goes out of bounds, knock in off the sideboards. If the other person cheats, start by flicking from the nearest peg to the location of the cheat. Take alternating turns, and wait for the penny to come to a complete stop before you take your turn.

My coworkers were skeptical till they tried it and they were instantly into the game.

This penny hockey board is made out of fir and hardboard. This board measures 8"x12". I have large boards too, as well as penny soccer fields, or for a retro toy, go paint-free for five bucks less. Order yours today - a perfect gift for boys or girls ages 3 and up. Ok my 2-year old loves it too, but sometimes he eats the penny and he doesn't understand that pushing the penny all the way to the hole is CHEATING!!

Sport Finish:

Penny Hockey $20.00 Penny Soccer $20.00 Unfinished $15.00

Please note before placing your order - these are hand-striped, bordered by unfinished pine. I can make a super-nice one with mitered corners and hardwood frame, but that costs extra. By clicking on "Order Now," buyer agrees to these terms.

Solid Pine Rocking Horse

Every kid loves a rocking horse. You can go out and spend $100 on a plastic horse with metal springs and sure, your kids will like it, but it's just not as cool if, for the same price, you can get the look and feel of wood and the traditional wooden horse. It's the sort of thing that you don't have to hide in a playroom because it looks good enough to have out when company comes over.

The mane and tail are yarn, the ears are felt. Very solid construction, with countersunk wood screws and glue at all joints. Doesn't creek, shift, or anything like that. You select the color of yarn, felt, and stain/oil finish. Approximate size: 30" high X 30" long X 16" wide.

Rubber Band Gun - Pirate Pistol

Arrrrgh, where would Jack Sparrow be today if he hadn't had his trusty pistol with his single shot saved for Captain Barbosa? And what do you do with a scurvy pirate if you don't have a plank handy for them to walk?? Arrr, ye be blasting them with rubber bands, matey!

A versatile toy, it's equally effective for cowboys and Indians, cops and robbers, or any number of other traditional childhood boy games - that is for parents who don't think playing with toy guns is a capital crime. Personally, I can't imagine childhood without epic gun battles. They can take the abuse of crawling through the enemy infested backyard jungle, hunting safaris in the wild basement savannah, and indian raids in the wild western family room. And these toys are kind of retro too - they make a great gifts for dads, grandpas, moms, coworkers...They're just plain fun.

The barrel is carefully sized so that the rubber bands supplied with the gun shoot for impact, but do not cause pain to bare skin even at close range. It's sturdy construction, splinter free, unfinished and ready to play, paint, stain, or whatever else you want to do with it. The gun pictured is $5.00. I usually keep these in stock and can ship the next day after you pay. Click here to buy this item

Jumbo Chess Piece

My brother-in-law was just recently asked to be the bishop of his LDS ward. For kicks, I made him a bishop chess piece for Christmas - it was about 3" diameter, 6" high, more or less. I brought it to work to show my coworkers, and well, you know how Utah is - bishops are everywyere! Two coworkers wanted to have a bishop of their own to give to their bishops. Same as with the wood bowls, they just feel cool when you hold them - nice shape, hefty feel, and natural wood grain is just very pleasing. I added felt bases too to give them that finishing touch.

Well, my brother-in-law opened his and laughed and laughed. He keeps it on his desk at work, and visitors to his office love to pick it up and play with it. The youth leadership group passes it around saying "Check" and "Check Mate" during meetings - it was a hit. Similar responses from the other two bishops who got one.

The one you see here is made from cedar and smells so good. I'm going to venture into other chess pieces for the school's chess club - it's a volunteer thing and we want to give the lady who runs it a token of our appreciation, so maybe a queen or something. My kids want me to make a chess-board kitchen table using bathroom tiles for the squares and have a giant chess set. I think that might be a little over the top - call me crazy.

Price: $20 give or take, depending on what I have to do to get your wood - exotic species are more.

Book-case Style Doll House

What girl loves dolls and doesn't want a doll house? It's like a boy who doesn't want rubber band guns. I'm glad I have boys! the rubber band guns are much cheaper :) Seriously though, this doll house is quality stuff. Heavy weight, high quality birch plywood, dado joints, bead-board backing for the basic unit. Go the extra mile for doors between rooms and door casings and patio railing like the one shown. For a little more, add crown moldings, stairs, shingles, windows.

The book-case style doll house is sized for Barbie type dolls. Starting price for a basic doll house, unfinished without the extras is $250.00. Carpet, accessories, and custom paint not included, or available as extras.

Rubber Band Gun - Cowboy's Double-Shot Rifle

YEE HAW! Ride 'em Cowboy! What three things does a Cowboy need most? His hat, his boots, and his gun. Imagine going up against a band of restless natives or a mad grizzly bear without your trusty rubber band gun at your side? Made from solid pine stock and poplar barrel, this sturdy reliable toy gun is guaranteed to be fun.

Includes 10 file-folder sized rubber bands, and the barrel is sized such that it doesn't leave a mark even on bare skin. Although I admit, two of these puppies loaded up and discharged on an unsuspecting coworker can make quite an impression - just ask Evon...

The gun shown, unfinished, including rubber bands, is $12.50. Other styles, multiple barrels, etc. are all available. Some options cost extra. Email me and let me know what you want.

Rubber Band Gun - Double-Barrel Howduh Pistol

Sometimes less is more. But NOT in this case! This two-barrel rubber band pistol is a favorite among my customers. Better yet, get one for each hand and you don't have to worry about being outgunned by the enemy... Patterned after the antique "Howduh" pistol, perfect for hunting tigers, bears, and other ferocious stuffed animals, and siblings. As with all my rubber band guns, barrels and rubber bands are matched so they shoot for impact, not to hurt. Solid pine stock, poplar barrells, and very very fun.

Price: $7.50 unfinished. I usually keep these in stock and can ship the day after you pay. Click here to buy this item