Mike's Wood Gifts By Design

Bocote Wood Magnifying Glass

This magnifying glass is about 2" in diameter, with high a high-magnification glass lens. It's made with Bocote, with a creamy brown color and wavy black stripes, making for striking contrast. Bocote is from a small tree native to Central and South America, sometimes called Mexican Rosewood. Because of its striking color and grain, it's popular for accents and turnings.

Order a matching pen for a gift set - slimline, americana, european, or rolerball.

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Sliding Lid Gift Box - 3.5"x5"x3" - with Sego Lily Pyrography

This sliding-lid box is made from walnut and maple, with a sego lily burned into the top. I made this for my wife for Mothers Day this year. This box measures about 5 inches by 3.5 inches by 3.5 inches high. The sego lily has particular significance to my wife - she has pioneer ancestry, some of whom may have depended at least in part on the bulbs of this flower for sustenance during the first hard winters in Utah.

The possibilities for these boxes are endless. I used finger joints on this box. Splines, or keyed miters also work well. The sliding lid can be replaced by a solid lid with sides that lifts off, or with a hinged and latched top. I can use really any wood commercially available - save money by using domestic softwoods, or go all out on exotic hardwoods.

And I can burn into it just about anything you can give me a line drawing of. Email me with your ideas for a custom quote. If you want something similar to my wife's box, it will be $45.00.
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Mason Jar Gumball Machine - Hand-Turned Wood

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.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.

Wood Keyring or Pendant Urn Jewelry

One of my recent customers had a great idea - I make these little containers that can come on a key ring or a black laniard, and have marketed them for essential oils, religious oils, or perfume. He ordered several, but for use as urns for his beloved dogs that

passed away. To some it might seem almost comical, but believe me, my dog is a member of our family, loved almost as if it were one of our children, and to me it is heartwarming that others feel the same way.

These keyring urns are hand-made with attention to detail, from hardwoods from around the globe. Each is individually made, usually after you place your order, and to your specifications as to shape, wood type, metal plating, etc, for a keepsake that is worthy to preserve the remains of your loved one or pet in a classy, unobtrusive, dignified manner.

For a full selection of these containers, see my Oil Vials page, and keep in mind, what will hold a glass oil vial will do just fine as urn jewelry as well.

For detailed information about available woods, see my listing here.By clicking on "Order Now," buyer agrees to these terms.

Shelf-Top Oil Vial

A friend of mine was looking for an oil vial for his consecrated oil that was for his home supply - something nicer than the cheapo plastic containers that you get at the LDS Distribution Centers. I thought this was the perfect solution - hand-turned from cocobolo (other woods are available) and made with attention to detail. Inside is a glass vial with a threaded cap. The possibilities are endless. For an exotic wood like cocobolo, the price starts at $35. Domestics could be less. Email me for a quote.

Eucalyptus Burl Consecrated Oil Vial

Eucalyptus is an Australian wood, very popular among Australian woodturners, and for good reason. It has widely varying figure, and is a warm, light brown color. It looks awesome when it's turned and it finishes up nicely, to a semi gloss sheen from sanding with no finish applied.

All my LDS Consecrated Oil Keyring Vials are made from gold or chrome-plated parts. A unique, handmade, a perfect gift for any Elder, whether dad for Fathers Day, brother for Mission Farewell, or a son for his ordination to the priesthood. Inside is a glass vial that can just as easily hold perfume or essential oils.

Price: $25.00By clicking on "Order Now," buyer agrees to these terms.

Kingwood Consecrated Oil Vial

Kingwood, also called Violetwood or

Violete because of its purple cast, is from a slender low tree native to Brazil. It is called kingwood because in the 18th and 19th century it was a favorite wood of French kings for their furniture. It is fairly rare, and its fine texture and stability makes it a prized wood for inlay work, wood turning, and fancy accessories.

Canarywood Consecrated Oil Vial

All my LDS Consecrated Oil Keyring Vials are made from gold or chrome-plated parts. A unique, handmade, a perfect gift for any Elder, whether dad for Fathers Day, brother for Mission Farewell, or a son for his ordination to the priesthood. Inside is a glass vial that can just as easily hold perfume or essential oils.

Canarywood heartwood is yellow or orange, typically streaked with "rainbow-hued" colors, often mixed with shades of red or brown. Sapwood is yellow. Turns easily.

Price: $25.00By clicking on "Order Now," buyer agrees to these terms.

Zebrawood and Chrome Consecrated Oil Keyring Vial

This vial is hand-turned from African Zebrawood. Also called Zebrano, African zebrawood trees can reach in excess of 150'. Diameters commonly measure between 5' and 7'. Heartwood is light golden-yellow with streaks and veining of dark chocolate brown. Dries slowly, and tends to surface check and end-split during seasoning. Coarse texture and interlocked grain must be surfaced wih care. High-luster finish on this wood makes it extremely decorative.

All my LDS Consecrated Oil Keyring Vials are made from gold or chrome-plated parts. A unique, handmade, a perfect gift for any Elder, whether dad for Fathers Day, brother for Mission Farewell, or a son for his ordination to the priesthood. Inside is a glass vial that can just as easily hold perfume or essential oils.

Price: $25
By clicking on "Order Now," buyer agrees to these terms.

Bocote Wood Consecrated Oil Vial

These consecrated oil vials are hand-turned from Bocote and 10-k Gold plated parts. All my LDS Consecrated Oil Keyring Vials are made from gold or chrome-plated parts. A unique, handmade, a perfect gift for any Elder, whether dad for Fathers Day, brother for Mission Farewell, or a son for his ordination to the priesthood. Inside is a glass vial that can just as easily hold perfume or essential oils.

Bocote, sometimes called Mexican Zebrawood, is a Central and South-American wood that is highly sought after in woodturning, and for good reason. Color varies from mustard-yellow to creamy brown, with somewhat wavy, black stripes. A small tree seldom growing larger than 12" in diameter. Freshly cut bocote has a green tinge, and is oily to the touch. It has an herby, dill-like scent when cut.

Price: $25.00By clicking on "Order Now," buyer agrees to these terms.

Olive Wood Consecrated Oil Vial Keyring

Some olive trees have been alive since the time of Christ. A long-lived gnarled tree with a short bole, often with numerous holes and cavities, olive wood is one of the world's most beautiful woods. Heartwood is light brown to dark brown with irregular streaks of grey, brown, and black, giving a marble-like appearance. Irregular, interlocked grain is dense, turns easily and cuts very clean. These aromatic blanks are selecte

d for figure and color. And aromatic isn't putting it mildly - when cut, this wood smells very strongly of opened green olives and olive oil - I guess that shouldn't be a surprise. In addition to its beautiful caramel and chocolate swirling grain patterns, olive wood has special religious significance that makes a consecrated oil vial especially treasured and unique. It's somehow fitting to use olive wood to store the olive oil. For an additional $10.00, wood from prunings of live olive trees in the Holy Land can be used.

Laminated Hardwood Consecrated Oil Vial

As I work with exotic woods, I save the thin cut-offs, and combine them to create dramatic, beautiful results. Look closely at the first vial pictured and you'll see walnut, bloodwood, maple, and purpleheart. The second, from left to right, is made from padauk, zebrawood, ebony, purpleheart, zebrawood, blackwood, bloodwood, zebrawood, and purpleheart again. These vials are completely unique, as individual as the person they're made for.

Elm Keyring Consecrated Oil Vial

All my LDS Consecrated Oil Keyring Vials are made from gold or chrome-plated parts. A unique, handmade, a perfect gift for any Elder, whether dad for Fathers Day, brother for Mission Farewell, or a son for his ordination to the priesthood. Inside is a glass vial that can just as easily hold perfume or essential oils.

Elm wood is hard, with coarse, interlocking grain. It polishes to a satin sheen with no finish applied, and has a comfortable woody smell when cut or sanded. It is hard, and resistant to cracking and splitting. The vial shown above shows the darker heartwood, and the lighter sapwood, for a unique and beautiful vial. Please specify if you want sapwood in your vial.
Price: $25.00By clicking on "Order Now," buyer agrees to these terms.

Custom Party Favors - Can't Beat a Hand-Turned Pen!

I call my business Mike's Woodwork By Design for a reason - the projects I enjoy the most, and those that set me apart from mass-produced production lines, are the projects where I work with a customer (or as I think of them, a client) to design a solution that fits their unique needs. This project was another good example of that. My "client" was fast approaching his 40th birthday, and was having a special party of his close friends. He wanted to give them a party favor that was really nice, something they would never get from any other place, so he ordered hand-turned pens. Those on the left are ambrosia maple, those on the right are birdseye maple, and all of them are beaded Artisan slimline pens. He was in a real hurry to get them delivered on time - placed his order on Tuesday, delivered on Friday. It was a success, and he had a great party.

Imagine the possibilities - corporate gifts, company Christmas presents for your employees, Best Man present for your wedding, or a way to say "thank you, job well done" to your project team after they go the extra mile to meet a deadline on a critical project. Design your pens, place your order, and I'll make sure to give every attention to detail for a unique, meaningful gift. Prices start at $25 per pen for large orders like this.

Bloodwood LDS Consecrated Oil Vial

All my LDS Consecrated Oil Keyring Vials are made from gold or chrome-plated parts. A unique, handmade, a perfect gift for any Elder, whether dad for Fathers Day, brother for Mission Farewell, or a son for his ordination to the priesthood. Inside is a glass vial that can just as easily hold perfume or essential oils.

Bloodwood is actually a name for several types of reddish wood. This is the Brosimum Rubescens botanical name, and 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.
Price: $25.00By clicking on "Order Now," buyer agrees to these terms.

Apricot Wood Consecrated Oil Vial

These LDS Consecrated Oil Keyring Vials are made from gold or chrome-plated parts and Apricot wood. A unique, handmade, a perfect gift for any Elder, whether dad for Fathers Day, brother for Mission Farewell, or a son for his ordination to the priesthood. Inside is a glass vial that can just as easily hold perfume or essential oils.

Apricot wood is a favorite for woodturning - color varies from a vivid yellow-gold to orange to deep brown, often with contrasting and swirling grain. Random apricot trivia: Among American tank-driving soldiers, apricots are taboo, by superstition. Tankers will not eat apricots, allow apricots onto their vehicles, and often will not even say the word "apricot". This superstition stems from Sherman tank breakdowns purportedly happening in the presence of cans of apricots.
Price: $25.00
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Ambrosia Maple and Chrome - LDS Consecrated Oil Vial

These LDS Consecrated Oil Keyring Vials are made from chrome-plated parts and Ambrosia Maple. A unique, handmade, a perfect gift for any Elder, whether dad for Fathers Day, brother for Mission Farewell, or a son for his ordination to the priesthood. Inside is a glass vial that can just as easily hold perfume or essential oils.

Ambrosia Maple is one of my favorite woods for turning. Ambrosia refers to the fungus that causes the black streaks. It's introduced by beetles that cary the spores with them. They burrow in to dead maple trees, lay eggs, and leave, and the spores they leave behind begin to break down the walls of the hole into food the larvae can eat. When they grow up and leave, they take the spores with them. The fungus only exists in symbiosis with the beetles, and the beetles can't live without the fungus. Cool stuff. The resulting staining pattern in the maple is distinct, dramatic, and beautiful.

Price: $25.00
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