Mike's Wood Gifts By Design: Custom Gifts

Showing posts with label Custom Gifts. Show all posts

Hand-Turned Conductor's Baton

The Conductor's Baton gained widespread use in the early 19th century, as a means to make the movements and direction of the conductor more visible to the orchestra. Light woods and teardrop-shaped handles are customary, with lengths between 10" and 24" most common. Professional conductors often have them custom-made to suit their physical demands and nature of performance.

The baton shown above is with a holly shaft and a purpleheart handle, total length about 15 inches. The shaft should be both light weight and light color. Maple offers a less-expensive alternative to holly. The handle can be any number of woods, from more common woods like walnut, purpleheart, etc. to exotics like rosewood, ebony, or cocobolo. Engraving and pyrography is also available for an additional fee. Email me to discuss specifics.

Price as shown - $60.00. Add a pouch for an additional $10.00

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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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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.

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: $25.00
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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.

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.

Base Price (African olive wood): $25.00; for wood from the Holy Land, price: $35.00By clicking on "Order Now," buyer agrees to these terms.

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.

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: $35.00By 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

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.

Blackwood and Chrome Consecrated Oil Vial

This Consecrated Oil Vial is hand-turned from African Blackwood whith durable chrome parts. The glass vial inside can be used for consecrated oil, perfume or cologne, or essential oils, or any other liquid you choose. The laniard is black silk, but the vial can just as easily be slipped onto a keyring. All of my work is custom made, so be sure to pick which shape you want - straight, hourglass, bead and cove, or whatever else you can think up.

Blackwood is a small tree attaining a height of 45', trunk diameter rarely more than 14". Heartwood is dark brown with predominant black lines which give an almost black appearance. Sapwood is pale

yellow, giving pleasant contrast. The grain may be straight or irregular, extremely fine texture. Dries slowly with a slight tendancy to check. Used extensively for woodwind instruments, giving one of the best tones. Turns well, often used for carving. Capable of an excellent finish.

Price: $25.00
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Wood Keyring Consecrated Oil Vial - Purpleheart and Chrome

A great gift for Fathers Day, for missionaries, or newly ordained Elders, or any Melchizedek priesthood holder for that matter, wood consecrated oil vials for keychains can be made from any commercially available pen blank material or hardwood. Keep it on your keychain or use a silk laniard provided - this tiny vial is a perfect way to send off your missionary with something personal that he can keep with him all the time. Hand-turned and made individually, you tell me what you want it to look like, choose the wood, and I do the rest.

Purpleheart, also sometimes called amaranth or violet wood, comes from several species of tropical trees native to Central and South America. The heartwood is a light purple when cut, and darkens upon exposure to sunlight, reaching first a darker purple and eventually a brown with a purple cast. It is hard and strong, and takes attention when turning, requiring sharp tools, gentle cuts, and careful sanding. The vial shown above was made with chrome components. Price: $25.00
By clicking on "Order Now," buyer agrees to these terms.

LDS Consecrated Oil Vial - Zebrawood and 10k Gold Keyring

Looking for the perfect Father's Day gift for an LDS Dad? These keyring consecrated oil vials are each handmade and totally unique. Inside is a glass vial to hold the oil, or cologne or essential oils or whatever else you like.

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

Personalized Wood Name Blocks

When you order a personalized wood name block, you of course tell me the name, and I send you the canvas for you to display your creativity. They're a fun gift for younger kids especially. Made from 1-3/4" thick solid wood, I can provide them unfinished, stained, or painted solid and ready for your finishing touch. I recommend acrylic paints.

Priced per letter, $2 per letter unfinished, plus a base $5.00 per order fee.

My son, Tyler, made these (with my help) for his brothers for Christmas this last year.

Gift Set: Jumbo Chess Queen and Matching Bloodwood Pen

One of the things I enjoy the most about the business aspect of my woodwork is getting to see tidbits into the lives of my customers. You can't help but get to know them just a little bit, when they order personalized, unique gifts. This set of a jumbo chess queen and a matching pen is one of those cases. My customer volunteers for a school's chess club, and ordered this as a Christmas present for his best friend who he taught to play chess. His queen, he calls her. And she's an artist and a writer. I thought it was a great idea and feel priveleged to have had a hand in the experience.

The pen is an Artisan Beaded Slimline Pen, with 10K gold finish, hand-turned from bloodwood and finished with Mylands Friction Polish. The queen is also from bloodwood, and is 5-1/2" high with a black felt base, also finished with the shellac-based polish. I think it's safe to say that as a gift, my customer is giving something totally unique this year. As a set, the total came to $67.50.

Wood Consecrated Oil Vial - Purpleheart

A great gift for missionaries, or newly ordained Elders, or any Melchizedek priesthood holder for that matter, wood consecrated oil vials for keychains can be made from any commercially available pen blank material or hardwood. Keep it on your keychain or use a silk laniard provided - this tiny vial is a perfect way to send off your missionary with something personal that he can keep with him all the time. Hand-turned and made individually, you tell me what you want it to look like, choose the wood, and I do the rest.

Purpleheart, also sometimes called amaranth or violet wood, comes from several species of tropical trees native to Central and South America. The heartwood is a light purple when cut, and darkens upon exposure to sunlight, reaching first a darker purple and eventually a brown with a purple cast. It is hard and strong, and takes attention when turning, requiring sharp tools, gentle cuts, and careful sanding.

All keychain vials are made with chrome or 10-k gold plated metal components. Your choice of woods or acrylic pen blanks. $25 for most wood choices, not including shipping. Choose the styling too - straight and slim, beads, grooves, ogee shapes, it's up to you.
By clicking on "Order Now," buyer agrees to these terms.

Keyring Cologne or Perfume Vial - Purpleheart

Smell good all day with your own keyring cologne or perfume vial. Or keep anything else in it you can fit - medication, consecrated oil, cremated remains of your dog, whatever you think of. Or just use it on your keyring because it's cool.

Purpleheart, also sometimes called amaranth or violet wood, comes from several species of tropical trees native to Central and South America. The heartwood is a light purple when cut, and darkens upon exposure to sunlight, reaching first a darker purple and eventually a brown with a purple cast. It is hard and strong, and takes attention when turning, requiring sharp tools, gentle cuts, and a LOT of sanding. An interesting side note: every kind of wood smells different when turned. Maple smells kind of like pancake syrup, mesquite like warm raw meat, walnut like something sour. Well, the dust and shavings from this wood at first smelled kind of sweet, but as I kept smelling it as I was working, it started to smell more meaty, and then kind of like sweet warm old meat. Yuck. Wikipedia says the dust can cause nausea. I can see that. Don't worry, the finished work is scentless.

All keychain vials are made with 24-k gold plated metal components. Your choice of woods or acrylic pen blanks. $25 for most wood choices, not including shipping. Choose the styling too - straight and slim, beads, grooves, ogee shapes, it's up to you.By clicking on "Order Now," buyer agrees to these terms.

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