Introduction
Our DremelWeekends Contributor, Pauline provided us steps to re-create her reclaimed scrap wood hearts.
Step By Step Instructions
Step 1
To begin this project, I rounded up a leftover piece of quarter inch plywood to glue my scraps onto.
Step 2
(If you don't have quarter inch plywood sitting around, here are some examples of what I have used in place of this. I never worry too much about the appearance of the bottom piece, as the painted scraps will cover it.)
Step 3
Next, the smaller scrap pieces get cut up into any size/shape desired. (Moto-Saw works great for this.) I used smaller sections of the thin plywood or some old garden stakes. This is a good time to play around with paint and get a color scheme going. It's much easier to paint the scraps now, before they are glued down. After the paint dries, I distress some edges just to give definition when they are pieced together.
Step 4
Taking a piece of paper, a heart shape is cut out and used to trace onto the bottom sheet of wood. (This serves as a placement guide when gluing down the top scrap pieces.)
Step 5
After playing around with placement and pattern, glue is applied and heavy objects and/or clamps used to secure until glue dries. (It is important to have good contact until the glue dries, so if I run out of heavy objects, I take a break and come back to it after glue sets and repeat gluing/clamping.)
Step 6
When the glue is all dry, the paper heart cutout is used again to retrace onto the top scrap pieces.
Step 7
Next the final heart is cut out on the Moto-Saw, by following the heart shaped trace line. (Be sure to follow safety, setup, and operating instructions included with the Moto-Saw.)
Step 8
After the heart is cut, edges can be evened out by using your favorite Dremel tool- the Multi-Max or any Dremel Rotary Tool.
Step 9
Next, any gaps between the scraps can be filled with painter's caulk, and a wet rag used to wipe up any excess.
Step 10
Finishing up, a hole is drilled for ribbon or twine. And there you have it! Write a message on the back, and you've got yourself a big, scrap wood valentine.
To reduce the risk of injury user must read instruction manuals for all tools used in this project. Wear eye and respiratory protection. Use clamps to support work piece whenever practical.