hey everyone im pretty new to the woodworking thing so take it easy on me. What I would like to hear is some ideas on some simple projects I can make with cedar. I have alot of 1×3’s, 1×4’s, and 2×2’s all true in size. any thoughts?
Edited 11/6/2006 2:38 pm ET by bigw00d
Replies
I'm assuming western red cedar?
Those sizes would work well for outdoor items such as planter boxes, trellises, and benches. The Walpole Woodworker catalog has a lot of products that might give you some ideas.
Pete
I have made several Adirondack chairs out of cedar that have been in use for more than 10 years now - just be sure it is smooth-sawn. Your keister will thank you.
Hi bigw00d,
I made a very nice blanket chest from cedar. It finishes very nice. I used aromic cedar inside, clear cedar outside. It laminates nicely, especially if you have some light and some dark colored cedar.
Ed
I think it is best used for outdoor projects.
It is, as you know, extremely soft, but the red cedar takes on a beautiful deep color with a plain oil finish. I've used it for various things around my shop (like clamp racks) where the softness was not a problem.
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"It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."
John Wooden 1910-
I've used WRC for:
1. Firewood box, keeps kindling dry on covered porch & doubles as a coffee table (1x4 slats over 2x2 frame comprising approx. 3x2x2 foot box with unhinged lid). Very simple, very useful. Bare wood, no finish, still looks & works great years after assembly.
2. Boxes for raised garden beds (2x8 or 2x10 boards screwed together in 2x12 or 3x12 foot rectangles -- about as basic as you can get!)
3. Bulkhead doors to root cellar (painted v-joint T&G 1x4 panels over 1x4 / 1x6 frames, frame is biscuit jointed and glued together, panels are brass-screwed to frame -- careful, wood-movement can be a big issue!)
I'm using Cypress (which has similar properties) to assemble new porch railings. Square balusters with a V-notch in bottom are screwed from below (with stainless square drive auger pointed wood screws) into a sloped-top bottom rail to shed water. Big improvement over the flat bottom rails you might see, assuming you want the look of real wood not composite or vinyl.
We also have a mess of cedar bluebird boxes. Our wood siding is painted WRC, too.
I used mine to biuld box/table on the deck to hide the extra gas bottle for the grill.
I visited a client yesterday who has a set of barn doors built from alternating vertical boards of white and red cedar. They are finished with clear marine finish of some sort (Sikkens maybe??) and after 20+ years look spectacular.
Outdoor projects are a good choice for cedar. Here's a project I designed using 1 x 5" cedar fencing material
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