# Strange ideas lurk in kitchen cabinets



## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

All my projects seem to have a story behind them. This one started when my wife had neck surgery recently which puts her in a hard cervical collar, 24/7, for the next few months and restricts her from doing most chores. That means I was promoted from scullery serf to full blown *Chief Cook*. Along with the promotion came access to *The Hidden Secrets of the Kitchen Cabinets* and there I found these strange bamboo "forks". 










"Well ...", says I, "these look like they should be made into something." And so began another project. My first thought as I studied these strange little forks was without the tines they would look like a little arrow, "Hmmm ... arrow ... arrow ... what to do with an arrow ... arrow through a heart? Yeah the could work, but what heart? Maybe the arrow and heart make a lock. Okay, now, what should they lock?"

So, I combined a ring box idea by Tom Caspar on the Woodworkers Guild of America site with my arrow and heart concept and this is the result. My Sketchup animation shows how simply the box is assembled.










The box is made from 2 x 2 (1.5" x 1.5" x 1.5") red oak and the top, heart, and lock part are padauk. I drilled a 1 1/4" diameter hole 1 1/4" deep in to the end grain of the oak cube for the box interior. The lid is made in two layers: a 1/4 thick layer with a 1/8" hole in one corner for a #4 screw that allows it to pivot, and a 1/16" top layer that covers the screw. The heart is 1/8" thick.

The corners of the box were rounded with a 1/4" roundover bit so the heart would not restrict movement of the lid. The keyholes in the heart and lock allow the arrow to slide in and then twist 90º to lock it in place. Another 90º twist and it can be removed. 

So the moral is check those kitchen cabinets. There's no telling what projects are lurking within.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

way cool..


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

okay...
gotta love all of it...


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

Ah, a custom toothpick holder. Your fortune is made. Nice work.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Very cool as always . Love the animations by the way


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

Well that is really a neat idea.
but where you not suppose to be cooking, not goofing off.
Did the wife ever get anything to eat?


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Actually that would be a pretty neat toothpick holder. Nice work once again Oliver.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

You never fail to surprise, Oliver. You know that's gonna get stolen., right? 
By the way those bamboo forks are the makings of stick figures...I think if they're steamed or soaked they could be formed into different postures?


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Great....


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Congratulations on the promotion, Oliver.

*Chief Cook* has supreme household power..........


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## BenAtar (Nov 9, 2014)

This is soooo good, thanks for sharing. I liked the whole post from start to finish......the source, the idea, the finished product, the animation etc, all terrific. Best wishes, I hope your wife has a swift recovery.


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## 64 ford (Apr 21, 2013)

Oliver-it's a good thing your mind isn't devious or the world would be in worse trouble!!
Neat idea! Like most you have. 
I hope your wife is getting better and recuperates quickly. Two years ago when my wife had her 5th low back surguery they wanted to put her in a nursing home for a couple months but I opted not to work and take care of her 24/7 . Work would of been much easier! Good luck to you both
Dennis


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## schnewj (Nov 18, 2013)

What an imagination!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great work as always.

I wish I had met you when I lived in Slidell and Lacombe. I would have loved to see some of your work first hand and shared some ideas.

Bill


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## berry (Oct 17, 2005)

What fun!


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## firstmuller (Aug 28, 2014)

This is very nice. Hope your wife is getting better fast so you can get more work done in the shop. I wounder what some of your meals look like? 
Allen


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

I loved your presentation,top notch, and your ideas are forever getting better, seems you like to work in miniature too. 
Herb


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