It is often harder to select gifts for men, but I’ve come up with a few ideas. For me buying for Dad was a lot harder than buying for Mom. But everyone likes to get handmade gifts. You can turn a project specifically for them and that will make your gift very special.
7 Gifts for Men, Turned by You
Here are 7 gifts for men that you can turn on your lathe. These presents range from the simple to the complex and all are suitable for Father’s Day, Birthdays, Christmas, a special occasion, or just because.
There is a bonus section at the end of the post with some other woodturning projects for your inspiration.
Turned Bottle Stoppers
How do you keep your wine, or other beverage, fresh after you pop the cork? Turn a bottle stopper. This post utilizes plastic corks that you can purchase at your local grocery store or wine supply store. You can also reuse old wine corks, or buy a bottle stopper kit that has a stainless steel cork.
You can choose your wood, exotic or native. A bit of spindle turning and the addition of a cork and you can turn a one of a kind bottle stopper. It is an elegant way to cork your wine and you can tell which bottle belongs to you as well.
Turned Key Chains
This is an introduction to turning kits. These kits give you the hardware for your project. I have some more kit suggestions below.
To make a key chain, you do need the kit and a mandrel to turn the project on. Drill the correct size hole in your blank and epoxy in the brass tube. Place this on your mandrel in your lathe. Then you turn the shape you want, sand, and finish. Add the hardware and you have a finished key chain.
Wooden key chains are a small project and can be easily turned in a production fashion. Your turning style and choice of wood will set these key chains apart from massed produced chain store varieties.
Spurtle
Not sure if this one should be included or not! Well if you, or the recipient, like oatmeal then this is a good turning. Practice your skew chisel techniques and create the perfect spurtle. You can use it in the kitchen to stir more than just oatmeal.
The Tower of Hanoi
This is a great puzzle and made out of wood. Kids of all ages like wooden puzzles. It looks fantastic and the challenge is to solve in the fewest moves possible. You can decide on how many rings or discs to have in your puzzle. It takes 31 moves for 5 discs and 255 moves with 8. You probably want less than 8 Of course you can make 8 discs and they can use fewer to do the puzzle.
There is some basic woodworking involved with making the base for the puzzle. You can choose a variety of woods to make this project really stand out.
A Coin Bank
This project is a bank for saving coins. It is in the shape of a barrel. You can use this shape or you can make wooden boxes and add a coin slot to make it into a coin bank. That way you can make the bank significant to the recipient.
One of the challenges with lidded boxes is to make sure the lip of the bottom section matches with the lid. This tutorial has a great tip for beginners so that they can turn snug fitting lids every time.
Pen and Pencil Holder
This is another barrel project and can be used to hold pens and pencils on someone’s desk. Again this doesn’t have to be a barrel. Basically turn a wooden vase, any shape you want, with a solid base to ensure the pens and pencils don’t fall over.
Wooden Bowl
A wooden bowl is a simple object but can be special if you have turned it for someone special in your life. Wooden bowls can be used in the kitchen but they can also be used around the house for other purposes. A small bowl beside the bed can hold keys and pocket change.
Kit Projects that are Great Gifts for Men
These projects are kits that you turn the wood for and then assemble to make the final product. However, you get to select the wood (maple, birch, cherry, or exotic) and shape the turning so your contribution helps to set it apart as well. These can be tailored to the specific needs of individuals.
You may need additional equipment such as a turning mandrel and specifically sized drill bits.
Navigator Screw Cap Pen Kit (there are many kits to make wooden pens with)
Cigar Letter Opener, Gold, Kit (you make the handle)
Coffee Scoop (you make the handle)
Pepper mills (you will need a larger prepared blank for this one)
Pizza Cutter (you make the handle)
Travel Mug – This is the insert you can usually get a wood blank as well
Shaving Brush
More Gifts for Men, Wood Turning Project Ideas
These seven gifts for men represent my suggestions. You are a much better judge than I am of what the recipient would like as a gift. Here are three more ideas for you to consider.
Kitchen Utensils
For someone who likes to work in the kitchen you could make a turned rolling pin, a honey dipper, or a kitchen trivet. Don’t forget the spurtle and maybe a wooden spoon as well.
Candles and Vases
Making turned candle holders for tea lights is an easy turning project. Follow the link in the project post to learn how to turn three different tea light candle holders. Check to make sure that your tea lights will fit into your prepared hole and never leave a burning candle unattended.
Toys and Games
Some things you can turn are spinning tops, a fidget stick, and the train hub for Mexican dominoes. If you want to purchase a kit you can make a Yo-Yo as well.
No matter what you turn it will make a beautiful gift for someone that you love. The main reason is that you’ve put a part of yourself into the turning and that makes each and every one of your turning special.
Finding good gifts for men is a real challenge. Now you can plan and turn in a present that will please you and the recipient.
Turning For Profit
If you have any questions about turning or the business of turning, please leave me a comment at the bottom of the page.
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I love woodturning and sharing with you my fellow wood turners. You can follow me on Facebook as well. Thank you for joining me on this woodturning journey. Have fun and remember to turn safely.
Love your work and web page, ideas and your writings are inspirational. Keep up the great work and you now have another loyal reader.
Being fairly new to turning, and just now entertaining the idea of selling my work I have a question for you about time spent getting a perfect finish as it relates to profitability. In both the bowl that holds the key chains and the one that holds the fruit numerous tool marks are easily visible. I’m assuming you left them that way because the extra time it takes to sand them out doesn’t increase the sell price of the bowl enough to warrant the time it would take? Pricing is the hardest part of the whole deal for me, and sanding by far the most time consuming. I think I may be spending far too much much time chasing perfection.
Thanks Allen,
I think it comes down to your own personal style. What are you comfortable with and what do you like? Personally when I turn I’m not after a repetition of a commercially produced bowl or turning. I don’t deliberately add “mistakes” or “tool marks” to my turnings but I also want people to know that they are made by me, one at a time.
If you are going to go for awesome finishes, and no tool marks, then raise your prices accordingly. Remember your prices are not too high! Tiffany’s of New York sells a sterling silver paper clip for $ 145! Don’t sell yourself short. You can do this. Most importantly don’t loose the joy of your woodturning!