Fantasygal1
New Member
Are you suffering from Cabin Fever? Anxious to get out and do some gardening but can’t due to weather conditions? Have some logs hanging around that you don’t know what to do with?? Well, don’t fret. I have the perfect remedy for you. I had been suffering from all of the above and it dawned on me that I could make some planters!!!! Well, first let me tell you I am DEATHLY afraid of using an electric saw, although I do carpentry and am used to power tools I always know when to say “NO” to something unfamiliar and in my case it’s a power saw…LOL!! Fortunately for me though, 4 of the logs I had were from Spanish Elder Trees and as most of us who are familiar with these know, they are soft wood.
In order to work with them you will be needing the following tools:
An Auger bit 1 –1 ½ inches wide
A 1- inch drill bit
Drill
A 1- inch chisel
Hammer
Eye Protective gear
pencil
Chose what kind of planter you’d like. Then mark the log with a 1-inch margin all the way around with a pencil. With the drill use the drill bit to drill a few holes on the inside of the mark all the way around where you want to remove the wood.. Keep in mind only to drill how deep you want it.
Once you’ve drilled several holes (as many as you can fit within the marked circle) You take your chisel and with the hammer try and break away as much of the wood as possible.
It’s a long process but worth it. When you’ve finished with the chiseling switch over to the Auger bit on the drill and softly go over the rough pieces that were left behind. This will smooth it out some. The inside is in a bowl shape about a foot deep. There is enough room to allow for a good rooting system on the plants.
After this is done, I take the chisel again and make dents on the bottom where I would like to make the drainage holes. Switch over to the 1-inch bit and drill straight down as far as it will go. Then I flip it and paying attention to where I drilled the holes I try and match up the holes from the bottom up. I missed a couple of time but you can’t see it because it’s on the bottom…LOL!!! Flip it again and angle some holes to go through from the hollowed out bottom towards the sides. I made 3 holes that way.
Here is a couple of pictures from 2 different planters I made.. Allow 2 weeks in the sun to completely dry out and then you can stain them or waterproof them. I like mine natural.
In order to work with them you will be needing the following tools:
An Auger bit 1 –1 ½ inches wide
A 1- inch drill bit
Drill
A 1- inch chisel
Hammer
Eye Protective gear
pencil
Chose what kind of planter you’d like. Then mark the log with a 1-inch margin all the way around with a pencil. With the drill use the drill bit to drill a few holes on the inside of the mark all the way around where you want to remove the wood.. Keep in mind only to drill how deep you want it.
Once you’ve drilled several holes (as many as you can fit within the marked circle) You take your chisel and with the hammer try and break away as much of the wood as possible.
It’s a long process but worth it. When you’ve finished with the chiseling switch over to the Auger bit on the drill and softly go over the rough pieces that were left behind. This will smooth it out some. The inside is in a bowl shape about a foot deep. There is enough room to allow for a good rooting system on the plants.
After this is done, I take the chisel again and make dents on the bottom where I would like to make the drainage holes. Switch over to the 1-inch bit and drill straight down as far as it will go. Then I flip it and paying attention to where I drilled the holes I try and match up the holes from the bottom up. I missed a couple of time but you can’t see it because it’s on the bottom…LOL!!! Flip it again and angle some holes to go through from the hollowed out bottom towards the sides. I made 3 holes that way.
Here is a couple of pictures from 2 different planters I made.. Allow 2 weeks in the sun to completely dry out and then you can stain them or waterproof them. I like mine natural.
