APRIL 2016 Project of the Month - "Going Bananas!"

[mtylerfl]

​Hello,

The “Going Bananas!” project is a whimsical version of a banana bunch holder for your kitchen counter. The holder’s hooked arc is an oversize wooden banana connected to the base with mortise and tenon construction. The base features a relief carve of a banana leaf for a little extra whimsy!

The project uses just the 1/16" Carving Bit and the 1/8" Cutting Bit. No other bits are required. The finished dimensions are about:5" wide x 8" deep x 10.5" tall.

Main items you will need:

1) The Project Files (included):
• Banana_Halves.mpc
• BASE-and-MIDDLE.mpc

2) Boards with the following dimensions:
Banana Halves: 0.75" x 11" x 20"
Base and Middle: 0.75" x 11" x 18"

NOTE: Do not use boards that are smaller than specified above unless using an appropriate jig. Larger boards are fine.

3) 1.25" brass cup hook, rubber bands

4) Sandpaper, wood glue, wood stain and/or paint and clear finish

5) A Dremel-type rotary tool with assorted sanding wheels and bits to sand small details and speed up preparation for finishing.

Apply your choice of finish. Here’s what I used on my Going Bananas! sample made from Select Pine:

BASE:
• Applied Rust-Oleum Golden Mahogany stain
• Two coats of gloss Krylon Clear Acrylic spray
• Applied acrylic craft paints onto the leaf
(greens and yellow mix)
• Several coats of gloss Krylon Clear Acrylic spray

BANANA:
• Two coats of gloss Krylon Clear Acrylic spray to seal
• Wiped on thinned yellow acrylic craft paint to give it a yellow tint, yet allow wood grain to show through
• Two coats of Krylon clear acrylic spray to seal
• Applied browns and black acrylic craft paints to ends of banana and dry-brushed lightly along random high points to simulate a ripening banana
• Several coats of gloss Krylon Clear Acrylic spray