Spice of Life

Sadly, a few weeks ago while planning a 400 mile move to attend school, my daughter’s rented house burned down along with their car next to it leaving her and her boyfriend with nothing. The house was old, the wiring was bad they had no insurance. What wasn’t destroyed in the fire, vandals stole or destroyed a couple of days later. The landlord showed up, promised to help them promptly disappeared and wouldn’t return phone calls or deposits. Friends and family stepped up with money and a temporary place to stay. The (heroic) firemen on the truck that put out the fire even gave them cash to stay in a hotel for that first night. The boyfriend bought a $400 beater car and drove to the new town while daughter worked out the rest of her job commitment. After 10 days staying in a truck stop parking lot, boyfriend got a job. He said the showers cost $12 but you could stay in there for hours. Last week they finally got an apartment in the new town and we helped them get some household goods, a few pieces of furniture from an estate sale and a bed.
What does this have to do with wood carving? While sitting on the new, old couch in the apartment with my daughter she commented on what was saved and what was lost. They saved their pets. Boyfriend even entered the burning building to get her cat. Clothes, furniture, appliances, TV, Disney DVD collection, cell phone, car, jewelry, photos, financial records, all were lost or stolen. One thing she regretted loosing was her spice collection. She had been accumulating spices for her cooking for several years. Not having much money, and spices being expensive, she would occasionally buy one or two small bottles of McCormic spices at the grocery store when she could afford it. Her collection had grown, but now it was all gone. Oh well, now she would just have to start over.
When we got home I rummaged around the shop to find wood for a spice rack that could accommodate a spice collection. Finding a piece of poplar that would carve nicely and two prize straight grain quarter sawn oak boards that I had saved back, the spice rack project began.
An internet search revealed that spices are expensive and they come in a variety of bottle sizes. Uline has plastic and glass spice bottles with shaker tops to accommodate bulk spices. I decided to stick with McCormic as they are reasonable cost and she can add to the collection as finances permits. The typical McCormic bottles are 1-3/4” diameter by 2-1/2” tall, 1-3/4” diameter by 4-1/2” tall and 2-1/2” diameter by 6-1/4” tall. My spice rack design is 24” wide and 33-1/2” tall. It will hold two rows of the small bottles (24 total) , two rows of the medium bottles (24 total) and one row of the large bottles (9 total). The top carved board (.mpc attached) is 24” long, 5-1/2” wide and 1” thick. The back is a piece of ¼” birch plywood, top carved piece is poplar and the rack frame and shelves are oak. The wood dowels for joinery and the restraint bars are ½” diameter. There is an angle cut block fixed to the back of the carved board for wall hanging. The finish is Zinsser Shellac.
My wife came home from the grocery store with a bag full of spice bottles so the collection has a start. I’m Hoping to get this up to my daughter before Thanksgiving.

Heart breaking story. You are a wonderful dad.

I agree, and it is a beautiful project!

Beautiful spice rack. That prized oak was intended for a special project and I don't think you could have found a better one. Nicely done.

Beautiful project and well wishes for your daughter that things get easier for them.

While sharpening our current kitchen knives, I ran across two old sets of steak knives that we apparently have had since we were first married 45 years ago. The knives are hard wood handled japanese stainless steel serrated blades with brass rivets. Real old school. They were pretty beat up, dull and even a couple of points were broken off. Hmmmm Kristin could use these. So I repaired, reground and sharpened the blades, sanded all of the old finish off of the handles and soaked them in soy bean oil. With some quarter sawn oak scraps laying around, I put together a knife holder for the two sets (there are apparently 6 knives per set in the steak knife world). Although the sets look very simillar with wood handles, three brass rivets per handle and japonese stainless steel serrated blades, they are different. One set has teak wood handles and one set has oak handles. The blades are fully serrated on the teak set and half serrated, half one bevel blade on the oak set. Still pretty much the same. Now I'll probably have to get her a grill and some steaks. What sacrafices I have to make.

Added drawings for the spice rack in case anyone wants to build a large spice rack. The dimensions fit the McCormick line of spices in most grocery stores. Spices come in many sizes and shapes so modify the size to fit whatever brand/size you want. The files look wierd here but seem to download just fine :-)

Really great story and nice spice rack, I only have 1.87 so I could not open the files but thanks for showing and sharing.

I'm sure these will be welcome with all the thought and love that went into them. What a sad loss, but a winning gift. May the young couple get back on their feet quickly.

Is there any way you can post as a ptn. Very nice by the way, and so sorry to read about the bad luck you ran into.