Rosewood Bottle Opener from Scraps
At the beginning of the year I try to take the time to clean up the shop. Maybe even toss a few scraps that I know I’ll never use…regardless of how many things I try to convince myself I can make from them. And this year is no exception, as painful as it can be!
Just as I was about to toss away a small offcut of some beautiful Brazilian Rosewood (which I couldn’t toss the last few years either) I ended up giving it one more stay of execution, and man am I glad I did!
That evening I was standing in the checkout lane, picking up last minute items for dinner, and I saw a two pack of inexpensive bottle openers. Immediately the proverbial light bulb flickered on.
At $1.39 for these two blah looking bottle openers, it was the perfect price to pay to find a use for this piece of scrap.
I’m sure you also have a few scraps laying around the shop. What other small and unusual projects have you come up with to keep from tossing them?
The most obvious use is for accent pieces in larger projects, but I’m sure there’s a few ideas like these bottle openers. Leave a comment below and share your ideas.

Filed in: Blog • Gifts • Projects
Great idea Matt! I’ve used small scrap pieces to make necklace pendants in different shapes, such as wooden hearts, crosses, diamonds, etc. Just cut it out with a scroll saw and shape it with a sander, then drill a hole and tie on satin cord for the necklace. I also make pens out of scrap and my broken drumsticks. Steve…
I guess it has a little to do with what we call ‘scraps.’ I have leftover plywood from when I made my shop air cleaner (5 sheets about 2’x3′). I was considering just using those for some jigs, but Chris Wong’s shop stool build-off has got me thinking of a new idea.
I used up a bunch of scraps this weekend and made S’mores.
Toaster tongs! Two thin scraps and a small square piece to connect em.
I love this idea!!! Maybe even some “starter” chopsticks?
I’m taking scrap usage to the next level and trying to make a walnut workbench top out of almost all scraps. The first step is admitting that you have a problem.
Now that’s a scrap project!
I did some iPad holders out of walnut scraps, and posted them over on woodtalkonline.com. I do like this idea! How did you attach the wood to the metal? Did you use an adhesive to stick the wood to metal or was there enough of a gap that you could glue the lumber together through the opener?
ohhhh an iPad holder! For these I used a CA glue, specifically Nexabond 2500. It worked like a champ.