banner468x60.gif - 6000 Bytes Zen Garden
     This project comes from our son-in-law Matt. He is a fine woodworker and makes this Zen Garden as a really neat gift.
  • 1" by 1/2" wood of almost any kind. The nicer the wood the prettier the project.
  • 1/8" Veneer plywood.
  • 1/4" Dowel
  • 3/8" Dowel
  • 1/8" Dowel
  • Small finishing nails
  • Fine Sand from a craft store
  • 5 Rocks
Miter cut at 45 degrees two of the side boards to 9 1/2" and the other two to 6 1/2".
1/4" in from one edge cut a 3/16" deep 1/8" wide groove to fit the plywood. This should be a snug fit so the sand does not leak out.
Cut the plywood to fit within your frame grooves.
Assemble it using glue on the miter joints and small finishing nails.

For the rake cut the 3/8" dowel 1' long.
Cut the 1/4" dowel 4 1/4" long.
Cut four pieces of 1/8" dowel 1/2" long. Taper one end of these dowels.
Drill 1/4" hole in the middle of the 3/8" dowel, half way through.
Drill four 1/8" hole in a row, evenly spaced, in the 3/8" dowel.
Glue the rake together.
Add sand and rocks. Rake a pattern in the sand and enjoy. It's said that raking the sand and observing the patterns can be quite relaxing.
For a gift package the sand and rocks in a zip lock bag.

Zen Garden

Thanks again Matt for an easy to build but great looking project.



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