How to make a pepper shaker with your own hands. Russian wooden salt shakers. so, how to make decoupage of a wooden salt shaker with your own hands

How to make a pepper shaker with your own hands.  Russian wooden salt shakers.  so, how to make decoupage of a wooden salt shaker with your own hands
How to make a pepper shaker with your own hands. Russian wooden salt shakers. so, how to make decoupage of a wooden salt shaker with your own hands


Capsules in which Kinder Surprise toys are stored I have perfect color and a form for crafts in the form of minions. By using simple tools and nail polishes you can make a pepper shaker and a salt shaker in the form of minions. Or you can just paint a few capsules and make an entire army of your own minions.
To work you will need:
- Kinder Surprise capsules, washed from chocolate and dried;
- a large needle or awl (they must be used very carefully, observing safety precautions; our little visitors should ask their parents for help);
- thin tape;
- toothpicks;
- nail polishes (or acrylic paints) in white, black and blue.
First of all, you need to make several holes in a clean capsule (in its upper part) from the Kinder Surprise, this must be done very carefully. After this, it is better to rinse the capsule again clean water to wash out any plastic particles that may have fallen off when creating holes.

Now take a thin strip of tape and wrap it around the bottom of the capsule.


Take blue nail polish (or acrylic paints) and carefully apply three coats of it. bottom part capsules. Let the varnish dry.


The face for a one-eyed minion, as well as for a two-eyed one, is drawn using the same method. Only the location and size of the eyes will be slightly different. First, a circle is drawn with white varnish.


Then, after the varnish has dried, use a toothpick to draw a border around the white circle with black varnish.


After this, apply a layer of blue varnish in the same thin line.


Then draw a black outline again and use a toothpick to draw a pupil in the center.


Using the same method, paint the strap with black paint.


All that remains is to draw the mouth (smiling, sad, surprised...). and also use white paint to draw the letter “C” or “P” to indicate a pepper shaker or salt shaker.

We all know that excessive salt intake in our daily diet can cause serious harm to our body. However, consuming salt in moderation can add an appetizing flavor to dishes. Ordinary glass salt shakers are not suitable for summer cottages, since they usually only last a week. Therefore, you can find an alternative in the form of metal or plastic, or you can make it yourself using ordinary plastic bottles.

So, we suggest you start making salt shakers by watching the video.

What do we need:
- two plastic bottles;
- large diameter drill;
- glue gun;
- blade for a hacksaw for metal;
- wooden pieces;
- a small block;
- screwdriver;
- sandpaper.


First of all, we need to cut off, or rather saw off, the necks of our bottles. For this we will use a hacksaw blade. You need to cut under the base of the neck.


When the necks of our bottles are cut off, we lightly sand them sandpaper so that there are no irregularities left.


Making sure that the necks in an ideal way sit on top of each other, glue them with a glue gun. Using the same technology, you can make a waterproof case for matches, which will definitely be useful for lovers of fishing and outdoor activities.


After this, we remove one of the covers from our workpiece, since we have to make several holes on it with a hot thick needle. At this stage, the production of the salt shaker is virtually completed. However, you can also think about the aesthetic part of our homemade product and make a beautiful stand for it.


Let's take it wooden block and drill a hole on it that matches the diameter of the salt shaker. The stand can also be left as is, or you can improve it and apply some kind of design on it by decoupage, make patterns, and so on. As for the author of the video, he simply glues two small pieces of wood onto the stand, thus giving it a completely original look. To do this, we glue one piece of wood on the side of the stand, and the second piece on top of the first so that it is parallel to the stand. Thanks to this we get a stand with a handle. It should be noted that the author of the homemade product claims that the glue is from glue gun does a great job of holding pieces of wood in place so there is no need to use screws or nails.

Salt is a product that we consume every day, which is on the table all the time. It’s better if the salt is in a beautiful salt shaker, and you can rejoice at the sight of one more thing completed with my own hands(Figure 116).

The salt shaker (Fig. 117) consists of three parts: 1 - lid; 2 - body; 5- connecting pin with head.

For the lid you need a planed board with dimensions 100 x 70 x 12 mm, for the body - a block 100 x x 70 x 40 mm, for the pin - a block 40 mm long, square section 13 x 13 mm.

Start making the salt shaker with the lid. If you have prepared a planed board measuring 100 x 70 x 12 mm, then all you have to do is dull the sharp edges with sandpaper and mark the hole.

Draw a longitudinal center line on the workpiece and, stepping back 13 mm from the end, place a cross (Fig. 118). There will be a hole here. If necessary, sand the body on all sides.

Then draw a longitudinal center line on the surface, step back 13 mm from the end and place a cross on it. There will be a hole here too. From the opposite end, step back along the center line 37 mm and place a cross. This is the center of the hole. Using a compass opening equal to 32 mm, draw a circle from the resulting center (Fig. 119).

After this, using semicircular chisel make a depression for the salt, it is done in the same way as the depression of a scoop on a spoon. In this case, the workpiece must be secured in a vice, or, if there is none, in a special mandrel, which is a board with a hole cut to fit the body. The board is attached to the desktop using a clamp. Better - two (Fig. 120). If there is no clamp, then you can attach the mandrel using screws.

This simple device allows you to hold the workpiece quite reliably. While working, hold the chisel with both hands, this will greatly facilitate the processing process.

The thickness of the mandrel should be more than half the thickness of the workpiece. IN in this case- not less than 25 mm.

Adjust the depth of the salt container at your own discretion. In the proposed version it is 30 mm. After processing with a chisel, carefully sand the recess.

The connecting pin with a head (Fig. 121) can be easily machined into lathe in the school workshop. If this is not possible, then do it manually. To do this, prepare a knife with a sharp end (Fig. 122). When working with such a knife, follow safety rules - do not cut towards yourself.

First, grind the workpiece to Ø 12 mm (Fig. 123, a), cutting off the corners. You will receive a cylinder, one end of which will be rounded with a knife (Fig. 123, b). Measure 10 mm from the rounded end of the workpiece and make a cut around the circle to Ø 6 mm.

Use a knife to process the body of the pin to Ø 6 mm and polish it (Fig. 123, c), and at the same time the head.

When all the parts are made, tightly connect the lid and the body of the salt shaker (you can use a clamp for this) and, holding them with your hands, drill a hole through the lid and to a depth of 15 mm in the body (Fig. 124). Then reassemble the salt shaker and, if there are any small discrepancies between the lid and the body, remove them using sandpaper.

After this operation, separate the parts of the salt shaker and begin marking patterns on the lid. Here you will perform one of the most beautiful figures geometric carving- “leaves with teeth” (Fig. 125).

You already have a longitudinal center line. Step back 35 mm from the end where there is no hole and draw a transverse axis (Fig. 126, i). Having taken the dimensions from the template, draw a square 60 x 60 mm, for which from the point of intersection of the axes, put 30 mm on four sides and put marks (Fig. 126, a). Build a square through them (Fig. 126, b). Through the same points, mark a square turned at an angle of 45° (Fig. 126, c),
Using a compass with an opening of 30 mm, inscribe a circle in a square and draw arcs from the corners of the large square with the same radius, as shown in Fig. 126, g. From the corners of the same square, draw arcs with a radius of 34 mm - from horizontal to vertical axes(Fig. 126, e), and also draw diagonals (Fig. 126, f). These diagonals will help you perform a number of constructions (Fig. 126, g):

1) in the corners of I, divided by diagonals into paired triangles, write “pyramids”;

2) in triangles II, which form a small square with concave sides, also write “1tiramidt”. You will get a “star”.

The large arcs you drew with a compass formed a leaf-like figure. This is not a leaf, it is a bed, that is, the place in which the leaf lies. To carry it out, it is necessary to draw parallel lines, retreating 1 mm from the line of the bed (Fig. 126, h).

Try to do this by hand. If that doesn't work, use a compass.

The veins and teeth of the leaf shown on the template will appear later, after cutting out the leaf itself. Therefore, there is no need to depict them now.

It's time to pick up a blunt knife. But before you move on to carving, understand the names of the leaf elements shown in Fig. 127, which will be used in further description: 1 - bed line; 2 - leaf contour line; 3 - center line of the leaf; 4 - clove; 5 - vein.

When carving, you must use the sequence that is suggested to you. Otherwise, it is impossible to accurately reproduce the composition of the drawing.

First, the contour line of the leaf is cut (cut). This is done in the same way as when cutting through a “straw”, only in this case - along an arc. The injection depth is 2 mm (Fig. 128, c). This must be done on all leaves. Then, cutting the bridge with 1 toe of the knife between the contour and the bed (Fig. 128, b), holding the knife at an angle of 45° relative to the plane of the lid, make a trim, as on a “straw”. But here this is done on one side, and the toe of knife 2 should pass under the leaf, extending beyond the line of its contour by 2-3 mm (Fig. 128, b).

When you pass the knife from one jumper to the other, you will get a one-sided “straw”.

Having trimmed the bed on all the leaves, proceed to carving the leaves themselves. To do this, make a cut along the center line of the leaf. Hold the knife vertically, deepening its toe gradually from the edge to the middle, where the depth should be about 3 mm, and then gradually bring it out to the other edge (Fig. 128, c). After this, taking into account the directions of the wood layers, trim the left and right parts of the leaf. When trimming, try to hold the knife at an angle of no more than 30-35° to the surface of the lid (Fig. 128, d).

After cutting out all the leaves, mark using rice. 129, veins. They are drawn by hand.

The veins are cut without preliminary pricking or cutting, although the result is a “straw,” albeit a short one. To perform this, place the cutting edge of the knife at a distance of 0.5 mm from the vein line (Fig. 130, a). At the same time, hold the knife at an angle of 45° relative to this line. Press down with the knife so that the cutting edge evenly penetrates the wood. Then do the same on the other side (Fig. 130, b), and you will get a short “straw” on the leaf (Fig. 130, c).

To obtain a clove, use the toe of a knife to pierce the initial part of the vein, about 2 mm (Fig. 130, d), and then make a trim at an angle to it (Fig. 130, e). As a result, the “leaf with teeth” will look like in Figure 130, f.

When the leaves are ready, cut the corner shapes and the central star. They are familiar to you and do not present any difficulties in your work.

After finishing the carving, assemble the salt shaker by first dropping a drop of PVA glue into the hole in the body. There the connecting pin must be fixed motionless. The lid should rotate freely (Fig. 131). Now your salt shaker is ready and will henceforth serve for its intended purpose.

If you have a couple of free evenings, why not start making crafts for the kitchen and home? After all, with your own hands from improvised, natural and even waste materials you can create a bunch of useful or simply beautiful little things. In this material we presented 50 inspiring photos and 12 super ideas with step-by-step master classes for the production of decorative items, storage accessories, kitchen utensils and not only.

Idea 1. Tablet stand made from a cutting board

Watching your favorite TV series on your tablet or peeking at a recipe book while cooking will become easier if you make a special stand for this from... an ordinary cutting board. Making this kitchen craft with your own hands will take no more than two hours, and it will be used every day.

To make a holder for a recipe book or tablet you will need:

  • You can use an old cutting board or buy a new one (wood is best, but bamboo will work). Its size should not be much larger or smaller than the tablet.
  • Small wooden plank, or better yet, a piece of molding (this is what will hold the tablet/book).

  • Another block of wood or plywood from which you can cut a sharp triangle;
  • Paint or stain in the desired color, for example, to match the countertop, facades or kitchen apron ;
  • Paint brush or staining rag;
  • Jigsaw or saw;
  • Wood glue or any other strong adhesive.

Instructions:

  1. Using a saw or jigsaw, shorten your strip or molding to the right size(the width of the board), sand the edges with sandpaper, then simply glue to the bottom of the board.

  1. Cut a support for the stand from a piece of wood in the shape of an acute triangle with a right angle as in the photo below and glue it too.

The angle of inclination of the holder will depend on the inclination of the hypotenuse of the triangular bar

  1. Paint the entire piece following the paint manufacturer's instructions and leave to dry.

  1. If desired, the handle of the resulting stand can be decorated with jute rope or ribbon. This way, when the stand is not needed, you can hang it on a hook.

Also, the craft can be further decorated - for example, by artificially aging it as in this master class, by drawing inscriptions, by burning a design, or by covering it with slate paint. In the following selection of photos you can get ideas for decorating original cutting boards.

Idea 2. Jute coasters

If your kitchen (or, for example, a country or summer kitchen) is decorated in a rustic, Mediterranean, rustic or marine style, then you will probably like this kitchen craft idea. In just a couple of hours you can make coasters for plates for the whole family and guests with your own hands.

To make one substrate with a diameter of 33 cm you will need:

  • 10 meters of jute rope 1 cm thick (sold in construction and hardware stores);
  • Hot glue gun;
  • Scissors.

Instructions:

Just start rolling the rope in a circle, applying glue one at a time. small areas and fixing them for a while. Once the mat is formed, cut the end of the rope and glue it down.

Idea 3. Organizer for cutlery and kitchen utensils made from cans

Tin cans cost nothing, but they are durable, easy to clean, and their shape is just right for storing all kinds of spatulas, ladle, forks, spoons and other utensils. If you put in a little effort and creativity, you can make a convenient and cute organizer out of them, which, even if it doesn’t fit into the interior of a city kitchen, will definitely fit in at the dacha. You can also use an organizer made with your own hands from cans to store tools, brushes, felt-tip pens and other small items.

Stand for spoons and forks made of tin cans

To make such a stand for spoons and forks, you will need:

  • 4 or 6 clean and dried cans, without lids or burrs;
  • Acrylic paint for metal or enamel paint(it will protect the cans from rust);
  • Several wood screws and a screwdriver;
  • Thick nail and hammer;
  • Furniture handle or leather strap with fittings;
  • A small wooden plank.

Instructions:

  1. Paint the jars inside and out and let them dry for one day.
  2. File if necessary wooden plank to the desired size, sand, clean and finally paint (not necessarily to match the cans).
  3. Take a nail and a hammer and make a hole for the screw in all the cans.

Tip: To make this process easier and not damage the paint layer, place a small block on the table using a clamp, then wrap the block in felt and only then put a jar on the block (see the picture in the lower left corner in the next photo collage)

  1. Place the cans against the board and align them the way they will be mounted later. Mark the location of the holes on the board with a pencil.
  2. Make small holes in the board where the marks were marked using a hammer and nail.

  1. Screw a screw into the hole of the first can to attach it to the board. Repeat the procedure with all remaining jars.
  2. Finally, install on the end wooden board furniture handle or leather strap using the same self-tapping screws. Ready!

Here are a few other deco ideas and modifications to the design of cutlery stands made from cans.

Idea 4. Topiary for kitchen or home decor

Topiary is a small decorative tree that is used to decorate a dining room or coffee table, chest of drawers or mantelpiece. And topiary is an excellent addition to a gift, especially if you decorate its crown, say, with candies or flowers. Making such a craft with your own hands does not take much time and does not require the use of expensive materials and even beginners can do it. Having mastered basic principle, you can create topiary for any occasion, any shapes and designs. Take a look at our selection of DIY home decor photo ideas, you're sure to find something you'll like!

Kitchen Decor Idea for Halloween

To make this craft you will need:

  • Base made of polystyrene foam, plastic or floral foam in the shape of a ball or other desired shape;
  • A trunk (a straight tree branch, a pencil or any other small stick);
  • Decorative elements for creating a crown: coffee beans, artificial flowers, pine cones, colored beans, etc.;
  • Decor to disguise the pot filler, for example, moss, pebbles or sisal fiber;
  • Flower pot;
  • Filler for a pot that will fix the trunk. For example, it will do cement mortar, still the same polystyrene foam or alabaster (the best option);
  • Thermal glue in a gun;
  • If necessary, you will need paint to decorate the trunk, base or pot. The trunk can also be decorated with ribbon or twine.

Basic instructions:

  1. To begin with, it is advisable to paint the base in the color of the crown elements so that possible bald spots are not noticeable. You can also paint the trunk and pot and leave them to dry.
  2. Cut a hole at the base of the crown, a couple of centimeters deep, for the trunk, fill it with glue and secure the trunk.
  3. Take the base of the crown and start gluing the decorative parts one by one. The principle of action at this stage is simple: first, large parts are glued, then medium-sized and, finally, small elements fill in the bald spots. You need to glue the decor quickly, before the glue is absorbed into the base.
  4. Dilute the mixture to fix the trunk in the pot according to the manufacturer's instructions and fill the pot with it, not reaching a couple of centimeters to the edge. Next, insert the barrel, hold it for a while and then leave it to dry for a day.
  5. Disguise the filling of the pot with a decorative “cover” (you can fix it with a little glue).

Idea 5. Serving board-tray

But the idea of ​​​​an unusual serving board-tray, which, although not a cutting board (intended for displaying food only in dishes), can nevertheless be very functional. For example, it can be used to beautifully serve snacks, drinks (olives, pistachios, nuts, chips, etc.), sauces, honey, sour cream, jam. Thanks to the slate part, while the board is not being used for its intended purpose, it can simply be hung on the wall and used for writing.

To make this DIY kitchen craft you will need:

  • Board wooden thick 5 cm;
  • Stain of the desired color (for example, to match the countertop);
  • Sponge, rag or brush;
  • Chalkboard paint;
  • Two furniture handles and wood screws for fastening them;
  • Jigsaw or saw;
  • Screwdriver or screwdriver;
  • Ruler, pencil.

Instructions:

  1. Cut your board to the desired size using a hand/power saw or jigsaw. In this master class, the board is 60 cm long, but you can make it shorter or longer.
  2. Stain your board according to the manufacturer's instructions and let dry.

  1. It's time to paint inner part. To do this, first apply masking tape along the edges of the board to limit the painting area. Next, apply slate paint (in this case, you use paint in a can) and let it dry.

  1. Screw the handles to the edges of the board.

You can replace furniture handles with leather straps, paint the board in bright color, burn a design on it or attach two “legs” to its reverse side.

Idea 6. Stand for mugs and glasses

If you're the type of person who collects wine corks (either for fun or in the hopes of one day making something useful out of them), then you'll love this craft idea.

To make one mug stand you will need:

  • 8 corks (accordingly, to make a set of 4 stands you will need 32 corks);
  • Roll cork board, rug or plate stand (for cutting out the base of the cup holders);
  • Hot glue;
  • Leg-split.

Step 1: Lay out your corks in pairs in a square format as shown in the photo below. Using hot glue, apply a bead of glue between the two corks and press them together for 30 seconds. Repeat the procedure with all other pairs.

Step 2. Cut a square from sheet cork (board, rug) corresponding to the size of the future stand. Next, apply thermal glue on it, wait 15-20 seconds. and glue your blanks.

Step 3: Fill the gaps between the corks with glue and let it dry. For better adhesion of the glue to the corks, you can put some kind of press on the workpiece.

Step 4. Wrap the craft with twine and tie a knot.

Handmade coasters for mugs, glasses and glasses can be beautifully packaged and given to a friend

If desired, the stands can be made round, triangular or hexagonal by cutting off the excess with a knife.

Using the described principle, you can make such a hot stand with your own hands. By the way, an old CD will work as a basis in this case.

Idea 7. Wall panel

Another craft idea for the home and kitchen that you can make with your own hands from wine corks– a wall panel for decorating the interior and storing notes, memorable photos and postcards.

Framed cork panel from Ikea

To work you only need beautiful frame(from a painting or mirror), paint the color you want, hot glue and a big pile of corks. Corks can be laid out in a herringbone pattern, in a checkerboard pattern, in even rows, and in other ways that you like. If necessary, for example, if there are not enough corks, they can be cut lengthwise or crosswise. To make the corks easier to cut, you need to soak them in hot water for 10 minutes.

Other interesting ideas manufacturing wall panels with your own hands.

Idea 8. Universal knife holder

Knife holder - very useful device for the kitchen, which helps keep your workspace tidy and keeps your knife blades sharp longer.

It’s very easy to make a knife holder with your own hands – just select small vase and fill it tightly with bamboo/wooden skewers, colored beans or... colored spaghetti, as in our master class.

To make a knife stand, prepare:

  • A container or vase the height of your blade big knife. The shape of the container can be any, but without any bends;
  • Spaghetti, lots and lots of spaghetti;
  • Several ziplock bags big size(or just large bags that can be tightly tied in a knot);
  • Alcohol (for example, vodka);
  • Liquid food coloring in the desired color (or several colors if you want to make a multi-color filling);
  • Baking trays;
  • Aluminum foil or old oilcloth tablecloth;
  • Paper towels;
  • Kitchen scissors.

Instructions:

  1. Make sure your container is clean and dry, then fill it tightly with spaghetti. When the container is full, remove the spaghetti and add a couple more bunches of pasta to the pile as a reserve (in case you make up for broken sticks).
  2. Divide the spaghetti evenly between the bags and pour enough alcohol into the bags to wet all the sticks. Next, add 10-40 drops of food coloring to each bag.

  1. Seal or tie your bags, then place them in extra bags to prevent leaks. Slowly shake and turn the bags to mix the coloring into the alcohol and pasta. Next, place the bag on one side and leave for 30 minutes, then turn the bag over again and leave it for another half hour. Continue soaking the spaghetti in this manner (no more than 3 hours) until it reaches the desired shade.
  2. Cover your baking sheet with aluminum foil, then paper towels(or oilcloth). To protect your hands from staining, it is advisable to wear gloves. Remove the spaghetti from the bags, after draining all the liquid, place them on a baking sheet in a single layer and leave to dry. From time to time, the spaghetti needs to be sorted to dry evenly.

  1. Once your spaghetti is COMPLETELY dry, start placing it in the container.
  2. Shake the filled container and smooth out the spaghetti. Insert your knives to determine the optimal filling density, adding pasta or removing excess if necessary.
  3. Now, using kitchen scissors or other very sharp scissors, trim the spaghetti to the desired length without removing it from the container (it's best to do this over the sink). It is important that the spaghetti does not exceed the height of the container by more than 2-3 cm, otherwise it will break quickly.

Idea 9. Jars for storing spices and bulk products

Today we will talk about an express technique for making a paper basket, which can be used to store small items (keys, stationery), yarn, as well as for an unusual presentation of fruits, Easter eggs, bread or baked goods. festive table or as a gift.

Even a child can weave such baskets quickly and easily

You will need:

  • About 15 sheets of thin A3 paper, cut in half lengthwise (this can be printer paper, a full sheet of newspaper, or even baking paper);
  • A container of suitable size with straight sides (for example, a jam jar);
  • Glue in stick;
  • One skewer;
  • Spray paint (optional).

Instructions:

  1. Starting at one corner, begin to roll the sheet of paper tightly around the skewer to the diagonally opposite corner to create an even and long tube. Once the tube is ready, add a few dabs of glue to the corner of the paper to hold it in place and remove the skewer. Do the same with all the remaining sheets. In this master class, 30 tubes were required to weave 2 baskets.
  2. If necessary (for example, if you used newspaper sheets) or if desired, paint the tubes with acrylic paint.
  3. Take even number tubes and connect them together as shown in the photo in the upper left corner. In this master class, for a basket the size of a jam jar, 6 tubes were required, for a larger basket - 8 tubes.

  1. Start braiding: Take one of the outer tubes (which is under the grate) and lay it over the adjacent tube, then pass it under the next tube, then run the tube again over the next tube, etc. Continue weaving by lifting the already entwined tubes vertically (from now on we will call these tubes stands).
  2. When 2-3 cm remains from the first working tube, increase its length. To do this, apply glue to the new tube and insert it into the remaining “tail”. Continue weaving over and over again, adding paper tubes as needed.
  3. Once you weave the base required diameter(the same size as the container), place the container on it and begin weaving around it, pulling the stand tubes close to the walls.
  4. Having weaved the basket to the end, remove the jar and carefully wrap the end of the working tube into the weave.
  5. Tuck the ends of the posts inside the weave and trim if necessary. Next, you can spray paint from a can as in our master class.

Idea 11. Wall holder for towels and kitchen utensils

From an ordinary grater you can make such a convenient and beautiful holder for a towel and storage of kitchen utensils or even live or artificial plants.

From a flat grater you can make your own kitchen decor in a country, Provence or shabby chic style

To make a heated towel rail and a tray for small items you will need:

  • A grater (preferably an old one, but a regular new grater will do, as long as it is metal);
  • Patina for metal (for artificial aging of the grater);
  • A small cutting board or just a wooden board;
  • Wooden die (for the bottom of the grater);
  • Glue.

Instructions:

  1. Following the manufacturer's instructions, cover the grater with a metal patina, for example, green as in this master class.

  1. Install a wooden bottom in the inside. It must first be cut to the size of the upper part of the grater. As a rule, at the top of the grater there are protrusions from metal handles; it is on them that the bottom will be attached.
  2. Screw the grater to the board using self-tapping screws, after making holes in it with a nail and hammer.
  3. Place the board on the wall near the sink, hang a towel on the handle, and put your spatulas, ladles or flowers inside.

Idea 12. Flower vase

Glass bottles for wine, milk or other drinks are almost ready-made vases that are just waiting to be painted acrylic paints and/or trimmings.

Text and drawings: G. Fedotov

Antique wooden salt shakers: 1 - chiseled, from ancient Novgorod; 2 — salt shaker-lion, Mordovia; 3 - wicker from pine roots; 4 — chiseled with painting, 19th century, Russian North; 5 — salt shaker in the form of a swan, 17th-18th centuries, Vologda region; 6 - wicker from birch bark; 7 - rectangular with painted relief; 8 — dugout salt shaker-chair, 19th century, Volga region; 9 — salt shaker-chair, decorated with carvings, 19th century, Volga region; 10 — cooper’s salt shaker-chair, Volga region; 11 — salt shaker-duck, dug out of birch burl, 19th century, Vologda region.

One old proverb says: “Without bread you are hungry, but without salt you are tasteless.” Bread and salt were mentioned together not only in proverbs and sayings, but also in epics, fairy tales, and folk songs. Dear guests are still greeted with bread and salt according to ancient custom.

Since ancient times, salt has been treated with care - spilling salt was considered a great sin. They stored it in reliable salt shakers. Proportions, dimensions, design, materials and decorative finishing salt shakers were determined by their purpose.


When going on the road, salt was taken in small travel salt shakers. They were most often woven from birch bark or tree roots. Salt shakers made of birch bark were shaped like a cube or a boot. To prevent the salt from spilling and spilling, the salt shaker was tightly closed with a stopper.

The salt cellars served on the table differed from those on the road in their more impressive size and rich decorative decoration. In ancient Novgorod, wide, squat salt cellars turned on lathes were common. In the last century, in the north of our country there were turned salt shakers, painted oil paints.


But most often the salt shakers were sculpturally processed. Folk craftsmen they gave them the shape of a swan, a duck (in the old-fashioned way) and even a lion. When carving a duck salt shaker, the craftsman left a bridge between the beak and chest, which served as a convenient handle. The back, along with part of the tail, was sawed off and cutting tools They chose a hole in the body for salt.

Then the sawn part of the back and tail was installed in its original place. Holes were drilled near the tail into which a round rod was inserted - the so-called swivel. If it was necessary to open the salt shaker, the lid on the swivel was easily moved to the side. Some duck salt shakers had removable lids.


Salt shakers were decorated with carvings or paintings. If it served as raw material valuable wood birch burl, the craftsmen tried to identify and emphasize the natural beauty of the textured pattern.


Cooper's salt shaker with Gorodets painting, 19th century, Volga region.

In the Upper and Middle Volga regions, salt shakers and chairs were common. In shape, they really resembled armchairs, and individual parts of the salt shakers have the same names as the chair: back, armrests, etc.

For many centuries in peasant life A special type of lid on a swivel was developed. Two cylindrical rods cut from the protrusions of the lid rotate in holes drilled in the armrests of the side walls. The lid, rotating on swivels, easily folds back and rests against the back of the salt shaker.


The back rose above the body of the salt shaker and served as a convenient handle. Sometimes a through hole was drilled in the back - such a salt shaker could be hung on the kitchen wall. The design of the salt shakers is designed in such a way that there is not a single nail or any other metal fastener in it. After all, metal parts quickly rust and collapse from salt and moisture.

According to the manufacturing technique, chair-salt shakers can be divided into three types: dugout, carpentry and cooper's. The dugout salt shakers were carved from a whole piece of wood. Carpentry was assembled from individual planks using known joining techniques wooden parts(for example, in a spike). Cooper's saltcellars were also assembled from separate planks, but they were fastened to each other with a willow hoop.


Especially many of these salt shakers with paintings on the lid and back were made by craftsmen for sale. Not only peasants, but also city dwellers willingly bought them. Durable, roomy and comfortable salt shakers served reliably long years. They turned out to be so practical that they are still preserved in some peasant houses in the Volga region. The wood, darkened by time, did not spoil their appearance at all.

Some people nowadays keep a supply of salt in glass jars, covering them with plastic covers. Need I say how inconvenient this is? The jar constantly has to be moved out of sight: hardly anyone would want to put such a salt shaker in a visible place. In addition, there is always a risk of breaking the jar.


A wooden salt shaker, whether antique or made today, fits perfectly into the interior modern home. There is no need to hide it, and there is no need to talk about convenience - it has been tested by the centuries-old experience of the people.

Linden, aspen, alder, and birch wood are suitable for making salt shakers. Wood containing a lot of tannins, such as oak, or containing a lot of resin, such as pine, should not be used.


The wood must be free from knots, cracks and rot, well dried and aged at room temperature. In the city, you can successfully use planks from shipping boxes, which are sometimes simply burned near stores. The prepared planks need to be planed so that they have a smooth and clean surface.


Making a cooper's salt shaker-chair: 1 - details of the salt shaker.

The first salt shaker can be made using ready-made drawings. The volume of the salt shaker will depend on the width of the prepared planks. Folk craftsmen used planks with a width of 9 to 12 cm.

Draw an auxiliary grid on a sheet of thin thick cardboard. The dimensions of each cell should be equal to one-sixth of the width of the board. Using the cells as a guide, transfer only the outer contours of the parts onto the cardboard.


Since the side walls of the salt shaker have the same outline, one template needs to be made for them. You must draw and then cut out five patterns: back wall(back), front wall, side wall, bottom and lid.

Place the cut-out cardboard templates sequentially on the blanks and trace them with a simple pencil. Cut out the details of the salt shaker along the marked contours. Make the cutouts in the lid for the swivels with a narrow chisel. Round the protrusions for the swivels with a knife, turning them into cylindrical rods.


Drill two through holes in the side walls corresponding to the diameters of the swivels. The holes in the side walls must be drilled exactly opposite each other, otherwise during assembly the cover will skew and will not fit tightly to the walls. Therefore, it is better to drill the holes at the same time, tightening the side walls with clamps.

Using a knife or chisel, cut off the ends of all four walls in the places shown in the figure at an angle of 45° so that they can then be joined together. You need to cut carefully, constantly checking the accuracy of the cut and trying to ensure that the walls connected to the miter fit as closely as possible to each other.


The bottom of the salt shaker is inserted into special grooves cut into the walls. They are called mornings. Cut out the chimes in the following sequence. At an equal distance from the edges, use a thin file to saw through all the walls to approximately half the thickness of the boards. Then use a chisel or cutter to make a longitudinal cut at an angle of 45°. Also cut the edges of the bottom at an angle of 45°. The trimmed edges of the bottom should fit tightly into the chimes cut into the walls.


Making a cooper's salt shaker-chair: 2 - assembling the salt shaker, the sequence of manufacturing and winding the hoop: a - splitting willow twig; b - planing of a rod; in — the beginning of the winding; g, d - continuation of the winding; e - tightening the ends of the hoop.

Before finally connecting all the parts of the salt shaker to each other, perform a test assembly. Insert the lid swivels into the holes in the side walls. Side walls connect to the back.

Place the bottom into the chimes and attach the front wall. Then wrap the salt shaker with strong rope. If all the parts of the salt shaker are well fitted to each other, then even with strong pressure on the salt shaker they should not move, as if they were glued on.

The lid should open freely, turning on swivels with some effort. The edge of the lid adjacent to the back needs to be slightly rounded. This is done so that when opening the lid it does not rest against the back.


You should also check that the lid fits snugly against the edges of the salt shaker when closing. Move the rope wrap closer to the lid and use a knife to round it sharp corners salt shakers. Then slide the wrap down and round the corners at the top.

If the salt shaker is going to be decorated with carvings, then it is better to disassemble it, apply carvings to the parts, and then reassemble it again. If you decide to paint it, then this can be done on the assembled salt shaker. But instead of a temporary rope, the salt shaker needs to be wrapped with a permanent willow hoop.


Prepare the hoop in advance by splitting the rod into three or four parts with a regular knife. By then cutting off the loose core of the split rod with a knife, you will get a flexible and durable tape. Press one end of it with your left thumb against the back wall of the salt shaker. Wrap the salt shaker with a strip, pressing wrap to wrap as tightly as possible.

When finishing the winding, slide the remaining end of the tape under the turns next to the other end. Pull the ends protruding from under the willow winding with force in opposite directions. Now you can safely remove the rope: the willow hoop securely tied all the parts together.


Stages of manufacturing a salt shaker with a round body: 1 - drawings of parts and their blanks.

Without a single nail or glue, a chair-salt shaker is made that has rounded shape housings. The lid, like a cooper's salt shaker, has swivels on which it turns when opening and closing. But unlike the first one, this salt shaker contains fewer parts, since the side and front walls are replaced by one bent part. The drawing above shows its development.

You already know how to make templates and use them to apply the contours of parts to wood. Having cut out a wall profile from a plank, drill four holes in it corresponding to the diameters of the swivels.


Cut 15 parallel grooves across the workpiece at an equal distance from each other to a depth slightly greater than the middle. If the saw blade is thick, the number of cuts may be less. But the same distance between them must be maintained in all cases.

It is better to determine the number of cuts and their width practically on a separate board, based on the thickness of the saw at your disposal. At the bottom of the workpiece, cut the grooves for the bottom.


Stages of manufacturing a salt shaker with a round body: 2 - Assembly drawing and a finished salt shaker.

In the back wall, cut the chisel with a cutter and use a narrow chisel to hollow out two through rectangular holes, the dimensions of which should correspond to the size of the lugs - protrusions with round holes at the edges of the wall blank.

Place the wall blank for a few minutes in hot water, then wipe with a dry cloth and bend carefully. Steamed wood with longitudinal notches easily bends by hand without much effort.

Insert the swivels of the lid into the holes of the bent workpiece, and insert the bottom into the chimes. Insert the ears of the bent workpiece into the through rectangular holes on the back wall of the salt shaker. WITH reverse side the back wall of the holes in the ears will appear approximately halfway. Drive a pre-prepared wedge into them, which will firmly tie the entire structure together.

Thoroughly clean the assembled salt shaker with fine-grained sandpaper, and then decorate it with carvings or paintings. Painting can be done with oil paints, tempera or gouache. Tempera and gouache paints It is imperative to secure it by covering the painted surface with oil varnish or natural drying oil. Under no circumstances should you cover the inside of the salt shaker with anything.

« Young technician»
Photos of antique salt shakers from “Folk Russians” Wooden crafts» Gr. A.A. Bobrinsky