If you’re looking for a festive way to get into the spirit of Christmas, this simple woodworking project will make for an excellent gift or ornament. With a few spruce twigs and a bit of woodworking know-how, you can make an adorable reindeer out of birch logs for your tree this year.
Spruce twigs are a great choice for this project because they’re relatively easy to work with, don’t require too much space to store and can be found in abundance throughout the winter. Plus, they make wonderful Christmas decorations for your home or office.
The first step is to sketch a few parts of your reindeer, such as the front and back legs, a body, a neck and a head, all in pencil. This doesn’t need to be perfect, so feel free to add some creativity as you draw.
Once you’ve drawn your reindeer parts, cut them out from pressure-treated plywood using a jigsaw. If you’re not comfortable with the jigsaw, a band saw or scroll saw can also be used.
You’ll need a 4X8′ sheet of pressure-treated plywood for this project, along with a jigsaw and several pieces of spruce twigs that range in length from about four inches to five or six inches.
Choosing the right twigs for your reindeer will make all the difference in how well they look. The best twigs to use for this project are those that branch in different directions.
Next, cut four pieces of twig that are approximately the same length as the body piece. You’ll need one longer piece for the head and two smaller pieces for the antlers. With pruning shears or a knife, trim them to a slightly wider width than the body piece.
Then, cut a shorter piece of twig that is about one-third to one-half the length of the body pieces for the neck. Once you’ve cut out these pieces, you can drill a hole for the neck in each of the leg and head pieces.
If your twigs are quite thick, you may need to taper the ends of the legs and neck pieces slightly to fit in their respective holes in the body log. Once you’ve done that, it should be ready to assemble.
Connect the legs and head to the body with dowels. The dowels should be about 2 inches long. Drill corresponding holes in the body and then insert the dowels into the legs, making sure they’re all flush with the bottom of the leg pieces. Then, use a wood glue to secure them into place.
Now you’re ready to assemble your reindeer! Glue the body together, and then attach the legs and neck.
When everything’s in place, add the antlers and head to complete your reindeer. Then, decorate your craft with a red sticker-backed gemstone and some googly eyes!
Once you’re finished, you can hang your reindeer on your holiday tree or display it as a fun decoration on your mantel. It’s a fun and easy way to celebrate the holidays with the family.
