VBS Crosses

[ck1999]

Our Church went to KY to do a mission trip. While there they were teaching a VBS program. From last year we knew the church there liked to do a "wood" craft. So I was scouring the internet and someone came up with the idea of Stacked crosses. (Last year we did the clothespin cross which was a big hit.)

Anyway, they asked me to make the crosses and were going to have the people paint them. The back cross is 3/4" and the front is 1/2" thick.

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I used blue tape where the crosses would be glued together. We also used 1 " Staples to hold them.

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These are the ones completed at the VBS. They were a big hit and everyone enjoyed making them.

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We used a picture mount on the back, so they could be hung on a wall.



My main reason for posting is to maybe give someone else an idea for a VBS project. I could not find many ideas that would span a large age group and not be very time consuming.

We are looking at going back next year again. So if you have any ideas of possible crafts that would be easy for a large group of various ages let me know.

Hope you like.

Chris

 

[Berta]

That was a nice idea!

 

[tarheelz]

Ok. I'm a heathen. What does "VBS" stand for?

 

[wolfsburged]

Vacation Bible School I would assume

 

[macdaddy]

This is nothing to do with wood but our VBS theme had to do with pets and we took donated old colored tee shirts, cut them into strips and braded them together for chew toys for dogs.

 

[sawman101]

Great idea Chris. Crafts are always enthusiastically embraced by the participants at VBS. Another variation on the Cross theme would be to cut the larger bottom Cross on the scroll saw, using a nice pattern. 1/4" plywood would be good, providing a strong backer, or foundation, followed by a straight sided Cross of one or two layers, and an appropriate theme piece glued to the center. Some of the scroller people on here may be willing to help, including myself. I am a brother in the work of our Lord. :icon_cheers

 

[ScottM]

Last year for VBS in the Carpenter's Shop (Jesus was a wood worker/carpenter) we had the kids build blue bird houses. Of course the parts were all pre cut out of 5/4 stair tread and we pre drilled pilot holes so the kids could nail them together. We had kids from age 4-12.

 

[ck1999]

Sawman, I have a scroll saw and thats about all I can say. I have tried to use it a few times but am not very good with it. I do like that idea though. I do not know how time consuming that would be to make. I will keep that in mind for next year


ScottM, Bird houses are a good idea as well. I have done some like that with fence boards (predrilled and cut) for my nieces and nephews to put together. They enjoyed that . Where is a good place to get 5/4 stair treads.

These crosses also reminded me to get a drums sander. That's the next decent size purchase on my list.

How hard is a small piece on inartasia to do? Is that time consuming?

Chris

 

[ScottM]

Sawman, I have a scroll saw and thats about all I can say. I have tried to use it a few times but am not very good with it. I do like that idea though. I do not know how time consuming that would be to make. I will keep that in mind for next year


ScottM, Bird houses are a good idea as well. I have done some like that with fence boards (predrilled and cut) for my nieces and nephews to put together. They enjoyed that . Where is a good place to get 5/4 stair treads.

These crosses also reminded me to get a drums sander. That's the next decent size purchase on my list.

How hard is a small piece on inartasia to do? Is that time consuming?

Chris

Chris we got our wood and design through Frank Newell who "professionally" build blue bird house as the head of the Eastern Bluebird Rescue Group. The wood comes from a mill in Louisburg, NC. Material wise the houses cost about $5 each. You can cut that some by buying mill 2nds but you end up with more waste.

http://www.easternbluebirdrescue.org/

 

[Hmerkle]

Sawman, I have a scroll saw and thats about all I can say. I have tried to use it a few times but am not very good with it. I do like that idea though. I do not know how time consuming that would be to make. I will keep that in mind for next year
Chris

Chris, I am sure Bruce (Sawman) will answer as well for you, but I wanted to suggest you come out to the Scrollsaw workshop that is being planned - I think they are scheduling it for August 13th.
here is the thread: http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/showthread.php?t=59669

 

[Hmerkle]

Chris we got our wood and design through Frank Newell who "professionally" build blue bird house as the head of the Eastern Bluebird Rescue Group. The wood comes from a mill in Louisburg, NC. Material wise the houses cost about $5 each. You can cut that some by buying mill 2nds but you end up with more waste.

http://www.easternbluebirdrescue.org/

I purchased 3/4" thick (one-side rough) cedar from the big box and that seemed to work really well. IIRC the board was $10-11 and I was able to get two houses out of it. I was thinking of seeing if Ivey Pigeon (sp) had some cypress, just to try something different and thinking that the cypress would last a LOOOG time!

Scott, did you guys put the "protective square" on yours?
If yes, what did you use?
I have had three up for years, but just this your some bird REALLY opened the hole on one of them, and I wanted to do something when I repair that house. A tufted titmouse started a nest, go figure (a smaller bird nesting in a house with a larger hole?! :dontknow:

 

[ScottM]

I purchased 3/4" thick (one-side rough) cedar from the big box and that seemed to work really well. IIRC the board was $10-11 and I was able to get two houses out of it. I was thinking of seeing if Ivey Pigeon (sp) had some cypress, just to try something different and thinking that the cypress would last a LOOOG time!

Scott, did you guys put the "protective square" on yours?
If yes, what did you use?
I have had three up for years, but just this your some bird REALLY opened the hole on one of them, and I wanted to do something when I repair that house. A tufted titmouse started a nest, go figure (a smaller bird nesting in a house with a larger hole?! :dontknow:

For those who do not know I work as a volunteer for the Eastern Bluebird Rescue Group. A Bunch of us "old" guys get together twice a month and we build roughly 30,000 a year. We can assemble 1,500 in a three hour session. So I do have some knowledge about building bird houses. In addition to Bluebird house we nuthatch houses. They are the exact same house expect with a smaller entry hole. 1"

Hank, your hole enlarger was likely not a bird but a gray tree rat aka squirrel. For our protective squares we use brown aluminum flashing.

 

[ScottM]

Sawman, I have a scroll saw and thats about all I can say. I have tried to use it a few times but am not very good with it. I do like that idea though. I do not know how time consuming that would be to make. I will keep that in mind for next year



Chris

Chris you don't live all that far from Berta. She is a very accomplished scroller. I bet she would be happy to have you stop by for some scrolling lessons. What do you say Berta?

 

[Hmerkle]

Bluebird house we nuthatch houses. They are the exact same house expect with a smaller entry hole. 1"

Hank, your hole enlarger was likely not a bird but a gray tree rat aka squirrel. For our protective squares we use brown aluminum flashing.

HA HA! gray tree rat - I DO plan to use that in the future!!! - we have 5-8 of those (somebody had a litter over the winter I think)

What is the hole size you use for bluebird houses?