Crackers! Ornament Challenge 2017 Entry

Video HERE

I always look out for the woodworking challenges online... although until now I have not had enough of an idea - or enough confidence to attempt them... The Ornament Challenge from aswoodturns.com always used to be a wood turning challenge, but in the last couple of years they've opened it up to non-turners like me!

These crackers are an answer to the question 'Why hasn't anyone tried to make a non-turned Christmas cracker before?'

You Will Need:
Templates (See Below)
Wood Veneer
Shallow Bowl or Dish
Water
A length of thick Dowel (4x1/3" [1cm] Disk +)*
A length of thin-ish dowel**
String***
Salt Dough (See Below)
2x 2 1/2" dowels (about 1/4-8" diameter)
Drill with a bit to match
Brown Gorilla Glue
Cup of water
Paper towel
Brush
File and/or 60 grit Sandpaper
White Spirit
Craft Printed Paper
Card
Scissors
Pinking Shears (Or other decorative blade scissors)
Double-Sided Tape
PVA Glue
Masking or Sello-Tape
Crepe Paper
Thread in matching Colour
Nail File or Emery Board
Paste Wax
Varnish
180 Grit Sandpaper
Superglue****

*I used a couple of old curtain rails each around 1" diameter. Per cracker you will need about 2" of dowel plus a chunk for support whilst rolling.
**I used an old towel rail, about 1/2" diameter - depending on your veneer you might be able to get a tight roll, or use the thicker dowel instead (see Stage 2)
***I used cotton string rather than plastic, because it lets the wood dry evenly and doesn't bleed dye when wet.
****For those emergency repairs that are needed in the last moments!

Templates:

These templates are for a dowel of around 1" (2.5cm) diameter, but I've allowed for a fair bit of slop here... and I've also slipped into metric, 'cos it's easier. As I was making a huge batch I cut my templates in thick card, once I'm satisfied with the measurements I will probably make a new set in ply or plastic.

Veneer
1 piece 14x11 - longest side along the grain - divided into 2x 3x11cm and 1x 8x11
- If you want you can try to keep the grain aligned by cutting the ends from the ends of this piece. You will need to keep track of the top and bottom of each piece throughout the soaking and rolling stages.

Printed Craft Paper
3x 2.5cm Circle
1x 7x11cm
1x 5x11cm - split down the middle with pinking shears into 2x 2.5cm strips.

Card
1x 7x22cm
2x 2x22cm

Salt Dough Recipe:

230g Plain Flour
200g Salt
250ml Water
1tbsp Oil*

1. Mix the flour and salt together. Add the oil to the water.
2. Mix in about half of the water, then gradually add the rest until a smooth, firm dough forms.
3. Knead for 10 minutes (or 5 in a mixer with a dough hook).
4. Rest for at least 30 minutes in an airtight container**.
5. Bake at 120C (GM 1/2) for between 5-10 hours (or more, depending on thickness)

*Oil makes the dough slightly more flexible, but you can leave it out if you want.
**I have let this dough 'rest' for a couple of days without problem. It can become a little sticky, but kneading in a little more flour brings it quickly back to being usable.

Construction Method:*

1. Cut your veneer to size and drop the pieces into a dish of water, weighed down with a rock or other heavy object if they float too much.**
2. Roll the veneer around your 1/2" dowel - if you can, otherwise use your extra chunk - and tie with string. Hang them up to dry completely.
3. Shape*** and bake your salt dough for longer than you think necessary****
4. Drill the centre of each large dowel disk with a 1/4" hole.
5. Drop the thin dowel in water, brush the bottoms of the salt dough with gorilla glue, dip one side of the large dowel in water, dab it onto a paper towel to remove excess, then thread the pinch section together. Clamp in place with tape and leave to set.
6. Cut the paper and card pieces according to the templates.
7. Once set sand or file away any excess glue and shave any overhanging dough back to the sides of the dowels. Wash off the dust with white spirit or a damp cloth - avoid getting things too wet now.
8. Stick the printed paper onto the card with double-sided tape, leaving a line of sticky open. Glue the circles of paper onto both ends of one pinch, and one of the other(this is the lid). Wrap a thin strip of double-sided tape around the dowels, then roll the paper around using an off cut to maintain the shape of the body section.
9. Apply a generous amount of PVA onto the card strips and press them firmly around the paper. Hold in place with tape until completely dry.
10. Cover both twists with crepe paper, cinching in the waist with thread. Using thin PVA - or 50:50 PVA:Water - glue the edges to the dowels, trimming and folding over the bottom of the lid, then apply a light coat over the salt dough to fix the creases in place. Leave to dry completely.
11. Cover the card with glue and roll the veneer onto it, trimming to fit with minimal gapping. Align the join on the end to the body for a neater finish. Hold in place with tape until completely dry. DO NOT RUSH THIS BIT!
12. Check the fit of the lid, if it's a little tight wrap a strip of sellotape around the dowel to hold the crepe in and allow the lid to slide easily. If it's loose add a few pieces of card around the inner rim or a strip of printed paper around the lid instead.
13. Gently sand the veneer edges with an emery board then apply a little wax or oil if you prefer before painting varnish onto the veneer (not the crepe*****).
14. Sand to 180 grit, then varnish again.

*This is the process that I developed by a lot of trial and error. It still has a few tricky parts, but I think it's pretty much there.
**Depending on the flexibility of your veneer and how hard or old the wood is you may need to boil it for a while to soften, otherwise just soaking for up to 12 hours is usually enough.
***The shape depends on your dowel diameter, just remember to cut a hole through the centre slightly wider than your thin dowel - salt dough doesn't shrink much so it needn't be huge.
****I can get about half a batch of dough onto the tray of my Easy Bake oven so I bake them sitting upright for 2 hours, then turned over between the wires of the grill for another 2, then once I've made a few batches I take them into the house and bake them for a further 6-8 hours just to make sure.
*****Don't do this with the lid in place like I did, keep the parts separate until finished and dry.

In answer to the question I asked earlier, I can clearly say - because it's actually rather difficult... but I think I've worked out - most of - the kinks and - hopefully - I will have some for sale next year.