When Christmas is over, the Christmas tree is generally wasted. In the past I have made ornaments out of the wood, but this last Christmas I decided to make a cross that would stand as a reminder to us until Easter.
The Process
This was a relatively quick project. I took the tree outside and used my sawsall to cut off the branches close to the bole. Good thing I did too, because I found a stowaway hidden in the branches that escaped the ornament removal process.
I used a hachet to debark the trunk, and then my hand belt sander to smooth things out.
Beware stowaway ornaments
To make the cross beam, I cut the bole at about 1/3 its length, though for larger trees 1/4 will look better. Then I sanded down the edges.
About 1/3 the way down the longer piece, you need to make a notch to set the cross beam in, which is pretty simple with a hatchet. I then piloted a hole and drilled a screw through from the backside, pre-assembling to make sure everything looked right.
I generally prefer a natural finish, but I’m still in my “deep-red finish” period, and so I stained it with Minwax Gunstock. Finishing with polyurethane is a good idea because the wood will quickly dry out and crack otherwise.
Our cross then returned inside the house and stood on our mantel.
Cut at about 1/3 the length (1/4 for larger trees)
Christmas Cross – Natural Finish
Christmas Cross – Stained & Finished
May this Easter be meaningful for you, and inspire deep gratitude.
