Different types of books are different shapes – time to make a new version of a book holder!
I made a first version of a book holder out of oak, which worked for standard sized novels. It was a struggle to use with larger books however, with a deeper groove between the pages down the spine.
I therefore reviewed the book holder design and added a longer lower section. I selected another piece of oak, drilled out the centre hole using a Forstner bit and then rough cut the shape using a hand saw. I refined the shape using my Dremel (not sponsored) and then hand sanded up to 120 grit.
I added a roundover on all sides to make it comfortable to hold in your hand and then sprayed the workpiece all over with water to raise the grain.
Once it had fully dried, I re-sanded up to 180 grit to leave a really smooth surface.
I applied several coats of Danish oil, leaving it to fully dry in the workshop before bringing it into the house.
The updated version works really well for larger books and provides welcome relief for your thumb after a longer period of time reading. Another successful project completed! 🔨
The Woodworking Scientist 