Wine and Cheese Tray

This project will enable you to carry the wine, the glasses and a small cheese board and cheeses in one trip.It is not original since I saw it somewhere and wanted to make one. The materials are sized to the dimensions of the wine glasses I found at a thrift store for this project. Your cut pieces may be different based on the glasses you decide to use.

TOOLS AND MATERIALS

Table saw

Planer (only needed if using pallet wood instead of purchased lattice)

Drill and bits

3" hole saw

Rasp or disc sander

Sandpaper

Wood glue

18 x 1" wire brads

1-1/2" finish nails

Hammer

Lattice Mouldings (I planed and cut mine from salvaged pallet wood)

Pine board 1" x 6" x 3' (actual size is 3/4" x 5-1/2" x 3')

2 Drawer pulls w/scews

Screw driver

Wood finish

MY CUT PIECES DIMENSIONS

2 @ 2-3/4" x 22" x 3/4" (the 2-3/4" is needed for the glasses I was using)

2 @ 2-3/4" x 12" x 3/4"

4 @ 3" x 12" x 3/8"

8 @ 2-3/4" x 12" x 3/8"

The 1" x 6" is ripped in half (to 2-3/4" wide) and each half is cut into a 22" and a 12" piece. These are the sides and ends of the tray. Drill 2 pilot holes near the ends of the 12" pieces. These will prevent the wood from splitting as you assemble with the 1-1/2" finish nails. Make sure the corners of the rectangle you are creating are square and that it sits evenly on a flat surface. Apply wood glue to one end of the 22" pieces and attach a 12" piece to them using 1-1/2" nails. Repeat for the other end. Remove any excess glue with a damp cloth.

I planed the pieces for the bottom and top to 3/8" thick, ripped them to the required width and sanded them. The ends of the slats were smoothed on the disc sander. I determined that I needed 3/4" space between the 3" top pieces when they were assembled so the stems of the glasses would fit. To drill the hole for the bases of the glasses and the wine bottle, the two slats and a 3/4" wide filler must be temporarily nailed to a piece of scrap wood for drilling. Determine where the hole should be, mark the center on the scrap piece in the middle and drill a 3" hole. See photo. Do the same for the second pair of top slats. Smooth the cut with a rasp and sand paper.

Apply glue to the under side of a top slat where it will contact the main part of the tray, align it with the end and sides and attach it with wire brads. Using a wine bottle as a guide, position the second glued slat, making sure the bottle can easily be inserted and removed. Attach it with wire brads. Repeat the process for the second set of drilled slats at the other end of the tray.

Lay out the bottom slats to determine the space required between each. My spacing was just under 3/4". Glue and attach the bottom slats starting at the ends of the tray and working towards the center. Again, remove any glue that might squeeze out with a damp rag. Sign and date your project.

When the glue has dried sand any rough spots and apply a coat or two of finish. When the finish is dry, measure and drill for the handles at the ends of the tray and attach them.

Find or make a cheese board that will fit in the middle of the tray. When you serve, make sure you are serving good cheeses that have had time to warm up. Warm cheese is much more flavorful than cold cheese.