Cigar Buddy — Turn Scrap Wood into a Stylish Cigar Holder

I just finished up what I believe is the perfect woodworking project to use scrap wood. I had many offcuts from making cigar ashtrays that I’d been trying to find a use for, and this ended up being the perfect opportunity to try out a new idea. I call these prototype cigar holders “Cigar Buddies.” In this video, I made two designs from scrap wood and one design from the pile of smaller-diameter logs in my shop. The first design was crafted from a thick piece of white oak that had several splits in the wood. The biggest challenge was trying to find an area that was both visually appealing and free from cracks. While I usually gravitate towards a 1-inch size for my cigar rests, I decided to try something different. Since I chose a square design, I thought it would be a great opportunity to test out different-sized cigar rests on each side. I settled 7/8 inch, 1 inch, 1-1/8 inch, and 1-1/4 inch. I'm extremely happy with how it turned out, as it accommodates cigars with different ring gauges. The second design was crafted from an offcut of a triangular cigar ashtray I had made in the past. For the layout, I used an old lid from my shop, that I marked up. The lid was a 3-1/4 inch circle that I let overhang the wood by half an inch, giving the cigar holder a flat bottom. I used a 1-inch forstner bit to drill the cigar rest. The third and final design was made from a 3-inch diameter maple log/tree limb I had in the shop. I cut the log into 3-inch long pieces on my bandsaw. After removing the bark and sanding the exterior, these were ready for final shaping. I used a small router to cut the cigar rests, as I felt it would give the best results for this particular project. The cigar rest was my usual 1 inch wide and 1/2 inch deep. I really like how this one turned out because it retained much of its natural look. I'm extremely happy with how all three prototypes turned out. My favorite is the design with four different-sized cigar rests, mainly for its utility. My second favorite is the log style, thanks to its natural appearance. The circular design with the flat bottom was my least favorite, but I still think it turned out great; I just preferred the other two more. I believe this is a perfect little scrap wood project for cigar lovers. These cigar holders are especially useful for those who enjoy traveling, as they take up much less space than a full-sized ashtray. They're also great for outdoor use, providing a clean spot to rest your cigar without worrying about it rolling away. Available Products: https://www.etsy.com/shop/310fabrication Music: Johnny Gorillas - Birds Steven Beddall - Blooming Evgeny Bardyuzha - The Observer Sero - Think of Mind