This is a perfect starter project for anyone who’s just new to woodworking. It doesn’t take a lot of effort. Nor does it take much wood. And hardly any tools. Making this back scratcher you can use scrap wood or buy something directly from the big box store.

Tools and Materials

There’s a wide range of tools you can use to fill this back scratcher from table saws, chop saws, jigsaws, band size and much more. Hand tools work really well for this too. It’s that simple. For the materials. I used 1/2 inch thick piece of 3/4 inch material 18 inches long. And then a 3/4 inch by 3/4 inch by 3/4 inch piece that I just glued on to the end with super glue.

This project is so simple that I didn’t even bother making a drawing for it. And you shouldn’t need one.

Cutting & Gluing

First thing you’ll do is cut your piece that is 3/4 inch by 1/2 inch by 18 inches long period and then cut a second piece which is going to be 3/4 inch by 3/4 inch by 3/4 of an inch. The long piece Is the handle. The short piece, you’ll use super glue to glue to the end to make the scratcher.

More Cutting

You have some additional cutting to do. You’ll need to cut a hook in the large piece. I used a bandsaw but you could use a hand saw and some files. Or if you have a sander You can shape the outside using that. You’ll need to shape the inside hook, and to do that you’ll use hand files and or a bandsaw. All you’ll need to do is sketch in a curve and then go ahead and start cutting.

Sanding

Because you’ll be handling this piece quite a bit, you should do a fair amount of sanding. Round all the edges with the exception of the hook, because you do want it to scratch. And then finish everything with 320 grit sandpaper.

Finishing

Finishing is nothing more than applying a couple coats of a spray on lacquer. This is not a piece that will require a thick film finish. You can also paint and decorate this if you choose. This is a great little project at this point to turn it over to your kids and have them make a back scratcher for mom or grandpa or grandma.