ZIGZAG Soap Dish

Raise the bar with this suds saver

- Sarah Marriage

Every woodworker faces that perennial question of what to do with all those wood scraps too small for most projects but just a bit too large for the burn bin. After a little experimentation, these zigzag soap dishes were born of this question.

Over the years I've made many different versions of these using various techniques on a variety of machines, and I've arrived at asleek process that is simple and repeatable. It starts with an overlong blank and results in two complete soap dishes. After dressing the initial blank, every step of this project is a 45° cut at the table saw. The key is spacing these cuts correctly.

You can use just about any scrap wood, but I prefer water-friendly woods like cedar or acacia. Denser woods add a little weight to the feel of the dish, so black locust or osage orange are top choices as well. I used a traditional soap finish for moderate protection and a soft sheen.

Criss-cross grooves for a design that drains

Table sawn v-grooves are cut along the grain on one side of the dish, and across the grain on the other side. The intersections of these grooves create convenient drainage holes for soapy water, and the zigzag design allows for plenty of airflow around the dish and under the bar of soap.

Order of Work

• Rip zigzag grooves and edge bevels