This project was built and designed by Billy from Newton Makes. It’s a functional wine bottle holder crafted from a natural maple slab, blending practical design with organic beauty.
Billy demonstrates how stepping outside of the typical boxy project can lead to stunning results. By embracing the irregularities and grain of a rough-milled slab, this project creates a sculpture that’s both artistic and functional.
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Choosing a Slab with Character
The heart of this project is a large maple slab, milled with a chainsaw and full of natural character. Instead of opting for uniform dimensional lumber, Billy chooses a piece that highlights the organic grain and imperfections.
Working with slabs can be more challenging due to their size and irregularity. However, these challenges often lead to finished pieces with much more personality and visual impact.
Flattening and Preparing the Wood
Preparation starts by flattening one face of the slab to create a reference surface. Because slabs are often wider than typical jointer or planer capacity, careful technique is needed to achieve a workable surface.
Once one side is flat, the slab is planed to smoothness, making it easier to cut and shape later. These early steps take patience but are essential for creating a polished, professional-looking final product.
Designing with a Template
Before cutting, Billy develops a template for the wine holder’s shape. Templates are key for maintaining symmetry and consistency across multiple cuts.
Using paper and spray adhesive, the template is attached to the slab. This simple trick makes it easy to follow curves precisely when cutting on the bandsaw, keeping the design crisp and intentional.
Cutting the Sculpture Shape
With the template secured, Billy cuts the wine holder outline using a bandsaw. This tool is ideal for following organic curves and creating smooth transitions in the piece.
As always, blade sharpness is important. If the blade dulls partway through, a quick replacement keeps the process clean and safe, especially when working with dense hardwood like maple.
Assembly and Initial Sanding
Once the basic shape is cut, the project moves into assembly. Pieces are glued and clamped carefully to ensure a strong, lasting bond.
After glue-up, the sanding phase begins. Billy uses a spindle sander to refine the curves, smoothing out saw marks and creating flowing lines that feel natural to the hand.
Refining the Surface
Detailed sanding is where this project really comes to life. Sanding brings out the subtle variations in the maple’s color and figure, transforming rough cuts into graceful surfaces.
Billy focuses on softening edges and making transitions between surfaces feel organic. This stage is time-consuming but deeply rewarding, revealing the beauty hidden beneath the rough slab.
Applying a Protective Finish
For the finish, Billy selects Osmo oil, a hardwax oil known for enhancing wood grain while providing lasting protection. Applied with a finishing pad, the oil soaks into the maple and brings out rich colors and subtle textures.
A quality finish not only improves appearance but protects the wine holder from moisture and handling wear. It’s the final step that truly elevates the piece from rough slab to refined sculpture.
Sharing the Journey
Billy shares that projects like this remind him why he loves woodworking—the chance to create something functional, beautiful, and unique. Venturing into less traditional designs pushes skills and opens up new creative possibilities.
He also acknowledges the support of his Patreon community, which helps fuel his ongoing creative work. Engaging with fellow woodworkers creates a strong sense of connection and shared growth.
Try It Yourself
Inspired by this project? Billy offers the wine holder template for download on his website, making it easy to get started on your own version.
Whether you’re making it as a gift or adding it to your home decor, this wine bottle sculpture is a rewarding project. It combines simple tools, thoughtful design, and the natural beauty of wood into something truly memorable.
Please support Billy by visiting his website here: https://www.newtonmakes.com/shop.
Matt’s Take
These are my personal thoughts and tips based on my own experience in the shop. This section is not written, reviewed, or endorsed by the original creator of this project.
Working with live-edge slabs like this maple piece opens up a whole different world of possibilities in the shop. The unpredictability of the grain and natural edges means you’re constantly problem-solving and adapting your approach, which keeps things interesting. When you’re dealing with wider stock that won’t fit through a standard planer, having a good router sled or hand plane technique in your back pocket becomes invaluable.
Templates are absolute game-changers for curved work like this wine holder. I keep a collection of cardboard and hardboard templates for repeat projects, and they save so much time while ensuring consistency. The spray adhesive trick Billy uses is perfect for temporary attachment – it holds well during cutting but removes cleanly without leaving residue on the wood.
That Osmo finish choice is spot-on for a piece like this. Hardwax oils really let the wood breathe while providing excellent protection, and they’re particularly forgiving for beginners since they’re nearly impossible to mess up. The key is working in manageable sections and not over-applying – a little goes a long way with these penetrating finishes.
Projects like this wine holder prove that stepping away from standard rectangles and boxes can yield incredibly rewarding results. The organic curves complement the natural maple beautifully, creating something that feels both sculptural and functional.