Kitchen Stove-Side Caddy

Cooking - the one activity that separates us from all other living things - can be messy in one aspect. Cooking utensils and covers need a spot when they're not in or on the pot or skillet if one were checking or stirring.  I'm sure like most of you who cook must find it an ever present conundrum - where to "rest" the ladle, spatula, etc. and where to place the cover in the process. A large plate, paper towel? The countertop? I've done those. Yes, indeed it will be effective as many of you may have already done it. But, there is no fun in that, a woodworker/cook would say. 

Voila, I found one fun excuse to come up with a solution. A project.

When circumstances paved the way to embracing this cooking chore that has now become a daily activity, I needed to come up with something. However, the journey to find a solution begun with this one (below). It was kind of okay - a ceramic on a three-prong caddy where the cover can rest was only partly adequate because it does not catch the drippings from the cover, particularly from around the rim. But it too  was a project.

So, when the woodworker takes over the kitchen work, one new idea or another is bound to be explored.  I found a  large glass cover for a very large pot that is no longer being used because cooking for just me and my wife does not require it. One big advantage is that it is tempered glass that will easily handle high temperature.

How the idea evolved:

1. I put two clips on the handle 

2. Inverting it as shown below: 

3. It wasn't stable so I propped it up at two sides temporarily like so, for stability:

4. It worked!

Now for the project: Using a contour copier over the top profile of the cover, I traced the contoured line over a piece of plywood, to serve as a pattern. The contour copier is an inexpensive woodworking/carpentry tool that  adjusts to all kinds of shapes and profiles.

I cut the pattern on my shop-made scroll saw

 

Refining the edge over an oscillating drum sander

I prepared some rough boards

Transferred the profile to the workpiece 

Rough cutting the boards

Using double sided tape between the pattern and board 

The router table made quick work of copying the profile to the workpiece

At the table saw I cut the slot for two outriggers that will stabilize the caddy.

Dry fitting the joinery.

Gluing up the joinery

Dowels strengthened the joinery.

Final glue Up

Obviously, this is just one of many ways; limited only by one's imagination. Portability and easy clean up are the main considerations.