How to Make Small Display Easels
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Last fall I made several large display easels
I don’t have pictures, but I’ll tell you that I clamped the left and right pieces together, drew a slanted line, and used my jigsaw to cut the angle. I then held the three pieces together to draw the line to drill my holes. You can see from the lines that you don’t drill exactly “straight” through the boards. (I ripped some 1x’s, so my small boards are about 3/4 x 3/4) You can get these kinds of small boards in the lumber dept at Home Depot.
I purchased small screws and wing nuts to allow the easel to fold and extend.
I used a piece of trim for the cross piece, attaching it with my brad nailer.
From this angle, it looks sooooo long. 
But I wanted to show you that I very, very carefully put it back on the compound miter saw to even out the ends. I do not recommend that you do this.
I made three sizes. The outside pieces measure 16, 22.5, 25 with the bottom cross piece measuring 15, 16, 16 I made the back leg 1 inch shorter on each of them.
I painted them black.
Here is one of the medium sized chalkboards on it.
close-up
I think any chalkboard would look super on one of these easels.
From the back—you can see that I’ve added the d-rings so that my chalkboards will hang either horizontally or vertically. Generally it only takes 3 rings, I make the one on the top right swing either way…. but this door had a joint right there, and I couldn’t screw the d-ring into the crack.
I played around recently with a couple of tables and my displays to see how I’m going to set up at my upcoming show.
The easels are pretty easy to make, but painting them is a little time consuming.
This is a wonderful tutorial, thank you. I am wondering how to make the same type of easel that will fold flat for carrying. I imagine the trick is at the top, where the legs all attach. Do you have any suggestions? Thank you!
They sort of “lay” flat-or at least as flat as possilbe. I tried to explain it the best I could with the pictures. I’m not sure how else to tell you what to do.
thanks for stopping by
gail
I love these easels! I need a few of these around my house:) Seriously, I wish I could just come raid your storage shed that’s full of awesome projects:)
Thank you Wendi for your sweet comment. I use these small easels and larger ones for my shows, they fold up and are real workhorses, holding heavy stuff with no problem.
gail
Will one of these work best for holding a 20″ canvas while painting? Or will the larger easel be better? I’m not sure what your finished sizes are. Thanks!
Amanda,
My guess is you would want the medium sized easel. What you would want to be sure of, is that the “leg” (middle) doesn’t protrude into your canvas, causing a bump or dent.
thanks for stopping by!
gail
I never realized that it was so easy to make easels! Now I will have to get busy and make some before my son burns all my extra wood. He just loves to burn useful stuff.
Love this – thank you so much for the tutorial!
~Katie
Great idea Gail! I can see all kinds of display possibilities!
Do you think that if you painted the wood first before you put it together it would be easier. Love any thing you do.
Shirley…. I put it together, took it apart, painted and then reassembled it. I plan to make more, and paint them while being suspended on a wire or something. 🙂 Thanks so much for your input!
gail
Thanks for sharing your easels, Gail. I pinned them for my daughter’s wedding.
Your easels look great! I like them in black!
Such cute easels! I love that you put decorative moulding as the base! Pinning!
Well this was definitely a well timed post–I’m going to need a bUnch of these for display purposes!
I usually can visualize exactly what to do, how, and why—but now I don’t have to spend time “thinking it through” first. I can just get on with it—luv,luv, luv ya!
Catherine
They are really cool! I might make a couple for two canvas chalkboards I have and use them at my son’t graduation party! I love the chalkboards, too!
The easels look really good!!
Your easels look great Gail, I like them in black!