How to Make Wooden Folding Salad Tongs

Folding salad tongs can be extremely useful items to have for saving space.

Salad tongs are always useful for tossing, mixing and serving salad, especially at larger gatherings. However, if you'd prefer a pair of salad tongs that fold flat when they're not being used, but which can also have the necessary spring to them, then you have a weekend woodworking project. There are several ways you can accomplish this, but the basic idea behind them is all the same.

Things You'll Need

• Wooden salad tongs (separate pieces)
• Hinge
• Drill
• Screws
• Rubber ball

Instructions

1. Compare the curve in the salad tongs. You need to have two tongs that are separate pieces, but which lay one right into the other like spoons in a drawer. The tongs can be completely flat, but if you have tongs with a flat shaft and a curved spoon or spork end then that will work as well.

2. Screw the tongs together with a hinge that will allow for complete movement. You need to be able to let the tongs wrap around completely so you could spin one around the other. Technically you could use the tongs as is, but an addition will make it easier.

3. Carve out small, round depressions in the tongs. Place a small, rubber or flexible plastic ball so that it's held between the two depressions when the tongs are squeezed together. The ball will provide you some separation and you'll have to squeeze the tongs around it to grasp the salad. You don't technically need the ball, but it helps make the tongs easier to use.

References

• Etsy: Folding Salad Tongs in Cherry
• Art Fire: Folding Maple Salad Tongs