DIY Wooden Back Massager

This massage tool is easy to create; though it does require power tools. It's really great for a deep tissue massage, particularly when used with an oil or a lotion. The lotions will not only feel better but assist with movement and therefore make it easy on the person giving the massage, too. It can also double as a child's toy, depending on how you choose to paint it. Since it will be varnished wood, it can be cleaned easily with just soap and water, and warm water or the refrigerator can be used to make it a heated or cooled implement.

Materials
Wooden dowel 1/4" x 8"
4 - 1" diameter Wooden craft balls
1 - 2" diameter Wooden craft balls
Wood glue Drill with 1/4" bit
Hand saw Sand paper, coarse and fine
Glaze or shellac
Optional: Acrylic paint and paint brushes

The first thing you will have to do is cut the dowel into four equal two inch sections. These will be the legs of the massager, which will connect the handle to the contact feet. Sand each piece all over with the coarse sand paper until smooth, then sand each piece again with the fine paper. Repeat this process on the large and small balls, taking care to make sure no rough patches remain.

Once all of that is done, mark four evenly spaced dots on the bottom of the two inch ball. These should be about an inch apart around the sides and an inch and a half apart across the bottom. Using the drill, bore holes at every dot, drilling into the ball at about a 30 degree angle from the bottom of the ball. Drill a hole into the center of the top of each of the four smaller balls as well.

Pipe a small bit of glue into each of the holes you drilled in all five balls. Insert one end of each dowel into the large ball and place each of the smaller balls on the other end of each dowel piece. If you intend to paint the massager as a toy (or just for fun), do this next and allow the paint to dry completely. You can paint it as almost any four legged animal or forget science and paint it as an insect or even an octopus. Cover the whole thing in a generous coat of the glaze of your choice.