Fall 2016
- This was a personal project I designed and created with the remains of my past furniture pieces. I had the need to keep water marks off of my apartment desk and needed to use the excess wood from my past years at college. I developed a simple process that allowed me to make a large quantity of high quality coasters in little time. They consist of a selection of hardwoods: soft maple, white oak, and paduak.
Creating the Block
After sketching out a desired pattern, I gathered some of the thin scraps I had in storage and carefully glued them into a rectangular prism. I was sure to clamp them as best as possible to ensure there were no gaps. The design of the coaster can be seen on the end.
Slicing the Coasters
After the block dried, its corners rounded, and its exterior was planed; I cut it into 3/8 inch slices with a table saw. These slices were then taped to a flat board and sent through a drum sander to delicately make them all the exact same thickness.
Sanding
The coasters came out of the drum sander with deep sanding lines and a rough texture. With some orbital and hand sanding, they became very smooth and soft to the touch. The higher the grit, the more the wood grain stood out, especially the contrasting white oak.
Finishing Touches
After another light sanding, I rubbed polyurethane into the coasters multiple times for a thick and durable finish that brought out the grain even further. Small silicone feet were added to the base of each coaster. For a classy look, some sets included a small "box" designed to match.