Monogrammed coasters

Just some simple coasters, actually my first “paid for” piece, and a great learning experience for me in trying to figure out how to hollow it out at different depths at various radiuses. As I had very limited tools I had to jury rig the set up to get it to work. Mounted my first ever router under a piece of 1/2 MDF for a quick and dirt router table. Drilled a center hole in each coaster and holes of varying distances from the center of the router bit. Inserted a nut and bolt through the holes in the MDF and through the coaster, then raised the straight bit I was using into the workpiece slightly and just turned it 360 degrees slowly. The nut and washer kept the piece from raising while still allowing me to turn it and I had each hole labeled in order and it’s corresponding final depth of cut.

The stand and coasters are made out of walnut, and each coaster is 4 1/2” diameter, with a 3/16” depth, 1/4” where the cork is to compensate for it’s thickness. The monogram was done with a woodburning tool. Finished with tung oil then 3 coats of Arm r Seal satin.

Not 100% safe, not the most efficient, but I made do with what I had at the time. Now I’ve got a jig set up, so no need to drill the center hole and the monogram is done with inlay… how things have progressed. I have cranked some out in a quarter of the time it took at first and they look better, but I’m still partial to the first improvised set.