| Project by JL7 | posted 517 days ago | 2003 views | 30 times favorited | 17 comments |  |
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So goes another Christmas gift rush…...
This was inspired by ChuckV’s post here. Thanks Chuck. Found the Woodsmith article after reading his post.
No real plan going in, just started pulling “shorts” out of the bin and making blanks. I think the final coaster count came out around 170 or so…...Woods used: Hard maple, Walnut, Cherry, Ash, Pau Amarello, Goncalo Alves, Mahogany, Sapele and Anigre.
Cutting the coasters from the blanks with the bandsaw was the biggest challenge here – I was eating up blades left and right…..next issue was the sanding….wow, it’s ALOT of sanding.
Ended up with 23 coaster sets and the rest (individual coasters) are being passed out with a little note to think about my sister who is fighting cancer…...the feedback has been huge…....
The square box bases are grain matching four sides (re-sawn stock). The stand up bases were just a novel idea by cutting a coaster in half and gluing some Maple spacers between them….
Here a some construction photos:
The blanks:
The Inlays:
Here is a shot of my brother helping with some sanding the thin coasters using the down and dirty vacuum clamp on the belt sander:
Finishing – 3 coats of oil base poly – then buffed and carnuba wax:
The bases:
To use up some of the really thin scraps left over from the bandsaw op – I glued some together making a “two faced” coaster:
After the coaster project was done – I still had a bunch of the cutoffs and such leftover so glued them to scraps of plywood and added some edging to make a bit of wall art:
I have been told with some authority that only the center piece is really art and the other two are “just too busy”......but I hung em on the wall anyways….:) I just hate throwing away beautiful wood…
Last but NOT least…..the ever important testing. I plan on doing ongoing testing as well:
Thanks for looking!
Jeff
-- Jeff - I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.
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17 comments so far
ChuckV
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1756 posts in 1698 days
#1 posted 517 days ago
Jeff,
Wow – I am impressed. That is a whole lot of coasters!
After my first trial set, I made eight more sets with a total of 34 coasters – and I thought that the sanding was going to do me in (I did it all by hand).
I have already given two sets away to people that I will not be seeing on Christmas. They were well received. I am sure that you will find the same.
I like what you did with the leftovers.
Merry Christmas.
-- I was walking down the street, something caught my eye, and dragged it 15 feet.
SisQMark
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353 posts in 771 days
#2 posted 517 days ago
You’ve been busy! What a great idea. Each recipient will love them I’m sure. Merry Christmas & best wishes to your sister. My Mom is battling with breast cancer right now & it’s a real hard thing to go through, my families best to yours.
-- Don't waste today, it is yesterdays tomorrow!~SisQMark
JL7
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3643 posts in 1136 days
#3 posted 517 days ago
Hey Chuck – thanks again for the inspiration….and the comments!
Mark – appreciate the comments – my sister is battling breast cancer as well, and was actually diagnosed after I started the coaster project (which spans about 2 months time), so it was an easy decision to honor her with these…...
Merry Christmas.
Jeff
-- Jeff - I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.
EarlS
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135 posts in 519 days
#4 posted 517 days ago
WOW!!! Great way to use us some of those leftovers and make some amazing looking coasters. I saw the article and thought it was a very clever way to make inlays. You took it to another level.
Have a Merry Christmas!!!
Earl
-- Earl "I'm a pessamist - generally that increases the chance that things will turn out better than expected"
Betsy
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2826 posts in 2067 days
#5 posted 517 days ago
Quality testing is very important, would not want to give out an inferior product after as. Seriously the coasters look great and I’m sure ther recipients will be thankful to get them.
-- Like a bad penny, I keep coming back!
fernandoindia
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1002 posts in 1115 days
#6 posted 517 days ago
Hi Jeff.
Sorry to hear of your sister.
Hope you enjoyed working in the mass production sanding with your brother.
Have as much joy as you can, and Merry Christmas
-- Back home. Fernando
Dave
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9199 posts in 1011 days
#7 posted 517 days ago
Jeff a wonderful bunch of gifts. And such a large choice of color. Very nice. I like all of the wall art and art is in the eye of the beholder. You are a better man than me. If I have to do something more than 10 times my ADD kicks in. I will find 5 other things to do just to get a break from the repetition. But back to the coaster the inlays are perfect. I am sorry about your sister and we will pray for her.
Merry Christmas.
-- Superdav "No matter where you go - there you are." http://chiselandforge.com
a1Jim
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87310 posts in 1748 days
#8 posted 517 days ago
Great coasters a real amazing job and a big job too.
-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/
JL7
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3643 posts in 1136 days
#9 posted 517 days ago
Earl, Betsy, Fernando, Dave and Jim – appreciate the comments! And Dave – I can relate to the ADD thing….many times over I had to walk away…..built several other things in between….some will be posted later…..especially the sanding part, I can go an hour or so at a time, but this was probably 10x that….crazy!
Thanks for the notes on my sis, she is really strong so is hitting it head on. Spent half the day with her in the hospital today doing a transfusion and we really had some great bonding time. On Christmas day, she should be getting some extra support and feedback from friends and family based on the little note I attached and distributed with the coasters…..so I think that will make her Christmas a bit more special…...
Thanks again!
Jeff
-- Jeff - I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.
BritBoxmaker
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4012 posts in 1207 days
#10 posted 517 days ago
Nice coasters, Jeff. Impressive production setup also
-- Martyn -- Boxologist, Pattern Juggler and Candyman of the visually challenging. http://www.theartofboxes.com
SPalm
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4118 posts in 2053 days
#11 posted 517 days ago
Wow Jeff. Truly serious production run. Good for you.
And they came out great. Love the wall art – nothing goes to waste.
Nice to see your vacuum clamp in use – I need a brother :)
Take care and Merry Christmas,
Steve
-- -- I'm no rocket surgeon
MShort
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1378 posts in 1589 days
#12 posted 517 days ago
A bunch is slightly understated. WOW you have been very busy. Thanks for the extra photos and commentary.
-- Mike, Missouri --- “A positive life can not happen with a negative mind.” ---
DYankee
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2784 posts in 733 days
#13 posted 517 days ago
Wow. While I really like the coasters I am more impressed by the production.
-- Shameless - Winner of two Stumpy Nubs Awards
wdh
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54 posts in 1811 days
#14 posted 517 days ago
Nice coasters and I like the wall art idea! Hope your sister gets well soon!
-- Wayne,Saint John,NB
sras
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3248 posts in 1300 days
#15 posted 517 days ago
Great project Jeff! I like the different stand you came up with.
Best wishes for your sister. May 2012 be a year of victory for her.
-- Steve - Impatience is Expensive
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