| Project by Rick Sergi | posted 154 days ago | 291 views | 6 times favorited | 12 comments | ![]() |
For Christmas, I decided to make several serving trays to give as gifts out of various woods I had around the shop. Construction of all the trays included “lock-mitered” corners with keys made of holly, integrated handles, and a floating solid-wood base. Final size was 14” x 22” and I used polyurethane to finish them to maximize their durability. Each tray was unique in the combination of woods used so I ended up with quite a variety:
- Padauk sides with spalted maple base.
- Bolivian Rosewood (Morado) sides with myrtle base.
- Wenge sides with zebrawood base.
- Padauk sides with lacewood base.
- Walnut sides with oak base.
-- Rick Sergi - Bethlehem, PA
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12 comments so far
Scott Bryan
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8483 posts in 264 days
posted 154 days ago
Hi Rick,
These trays made wonderful Christmas gifts I am sure. They are all gorgeous and the holly keys add a nice detail to them. They are all absolutely gorgeous but I think, personally, I prefer the pakauk and lacewood one the best.
You made some really nice gifts with these and you got to spend some time in the shop making them. Sounds like a winning combination to me.
Thanks for the post.
-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.
ShannonRogers
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218 posts in 229 days
posted 154 days ago
How difficult did you find the set up for the mitre lock bit? I have one of these that came in a kit and I have not used it yet. The set up looks really tough.
-- Check out my new blog "The Renaissance Woodworker" at www.rogersfinewoodworking.com/blog
USCJeff
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789 posts in 510 days
posted 154 days ago
Well Done. I’ve saved the photos for reference. There have been a few other “tray” posts here, but I like your design really well. The spline/keys add a lot to the mitered corners. Looks like a lock miter joint?? I’m guessing you have a lock bit for the router? Again, very nicely crafted. Great complimenting species.
-- Jeff, South Carolina
Damian Penney
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620 posts in 433 days
posted 154 days ago
These are great, I love the Zebrawood one myself.
-- I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso
Blake
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1873 posts in 316 days
posted 154 days ago
Really nice job. I like the contrasting keys and the tight joinery.
-- Dust collectors suck.
GaryK
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8401 posts in 430 days
posted 154 days ago
Those are very nice. I really like the wood combinations.
-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.
leonmcd
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175 posts in 413 days
posted 154 days ago
These are very nicely done. Great for Christmas presents. Simple design, easy to duplicate yet each one is unique.
You did a great job of matching the different woods.
-- Leon -- Houston, TX - " I create all my own designs and it looks like it "
closetguy
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57 posts in 334 days
posted 154 days ago
Very well done. You got those lock mitres dead on.
-- Dennis... www.closetdreams.com
rikkor
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7093 posts in 316 days
posted 153 days ago
The joinery is top shelf, as are the trays. I’d also like to hear about the set-up of the locking miter bit.
-- Maplewood, MN
NDwoodworker
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48 posts in 176 days
posted 153 days ago
The jointery is a great detail, nice work with the highly figured base, the gift must have been well recieved
-- Stuart, North Dakota
Bradford
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614 posts in 264 days
posted 153 days ago
Great display of contrasts in that joinery. Those trays will be cherished for a long time.
-- so much wood, so little time. Bradford.
sharad
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289 posts in 246 days
posted 153 days ago
Nice trays as gifts. The combination of woods make them look very beautiful. The joinery is superb.
Sharad
-- patanjali