Trivets from Scrap

[glenn bradley]

Christmas is coming . . . Throughout the year I glue scraps into blanks. I toss similar length pieces of interesting materiel in the same corner. Once I have a decent pile I glue a couple of pieces together. When I am caught watching glue dry or killing time between coats of finish I will add another piece here and there milling them to fit as required.

By the time I hear the first Christmas jingle I have a decent sized "loaf" or two. Some work for coaster as seen in these coasters from the past:

scrap-coasters (1).jpg . scrap-coasters (4).jpg . scrap coaster in holder (3).jpg

This year a shorter and fatter billet yielded trivets.

Scrap Trivet (1).jpg . Scrap Trivet (11).jpg

I think I've got the stocking-stuffers for this year covered.

Scrap Trivet (12).jpg

Just an idea of how to make your scraps earn their keep

[Warren Weckesser]

Great idea, thanks. What do you use to finish the trivets?

[glenn bradley]

Great idea, thanks. What do you use to finish the trivets?

I use mineral oil just as I do for cutting boards. Friends who entertain regularly have some from two years ago; been refreshed with oil a couple of times and still look great. I give a small bottle of mineral oil and instructions with cutting boards, coasters and trivets. I have also seen items that have never been refreshed and they do not do as well

[Bruce Page]

I'm going to be making some cutting boards as gifts. Including a small bottle of mineral oil is a great idea. Where do you buy from?

[glenn bradley]

I'm going to be making some cutting boards as gifts. Including a small bottle of mineral oil is a great idea. Where do you buy from?

I just get mine at Wally-World in the Pharmacy section for about $1.80 a pint. You can also buy "cutting board oil" (which is mineral oil) at the same Wally-Wotrld for $19.00 a pint

[Art Mann]

I make and sell trivets and coasters with my CNC router. The first picture is a trivet and the second is a coaster. Click to enlarge.



1-DSC_0058.JPG1-DSC_0501.JPG

I finish both with multiple coats of spray on polyurethane. I did extensive testing with hot dishes from the oven and the poly survives 450 degrees without damage. The Coasters have not been damaged by 2 years of use with sweaty glasses of ice that filled the little cavities of water. The trivets were coated for appearance purposes only but the coasters had to be heavily protected to prevent warpage. I haven't tried mineral oil.

[Chris Cohick]

Those look really nice, Glen. Good job on helping me find a way to use scraps

[Mike Henderson]

Wow, those are nice. And a lot of work

You did a good job on those.

Mike

[Dick Mahany]

Very cool. I especially like the nested pieces in the box joint holder. What a great use for scrap.

[Neil Gaskin]

Thanks for sharing.

[Mike Null]

Great looking gifts. Useful stuff is always appreciated.

[Lee Schierer]

Very nice work. So how do you get the evenly spaced grooves in your trivets?

[Al Launier]

Christmas is coming . . . Throughout the year I glue scraps into blanks. I toss similar length pieces of interesting materiel in the same corner. Once I have a decent pile I glue a couple of pieces together. When I am caught watching glue dry or killing time between coats of finish I will add another piece here and there milling them to fit as required.

By the time I hear the first Christmas jingle I have a decent sized "loaf" or two. Some work for coaster as seen in these coasters from the past:

scrap-coasters (1).jpg . scrap-coasters (4).jpg . scrap coaster in holder (3).jpg

This year a shorter and fatter billet yielded trivets.

Scrap Trivet (1).jpg . Scrap Trivet (11).jpg

I think I've got the stocking-stuffers for this year covered.

Scrap Trivet (12).jpg

Just an idea of how to make your scraps earn their keep

Those look absolutely great Glenn! Hope you don't mind if I copy your idea.
However, since the trivets/coasters are too short for planing do you run them through a drum sander or do you "bracket" the pieces between long boards in a planer? I don't have a sander so I'm wondering if instead you groove the face of the trivets with a router & then touch-up hand sand the "reduced" surface area, ???

PS That is a really nice coaster box - adds so much to the gift!

[Al Launier]

Really nice work Art, you certainly have more patience than I do. They are beautiful indeed.