Malc2098
Sequoia
While this currently isn't a work in progress, it was at the time I took the photos. 
I wanted to repay a favour to a mate. A couple of year or so ago, I helped him design the motif ends of a coffee table he made.
You see he and his wife's initials are A and V.
So with the CNC machine of mine, I thought it would be a nice idea if I could incorporate that motif into some coasters to go on that table.
I'd never done it before, so I had to learn the software to design it, and create the tool paths for the machine to mill with a cutter I'd never used before.
I'd also have to practice on some ordinary wood before selecting some nice contrasting timbers for the real job.
The principle is that you carve an indented image, motif or whatever, with a V cutter into the wood creating a 'female' of the image. Then you also carve in relief the 'male' inlay to go into the female.
Female and male, about my third attempt.
Glue up.
Let dry for 24 hours.
Use the cnc machine to mill away the waste of the male, leaving the inlay visible.
Mill the profile of the coaster.
Proof of principle, but as ever more work to be done in getting it right.
Next, select some brilliant white maple to VCarve the female.
But because they're coasters, I have to mill the depression first (so the wine glass doesn't slide off) and then tell the machine that the face of the depression is now the top of the carving surface.
Then try some darker timbers for the male.
American Walnut; grain not dense enough so not cutting cleanly.
My old standby, Sapele.
And Padauk. This image shows that I machine a clearing cut first to mill the bulk out of the way with a small end mill, before…...
…. milling with the 60 degree cutter to achieve the angled sides.
Time to glue, and leave for 24hours or more.
Then to remove the waste from the male, I used a bowl cutter at 0.1mm per pass. Videos at x4 speed.
And an end mill to cut the profile.
The full set, 3 Sapele and 3 Padauk.
I wanted to repay a favour to a mate. A couple of year or so ago, I helped him design the motif ends of a coffee table he made.
You see he and his wife's initials are A and V.
So with the CNC machine of mine, I thought it would be a nice idea if I could incorporate that motif into some coasters to go on that table.
I'd never done it before, so I had to learn the software to design it, and create the tool paths for the machine to mill with a cutter I'd never used before.
I'd also have to practice on some ordinary wood before selecting some nice contrasting timbers for the real job.
The principle is that you carve an indented image, motif or whatever, with a V cutter into the wood creating a 'female' of the image. Then you also carve in relief the 'male' inlay to go into the female.
Female and male, about my third attempt.
Glue up.
Let dry for 24 hours.
Use the cnc machine to mill away the waste of the male, leaving the inlay visible.
Mill the profile of the coaster.
Proof of principle, but as ever more work to be done in getting it right.
Next, select some brilliant white maple to VCarve the female.
But because they're coasters, I have to mill the depression first (so the wine glass doesn't slide off) and then tell the machine that the face of the depression is now the top of the carving surface.
Then try some darker timbers for the male.
American Walnut; grain not dense enough so not cutting cleanly.
My old standby, Sapele.
And Padauk. This image shows that I machine a clearing cut first to mill the bulk out of the way with a small end mill, before…...
…. milling with the 60 degree cutter to achieve the angled sides.
Time to glue, and leave for 24hours or more.
Then to remove the waste from the male, I used a bowl cutter at 0.1mm per pass. Videos at x4 speed.
And an end mill to cut the profile.
The full set, 3 Sapele and 3 Padauk.
Last edited:
