For the CNC project, I decided to create coasters that I could use in my future apartment or home for grad school next year!

I took an AdobeIllustrator file of my signature and last name and took that into Carbide Create, in which I scaled my piece down to an appropriate size and added two concentric circles to create a lip of the coaster.

After creating the necessary tool paths: two pocket toolpaths for the initial pocket and signature, and one contour toolpath to cut out the shape, I started CNC-ing using the Nomad 3! Because my design was pretty fine, I switched out the 1/8 end mill for a 1/16 end mill in the middle of the process. I also paused the process a couple times to vacuum the sawdust buildup, preventing any mishaps due to too much material in the pathways.

After the shapes were CNC’d, I used sandpaper and an X-acto to break the tabs that were holding the shape within the block of wood. I also used the X-acto to clear our any splintered wood from the sides of the shape and my cut-out signature.

Once sanded smooth, I used Danish Oil to seal and protect the wood, giving it a super natural yet polished look. I then used resin epoxy to seal the pocket and complete the coasters!!! Here’s where I ran into a bit of a problem. 24-36 hours after pouring, the epoxy in both had not yet set. Furthermore, in the darker wood coaster, the epoxy had seeped into the wood, giving it discoloration on the side and pretty much no epoxy resin was left in the pocket. After scraping it out, sanding it, using needles to take out the resin in the signature, and using alcohol to get the rest of it out, I let the coasters dry.

While I had intended to try pouring the resin again, with the time and material constraint of the project and the unreliability of the resin pour previously, I decided to leave the pocket unfilled.

The cleaned workspace:

Overall, I’m super happy with the way these turned out! I think if I were to make it again, I would make the pocket/lip of the coaster a bit deeper to account for the resin pour. I would also use two pieces of wood that were the same coloration and quality, or perhaps on the same piece of wood, to prevent any significant differences.

Cost Analysis

Cost – $143.56
3/4 in x 3 in x 12 in plywood blocks (total	$3.19
CNC machining time	$50/hr (2 hrs)
Labor	$10/hr (3 hrs)
Danish oil	$1.77